Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center

More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 408
Edition: Illustrated
Publisher: Que Publishing
Published: 21 Apr 2006
ISBN 10: 0789735423
ISBN 13: 9780789735423
Book Overview: A Media Center PC (also called a home theater PC) is a personal computer running the Windows Media Center operating system, designed to be used in a home theater system. Media Center PCs are capable of replacing several traditional audio/video components. A PC running Windows Media Center can function as a CD player, a DVD player, a TV tuner, a hard disk digital video recorder (DVR), a digital music jukebox, and a digital photo viewer. All of these features are accessed from Windows Media Center's simple onscreen interface. The market for these Media Center PCs is due to explode. Parks Associates projects that by 2008, more than 7 million households will have one of these devices, creating a market worth more than $10 billion. They go on to project that Media Center PCs will account for 40% of U.S. home computer sales within five years. Even though the Media Center interface is simple to operate, not all activities are intuitive or easy to implement. Users need help determining which type of Media Center PC to buy, connecting and configuring the Media Center PC in their home theater system, and using the Media Center PC to perform both basic and advanced operations. This book brings the experience and expertise of The Green Button (the premiere Media Center website) and author Michael Miller to help users plan, use, and troubleshoot their new Media Center PCs -- and get the most out of Windows Media Center Edition.