A
Home Theater PC (
HTPC) or
media PC is a convergence device that combines the functions of a
personal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator...
and a
media centerThe term media center refers either to a dedicated computer appliance or to a specialized personal computer software, both of which are adapted for playing various kinds of media , and it usually has a Graphical user interface design to be used in living-room TV with a remote control...
software which feature video and music playback, and usually but not always also
digital video recorderA digital video recorder or personal video recorder is a device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive or other memory medium within a device. The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes, portable media players and software for personal computers which enables video capture and...
functionality. It usually has a
10-foot user interfaceA 10-foot user interface is a software GUI , designed for display on a large television , with interaction using a regular television-style remote control....
and is connected to a
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
or a television-sized computer display, and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder, and normally controlled with a
remote controlA remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance....
.
The general goal of an HTPC is usually to combine many or all components of a
home theaterA home theater Is a theater built in a home, designed to mimic commercial theater performance.*Home cinema*AV receiver, often referred to as home theater systems....
setup into a single machine that will be located where the home theater system is desired. An HTPC system is typically controlled with a remote control for controlling the main interface, and the
GUIGui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
normally has a
10-foot user interfaceA 10-foot user interface is a software GUI , designed for display on a large television , with interaction using a regular television-style remote control....
design so that it can be comfortably viewed from a such distance. An HTPC can be purchased pre-configured with the required hardware and software needed to add television programming to the PC, or can be cobbled together out of discrete components as is commonly done with
Windows Media CenterWindows Media Center is an application with a 10-foot user interface designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub for the living-room TV. It is included in Windows XP Media Center Edition, which must be installed as an operating system, as the application cannot be added to an existing...
,
MediaPortalMediaPortal is an open source media center software with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV that acts as front-end for Personal Video Recorder , video, pictures, music and many more functionalities...
,
SageTVSageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
,
MythTVMythTV is a free Linux application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or Home Theater Personal Computer...
, XBMC, or
LinuxMCELinuxMCE is a free and open source software platform with a 10-foot user interface designed to allow a computer to act as a home theater PC for the living-room TV, personal video recorder, and home automation system. It allows control of everything in the home, from lighting and climate to...
.
HTPC characteristics
Beyond functioning as a standard PC, normally HTPC's have some additional characteristics:
Television connectivity
Standard PC units are usually connected to a
CRTThe cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen, with internal or external means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam, used to create images in the form of light emitted from the fluorescent screen...
or
LCDA liquid crystal display is a thin, flat panel used for electronically displaying information such as text, images, and moving pictures...
display, while HTPCs are designed to be connected to a
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
. All HTPCs should feature a TV-out option, using either a
HDMIHDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It represents a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, and VGA...
,
DVIThe Digital Visual Interface is a video interface standard designed to provide very high visual quality on digital display devices such as flat panel LCD computer displays and digital projectors. It was developed by an industry consortium, the Digital Display Working Group . It is designed for...
,
DisplayPortDisplayPort is a digital display interface standard put forth by the Video Electronics Standards Association since 2006. It defines a new royalty-free, digital audio/video interconnect, intended to be used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater...
,
Component videoComponent video is a video signal that has been split into two or more components. In popular use, it refers to a type of analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals. Component video can be contrasted with composite video in which all the video information is...
,
VGAThe term Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480...
(for some LCD televisions),
S-VideoSeparate Video, more commonly known as S-Video, and sometimes incorrectly referred to as Super Video and also known as Y/C, is an analog video signal that carries video data as two separate signals: lumen and chroma...
, or
Composite videoComposite video is the format of an analog television signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier.Composite video is often designated by the CVBS acronym, meaning "Color, Video, Blank and Sync"...
output.
Quiet / minimal noise
A common user complaint with using standard PCs as HTPC units is background noise, especially in quieter film scenes. Most personal computers are designed for maximum performance, while the functions of a HTPC system may not be processor-intensive. Thus, passive cooling systems, low-speed fans, vibration-absorbing elastic mounts for fans and hard drives, and other minimal noise devices are used in place of conventional cooling systems.
