Windows Media Center looks pretty. By default, WMC runs in full-screen mode without the usual menus and toolbars of everyday computer programs like Microsoft Office 2010, web browser, and even Windows Media Player. The high-contrast white text on blue background is one of many features that can be customized in Windows Media Center.
The big easy to read text and graphics are designed to be usable on both computer monitors and on television sets. For the same reason, navigation is limited to vertical and horizontal scrolling, like what is available from standard television or home theater remote controls.
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Unfortunately, this dual-purpose interface can be confusing at times. For example, scrolling through songs or TV channels requires hovering the mouse near the left or right edge of the screen, somewhere close to the vertical middle, rather than just moving the mouse all the way to the edge and waiting for the screen to scroll as happens with most computer programs. Although, when one considers how television, cable, satellite or DVD menus function, it is easy to understand how the interface works.
While the need for a usable interface for someone using their computer as a home multimedia server while using a remote control on the couch excuses some of the design awkwardness, other interface choices can't be given the same benefit of the doubt. Why the scroll icons only appear when the mouse is near, is one odd and confusing design choice.
Even more confusing is that scrolling through one's song list requires using the left or right screen edges to make the scrolling button appear, but to scroll through the classification options at the top, one uses scroll bars that are attached to each item rather than at the edges. Likewise, the Internet TV screen offers a big preview image in one row and two rows of images for browsing below. However, in order to scroll the lower rolls, one must first click on something -- anything -- in order to change the focus to that row before it will offer a scroll bar. One wonders why they can't scroll through the "Fall Frenzy" or other special section without first choosing CSI:NY just to get the scroll icon to appear.
