Why This Book?

If Windows XP Media Center Edition is so darn easy to use, you might ask, why a book? Well, easy and simple are different things. Although it's extremely rare, it is possible for something to be easy while also being highly complex, and that is precisely the kind of delicate balance that Microsoft set out to achieve with this operating system.

If you can operate a television set, you can get the same results out of Windows XP Media Center: changing channels, adjusting volume, and so on. If you're content to leave it at that, put the book back on the shelf and walk on. But before you do, ask yourself whether you want more. What if you crave the ability to filter out the "noise" in our multimedia society and create an entertainment experience that is perfectly and precisely tailored to your tastes and temperament?

When you turn on your Media Center PC and pick up the remote control, you'll suddenly find yourself in the driver's seat of what is arguably the most powerful all-purpose entertainment device ever devised. As you come to discover the power you now wield over the world of personal entertainment, you'll probably reach the conclusion that a few friendly tips would not be out of line.

Media Center changes more than channels ”it changes everything .