"DMA Mode for ATA/ATAPI Devices in Windows XP "
"Windows Hardware Error Architecture ACPI Table Specification "
"Windows Support for Hyper-Threading Technology "
Advances in Memory Management for Windows
An Introduction to COM for UMDF Developers
Analyze Driver Performance
Application Compatibility Test Rig (ACT-R)
Application Software Considerations for NUMA-Based Systems
Architecture of the Windows Driver Foundation
Archive: Driver Install Frameworks Tools v.2.01
Archive: DVD and Microsoft Operating Systems
Archive: Hardware IDs for HID Devices
Archive: HID Audio Controls and Windows
Archive: Key Support, Keyboard Scan Codes, and Windows
Archive: Network Infrastructure Device Implementer's Guide
Archive: Power Management of USB Host Controllers
Archive: Scan Code Mapper for Windows
Archive: Specification for Use of PCI IDs with Windows Operating Systems
Audio Device Performance: Driver Best Practices
Audio Driver Support for the WMA Pro-over-S/PDIF Format
Away Mode DDK for Windows Vista
Away Mode in Windows Vista
Benchmarking on Windows XP: Home Edition and Professional
BIOS Settings for Native-Mode-Capable ATA Controllers
Booting Windows from USB Storage Devices
Brightness Control in WDDM
Building a Dynamic Data Center
Building a Great Media Center PC
CardBus Controllers and Windows
CardBus I/O Resource Windows in Windows Vista
Catalog Criteria for Datacenter Servers
Changes for Vendor-provided Storage Drivers Loaded Using F6
Choosing a WAN Miniport Driver Model
Color Management and Windows: An Introduction: An Overview of Microsoft Image Color Management Technology
Color Management Concepts
Colorspace Interchange Using sRGB
Compatibility of Type 2 Pointing Devices with MS IntelliMouse
CPU Virtualization Extensions: Analysis of Rootkit Issues
Creating Windows INF Files
Debug Port Specification - ARCHIVE - Download
Debug Port Specification - ARCHIVE
Debugging Kernel-Mode Driver Framework Drivers
Design and Deploy a Great Media Center PC
Designing Multifunction Devices for Windows Operating Systems
Designing Video Capture Boards for Use with the Microsoft ActiveX Video Control
Device Driver INF Guidelines for Windows XP
Device Simulation Framework (DSF)
Digital Still Camera Support
Digital Video Camcorder Support in Windows
DirectX VA: Accelerating Video Codec Processing
Disk Subsystem Performance Analysis for Windows
DMA Support in KMDF Drivers
Driver Compatibility for Windows Vista
Driver Protection List for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Dump Switch Support for Windows
Enhanced Keyboards and Windows
Exposing Enhanced Functionality for Scanners
Extension Unit Plug-ins for USB Video Class Devices
External DSL Modems Design Guidelines
FAQ for PCI and PCIe Issues for “Designed for Windows” Logo
Fast System Startup for PCs Running Windows XP
Functional Specification for De-Interlacing and Frame Rate Conversion in DirectX VA
Getting Started with WDM Audio Drivers
GPD Creation for Unidrv 5
GPRS Auto-Configuration in Wireless Wide Area Networks
Guidelines for Bus and Device Specifications
Guidelines for Video-Capable Wireless Networking
Hardware Design for Surprise Removal
Hardware Management in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 "R2" Beta 2
HID Game Controllers and DirectInput
HID System Devices, DirectInput, and Windows
How to Build, Install, Test, and Debug KMDF Drivers
How to Install Windows Drivers with Software Applications
How to Update Printer Drivers Supported in Windows
How to Use an INF to Override the Monitor EDID
I/O Flow and Dispatching in WDF Drivers
I/O Ports Blocked from BIOS AML
IA-64 Systems and ACPI 2.0 64-bit Tables
IDs and Serial Numbers for ISA Plug and Play
IEEE 1394 and the Windows Platform
IEEE 802.11 Networks and Windows XP
Implementing Speakerphone-Quality Audio on Computers
INF Requirements for 64-bit Systems
Input Device Drivers and Windows
Installing and Configuring Away Mode
Installing Test Builds of Inbox Drivers on Windows Vista
Interrupt Architecture Enhancements in Windows
Introduction to Cable Architecture
Introduction to the WDF User-Mode Driver Framework
Introduction to the Windows Driver Foundation
Kernel Enhancements for Windows XP
Kernel-Mode Drivers: Fixing Common Driver Reliability Issues
Key Benefits of the I/O APIC
Low Pool Memory and Windows XP
Management of Hardware Resources
MBR System Disk Conversion for Itanium-Based Systems
MCA Implementation Guide for 64-bit Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
MCA Support in 64-bit Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Microsoft TV Technologies
Migrating TWAIN drivers to WIA
Mobile PC Hardware Button Recommendations
Mobile System Displays and Windows: Version 1.2c
Monolithic Storage Drivers and Windows
Multifunction Printer Design Recommendations
MultiMonitor Support and Windows Vista
NDIS 5.0 and ATM Support in Windows
NDIS 5.1 Support and Windows
NDIS Driver Debugging Guidelines
NDIS Driver Tips and Guidelines
Network Driver Compatibility with the Header-Data Split Feature
Network Driver Interface Specification - NDIS 5.0 Overview