Putting the operating system on
flash memoryFlash memory is a non-volatile computer storage that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It is a technology that is primarily used in memory cards and USB flash drives for general storage and transfer of data between computers and other digital products...
and keeping the media on a separate
file serverIn computing, a file server is a computer attached to a network that has the primary purpose of providing a location for the shared storage of computer files that can be accessed by the workstations that are attached to the computer network...
elsewhere in the home keeps the noise and heat generated by a hard drive in another location.
Higher storage capacities
Because of the nature of the HTPC, higher than average capacities are required for HTPC units to allow storage of pictures, music, television shows, videos, and other
multimediaMultimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which only use traditional forms of printed or hand-produced material...
. Designed almost as a 'permanent storage' device, space can quickly run out on these devices. Because of restrictions on internal space for hard disc drives and a desire for low noise levels, many HTPC units utilise a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, or a other type of networked connected
file serverIn computing, a file server is a computer attached to a network that has the primary purpose of providing a location for the shared storage of computer files that can be accessed by the workstations that are attached to the computer network...
. Some HTPC units also feature a
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
writer to help users copy and move their media.
TV tuner cards
A
TV tuner cardA TV tuner card is a computer component that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk.-Variants:...
is a computer component that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk. Several manufacturers build combined TV tuner plus capture cards for PCs. Many such cards offer hardware MPEG encoding to reduce the computing requirements. Some cards are designed for analog TV signals such as standard definition cable or off the air television while others are designed for high definition digital TV.
Remote control
Integrating a HTPC into a typical living room requires a way of controlling it from a distance.
Many TV tuner/capture cards include remote controls for use with the applications included with the card. Software such as
BoxeeBoxee is a cross-platform freeware media center software with a 10-foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living-room TV. Boxee is a fork of the free and open source XBMC media center software which Boxee uses as an application framework for its GUI and media player...
,
GB-PVRGB-PVR is a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function is scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV...
,
SageTVSageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
,
MediaPortalMediaPortal is an open source media center software with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV that acts as front-end for Personal Video Recorder , video, pictures, music and many more functionalities...
and Beyond TV support the use of Windows MCE and other remote controls. Another option is an in-air mouse pointer like the
Wii RemoteThe Wii Remote, sometimes unofficially nicknamed "Wiimote", is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the...
or Loop Pointer which gives cursor control from a distance. It is also possible to utilize common wireless keyboards and other peripherals to achieve the same effect (though the range may not be as long as a typical remote control).
Case Design
Cases specifically designed for HTPCs are available, and are meant to look similar to other home theater equipment such as AV receivers and amplifiers. Some HTPC cases are smaller and require the use of micro ATX motherboards. Also, some HTPC cases have a small LCD screen on the front where a user can view music/movie information.
Advantages
- Cost - Since computer motherboards
A motherboard is the central printed circuit board in many modern computers, and holds many of the crucial components of the system, while providing connectors for other peripherals. The motherboard is sometimes alternatively known as the main board, system board, or, on Apple computers, the logic...
using chipsetA chipset or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product.- Computers :...
s with high-definitionHigh-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1280×720 pixels or 1920×1080 pixels...
capable integrated graphics processors and built-in surround soundSurround sound encompases a range of techniques for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. The three-dimensional sphere of human hearing can be virtually achieved with audio channels above and below the listener...
sound cardA sound card is a computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. Typical uses of sound cards include providing the audio component for multimedia applications such as music composition, editing video or...
has entered the market, the cost of the system can be a fraction of a high-end commercial solution such as TiVoTiVo is a pioneer of the digital video recorder . TiVo was introduced in the United States, and is now available in Canada, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, and the UK...
.
- Quality - Video output from a HTPC can rival high-end dedicated playback devices.
- Features - such as pause live TV, usually a feature of high-end dedicated devices.
- Digital media recorder
- Media server - The HTPC can serve media files to other computers / devices on a network.
- Gaming - Plays any PC game and application within the game or application's system requirements.
