One Home Theater Personal Computer [həʊm ˈθiɛtə ˈpɜːsənəl kəmˈpjuːtə] (HTPC) is a device based on PC components, which is intended to replace classic Hi-Fi devices and is particularly flexible due to its modular design. In addition to the name HTPC, the name Media Center PC is also common. It was mainly characterized by Microsoft’s Windows XP Media Center Edition. In German usage, the names living room PC, media computer, media center or television computer are also possible.
Due to its modular design, both software and hardware, an HTPC can take over the following areas of application:
Playing video/film (CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc and other formats)
Playing music (CD, MP3 and other formats)
Digital television (DVB-C, DVB-S, DVB-T)
Recording of TV/radio broadcasts (comparable to a hard disk recorder)
Electronic Program Guide: Digital Program Magazine
Video game console
Media server (supply of multimedia data to other clients distributed in-house)
Internet TV such as Maxdome, ARD/ZDF-Mediathek, etc.
IPTV
Source: wikipedia.org