What Can You Do with a Media Center PC?

Media center PCs combine all forms of digital entertainment. A media center is a stylish entertainment center that does overtime as a DVD player, Blu-ray player, MP3 hub, and DVR. HD media never looked so good. And having access to the latest 1080p media doesn’t mean you have to give up PC gaming and internet browsing. Media center PCs do it all.

Media centers have unlimited potential for entertainment, provided you have the hard drive capacity to store it all. Whether you like to watch humorous video clips, online news content, or music videos, a media center PC can:

• Record Television: Media centers have TV tuners, so you can watch television and record your favorite shows. TV tuners can record HD and SD TV. Play them back at your leisure or to watch them commercial free. Unlike a TiVo or cable company-provided DVR, recording TV on a media center computer is totally free. Many systems have dual tuners, so you can watch one show while recording another at the same time.
• Play Music: These systems can play CDs, stream Internet radio stations, and play any music file on your hard drive. Many also come with audio/music editing and organizing software.
• Access the Internet: Visit your favorite websites or download music and movies from the comfort of your sofa with a wireless keyboard and mouse.
• Burn DVDs/CDs: Most media centers have the ability to burn to dual layer discs, as well as standard DVDs and CDs. Some even have dual drives: one for reading; one for burning.
• Watch Video: Media center computers feature fast graphics cards and HDMI outputs so you can interface with your HD TV or display effortlessly. You can watch DVDs, movies stored on the hard drive, cable, satellite, or stream video from the web. Serious setups include Blu-ray Disc drives to allow you to get the most from true 1080p HD video.

In this site, you’ll find articles related to media center PCs, as well as comprehensive reviews and side–by–side comparisons to help you make an informed decision on which media center is right for your entertainment needs. At TopTenREVIEWS – We do the research so you don’t have to.™

We looked at media center computers with high-end components and DVR capability. A good media center is suitable for everything your desktop PC can do and more. HD Video on the HD TV in the living room? Gaming? Keeping in touch on MySpace? Check, check and check. A media center does it all. Media Centers start at around $1000 and can run as high as $4000.

Media centers perform best with multi-core processors, high–end 256MB+ graphics cards, and 4GB or more of RAM. A massive hard drive is also critical. If you plan on digitizing your multimedia library, you’ll want 300GB, 500GB or a TB (terabyte) hard drive.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate Media Center PCs:

• Processor: Top–rated media centers have dual and quad-core processors. Multiple core processing ensures that multitasking doesn’t slow your computer down. Feel like recording TV and playing World of Warcraft at the same time? With a fast multi-core processor, your computer won’t even flinch.
• Memory: Media Centers require a hard drive large enough to store large amounts of audio and video files. We suggest at least 300GB of storage. In terms of RAM, 2GB will run most applications smoothly, but to really maximize your HD experience, 4GB should be considered a minimum.
• Video/ Audio: A high–quality graphics card is imperative for playing Blu-rays, DVDs, TV, digital video or games. Generally, you should look for a dedicated 256MB video card and 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound ability.
• I/O Devices: Media centers should provide all ports or connections necessary to connect to TVs, cable television, stereos and peripherals such as video cameras. Most provide several types of audio and video options. They should also come with a wireless keyboard/ mouse combo and a remote control.
• Price/ Value: This criterion compares the suggested retail price to the included features. A good system with a low price rates better than an average PC with a higher base price.
• Support/ Warranty: The first–class manufacturers provide quality help and support through email, phone and online chat. They also provide up to three-year warranties at no additional cost.