Windows Media Center

A Media Center Delivered Through a Network

One of the most popular ways to bring the Windows Media Center experience to your Home Theater system is through an extender. There are a few aftermarket extender boxes you can buy. Generally, these extender boxes are aimed at bringing Media Center to a second A/V in your home. The most popular Media Center Extender is probably going to be the Xbox360.

All it takes to stream media to your Xbox360 is a computer running Windows XP on your network. With XP, you can install Media Connect, which is the software that allows your computer to connect to Xbox360. Media Connect will allow your XP machine to stream music and images to your Xbox360 so you can view them in high definition without a real HTPC. However, if you prefer, why not try your hand at Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005? This operating system is usually sold only with a new HTPC, but some PC suppliers are able to sell an OEM version of Windows Media Center.

You’re closer than you think to HTPC if you’re a Windows XP user. Windows XP Media Center is just Windows XP with an extra layer added to it called Media Center. You can run Win XP and then literally switch on Media Center. When Media Center activates you get the easy access menu systems designed to be navigated from a remote control. The operating system becomes an extension of Windows Media player and makes it easy to access media and play it back over the PC. If you are planning to connect your PC directly to your Home Theater system, you’d have to factor in the specialized equipment you wouldn’t normally be concerned about with a regular Windows XP system: A DVI or Component video card or adaptor, tuner card, high-end soundcard capable of outputting Dolby Digital 5.1, and an ultra quiet box so your computer’s operation doesn’t disturb your audio/video enjoyment. None of this is a requirement to install Windows XP Media Center. If you’re going to let Xbox360 connect to your A/V system, you’ll just need a router.

Your guide to using Xbox360 as an extender with Windows XP Media Center 2005.

A lot of XP users are finding out that their Xbox360 is the perfect gateway to HTPC. A system with 512 Megs of Ram, and a P4 or Athlon equivalent processor, should be able to stream video through any Media Center Extender. And you don’t have to worry about the extra hardware to connect to an A/V system. The bottleneck for using an extender can be the network itself. With the popularity of wireless, a lot of people are using 802.11 b or g wireless for their homes. Sometimes you might find that streaming video over 802.11 b/g causes the frame rates to drop when there is a lot of action on the screen. For more information on running wireless networks with your Xbox360 check the wireless extender guide.

The way easiest, low tech answer is just use a cable. Being hard wired to your router will ensure that there is no interference and that you have the fastest connection possible. Remember, both the extender (Xbox360) and your computer have to be hard wired to the router to achieve the benefit of the fastest interference free connections available.