Windows Media Center Overview

Your entertainment, ready when you are

Windows Media Center makes your home or office a connected entertainment center. Included only in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, this versatile and dynamic set of features allows you to:

• View custom slide shows set to music.

• Watch DVDs and home movies.

• Browse your music collection by cover art.

• Organize photos and create albums.

Make Windows Media Center shine! When you add an optional TV tuner and remote, you can:

• Watch, pause, and rewind live TV shows in standard and high definition (HDTV available only in the U.S.).¹

• Schedule and record TV shows and movies for later viewing.

Experience your digital media outside of your home office:

• Access your music, pictures, and shows through your Xbox 360.

• Use WebGuide to view live and recorded TV, schedule and manage recorded television programs, and access music, pictures and videos remotely from any web browser.

In the Music library, your music takes center stage. Click to expand.

The Electronic Programming Guide lets you record your shows at no additional cost. Click to expand.

Bring your pictures to life with slide shows set to music. Click to expand.

See if you already have Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is available in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate. If you run Windows XP Media Center Edition, you have a previous version of Windows Media Center, which contains some but not all of the features available in the current version.

Check which version of Windows you are running:

1. On the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Run dialog box, type: winver.

3. Click OK. A dialog box displays the version that you have.

¹Enjoying live and recorded HDTV (U.S. only) may require additional equipment, including but not limited to an HD compatible tuner and TV or other display.