Anybody use Windows Media Center?

grumpycrab

Is it me or does this not contain a browser or email client? (would be an ideal interface for some computer-challenged people I know).

robmar0se

Originally codenamed "Freestyle" during development, Windows Media Center was first included with a special edition of Windows XP called Windows XP Media Center Edition. A new version of Windows Media Center was included in Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions. The user interface was redesigned and tailored for the 16:9 aspect ratio. Support for multiple tuners was added in later releases and varies depending upon the version of the operating system purchased. Also introduced to U.S. users was Internet TV, which allows access to streaming content through the Media Center interface.
Microsoft later updated Windows Vista Media Center with a feature pack known as TV Pack 2008.[1] This release, which was previously codenamed "Fiji" was only made available via OEMs for new computers that came preinstalled with the update. It is not available as an update for existing Windows Vista Media Center users.[2][3][4] The update tweaked the user interface, replaced the .dvr-ms filetype with .wtv files, added support for digital subchannels, QAM, as well as increased the total number of each type of tuner allowed, added DVB-S and MHEG.[5][6] In the beta there was support for H.264 (which allows for DirecTV) streams, however that feature was removed from the release version.[7]

As far as I am aware all XP Media Centre PC's had the standard IE browser email client services in the UK.

Mobeer

I suspect the OP meant can a user access a web browser without exiting Windows Media Centre (so they can boot to WMC, use WMC and then shutdown without ever using the desktop)?

grumpycrab

Yes - a browser and email client IN WMC - so some friends I know don't even have to see the Windows I/F. WMC contains everything else they need (CD+DVD player, music,picture,film library access).

debitcardmayhem

As far as I know, WMC is a bit that gets stuck on top of Windows , otherwise they would have called it Microsoft Media Centre , or am I missing something here . You can set WMC to start up at startup but Windows is the underlying bit.

Pikeyp

There seem to be some plugins available from here ... http://madeformediacenter.com/m4mc/ ...

and there does seem to be an email one , but no browser plugin sadly.

and some more stuff to do ... http://www.hack7mc.com/

Untested by me I should point out ...