Windows Media Center vs OSMC

Struggling to choose between Windows Media Center and OSMC? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Windows Media Center is a Media & Entertainment solution with tags like media-player, video-playback, music-playback, photo-viewer, dvr, program-guide.

It boasts features such as TV tuner functionality, DVR capabilities, DVD and CD playback, Photo viewing, Music library, Media streaming, Remote control integration and pros including Intuitive interface, Seamless Windows integration, DVR functionality, Media streaming capabilities.

On the other hand, OSMC is a Home & Family product tagged with media, entertainment, raspberry-pi, kodi, open-source.

Its standout features include Runs Kodi media center software, Optimized for Raspberry Pi and other low-power devices, Supports a wide range of media formats, Customizable interface using Kodi skins, Plays media from local storage or over a network, Supports common peripherals like remote controls, Active community support forums, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Easy to set up on a Raspberry Pi, Low resource usage, Large library of Kodi plugins and addons, Customizable with skins and themes, Active development and updates.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is a digital media player and recorder developed by Microsoft. It allows users to play and view videos, music, pictures, and recorded TV on Windows PCs. Features include a program guide, DVR, DVD playback, and media streaming.

Categories:
media-player video-playback music-playback photo-viewer dvr program-guide

Windows Media Center Features

  1. TV tuner functionality
  2. DVR capabilities
  3. DVD and CD playback
  4. Photo viewing
  5. Music library
  6. Media streaming
  7. Remote control integration

Pricing

  • One-time purchase

Pros

Intuitive interface

Seamless Windows integration

DVR functionality

Media streaming capabilities

Cons

No longer supported by Microsoft

Limited to Windows PCs

Requires specific hardware

Steep learning curve


OSMC

OSMC

OSMC is an open source media center that runs Kodi on top of a Linux distribution optimized for low-power devices like the Raspberry Pi. It provides an easy way to convert a Raspberry Pi into a dedicated media center and Kodi box.

Categories:
media entertainment raspberry-pi kodi open-source

OSMC Features

  1. Runs Kodi media center software
  2. Optimized for Raspberry Pi and other low-power devices
  3. Supports a wide range of media formats
  4. Customizable interface using Kodi skins
  5. Plays media from local storage or over a network
  6. Supports common peripherals like remote controls
  7. Active community support forums

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Easy to set up on a Raspberry Pi

Low resource usage

Large library of Kodi plugins and addons

Customizable with skins and themes

Active development and updates

Cons

Limited hardware codec support on Raspberry Pi

Can be tricky to configure advanced features

Some addons may no longer be maintained

Requires tinkering for optimal performance

Not as polished as commercial media centers