Windows Media Center returns to Windows 8 in build 8141

By Tom Warren, on 27th Oct 11 8:54 am with 11 Comments

Microsoft’s Windows Media Center application has returned to Windows 8 in the latest pre-beta builds of the operating system.

Media Center has been spotted inside build 8141.0.winmain.111021 of Windows 8 and appears to be a standalone desktop application. Users at the MDL forums managed to secure early access to build 8141 and have revealed that the pre-beta copy includes Start Screen Metro app zoom features, changeable metro background color and other Start Screen tweaks.

Windows Media Center, Windows 7 games, DVD creator, upgrade setup and .NET 3.5 all missed the first developer preview build of Windows 8. Microsoft’s Windows chief, Steven Sinofsky, was forced to confirm that Media Center is still part of Windows 8 after early copies of the operating system began to leak. “I received about 50 emails about Media Center,” said Sinofsky in a blog post earlier this year. “I want to reassure customers that Media Center will definitely be part of Windows 8.” Media Center was missing in leaked builds of Windows 8, leading many to question the role of Microsoft’s flag ship entertainment product.

Microsoft is currently preparing for its beta copy of Windows 8. The software giant is expected to deliver the beta copy at CES 2012 in January.

Windows 8 Media Center Metro app

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Image Credit: MDL
  • http://twitter.com/s_a_r_k_i_s sarkis chamelian

    Yum Yum Yum !

  • Tuxplorer

    No this is not a Metro app. Metro apps have large icons in tiles. Legacy desktop apps have tiny icons in the bottom left corner like the WMC app in the screenshot.

    • Anonymous

      Wait for it.

  • Anonymous

    An ARM Win8 Media Center device the size of a ROKU or Apple TV would be nice. But MS never has figured out how to market or package Media Center properly.

  • http://twitter.com/laserfloyd Lewis McCrary

    Welcome back, friend.

    Now to just get them to “metro-fy” it.

  • http://jamesmsingleton.com/computerappcrash.html jimsing59

    Good, then I can uninstall Windows 7. Tired of dual-booting Windows 7 and Windows 8.

  • http://www.jeffkibuule.com Jeff Kibuule

    Thats how a legacy app looks in the new Start Screen. That is NOT a Metro app.

    Also, since it’s highly likely that Medua Center is being rewritten to be Metro plus downlpassable from the Marketplace, it really shouldn’t be included by default in OS builds. The Windows Live Essentials apps haven’t been so far, so I dont expect Media Center to be any different.

    By removing apps from the core build process, they are, in theory, able to update them faster than every 3 years.

  • Anonymous

    I really wish they have METRO-fied Windows Media Center, or atleast added the LiveTV capability to the Xbox Live Media HUB.  I really want to stay in the METRO side of Windows if I can help it…I do NOT want to constantly be thrown back in to the classic Desktop UI…cos if thats the case, then I might aswell stick with Windows 7.

  • http://profiles.google.com/carlosrfonseca Carlos Ribeiro da Fonseca

    Isn’t Media Center the original “metro style” app?

  • Randell Weatherall

    why does everyone keep saying metro-fy it?  Isn’t it the original metro UI?  I assume everyone wants tiles?

  • Matt

    I apologize for my ignorance, but I still do not understand the point of Windows Media Center. Why doesn’t Microsoft combine Windows Media Center and Zune? I really like the Zune interface and I think Zune should be Microsoft’s only media application.