Media Center

Please also see Main Category Index.

All Media--One Interface

Media Center turns your PC into a complete digital entertainment center.

• Media Center connects your PC to a stereo, TV, home theater, remote control devices, digital cameras, scanners, portable music players and UPnP player devices.
• Use Media Center for ripping and playing music, burning cds, listening to Podcasts, copying music onto a portable device and organizing your music collection using a multitude of organization fields. If you can't find the field you need, create your own custom field.
• Encode and play all popular media formats.
• Play Web radio, TV, DVDs, Podcasts, video files and show digital images on your PC.
• Powerful utilities include three different servers for streaming music and images to remote PCs and standalone networked players.

Media Center has more advanced features than any other application for superior customization and control of a media collection.

Please visit http://www.jriver.com/ for more information about JRiver and Media Center.

Getting Started

See Getting Started for information on how to configure Media Center to handle specific things you want to do.

Media Center Controls

this section covers the controls visible on the screen.

1. Standard View
2. Player
   1. Playback
   2. Playback Options
   3. Shuffle the tracks
   4. DSP Studio (Equalizer, Replay Gain & DSP)
   5. Replay Gain
   6. Album Gain
   7. BPM
   8. Multizone Playback
3. Organization Tree
4. Menu Bar
5. Toolbar
6. Search Bar
7. Lower Tool Bar
8. Status Bar
9. Navigation (Getting Around)
10. Display
    1. Customize the Content Pane Column Headings
    2. Display Options sub-menu
    3. View Settings sub-menu
    4. View Files and Libraries
    5. Content Pane
11. Action Window
12. View Modes & Skins
13. Access Control
14. Media Center in Different Languages

Controlling Media Center

this section covers other (besides the screen, mouse and keyboard) methods of controlling Media Center

1. Shell Integration
2. Media Scheduler
3. Remote Control

Setting Up Media Center

This section covers the range of settings to get Media Center to behave just the way you want it to. (under development)

1. Options (Tools->Options - the main page for settings)
2. Startup Settings
3. File Types Settings. (File Associations)

Media Files

covers what files Media Center handles, and how it stores them in a library.

1. Audio Files
2. Image Files
3. Video Files
4. Other files
5. Libraries
6. File Properties (tags)
7. Move, Copy, Delete, Upload or Mail Files
8. Licensed Files (Windows Media Manager)

External Content

Playing content from the Internet

1. Web Media(Radio)
2. Podcasting

Playlists, Smartlists and Playlist Groups

Play your content in the order you want.

1. Playlists - Arrange content in a fixed order.
2. Smartlists - Arrange content according to rules, including random ordering.
3. Playlist Groups - Organize your Playlists.

View Schemes

View Schemes in Media Center provide a way to view your library based on customized fields that you select. You can define your own "View Scheme", which is essentially a list of prioritized groupings (or filters) of your library. Creating custom View Schemes is the key to unlocking the true power and potential of the Media Center database.

You can use them to view your media any way you want. If you can imagine a way to look at, sort, or organize your media, the odds that you can create a View Scheme to accomplish it!

Be sure to read the full View Schemes page for a detailed explanation of what a 'view scheme' is and for help in getting started with creating your own. Or, if you already understand the basics, use the links below to go directly to some media specific examples.

1. Audio View schemes
2. Picture View schemes
3. Video View schemes
4. 'All Media' View schemes
5. Other View Scheme building tips

Expression Language

Media Center provides a simple programming language that enhances and enriches its overall user interface and usability. Expressions are ubiquitous throughout Media Center, and help control the display output, groupings, titles, file renaming, and much more.

1. Media Center expression language

Drives & Devices

provides quick access to your CD-R, CD-R/RW, DVD, Handhelds, "My Computer" and the TV Tuner.

1. CDs and DVDs
2. Handheld and Portable Devices like MP3 players or IPODs.
3. TV Tuner lets you watch TV, pause it and record your favorite show.
4. My Computer device lets you browse through your computer's hard disks, mapped network drives, and network places. It's handy if you want to play a file without importing it.
5. Digital Cameras

Plug-ins

Customize Media Center in many different ways.

1. Remote Control
2. FLAC
3. Display Plug-ins (Visualizations & Track Info)

Network Plug-ins

Share your digital content with other computers, TiVos and Media Receivers.

1. Library Server - Share your library with another computer running Media Center.
2. WebRemote - Control Media Center through an internet browser
3. TiVo Server - Share your music and pictures with your TiVo.
4. UPnP Server - Share your library with a Media Receiver using UPnP.
5. Media Server - Run Media Center is a resource saving mode, just the Sharing Plug-ins are loaded, the rest is not.
6. Sharing Plug-in Debugging Hints - Helpful hints for debugging.

Services

Online stores where you can purchase digital content.

YADB

Lookup CD or track information online.

Additional Programs

Various helper programs, such as Media Editor or Media Server.

Operating Systems

1. Installing Media Center on Linux
2. Installing Media Center on OSX/Apple

Hardware

1. Computer Stability Issues
2. Connecting Media Center to a Home Stereo
3. Connect a TV to your PC
4. Logitech Keyboard Media Keys
5. Drive Failures and Data Recovery

Network

1. Media Network
2. Playing music across a network
3. Sharing a media library with multiple users on a home network (LAN)
4. NAS - File naming standards

Troubleshooting

• DVD Playback Fails
• Media Center crashes during playback
• Media Center crashes
• Pops and Clicks

• Skins and Plug-Ins
• Frequently Asked Questions