Network Drivers and Windows
Network Explorer Extensibility
Networking over IrDA in Windows XP
Non-PCM Wave Formats and WDM Audio Drivers
Output Content Protection and Windows Vista
Partial Address Decoding and I/O Space in Windows Operating Systems
PC Card and CardBus Multifunction Devices and Windows Compatibility
PC Storage Directions: The evolution of hard disk and optical solutions
PCI Express FAQ for Graphics
PCI IRQ Routing on a Multiprocessor ACPI System
PCI Multi-Level Rebalance in Windows Vista
PCI Power Management and Device Drivers
PCI Subsystem IDs and PCI-to-PCI Bridge Devices
PCMCIA IRQ Routing on Windows XP
Pen and Touch Digitizer Drivers for Windows Vista
Personalized Icons for Devices on Windows XP
Platform Compatibility for USB Boot Devices
Plug and Play for Windows 2000 and Windows XP
PnP X Out-of-Band Association
Pointer Ballistics for Windows XP
Power Management for Network Devices
PREfast with Driver-Specific Rules
QoS: Assigning Priority in IEEE 802-style Networks
Quality Windows Audio-Video Experience - qWave
Recommendations for IEEE 802.11 Access Points
Registry Reflection in Windows
Removable Storage Management and Windows
Required Commands for Writable CD/DVD Devices
Sample Drivers for the Kernel Mode Driver Framework
Security-related Best Practices for WIA Drivers
Specifications: Hardware and Firmware Standards
sRGB Color Management Case Studies
Standard Modem Command Sets and INFs
Still Image Connectivity for Windows
System Area Networks (SAN)
System State-to-Device State Mappings (SxD)
Temporal Rate Conversion: Dave Marsh. Microsoft Technical Evangelist, TV and Video
The Importance of Implementing APIC-Based Interrupt Subsystems on Uniprocessor PCs
Timeout Detection and Recovery of GPUs through WDDM
Transient Multimon Manager (TMM)
Troubleshooting Device Installation with the SetupAPI Log File
TV and Broadcast Driver Architecture
Universal Accelerated Graphics Port (UAGP)
USB 2.0 and Windows Operating Systems
USB and Game Devices - ARCHIVE
USB Handset Peripherals and Windows
USB Printers - Architecture and Driver Support
USB Printing Solutions for Windows
User-Mode Driver Framework FAQ
Versioning in the Windows Driver Foundation
Virtual Address Space Usage in Windows Game Development
WDM Human Interface Device Class Support
WDM USB Driver Interface - ARCHIVE
What's New for Plug and Play in the Windows XP DDK
Where’s the Add Hardware Wizard?
WiFi Protected Access Overview
WinColorKit: Windows Color Quality Test Kit for Device OEMs
Windows and the 5-Button Wheel Mouse
Windows Connect Now FAQ
Windows Driver Model (WDM): Compatible drivers for Microsoft Windows operating systems
Windows File Protection and Windows
Windows Hardware Error Architecture
Windows Instrumentation: WMI and ACPI
Windows Logo Program Requirement Updates - Archives
Windows Logo Requirement Updates
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Windows Native Processor Performance Control
Windows Network Task Offload
Windows Power Management: Instant PC availability and energy savings
Windows Scalable Networking Initiative
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Windows Vista Driver Development
Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless
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Wireless Communications and Windows
Wireless Provisioning Services (entry/EULA)
WMI and CIM Concepts and Terminology
WMI Support for SMART Drives
Write-Combining Memory in Video Miniport Drivers
Writing Drivers for Reliability, Robustness and Fault Tolerant Systems
Writing WIA Drivers for Windows 64-bit Edition for Extended Processors
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Building a Great Media Center PC

Updated: April 20, 2005


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About This Download

Microsoft encourages system manufacturers to differentiate computers built on Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. This paper provides guidelines, recommendations, and additional resources for OEMs, ODMs, ISVs, and IHVs who want to design and deploy innovative Media Center PCs that offer consumers the best rich media experience.

Information is provided on recommended components, controls, and features, as well as instructions for completing a formal evaluation of the software. Also included are best practices for designing, developing, testing, and deploying hardware that is optimized for Media Center features and benefits.

This information applies for the following operating systems:
Update to Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

If you are unfamiliar with the features and capabilities of Media Center PCs and Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, please review product information at www.microsoft.com/mediacenter.

Included in this white paper:

  • Designing for the Media Center Experience

  • Design Fundamentals

  • System Components

  • Software Applications

  • Testing the Media Center PC
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