Tag Archives: HTPC

Computers

Tune in or tune out: How does Windows 8 stack up on a home theater PC?

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It’s no stretch to say that PC power users aren’t united in their praise of Windows 8. The operating system’s modern-style Start screen and its focus on touch-friendly apps has ruffled quite a few feathers among users who just want their old desktops back.

But if you own a home-theater PC, you might want to put the hate on hold. Although Microsoft clearly had tablets and touchscreens in mind when it designed Windows 8, the new look and new apps actually translate well to television screens. Windows 8’s modern side provides an almost console-like experience, offering quick access to video apps and a look that’s a lot prettier than an icon-laden desktop.

I’ve been using Windows 8 on my three year-old HTPC, a Lenovo IdeaCentre Q150, for about six months. The update has breathed new life into the machine, especially for streaming video and music. Although I still lean on the desktop for certain things, the modern side of Windows 8 has turned out to be a useful supplement.

Let’s take a peek at where Windows 8 shines and where it struggles on home theater PCs.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Computers

HTPC Showdown: Which front-end interface is best?

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Building the perfect home theater PC is easy enough—if you have the right guide. Setting up the perfect software front end is equally straightforward, but picking that software isn’t so easy. You’ll need first to consider the specific hardware inside your HTPC, and what you’ll be asking your machine to do once it’s sitting inside your living room.

A wide variety of HTPC media player applications is available, and this variety is both a blessing and a curse. After all, plain old Windows can run your machine, assuming that you are willing to deal with the inconvenience of controlling your entertainment center with a mouse and keyboard. But if you’d rather have a single application with a TV-friendly interface and the power to organize all of your photos, music, and movies for easy viewing, then dedicated HTPC front-end software is a much better option.

With that in mind, I rounded up a few of my favorite front-end utilities. Some are meant to run within Windows. Others have a low-impact operating system of their own. But all of them excel in specific situations. By the end of this article, you’ll know which one is right for you.

Windows Media Center

We can’t discuss media software without considering Windows Media Center—it’s been a staple of home theater PCs for more than a decade. Windows Media Center was initially released in 2001 and came bundled with most editions of Windows from XP all the way through Windows 7. But everything changed with Windows 8 when Microsoft chose to unbundle our beloved Windows Media Center from most versions of the operating system, and instead distribute it as an optional download.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld