Is Media Center unneccesary?

[MostlyInfamous]

If I don't plan on using my comp for viewing media files such as photos, DVDs, video files ETC, do I need to have Media Center installed? Could I get by with some other application such as VLC Media player to handle all my media files? Any suggestions as to what is best app for playing media files?

 

[StalkeR]

I personally don't use Media Center. For playing media files(.mp3's) I use AIMP2. For playing movies,videos .. I use GOM Player. Gom is very good,it also opens .mkv files(HD movies) ...

 

[MostlyInfamous]

I personally don't use Media Center. For playing media files(.mp3's) I use AIMP2. For playing movies,videos .. I use GOM Player. Gom is very good,it also opens .mkv files(HD movies) ...[/QUOTE
Yeah, me also, I don't really use Media Center/Player. My system is used mainly for music production, so I'm trying to get rid of any unnecessary applications that would slow my system down. I have other compewters for watching movies. I suspect that uninstalling Media C/P would be all right, but when I did that with my Vista desktop, uninstalling it sort of screwed up the system, the audio output and the screen resolution would always be glitchy. Can Media C/P be uninstalled on Windows 7 without any problems?

 

[smarteyeball]

I've removed it from various installations without any noticeable negative effects.

 

[seekermeister]

This is something that I have considered in the past, because I never used it, but that has changed now, because of setting up a HTPC. However, I may still not use media center, if XMBC works out as well as I hope.

 

[noobvious]

I have Media Center disabled. I use WMP12 with the Shark007 codec pack for my videos, and I have various other programs for my audio needs...iTunes for my iPod Touch, MediaMonkey Gold for my other MP3 players, and foobar2000 for audio playback and for its many utilities.

Maybe if I had one of those TV tuner cards I'd use Media Center, but I don't have one.

 

[MostlyInfamous]

I think Media center is a bit like Internet Explorer. Microsoft has made it so that the OS uses bits and pieces of IE so that uninstalling it wreaks havoc with the OS. Anithout yone have any tips on how to safely remove it without damaging Windows 7?

 

[StalkeR]

Look this tutorial. With it you'll disable Media Ceneter from Windows
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5023-windows-features-turn-off.html

 

[whs]

I never use it - don't like the controls. But it is not worth removing it. All you save is a very small bit of disk space. Just don't use it and change the associations (if it is associated to anything - like .dvr).

 

[George]

I never use it - don't like the controls.

Same here ... And i don't find it useful too ...

 

[MostlyInfamous]

I never use it - don't like the controls.

Same here ... And i don't find it useful too ...

Dito. I gotta agree with you guys. No real need for it.

 

[MostlyInfamous]

I never use it - don't like the controls. But it is not worth removing it. All you save is a very small bit of disk space. Just don't use it and change the associations (if it is associated to anything - like .dvr).

I hate to say it but I think you're right. It's not really worth removing, and as long as you disable it and keep it out of the Start up process and stuff it's minimal. It's just that I hate to have my options dictated to me. Oh well, that's life.

 

[Archmage]

I use Media Center with 007Shark codecs to control all my media stuff. And I don´t have any use to HTPC. Only digital media (movies, music concerts and musics).

I don´t see any reason to install a third part program to do what Windows do to me with quality and giving me satisfaction. If you will not use it to movies, the better solutions is the one that you posted. Disable it, and leave it in a corner.

Maybe some day in the future you´ll find a reason to use it, and it will be there, at hand.

 

[Wishmaster]

I never use it - don't like the controls. But it is not worth removing it. All you save is a very small bit of disk space. Just don't use it and change the associations (if it is associated to anything - like .dvr).

+1

I honestly do not think its worth removing. theres really nothing to be gained by doing so.


I, like everyone else, do not use it either.
I just have a different preference of alternates. ...
Most used would be ZUNE for my music, and NERO Showtime for Videos.

 

[Shark007]

Thanks for the laughs

I find it utterly amazing that so many people who state they do not even use Media Center are actually in a Media Center specific forum in the 1st place, and not only reading about it, but posting here too!

 

[Archmage]

I find it utterly amazing that so many people who state they do not even use Media Center are actually in a Media Center specific forum in the 1st place, and not only reading about it, but posting here too!

Agreeed.

And you hear this from an old fan of Winamp (until Windows 7 arrives)

 

[whs]

I find it utterly amazing that so many people who state they do not even use Media Center are actually in a Media Center specific forum in the 1st place, and not only reading about it, but posting here too!

i think you are readng this wrong. I for my part have tried to use it many times but found it to be very uncomfortable. I still sometimes use it via "Open with" because it fills the whole screen nicely. Else I really see no advantage.

I am sure the others who have commented have wrestled with it too at various times and found it to be unpractical for their daily use. And btw. the question in this thread was whether it can be deleted.

 

[Zepher]

I find it utterly amazing that so many people who state they do not even use Media Center are actually in a Media Center specific forum in the 1st place, and not only reading about it, but posting here too!

Maybe they saw the post when they clicked "New Posts" in the menu.
that is how I found this post.

 

[Shark007]

i think you are readng this wrong.

I do not use Winamp, therefore I do not go to that forum.
I do not use XBMC, therefore I do not go to that forum.
I do not use Media Portal, therefore I do not go to that forum.
I do not use Total Media Theatre, therefore I do not go to that forum.
I do not use PowerDVD, therefore I do not go to that forum.

The only reason I can see for non Media Center users to be here is that what-ever they are currently using, is letting them down.

If you were to use my software, Media Center would not be letting you down.

Maybe they saw the post when they clicked "New Posts" in the menu.
that is how I found this post.

granted.

 

[whs]

If you were to use my software, Media Center would not be letting you down.

WMC never "let me down". It is just utterly inconvenient to operate. And I fail to see how your codecs could change that. And yes, I found it under "new posts". We usually do not slice the forums as thin as you do.

Btw: Different question - how can I make WLMM work with .xesc files as input? I dread the Expression Encoder. It is so darn slow - even on an i7. And normally I edit the captures with WLMM anyhow - sometimes I use Machete.