Microsoft removed Windows Media Player from the company’s Windows 10 operating system. While there are some alternatives for Windows Media Center out there that users can switch to and use, some would probably prefer to use Windows Media Center on Windows 10 as well.
Windows Media Center can best be described as the big brother of Windows Media Player. It features playback functionality for media but also additional functionality such as TV tuner and recording support, and better media management options.
Windows 10 users have two main options when it comes to Windows Media Center on Windows 10. They may install one of the suggested alternatives, e.g. Kodi or Plex, or install a custom version of Windows Media Center that is compatible with Windows 10.
Windows Media Center on Windows 10
WMC is a custom version of Windows Media Player that is compatible with all versions of the Windows 10 operating system.
Note: It is recommended that you create a backup of the system prior to installation. I did not run into any issues installing and removing the custom Windows Media Center version from a Windows 10 version 1809 system but it is always good to be on the safe side when it comes to software installations.
WMC installs Windows Media Center on Windows 10 machines. The functionality is more or less identical to the official version of Windows Media Center for previous versions of Windows.
Installation
Installation is powered by batch files. First thing you need to do is downloaded the most recent version of WMC from the developer website. The site is in French; use a translation service if you don’t speak French.
Check the Installation category on the site for updates. The most recent version is WMC 8.8.2 at the time of writing.
Download the latest version of WMC and extract the archive to the local system once you are done.
Run the following batch files afterward. Note that you can right-click on batch files and select Edit from the context menu to see exactly what they do.
- Right-click on _TestRights.cmd and select “run as administrator” to test privileges and permissions.
- Right-click on InstallerBlue.cmd or InstallerGreen.cmd and select “run as administrator” to install Windows Media Center on the device if the test batch file did not return any errors. The batch files install the Blue or Green interface versions of Windows Media Center on the device.
WMC lists all installation steps in a command prompt window after execution. Windows Media Center is installed afterward if things went well.
Tip: WMC comes with an uninstaller script that you may run to remove the program again from the system and undo the changes made to it during installation. Just right-click on uninstaller.cmd and select “run as administrator” to remove the program again from the system.
Feature upgrades remove essential files from the system so that Windows Media Center won’t work until you run the installer again.
Usage
You can start Windows Media Center from the Start menu just by typing its name. Options to set up Windows Media Center using express and custom options are listed on first run.
It is recommended that you select custom as you get full control over setup.
The program displays its main screen afterward.
Windows Media Center picks up some folders on the device automatically but you can add more folders to the libraries so that media that is stored in those folders is listed by the media player as well.
Closing Words
WMC installs Windows Media Center on Windows 10 devices so that users who are accustomed to the program and don’t want to switch can continue using it.
While continued use requires frequent re-installations as Windows 10 removes files whenever a new feature update is installed, it is not too much of a hassle. (via Deskmodder)
Now You: Do you use a media center program?
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