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Currently there are a couple of different types of Media Center computers.

Of course, there are desktops and notebooks, but one of the most innovative and useful products is a newer one, called the Media Center Extender. There's even one that will convert your XBox to allow play from your Media Center PC running Media Center Edition 2005.

We'll be adding products here as we can gather information from vendors. Stay tuned for some of the latest information.

In the meantime, click on the Models link on the left to check available desktops and notebooks running Windows XP Media Center Edition.

A Beginner’s Guide to Media Center

The Media Center PC is one of Microsoft's newest operating systems targeted at the home computer user. As you've probably seen in recent television and news articles, Media Center computers are becoming a favorite component in many homes. Many of those who don’t yet have one have put a Media Center at the top of many wish lists.

Basically, a Media Center computer makes it easy to record music, videos, movies and television shows and play them back through an entertainment center or home TV. Photos and other files can also be viewed on a television as well as on the computer monitor. Adding a Media Center Extender makes it simple to use any television or stereo system for superior playback of video or music.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Media Center PCs at all, you’ll find more information at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/default.mspx than I’m able to cover in this article. A list of current Media Center OEMs is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/products.mspx.

During a recent trip to the Microsoft campus, I spoke with Mark Pendergrast, Lead Product Manager with the Media Center team, and Todd Bowra, who was instrumental in getting the Xbox Media Center Extender to market.

Part of this article was taken from the interview and part from the presentation Mark gave to a group of leading community site representatives attending the Featured Community Summit in Redmond.

There are so many useful options in Media Center 2005 that some aren’t readily apparent. I’ll touch on these briefly here, but look for a more in-depth article soon.

After visiting the following, click the back button to return to this site.

Music – is one of the most popular entertainment media that’s recorded today. It’s easy to find and save your favorite songs and artists using Media Center’s interface. Album art and additional information makes it simple to find exactly what’s wanted.

Movies – Find a movie by title, genre, ratings, favorite actor or director and have it recorded automatically. If it isn’t available currently, choose the option to record it the next time it plays.

Photos – Sharing photos on a family entertainment center brings a new dimension to viewing them. When everyone sees the same photo at the same time, there’s a closeness that isn’t possible when passing pictures hand to hand.

Television – Recording television shows gives us the opportunity to watch whatever we like whenever we prefer to watch it. No more missing a favorite show or special presentation. Series can be recorded automatically with just a few clicks of the remote.

Video – Just as viewing photos on a television is a different experience, so is sharing videos. Once saved to a hard drive connected to the Media Center PC, there’s no hunting around for the video camera and the tape you want to see. Just a couple of clicks and you’re ready to watch your movie.

With the release of Media Center Edition 2005, Microsoft has opened its previously restricted-to-OEMs-only licensing to allow system builders to enter the Media Center market. This means that the operating system is now available to those who want to build their own Media Center PCs. This may not be as simple as it sounds, so before running off to order components for your system, be sure to do some studying. Graphics cards and TV cards are critical. Be certain that the system has supported cards. Check the list at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/partners/dfw/partnerlisting.mspx

For expert help from other users, be sure to check out the Media Center newsgroups and articles at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/communities/mediacenter.mspx

The Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 is based on XP Pro, not XP Home. It has full Pro security, networking, etc. Its only limitation is that it's not possible to join a domain once MCE 2005 is installed. If you must join a domain, it's possible to do so only if an MC computer running a previous version is already set up to do so before doing the upgrade to MCE 2005 or if it's done during a clean install. Since most Media Centers will be purchased, not built by the consumer, joining a domain will not be possible in the majority of cases. Be aware that Media Center extenders will not work if the MCE machine is on a domain.

For more information on Media Center Extenders, check here. For full product information on Media Center computers or Media Center extenders, check Window Marketplace.