- Other media - HTPCs can store photo albums and play other media files.
- Other functions - other functions may include weather forecast, online radio streams, TV schedule, webcam, etc.
- Other software - other software, such as downloading or file serving, can be run, perhaps in the background.
- All-In-One - The features found in a HTPC would usually require more than one dedicated component.
Disadvantages
- Cost - HTPCs can be expensive when compared to the prospect of renting a DVR box from a cable company.
- Maintenance, Setup - The software in use may require configuration, updates.
- Complexity - HTPCs are more complex than their dedicated counterparts.
- Noise - HTPCs can have fans, which can be noisy.
- Power consumption - HTPCs often use more power than consumer audio/video components.
- Features - May lack proprietary features due to licensing and copyright issues.
Software
HTPC options exist for each of the major operating systems:
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
,
Mac OS XMac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and
LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
.
Microsoft Windows
For
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
, a common approach is to install a version that contains the
Windows Media CenterWindows Media Center is an application with a 10-foot user interface designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub for the living-room TV. It is included in Windows XP Media Center Edition, which must be installed as an operating system, as the application cannot be added to an existing...
(Home Premium or Ultimate for
VistaWindows Vista is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, or the older Windows XP Media Center Edition). Windows Media Center includes additional software that covers the PVR functions of the proposed HTPC, including free program guide information and automatic program recording. However, Windows MCE does not provide an MPEG2 codec, although one can be purchased from Intel, or is alternatively included when purchasing Intervideo's
WinDVDWinDVD is a commercial video player and music player software for Microsoft Windows. It enables the viewing of DVD-Video movies on the user's PC. DVD-Video backups stored on hard disk can also be played...
. Other MCE compatible MPEG2 decoders are Nvidia's PureVideo and Sonic's CinePlayer DVD Decoder packages. Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate already include an MPEG2 decoder.
Alternatively, a HTPC may be built with the addition of a third party software PVR such as
GB-PVRGB-PVR is a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function is scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV...
,
SageTVSageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
or Snapstream's BeyondTV to a Windows
PCA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator...
. SageTV and GB-PVR have integrated placeshifting comparable to the
SlingboxThe Slingbox is a TV streaming device that enables users to remotely view their home's cable, satellite, or personal video recorder programming from an Internet-enabled computer with a broadband Internet connection...
, allowing client PCs and the
Hauppauge MediaMVPThe Hauppauge MediaMVP is a network media player. It consists of a hardware unit with remote control, along with software for a Windows PC. Out of the box, it is capable of playing video and audio, displaying pictures, and "tuning in" to Internet radio stations. Alternative software is also...
to be connected to the server over the network. Snapstream provides heuristic commercial detection and program recompression. When using a faster CPU,
SageTVSageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
and Beyond TV can record content from TV capture cards which do not include hardware MPEG2 compression. For a free alternative,
GB-PVRGB-PVR is a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function is scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV...
and
MediaPortalMediaPortal is an open source media center software with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV that acts as front-end for Personal Video Recorder , video, pictures, music and many more functionalities...
provide full home theatre support and good multi-card DVR capabilities.
GB-PVRGB-PVR is a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function is scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV...
also has a free client, free mediaMVP client, and free network media playback.
Linux
For
LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
,
MythbuntuMythbuntu is a media center operating system . As the name suggests, it is based on Ubuntu Linux and integrates the MythTV Media center software as its main function, and does not contain most of pre-installed software of the original Ubuntu OS....
is a special derivative of
Ubuntu Desktop EditionUbuntu , is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution. It is named after the South African ethical ideology Ubuntu and is distributed as free and open source software. Ubuntu provides an up-to-date, stable operating system for the average user, with a strong focus on...
which uses
MythTVMythTV is a free Linux application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or Home Theater Personal Computer...
