Mainstream commercial software packages included Microsoft's XP Media Center Edition (2002, bundled with Windows XP, and Apple's Front Row (2005) software, bundled with Mac OS X.
Plex mac mini 2007 Pc#
XBMC was another free and open software project started with re-purposing the Xbox as a home theater PC but has since been ported to Windows and Macintosh operating systems in various forms including Boxee and Plex. The concept was to combine a digital tuner with digital video recording, program guides, and computer capabilities with a 10-foot (3 m) user interface. MythTV provided a free and open source solution using Linux. īy 2002, major software developments also facilitated media management, hardware integration, and content presentation. Advancements in hardware identified another weak link: the absence of media management software to make it easy to display and control the video from a distance. Key benefits of these DIY projects included lower cost and more features. Incorporating these capabilities into PCs was well within the ability of a computer hobbyist who was willing to build and program these systems. ReplayTV for instance ran on a VxWorks platform. Innovations such as TiVo and ReplayTV allowed viewers to store and timeshift broadcast content using specially designed computers. In 2000, DVD decryption software using the DeCSS algorithm allowed DVD owners to consolidate their DVD video libraries on hard drives. Īs DVD players dropped in price, so did PCs and their related video-processing and storage capabilities.
Plex mac mini 2007 480p#
In particular, the desire for progressive scanning DVD players ( 480p instead of 480i) with better video fidelity led some consumers to consider their computers instead of very expensive DVD players. The value of using a computer instead of standalone DVD player drove more usage of the PC as a home media device. The Destination was called a "PC-TV Combo" but by December the term "Home-theater PC" appeared in mainstream media: "The home theater PC will be a combination entertainment and information appliance." īy 2000, DVD players had become relatively ubiquitous and consumers were seeking ways to improve the picture. The unit cost $4,000 and mostly integrated television viewing and computer functions on one color monitor. In 1996 Gateway Computer unveiled the Destination computer, which included a tuner card and video card.
Plex mac mini 2007 tv#
Apple Computer also developed the Macintosh TV in late 1993 that included a tuner card built into a Macintosh LC 520 chassis but quickly withdrew from the market with only 10,000 units shipped. This adaptation would allow a small video window to appear on the screen with broadcast or cable content. Integrating televisions and personal computers dates back to the late 1980s with tuner cards that could be added to Commodore Amiga PCs via the Video Toaster. The HTPC as a concept is the product of several technology innovations including high-powered home computers, digital media, and the shift from standard-resolution CRT to high-definition monitors, projectors, and large-screen televisions.
The term "media center" also refers to specialized application software designed to run on standard personal computers. In recent years, other types of consumer electronics, including game consoles and dedicated media devices, have crossed over to manage video and music content. A Mac Mini as a home theater PC showing Apple's discontinued Front Row interfaceĪ home theater PC ( HTPC) or media center computer is a convergent device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, audio playback, and sometimes video recording functionality.
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