In Windows Vista, Windows 7 and in the special version of Windows 8 Pro there is the multimedia program Windows Media Center, an application that should not be used only to listen to music (for that there is also the faster and simpler Windows Media Player) but also to watch DVDs, watch TV in HD and turn the computer into an all-in-one multimedia platform, also to watch TV programs (also in DVB-T or Digital terrestrial), films and photos all integrated into one single platform. WMC also allows you to record TV broadcasts and videos of both digital TV and online TV via the Internet. Windows Media Center can still be considered a good program if it wasn't that Microsoft decided to make it disappear from Windows 10 and no longer support it.
WMC could be considered incompatible with some sources, heavy or lacking in advanced features (such as streaming TV channels) so it's worth seeing what free alternatives to Windows Media Center exist and which are the best free media players, programs ( for Windows Linux and Mac ) that you can download to have a complete multimedia station on your computer .
It must be said that these programs can be used as computer media players (see best media players such as VLC) but have the characteristic of providing a television interface (heavier, optimized for remote controls) and integration with streaming services via Internet. These programs are mainly used by those who use the computer connected to the TV, instead of the traditional DVD player or any other device that plays and records films and music.
In another article the guide to connect the TV to the PC .
Yet in another article, the programs for viewing TV channels from PC TV cards are listed
1) KODI (ex XBMC) is the number one of the opensource programs that can replace the Windows 7 Media Center . KODI can be downloaded for free for Linux, Mac and Windows and can be used to watch television on your PC, record broadcasts, change channels and manage the player with the remote control and to see all kinds of multimedia content, if you use your PC as were a TV with recorder and home theater. The graphical interface is beautiful and, for the type of program, also light and fluid (memory weight about 100 MB). KODI can be used to play almost all audio and video formats (including HD videos in the MKV format) and is also compatible with the reproduction of streaming streams via the internet or to spread streaming streams to other PCs connected to the network. In KODI there is also YouTube integration and can be expanded for viewing other streaming websites via plugins.
2) MediaPortal is another free program (only for Windows) to turn your computer into an advanced media center and dedicate your computer to music and movies, connecting it to TV. MediaPortal allows you to listen to mp3 and radio music, to watch movies, DVDs and videos of any format, to view photos and image slideshows, to watch and record live TV and streaming video streams. The user interface is easy to learn and pleasant to use with customizable menus and displays. Even MediaPortal can be integrated with some extensions to watch Youtube videos or other wet-TV streams.
3) MythTV is a software (Windows and Linux) to transform the PC into a digital video recorder which however can be used to view photos and videos and to listen to music. With MythTV you can also watch TV from a USB DVB-T receiver or receive online televisions.
4) Emby, the universal media center for PC, TV and smartphone is an excellent program to function as a media center and transmit videos and movies on TV also on Chromecast, even from smartphones and tablets. This program also has a client plugin for Kodi, so you can use Emby as a media server and Kodi as a media player.
5) Enna that plays videos and music and integrates with online TV and streaming video sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and others.
6) Plex is another free Media center to use as a complete media player for Windows, Linux and Mac PCs . With Plex, which works as a complete multimedia player, you can create a real multimedia server so that you can share, from a single location, watching movies and videos and listening to music on other PCs on the network. Plex also exists for iPhones and Android smartphones so you can watch computer movies on your mobile phone.
7) Stremio is a software for transforming the computer into a media center, designed for video entertainment, very easy to use. Stremio allows you to organize your collection of films, TV series, channels and live TV programs and to view all the contents also using add-ons. Although Stremio is inspired by Kodi and Plex, it is very different from these, because it is specifically aimed at entertainment and much more simplified, although it is still customizable and full of features such as Kodi and Plex.
If you are a user of this type of program and use one of these 7 or the Windows Media Center or other media players, let us know your opinion and your experience.
READ ALSO: Watch videos and movies on TV streaming from your PC with Chromecast
