"A home theater PC (HTPC) or media PC is a convergence device that combines the functions of a personal computer and a digital video recorder. It is connected to a television or a television-sized computer display and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder."
All it is is a computer hooked up to a TV with additional hardware such as: TV tuners, extra storage and usually a IR or RF receiver with remote control.
1 - DVR - Windows
- Windows XP Media Center Edition link
- Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate link
- Meedio 1.41 and Meedio Ultimate (free) link
- MeediOS - an updated version of Meedio link
- SageTV (Windows, Mac, and Linux) link
- ShowShifter link
- SnapStream Beyond TV (I use this) link
- GB-PVR (free) link
- MediaPortal (free) link
- AverMedia Center (for use with AverMedia card) link
- Yahoo! Go TV (free) - disountinued
- Nero LiquidTV™ | TiVo® PC link
- PowerCinema 6 link
- Windows 7 MCE - link
2 - HTPC Software (without DVR) - Windows
- Nero 9 link
- Xlobby link
- Got all Media (free) link
- Beyond Media link - DISCONTINUED
- WinDVD Media Center link
- iMEDIAN HD(also known as iMon) link
- Elisa - compatible with windows, mac and linux (Now Moovida)
- Moovida - link
- XBMC link - compatible with windows, mac and linux (I use this for front-end)
- J. River Media Center link
- Tvedia link
- DivX Connected link
- AMD Live! link
3 - Linux
- Entertainer (in development) link
- Mythbuntu link
- Mythdora link
- GeeXbox link
- KnoppMyth link
- LinuxMCE link
- MythTV link
- Freevo (Python) link
- Piren link
- MegaBOX link (PPC & PS3)
- Ear OS link
- Element Media OS link
- Morphine.TV link
4 - Mac
5 - Video/DVD Players - Windows
- MPlayer Link - New
- Zoom Player link
- VLC (I use this for streaming media) link
- Windows Media Player link
- DivX Video Player link
- RealPlayer link
- Power DVD link
- InterVideo WinDVD link
- TheaterTek link
- AVS DVD Player link
- Media Player Classic link
- The KM Player link
- Gom Media Player link
6 - Blu-Ray and HD DVD Playback - Windows
- Powerdvd link (older version will play HD-DVD)
- ArcSoft TotalMedia™ Theatre link
- WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray link
7 - Remote Control Software and tips
- Girder
- Eventghost
- Hauppauge 45 button remote - tips on programming for different apps
8 - IPTV or Internet TV - There are many Internet TV sites out there. Here are the most poplular.
9 - OTA HD/Digital Sources
- QAM tuner explanation link
- Antenna Web link - maximize your television reception
- HD/Digital Channel Lookup link - find your local HD/Digital channels
- Digital TV Transition link
10 - Codecs
Codec Packs and Codecs
- K-lite link
- fddshow link
- Divx link
- DScaler link
- CoreAVC link
- Xvid link
- FLAC link
- OGG link
- Haali Media Splitter link
- Shark007's Vista Codecs link
- Combined Community Codec Pack link
11 - Streaming Software
- TVersity link - stream audio, pictures, music, rss feeds to you Xbox 360, Wii, PS3....etc.
- Orb link - enables users to remotely access all their personal digital media files including pictures, music, videos, webcams and television.
12 - Smart Phone HTPC Control
Android
- RemoteDroid - Located on Android Market - Free
- GRemotePro-multi remote - Located on Android Market - Free
IPhone
- Logitech Touch Mouse link
XBMC - Android
- XBMC Remote 1 link - I've used this one and like it.
- XBMC Remote 2 link
- Boxee/XBMC Remote - Located on Android Market - Free
Boxee - Android
- Boxee Wifi Remote - Located on Android Market - Free
- Boxee/XBMC Remote - Located on Android Market - Free (Same as one on XBMC)
13 - Home Entertainment Server Systems - Expensive
- Axonix MediaMax - link - Retail Price for 75 DVD 1 Room System -$8300
- Kaleidescape - link - Retail Price for 75 DVD 1 Room System -$18,500
- AMX® Max - link - Retail Price for 75 DVD 1 Room System -$27,400
14 - Gaming
15 - Other
- DPC Latency Checker - Link - New - try this if your video/audio is stuttering
- Media Browser - link - Media Center plug-in.
- Media Control - link - A plugin for Microsoft Media Center that adds lacking features such as : fast forward/rewind for any video format, resume video, switch between audio/subtitles streams, sets brightness/contrast, improves picture quality.
- AnyDVD HD link - Allows you to watch movies over a digital display connection, without HDCP-compliant graphics card and without HDCP-compilant display.
- TV Shows info, coverart and banners
- Movie info and coverart
