team-mediaportal.com
In recent years, the entire television viewing experience has transformed with the arrival of smart TVs. However, 90% of the US population still relies on Cable and Satellite TV, which means that there are millions of people in the United States who rely on media centers for entertainment.
An open-source Media portal, such as MediaPortal, is one software that you should not miss out on. People all around the world have added MediaPortal to their living rooms because it does more than just play DVDs and photo slideshows. You can record, watch a simultaneous program, and use the TV card. I'm sure this sounds ancient to you but the majority of the population around the world still consumes media in this way.
What is MediaPortal?
MediaPortal is an open-source media player that provides a proper media experience with typical functionalities such as playing, pausing, recording live TV. Other than those tasks, you can play DVDs, music, videos, pictures, and use it for other purposes. Similar to JRiver, MediaPortal is compatible with online video and music platforms such as Last.fm and thus you can consume content from that particular network.
Did you know that Media Portal's source code was inspired by Kodi's earlier version known as XBMC? Nevertheless, the code has been rewritten and the platform has been returned to work specifically for Microsoft Windows. Unlike Kodi and MythTV which are popular for their cross-platform functionalities, MediaPortal is quite close-ended because of its commitment to Microsoft Windows.
Why should you use MediaPortal?
Some of the appealing elements of MediaPortal are its variety of content, as well as its user interface and features. I'll also be discussing some of the cool things it can do, such as streaming media and creating custom playlists.
Complete Media Management
MediaPortal is an open-source software that allows users to customize their experience. It is more dynamic in its media management, allowing users to connect it directly to their TVs or other displays. Users can watch photos, listen to music, and watch movies on a wide range of devices.
You can watch live television, recorded television, and videos/movies on discs. You can listen to internet radio or media from your PC's hard drive or from connected devices like games consoles and smart TVs. You can control the HTPC using a remote. All in all, Mediaportal transforms your PC into a comprehensive media solution.
Language Preference
With MediaPortal, you can access the platform in over 30 languages. This feature, in my opinion, is one of the standout features helping you connect with the service right away. Just choose your preferred language and you're good to go.
Plugins & Skins
Though MediaPortal is designed just for Windows, it offers a rich set of third-party plugins that can be used to alter your media center in innumerable ways. Part of what makes this platform great is its extensive plugin library, which enables you to customize your media center in countless ways. For me, skins are more than just themes and wallpapers. They help personalize the entire experience--from display to user interface. MediaPortal has over fifty skins for you to choose from, each one seamlessly integrates and can be updated using extensions.
TV & PVR Support
The MediaPortal TV Engine allows you to amplify your TV viewing experience through the most popular TV Engine and Personal Video Recorder (PVR). Though PVR has been effectively replaced by DVR in this day and age, you can still make tremendous use of this service. You can use the TV cards to access everything that you would normally do with TIVO, for free.
How to access MediaPortal?
To access and download MediaPortal, search for "MediaPortal" in the search engine and you may find the software on the first page of your result. Alternatively, you can visit the website directly by clicking on the link on the left. In order to download the software, all you must do is visit the website and select it from the download section. The software is about 141 MB in size so it will only take about 20-25 minutes to access it.
Design
The MediaPortal design approach is way better than what we saw on JRiver. Though the approach is outdated, it still feels leagues ahead than JRiver. The light blue and violet combination with white text looks quite cool.
Header
The header section has a logo on the left and seven options on the right. These include ?Home?, ?Products?, ?Contribute?, ?Download?, ?Documentation?, and ?Forum?. Above these options, there is a search bar. You can use this to find skins, plugins directly. Above the search bar, you have the Register/Login panel alongside language preferences. All of these options are exactly what you would find on modern streaming and DVR websites. It's just the 3D logo on the left which makes it appear a little outdated.
Hero Section
There's also a ?Support? tab where you can get help with the software and even access a ?Live Chat? box. Finally, you have the âBrowseâ section which can take you to other sections of the website or even to the entire online catalogue of products.
The website has eight different banners that show off different aspects of the software. I really like this particular section as it offers a lot of information about this service just by looking at the banners. The first section gives you a glimpse of the interface and so you already know what to expect from the 141 MB package that you will be installing later. This is way better than what I saw on JRiver. Towards the right, you have various sections including Latest News & Blogs and Updated Plugins & Skins. There's also a Support tab where you can get help with the software and even access a live chat box. Finally, you have the Browse section which can take you to other sections of the website or even to the entire online catalogue of products.
Body
The body section of the website has a short summary, helping you learn more about the service. In the right column, you will find a GDN banner under which there is a Featured Screenshot and MediaPortal on Web section.
There is an explanatory video under the summary to help you get started with the service. WHO AM I KIDDING? It's just a video ad which seems so tempting that you would end up clicking it. At the time of writing this review, Google was pushing "Adobe" on the network. I'm sure it will keep changing from time to time.
I am not upset with this section because the software is free. Unlike other top software that requires you to pay $60- $100, MediaPortal is free.
Footer
The footer section of the website is divided into three sections. First, in the ?About? section, you will find information about the website and who created it. Towards the left of this section, you have six options - ?Home?, ?About MediaPortal?, ?Bugtracker?, ?Download?, ?Contact Us?, and ?Our Partners?. Finally, towards the right, you have the ?Support MediaPortal? section with a link to PayPal where you can contribute towards this project.
Inner Pages
The inner pages of the website are accessible by clicking on any option on the homepage. My favorite inner page is the Download page. Here you will find MediaPortal 1 and MediaPortal 2. This section will provide you in-depth information about each software, along with a download link. Judging by the heatmap, this page is a hotspot.
Hardware & Network
MediaPortal is designed to allow users to access various media content and services on their TV or sound system. In order to use MediaPortal, the user simply needs to connect the software to their TV and sound system, without the need for any other special or expensive hardware. The functionality of MediaPortal is quite similar to other media content and service programs that are available on laptops or personal computers. Additionally, users can set up a separate Home Theatre PC (HTPC) if they have one available.
The MediaPortal software is supported by a wide range of remotes, including those manufactured by MediaPortal. You can even use your own remote and configure it to work with MediaPortal. You can assign keys and actions according to your preferences, and the IR Server Suite in MediaPortal allows it to be used with 28 different remotes. From Wii to MacMini and iMON, the support extends to a variety of platforms.
MediaPortal Interface
Customizing your media center is the best feeling. You can choose from various skins and plugins to make the most of the software. On the home screen, you can choose between Home and Basic Home. You can customize it as per your needs, with considerable flexibility in regards to layout and style. You can add other helpful features such as weather forecasts and RSS feeds to the home screen.
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