Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center (WMC) is a discontinued media center application and digital video recorder software created by Microsoft. Media Center was first introduced to Windows in 2005 on Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE). It is included in the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista, as well as all editions of Windows 7 except Starter and Home Basic. It was also available on Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro as a paid add-on. It was discontinued as of Windows 10 and the operating system also removes all of Windows Media Center during an upgrade from previous versions of Windows, although it can reportedly be unofficially reinstalled using a series of Command Prompt commands.

Media Center's main feature is viewing and recording TV content on a PC thanks to its support for TV tuner hardware and an Electronic program guide. TV tuner hardware support was introduced in Windows with the Broadcast Driver Architecture in Windows 98, and evolved over time to add support for digital and HD broadcasts and newer terrestrial, cable and satellite television standards. Media Center as a built-in DVR software did not appear until Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Media Center can play slideshows, videos and music from local hard drives, optical drives and network locations. Users can stream television programs and films through selected services such as Netflix. Content can be played back on computer monitors or on television sets through the use of devices called Windows Media Center Extenders. It is also possible to watch and pause live TV. Up to six TV tuners on a tuner card are supported simultaneously. Both standard- and high-definition unencrypted video are supported through DVB-T and ATSC standards. It is possible to view encrypted cable television channels by using an internal or external tuner that supported CableCARD.

Shortly after Windows 7's 2009 release, Microsoft disbanded the Media Center development team, thus abandoning any further software developments. Consequently, the Media Center interface remained unchanged for Windows 8 and 8.1 users. In May 2015, Microsoft announced that Windows Media Center would be discontinued on Windows 10, and that it would be removed when upgrading; but stated that those upgrading from a version of Windows that included the Media Center application would receive the paid Windows DVD Player app for free to maintain DVD playback functionality.