, just as XBMC Live is a special derivative of Ubuntu Mobile Edition which uses XBMC Media Center, while
LinuxMCELinuxMCE is a free and open source software platform with a 10-foot user interface designed to allow a computer to act as a home theater PC for the living-room TV, personal video recorder, and home automation system. It allows control of everything in the home, from lighting and climate to...
combines
MythTVMythTV is a free Linux application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or Home Theater Personal Computer...
and the
KubuntuKubuntu is an official derivative of the Ubuntu operating system using the KDE graphical environment instead of GNOME. It is part of the Ubuntu project and uses the same underlying system. It is possible to run both the KDE desktop as well as the Gnome desktop interchangeably on the same machine...
distribution.
KnoppMythKnoppmyth is a Linux distribution designed for use on Home Theater PCs . As of version R6, it is now called LinHES . The most recent release is based on Arch Linux, though previous versions were based on Debian Linux with configuration scripts from the Knoppix Linux distribution...
combines the
KnoppixKnoppix, or KNOPPIX , is an operating system based on Debian designed to be run directly from a CD / DVD, one of the first of its kind for any operating system. Knoppix was developed by Linux consultant Klaus Knopper. When starting a program it is loaded from the optical disc and decompressed into...
Linux distribution with
MythTVMythTV is a free Linux application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or Home Theater Personal Computer...
, a Linux based software PVR, . Freevo is a popular alternative to MythTV on Linux and similarly has a number of live distributions available notably MegaBox a PPC based linux system for the PlayStation3 that integrates Freevo.
SageTVSageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
provides commercially supported Linux HTPC software that is compatible with most major Linux distributions.
There is also
VDRVDR is an open source application for Linux designed to allow any computer to function as a digital video recorder, in order to record and replay TV programming using the computer's hard drive. The computer needs to be equipped with a digital TV tuner card. VDR can also operate as an mp3 player...
- quite popular software PVR with many available plugins, good performance and HDTV support.
Mac OS X
For
Mac OS XMac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, some HTPC functionality is built into the operating system itself. Specifically, the programs
Front RowFront Row is media center software for Apple's Macintosh computers and Apple TV with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV for viewing and downloading video, photos, podcasts, and music from a computer, optical disk, networks using iTunes or iPhoto, and the Internet using an Apple...
and Cover Flow, utilized in conjunction with the
Apple RemoteThe Apple Remote is a remote control made for use with Apple products with infrared capabilities released after October 2005. The device was announced by Steve Jobs on October 12, 2005. The remote is largely based on the interface of the first generation iPod Shuffle and has only six buttons...
, let users easily browse through and enjoy any multimedia content stored on their Macs.
Beyond the operating system itself, add-on hardware-plus-software combinations (for adding more full-featured HTPC abilities to any Mac) include
ElgatoElgato Systems is a hardware and software manufacturer that makes television viewing and recording products specifically for the Macintosh family of personal computers, including EyeTV software...
's EyeTV series
PVRPVR may refer to:* Personal video recorder, also known as a digital video recorder* Plant Variety Rights, a patented cultivar* CD155, the Poliovirus Receptor that facilitates poliovirus infection...
s, AMD's "
ATIAs a word, Ati may refer to:* Ati, a town in Chad* Ati, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines** Ati-Atihan Festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines* Ati, a queen of the fabled Land of Punt in Africa...
Wonder" external USB 2.0 TV-tuners, and various individual devices from third-party manufacturers Miglia,
HauppageHauppauge Computer Works, or Hauppauge for short , is a United States manufacturer and marketer of electronic video hardware for personal computers...
, EskapeLabs,
SlingboxThe Slingbox is a TV streaming device that enables users to remotely view their home's cable, satellite, or personal video recorder programming from an Internet-enabled computer with a broadband Internet connection...
, and others.
Portable media player
A
Portable media playerA portable multimedia player , is a consumer electronics device that is capable of storing and playing digital media. Digital audio players that can also display images and play videos are PMPs. Like DAPs, the data is typically stored on a hard drive, microdrive, or flash memory...
(PMP) can be used for portable access to recorded programs, such as for working out at the gym, or for passenger entertainment during long drives. Some devices in this category can be automatically
synchronizedSynchronization or synchronisation is timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. The familiar conductor of an orchestra serves to keep the orchestra in time....
with a PC.
