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Windows Media Center Alternatives for Windows

Looking for Windows Media Center alternatives? We've curated 11 top alternatives that offer similar functionality. Whether you need Windows options, free plans, or open source solutions, explore our comprehensive list to find the perfect fit for your needs.

Kodi

Kodi

Open Source

Kodi is a powerful, free, and open-source media player software designed to transform your device into a comprehensive home theater PC. It provides a stunning interface optimized for large screens, allowing you to manage and play virtually all popular types of digital media.

Key Features

  • Excellent media organization and library management.
  • Supports a vast range of media formats.
  • Highly customizable through skins and add-ons.

vs Windows Media Center

Excellent media organization and library management. compared to Windows Media Center
Plex

Plex

Freemium

Plex is a comprehensive media server software that organizes your personal media libraries (movies, TV shows, music, photos) and streams them to virtually any device. It combines a powerful server backend with user-friendly client applications, making it easy to access your entertainment wherever you are, both online and offline.

Key Features

  • Centralized and organized media library with rich metadata.
  • Wide array of client applications for almost all devices.
  • Excellent remote streaming capabilities.

vs Windows Media Center

Centralized and organized media library with rich metadata. compared to Windows Media Center
Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server (UMS) is a free UPnP and DLNA media server that allows you to stream your media files to various devices on your network. It's a powerful tool for accessing your movies, music, and pictures on smart TVs, game consoles, and other DLNA-compatible devices without needing to copy files.

Key Features

  • Excellent device compatibility via DLNA/UPnP.
  • Powerful real-time media transcoding support.
  • Supports a vast array of media formats.

vs Windows Media Center

Excellent device compatibility via DLNA/UPnP. compared to Windows Media Center
Emby

Emby

Freemium

Emby is a powerful, open-source media server that revolutionizes how you access and enjoy your personal media collection. It organizes your movies, TV shows, music, and photos into a visually stunning and easily navigable interface, streaming them seamlessly to practically any device, anywhere.

Key Features

  • Excellent media organization and metadata fetching.
  • Robust and efficient media transcoding.
  • Wide compatibility with various devices.

vs Windows Media Center

Excellent media organization and metadata fetching. compared to Windows Media Center
MythTV

MythTV

Open Source

MythTV is a free and open-source digital video recorder (DVR) software designed to transform a Linux-based computer into a complete home media center. It allows users to watch, record, and play live television, manage their video library, listen to music, and more.

Key Features

  • Free and open source
  • Highly configurable
  • Powerful DVR capabilities

vs Windows Media Center

Free and open source compared to Windows Media Center
PS3 Media Server

PS3 Media Server

Open Source

PS3 Media Server is a discontinued, yet highly functional, UPnP/DLNA media server designed initially for the PlayStation 3 but compatible with a wide range of rendering devices. It allows users to stream and transcode various media formats from their computer to network-connected devices.

Key Features

  • Powerful real-time transcoding for wide format compatibility.
  • Free and open-source with no licensing costs.
  • Broad compatibility with DLNA-compliant devices.

vs Windows Media Center

Powerful real-time transcoding for wide format compatibility. compared to Windows Media Center
MediaPortal

MediaPortal

Open Source

MediaPortal is a versatile, open-source media center software transforming your PC into a complete home theater solution. It enables watching and recording TV, playing videos, music, and DVDs, managing photos, and even accessing online services, all through a user-friendly interface on your TV screen.

Key Features

  • Comprehensive TV and recording features.
  • Excellent media library management with metadata scraping.
  • Highly customizable and extensible via plugins.

vs Windows Media Center

Comprehensive TV and recording features. compared to Windows Media Center
Serviio

Serviio

Freemium

Serviio is a robust freeware media server application empowering users to seamlessly stream their digital media collection across their home network. It supports a wide range of devices including DLNA-compliant TVs, game consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, and mobile devices, making accessing your music, movies, and photos easy and convenient.

Key Features

  • Wide compatibility with DLNA devices
  • Excellent media format support and on-the-fly transcoding
  • Effective automatic metadata retrieval

vs Windows Media Center

Wide compatibility with DLNA devices compared to Windows Media Center
JRiver Media Center

JRiver Media Center

Commercial

JRiver Media Center is a comprehensive, all-in-one multimedia solution for organizing, playing, and managing your digital media collection across various platforms.

Key Features

  • Excellent audio playback quality and support for high-resolution formats.
  • Comprehensive and powerful media library management tools.
  • Supports a wide range of media types (music, video, photos, TV).

vs Windows Media Center

Excellent audio playback quality and support for high-resolution formats. compared to Windows Media Center
Moovida

Moovida

Open Source

Moovida, formerly Elisa, was an open-source, cross-platform media center designed to offer a visually appealing and intuitive interface for managing and playing multimedia content. Providing support for various media formats and streaming capabilities, it aimed to be a central hub for digital entertainment.

Key Features

  • Intuitive and visually appealing user interface.
  • Supported a vast array of media formats.
  • Automatic metadata fetching enriched library browsing.

vs Windows Media Center

Intuitive and visually appealing user interface. compared to Windows Media Center
Playon

Playon

Commercial

PlayOn is a versatile media server software that allows users to record and stream online video content from popular streaming services directly to their devices for offline viewing. It acts as a personal DVR for the streaming era, enabling seamless access to your favorite shows and movies anytime, anywhere.

Key Features

  • Allows offline viewing of streaming content.
  • Automatically skips commercials in recorded videos.
  • Functions as a versatile media server.

vs Windows Media Center

Allows offline viewing of streaming content. compared to Windows Media Center

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