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What was it?
Microsoft's living room PC experience. DVR, live TV, music, photos — the 10-foot UI for home theater PCs.
What happened?
Microsoft removed Media Center from Windows 10. Cord-cutting and streaming services replaced the HTPC concept.
Migration Guide
Plex, Kodi, or Jellyfin for home media server.
Timeline & context
Windows Media Center shut down in July 2015, 11 years ago. It sat in the design category, where Soft.xyz tracks 7 discontinued products in total. If you are still running it in production, the migration path above is the shortest route off it.
FAQ
Why did Windows Media Center shut down?
Microsoft removed Media Center from Windows 10. Cord-cutting and streaming services replaced the HTPC concept.
What should I migrate Windows Media Center to?
No drop-in replacement is tracked yet — check the design category for current options.
Is there a free alternative to Windows Media Center?
Not among the tracked alternatives.