# XBOX 360 / Media Center Portal Edition

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-360-media-center-portal-edition/335875>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 16, 2005, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-360-media-center-portal-edition/335875 "2005-12-16T05:50:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-360-media-center-portal-edition/335875/1 "2005-12-16T05:50:30Z")

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Does the XBOX 360 require the full Windown Media Center 2005, or can it do okay with the Media Center Portal Edition?

And what is the difference in the Portal Edition and the full version, anyways?

Thanks!

TygerD

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**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-360-media-center-portal-edition/335875/2 "2005-12-16T06:07:33Z")

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Media Portal won’t work.

The main difference between MediaPortal and Windows XP Media Center is that Media Portal is simply a piece of open-source software that sits on top of a normal XP install. Windows XP Media Center uses a bunch of proprietary stuff (MCE extender) to access the Xbox, so the open-source MediaPortal can’t do it too.

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**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-360-media-center-portal-edition/335875/3 "2005-12-18T18:30:32Z")

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Well poop.

Glad I asked.

Thank you!