When using automatic synchronization, or batch converting a directory full of recorded programs to be placed on the PMP, it is useful if the device includes a commercial skip feature. While there have been attempts at automatically detecting commercial breaks, the reliability of those detection algorithms isn't accurate enough to rely upon when converting video content. When moving video to a device which does not include a skip feature, video editing software can be used to remove commercial breaks in the programs on an individual basis.
HTPC solutions
Integrated solutions
Stand-alone media management & digital video recording software
- Boxee
Boxee is a cross-platform freeware media center software with a 10-foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living-room TV. Boxee is a fork of the free and open source XBMC media center software which Boxee uses as an application framework for its GUI and media player...
(LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
, Mac OS XMac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
, Apple TV)
- EyeTV (Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
)
- Freevo (Linux, Python, free)
- Front Row (software) (Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, Apple TV)
- GB-PVR
GB-PVR is a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function is scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV...
(Windows, free)
- J. River Media Center
Media Center, or formally, "J. River Media Center" is a multimedia application that allows the user to play and organize various types of media on a Windows based machine....
(Windows)
- MediaPortal
MediaPortal is an open source media center software with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV that acts as front-end for Personal Video Recorder , video, pictures, music and many more functionalities...
(Windows, free)
- MythTV
MythTV is a free Linux application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or Home Theater Personal Computer...
(Linux, free)
- Orb
Orb is a freeware streaming software that enables users to remotely access all their personal digital media files including pictures, music, videos, webcams and television...
(Web/Ajax)
- Plex, a fork of the XBMC code for Mac OS X users.
- SageTV
SageTV Media Center is a proprietary, commercial digital video recording software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host PC have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
(Windows, Mac, and Linux)
- ShowShifter
ShowShifter is widely regarded as the original Media Center/10 foot UI/HTPC software application but is no longer commercially available. It is notable in that it was the first publicly downloadable software to attempt to do this and as such defined this market for years to come...
(Media Center)
- Beyond TV (Windows)
- XBMC (Linux
Linux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
, Mac OS XMac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
, Xbox game-consoleThe Xbox is a video game console produced by Microsoft. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market, and competed with Sony's PlayStation 2, Sega's Dreamcast, and Nintendo's GameCube...
, free)
Operating systems
- MegaBoxhttp://es.megalandia.com (Linux, PPC, PS3)
- Pirenhttp://www.piren.org/
- eAR OS (Linux)
- GeeXboX
GeeXboX is a free Linux distribution providing a media center software suite for personal computers. GeeXboX uses MPlayer for media playback and is implemented as a Live CD. As such, the system does not need to be permanently installed to a hard drive, as most modern operating systems would....
(Linux)
- KnoppMyth
Knoppmyth is a Linux distribution designed for use on Home Theater PCs . As of version R6, it is now called LinHES . The most recent release is based on Arch Linux, though previous versions were based on Debian Linux with configuration scripts from the Knoppix Linux distribution...
(LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
)
- LinuxMCE
LinuxMCE is a free and open source software platform with a 10-foot user interface designed to allow a computer to act as a home theater PC for the living-room TV, personal video recorder, and home automation system. It allows control of everything in the home, from lighting and climate to...
(LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
)
- Mythbuntu
Mythbuntu is a media center operating system . As the name suggests, it is based on Ubuntu Linux and integrates the MythTV Media center software as its main function, and does not contain most of pre-installed software of the original Ubuntu OS....
(LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
)
- Mythdora
MythDora is a specialized operating system based on the current Fedora release and MythTV 0.21. Like KnoppMyth, MythDora is designed to simplify the installation of MythTV on a home theatre PC...
(LinuxLinux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
)
- Windows XP Media Center Edition (Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
)
- Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate (Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
)
- XBMC Live (Linux
Linux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed,...
)
- ElementOS (Linux + Boxee)
Hardware
- AppleTV
- ATI
As a word, Ati may refer to:* Ati, a town in Chad* Ati, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines** Ati-Atihan Festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines* Ati, a queen of the fabled Land of Punt in Africa...
