Windows Media Center: What Do I Need?

Windows Media Center is included only in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.

The chart below details what you need to perform specific activities in Windows Media Center.

		PC + monitor	Broadband	TV Tuner	TV Set	Extender	Remote Control	Home Network
	Organize and listen to your music collection
	Organize photos and create albums
	Watch DVDs and home movies
	View custom slide shows set to music
	Watch and download media from Online Services
	Get the latest sports highlights from SportsLounge (U.S. and Canada only)
	Watch, pause, and record live TV1
	Get live, HD quality media (available only in the U.S.) on any screen in your house2

Color key:
 Required hardware
 Better with this additional component

Choose the right TV tuner for your needs

• Good: Analog tuners for traditional TV signals

• Better: ATSC tuners for high definition digital terrestrial TV signals

• Best: Digital cable (CableCARD™) tuners for high definition digital cable TV connections

Look for Certified for Windows Vista products

Have confidence that Certified for Windows Vista products will provide superior experiences with your software, photos, music, videos and communications on PCs running the Windows Vista operating system. That's because only Certified for Windows Vista software and devices have undergone compatibility tests for ease-of-use, better performance and enhanced security.

Related Links

• See the new features of Windows Media Center

• Purchase Windows Media Center

• Watch how-to videos

• Get help with Windows Media Center

• Get information about Extenders for Windows Media Center

• Learn about Certified for Windows Vista products

¹ Windows Media Center supports as many as two NTSC Standard tuners and two ATSC HD TV tuners, for a maximum of four TV tuners in a Windows Media Center PC.

² Enjoying 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.