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A home theater PC (HTPC) or media center computer is a system that, although potentially having the capabilities of a personal computer, is centered around software that specializes in video, photo, audio playback, and video recording functionality.  The HTPC is built to be in a setting with a television and other components of a home theater.  One early example of HTPC software that has matured over the years is MythTV.   MythTV provides a free and open source software using Linux. It seamlessly combines a digital tuner with digital video recording, program guides, and other computer capabilities.

MythTV has become the standard by which other HTPC software is compared.  A more recent competitor to the Linux centric MythTV is [[XBMC]]. Originally XBMC was used to turn an XBox into a Home Theater device.  Like MythTV, XBMC is free and open source.  Today XBMC also runs on Windows and Macintosh operating systems in various forms including Boxee and Plex.  XBMC for Linux is primarily developed for Ubuntu Linux.   Linux is generally considered the best way to get a fast, free, and "appliance" feel for an XBMC HTPC.

On the bloatware Microsoft front is their offering to the HTPC arena in the evolution of the [[DRM]] embedded Windows XP Media Center Edition followed by later Windows releases using Microsoft Media Player.  Novices tend to try to build their HTPC around Microsoft technology, which typically includes Windows Media Center (Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate for Windows 7 or Home Premium or Ultimate for Windows Vista). Windows Media Center includes additional software that covers the PVR functions of a HTPC.

SageTV, GB-PVR, and DVBViewer are alternatives to Microsoft Media Center when trying to build an HTPC on the Windows platform.  Although they provide many of the same feature of MythTV, the fact that they are build to run on the system resource consuming Microsoft Windows platform often results in poor performance and overreaching hardware requirements.  

Macintosh owners have the option of turning their Mac into an HTPC using the programs Front Row and Cover Flow.  Users can easily browse through and view any multimedia content stored on their Macs.  HTPC support for the Macintosh is also available in XBMC and Plex.