Theater Cards
- Grippity - Handheld Control Solutions
- Hauppauge Computer Works
Hauppauge Computer Works, or Hauppauge for short , is a United States manufacturer and marketer of electronic video hardware for personal computers...
WinTV PVR Cards
- HDHomeRun
HDHomeRun is a networked dual HDTV digital TV Tuner box, produced by SiliconDust.-General Details:The HDHomeRun has two inputs, which can both be used for either an OTA ATSC antenna connection, or for QAM un-encrypted digital cable. It also has an ethernet connection, a power connector, and an IR...
, made by SiliconDust
- iMON IR Remotes
- MCE
MCE can mean:*Military College of Engineering*Malnad College of Engineering*Marina Coastal Expressway in Singapore*Merced Municipal Airport in Merced, California - its IATA airport code.*Windows XP Media Center Edition is informally known as Windows MCE...
IR Remotes
- nVidia
Nvidia is a multinational corporation which specializes in the development of graphics processing units and chipset technologies for workstations, personal computers, and mobile devices...
TV-Tuner Cards (discontinued)
- TechnoTrend TV cards
- Vista View Saber Cards (Analog and Combo)
System manufacturers
- Alienware
Alienware is an American computer hardware company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell, Inc. It mainly assembles third party components into desktops with custom enclosures for high-performance gaming. These products also support graphically intense applications such as video editing, simulation,...
- Dell
Dell, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells, and supports personal computers and other computer-related products. Based in Round Rock, Texas, Dell employs more than 76,500 people worldwide ....
- Gateway
Gateway Incorporated , an Acer Inc. subsidiary, is a computer hardware company headquarted in Irvine, California, USA which develops, manufactures, supports, and markets a wide range of personal computers, computer monitors, servers, and computer accessories...
- Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. HP has its United States offices at the former old Compaq Campus in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, Latin America offices in Miami-Dade County, Florida,...
- Kinetic UK
- Interact-TV
The Telly home entertainment server is range of computer systems designed to store, manage, and access all forms of digital media in the home...
- Niveus Media
- Shuttle Inc.
Shuttle is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of motherboards, barebone computers, complete PC systems, and monitors. Throughout the last 10 years, Shuttle has been one of the world's top 10 motherboard manufacturers, and gained fame in 2001 with the introduction of the Shuttle SV24, one of the world's...
- Sony
is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
(VAIOVAIO is a sub-brand for many of Sony's computer products. It was originally an acronym for Video Audio Integrated Operation, but since 2008 amended to Visual Audio Intelligence Organiser to celebrate the brand's 10th year anniversary...
series)
- Velocity Micro
Velocity Micro is a privately held computer manufacturer located in Richmond, VA , specializing in custom high-end computers. Its high-performance product line includes gaming systems, notebooks, netbooks, home servers, digital media creation workstations, home and home office PCs, home...
See also
- Digital media receiver
A digital media receiver or digital media adapter is a home entertainment device that can connect to a home network to retrieve digital media files from a personal computer or other media server and play them back on a home theater system or TV...
- Home cinema
Home cinema, also called home theater, are entertainment systems that seek to reproduce movie theater quality video and audio in a private home. In the 1950s, home movies became popular in the United States with Kodak 8 mm film projector equipment becoming affordable. The development of...
- Mac Mini home theater
- Media center
The term media center refers either to a dedicated computer appliance or to a specialized personal computer software, both of which are adapted for playing various kinds of media , and it usually has a Graphical user interface design to be used in living-room TV with a remote control...
- Media server
A media server is a computer appliance, ranging from an enterprise class machine providing video on demand, to, more commonly, a small home computer, or NAS , dedicated for storing various digital media .-Purpose:By definition a media server is a device that simply stores and shares media...
- Small form factor
Small Form Factor is a generic term originally phrased as shuttle form factor, and originally meant to describe shoebox-sized personal computers with exactly two expansion slots...
External links