- Windows Media Center can be used as a DVR to record movies and television programing. A TV tuner card is required to watch and record video from a source such as cable or satellite. Unlike a DVR system from a cable or satellite provider, there is no monthly fee to record programming using Windows Media Center.
- Windows Media Center comes with an electronic programming guide that can be used to determine the start time for a particular program. Programs can be scheduled in the programming guide to record a single episode or an entire series. You can search programs by title or genre as well as scheduled to record programs as many as 14 days in advance.
- Windows Media Center can be used to store and play different types of media such as music files using the music library. Media Center has the ability to burn a CD and create playlists for favorite artists or for a specific type of music. You can also assess and listen to FM radio stations through the Windows Media Center. The Center can also be used to buy music from various online sources.
- Windows Media Center provides the ability to access the computer from up to five rooms in a house using an extender (see Additional Resources). An extender is a device that can bring your digital media from Windows Media Center to any television in your house using only a remote. Use of an extender requires Windows Vista and a wired or wireless home network. In addition, Xbox 360 has a built-in extender that can link to Windows Media Center.
- Newer versions of Windows Media Center offer the ability to archive television programming directly to a DVD disk. This feature means that you don't need to store a television program on your computer in the Media Center to keep them. Instead, you can program Windows Media Center to burn them directly to DVD.
