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How do I get ms media center?

sportage

sportage

Lifer
I have an HP desktop with windows 8.1.
Came installed on the pc.
I wanted to get or add the ms media center.
From what I can tell, I have to buy the 8.1 pro upgrade and then buy the media center.
What is the cost? Especially for buying/adding the media center part?
Once ms was giving away ms media center for free.
But no more as far as I can tell.
Im reading that the pro upgrade and then the media center upgrade are two separate costs?
 
You are correct you need to upgrade to pro in order to get WMC. You can also purchase the Windows 8.1 Pro Pack as I believe it comes with WMC already bundled. The pro pack cost right around $100 at the MS Store. Looks like Newegg has it for around $95.
 
Thanks. Wasn't clear about the MC cost. Knowing ms, it would be $100 for pro then surprise another $100 for mc.
 
Pro to ProWMC is a $10 upgrade.

If you have Core (i.e., the basic non-Pro version of 8/8.1), then the "Pro Pack" upgrade takes you directly from Core to ProWMC, so it's a a single $100 purchase for a single-step upgrade (it doesn't make a pit stop at Pro).

The free ProWMC promotion was only for the $10 Pro->ProWMC upgrade and doesn't work for Core->ProWMC (the free Pro->ProWMC offer was timed to coincide with the $40 7->8Pro upgrade offer--since the upgrade to 8 was to Pro and not to ProWMC, they tossed in a free Pro->ProWMC so that upgraders from 7 didn't lose WMC).

I don't think Microsoft even offers a Core->Pro upgrade--if I'm not mistaken, the only upgrade available to Core is the Core->ProWMC "Pro Pack" upgrade.
 
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Just as a suggestion, i'd highly recommend just using VLC player instead of spending all of that money. It's what i use on my Windows 7 and 8.1 computers.
 
daveybrat said:
Just as a suggestion, i'd highly recommend just using VLC player instead of spending all of that money. It's what i use on my Windows 7 and 8.1 computers.
Click to expand...

But does that work with a tv tuner?
I have several USB tv tuners, an HD OTA antenna, and wanted to use WMC to record using the tuner(s).

I don't know about downgrading from 8.1 to 7.
I suppose it could be done but the HP is a touch screen and 8.1 works better with touch screens.
Actually I use the iMac and only use the windows machine for a couple windows based programs.
 
No, VLC doesn't tune or record. Most people don't realize that people who use WMC use it for TV, usually not for general-purpose media playback.

How much will it cost to buy a 7 license? It likely won't save you that much.

Anyway, yea, making WMC a premium paid feature is one of the things that sucks about 8.

There are free alternatives, though. The ones that show the most promise are MediaPortal and Kodi (formerly XMBC). I've tried a number of WMC alternatives, and while they do work, none of them work as well as WMC, and I ended up always going back to WMC.
 
ArisVer said:
Maybe it's cheaper to get Windows 7? Media Center comes for free with it.
Click to expand...

Why go through all that hassle?...All he has to do is install MediaPortal(free) http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ .


MediaPortal transforms your PC in to a complete media solution where you can:

  • Watch, schedule and record live TV - like a TiVo, but better.
  • Play videos, movies, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
  • Listen to music and radio.
  • Enjoy pictures, home videos or create a slideshow.
  • Stream media, radio and TV to any HTPC / PC connected to your network.
  • Use a remote to control your HTPC from your couch.
  • Access MediaPortal from the web or mobile device.
  • Check the weather, news, RSS feeds, and more.
Click to expand...
 
Anybody using media portal. I installed media portal 2 on my HTPC to get DVR functions with my Happauge tuner and TV was completely missing from the menu. Where did I go wrong?
 
Raincity said:
Anybody using media portal. I installed media portal 2 on my HTPC to get DVR functions with my Happauge tuner and TV was completely missing from the menu. Where did I go wrong?
Click to expand...

It's been a while since I last tried MP, so I could be remembering wrong... but IIRC, MP has two parts: a client and server. The server is the part that does the tuning, and you need to get that configured properly (and also make sure you have the tuner's drivers properly installed).
 
code65536 said:
It's been a while since I last tried MP, so I could be remembering wrong... but IIRC, MP has two parts: a client and server. The server is the part that does the tuning, and you need to get that configured properly (and also make sure you have the tuner's drivers properly installed).
Click to expand...

Thanks I will look into it again.
 
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