Windows XP Media Center Edition

Windows XP Media Center Edition

Screenshot of Windows Media Center, the exclusive component of Windows XP Media Center Edition
Developer Microsoft
OS family Microsoft Windows
Source model Closed source / Shared source
Released to
manufacturing
September 3, 2002 (2002-09-03)[1]
General
availability
October 29, 2002 (2002-10-29)[2]
Latest release 2005 Update Rollup 2 (5.1.2715.3011) / October 24, 2006 (2006-10-24)
Kernel type Hybrid kernel (Windows NT)
Default user interface Graphical User Interface
License Proprietary commercial software
Succeeded by Windows Vista Home Premium
Official website microsoft.com/windowsxp
Support status
  • Support started on October 28, 2002 (2002-10-28)[3]
  • Mainstream support ended on April 14, 2009 (2009-04-14)[3]
  • Extended support ended on April 8, 2014 (2014-04-08).[3]

Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) is a version of the Windows XP operating system which was the first version of Windows to include Windows Media Center, designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub. The last version, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, was released on October 12, 2004. After that, Windows Media Center was included in most editions of later Windows versions.

Versions

Windows XP Media Center Edition has had the following releases, all based on Windows XP Professional with all features enabled except domain-joining ability disabled in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Terminal Services in the original release.

To determine the underlying edition of Windows XP on which a particular revision of MCE is based, the System Properties Control Panel applet can be used. To determine the revision of MCE that is being used, select the About Media Center option from the General -> Settings area inside MCE.

Exclusive features

Main article: Windows Media Center

Windows XP Media Center Edition is distinguished with its exclusive component, Media Center, a media player that supports watching and recording TV programs, as well as playing DVD-Video, photo slideshows, and music. Media Center sports a user interface that is optimized for use from a distance with large fonts and icons.

Unlike competing commercial DVR products, Microsoft does not charge a monthly subscription fee for its Media Center TV guide service.

Due to its strict hardware requirements, Microsoft opted not to supply Media Center as an independent retail version. Microsoft only distributed it to MSDN subscribers and original equipment manufacturers in certain countries. Consumers purchase Media Center preinstalled on a new computer, set-top box or embedded device.

Successors of Windows XP did not have a Media Center edition but the player itself came with Windows.

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

New features

Removed features

Hardware requirements

The Software Version screen showing MCE running on an Intel Core 2 Duo computer.

Media Center has higher hardware requirements than other editions of Windows XP. MCE 2005 requires at least a 1.6 GHz processor, DirectX 9.0 hardware-accelerated GPU (ATI Radeon 9 series or nVidia GeForce FX Series or higher), and 256 MB of System RAM. Some functionality, such as Media Center Extender support, use of multiple tuners, or HDTV playback/recording carries higher system requirements.

Media Center is much more restricted in the range of hardware that it supports than most other software DVR solutions. Media Center tuners must have a standardized driver interface, and they must have hardware MPEG-2 encoders (this was changed as companies such as ATI wrote drivers to support MCE 2005 with their All-In-Wonder cards and HDTV Wonder cards), closed caption support, and a number of other features. Media Center remote controls are standardized in terms of button labels and functionality, and, to a degree, general layout.

See also

References

  1. "Windows XP Media Center Edition Released to Manufacturing In Time for Holiday 2002". News Center. Microsoft. 2 September 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 "The Wait Is Over! Windows XP Media Center Edition Ushers in New Era of Entertainment on the PC". News Center. Microsoft. 28 October 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Microsoft Product Lifecycle: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition". Microsoft Support. Microsoft. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  4. Windows XP Media Center Edition ("Freestyle") Preview: Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows
  5. 1 2 "Microsoft Unveils Windows XP Media Center Edition, Previously Code-Named "Freestyle"". News Center. Microsoft. 16 July 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  6. Howard, Bill (September 30, 2003). "Second-Generation Media Center Edition: Worth the Wait". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis.
  7. "Microsoft Redefines PC Entertainment With Launch Of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004". News Center. Microsoft. 30 September 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  8. Evers, Joris (October 12, 2004). "Microsoft aims high with Media Center update". PC Advisor. IDG.
  9. "Microsoft and Industry Partners Deliver on Digital Entertainment Anywhere Vision With Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005". News Center. Microsoft. 12 October 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  10. Emerald Is Finally Here: Charlie Owen blog
  11. Software Update for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Enables High-Fidelity Access to PC Digital Entertainment via Xbox 360
  12. "You cannot join your computer to a domain in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (KB887212)". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  13. "Joining a domain with Windows Media Center 2005". Retrieved 2011-04-07.

Third party sites

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