Media Center sports a user interface that is optimized for use from a distance with large fonts and icons. Windows XP Media Center Edition is distinguished with its exclusive component, Media Center, a media player that supports watching and recording TV programs, as well as playing DVD-Video, photo slideshows, and music. To determine the revision of MCE that is being used, select the About Media Center option from the General -> Settings area inside MCE. To determine the underlying edition of Windows XP on which a particular revision of MCE is based, the System Properties Control Panel applet can be used. It adds support for the Xbox 360 as a media center extender, DVB-T broadcasts, and support for two ATSC tuner cards. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup 2 (codenamed "Emerald", October 14, 2005) is a major update to MCE 2005 (Symphony) and was a recommended download.Among other things, it includes support for Media Center Extenders, and CD/DVD-Video burning support.
It is the first edition of MCE available to non-Tier 1 system builders.
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 (codenamed "Harmony") was launched on Septemand was made available as an upgrade to the owners of the original editions' licenses.It was first announced on July 16, 2002, released to manufacturing on Septemand was first generally available on Octoin North America.
Windows XP Media Center Edition (codenamed "Freestyle") was the original version of Windows XP Media Center.A preview version of Windows XP Media Center Edition from Microsoft's eHome division, was shown at CES 2002, with the final version released later that year.
Windows XP Media Center Edition has had the following releases, all based on Windows XP Professional with all features enabled except domain-joining ability disabled in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Terminal Services in the original release.