While most people in the Media Center community have probably at least tried running the Windows 7 RC or RTM, there are those still running Windows Vista. Wouldn’t it be great if you knew whether or not your system or your DIY system components were Windows 7 compatible? It sure would! Ya know what would be even better? Knowing whether or not those components are also Windows 7 Media Center compatible!
Well you’re in luck. While perusing The Green Button this morning, I came across a link right on the front page that I hadn’t seen before. This link will take you right to the Windows Logo’d Product List. From here you’ll be able to filter the list to include full systems or just components.
While MS could have stopped there and I would have been happy, they took it one step further. Not only can you filter by product category, but you can also add “Additional Qualifications” which will allow you to filter down to products that are compatible with Windows 7 Media Center.
With that you simply hit the start button at the bottom and the next page you’re shown is a list of products compatible with Windows 7 and following your filter rules. While the search page asks you to select x86 or x64, it’s not required. I found that there were columns for both.
While Windows 7 has worked with every piece of hardware I’ve thrown at it, if you want to be sure or if you’re interested in building a new system for your HTPC, this could be an invaluable tool. Most people can probably find out by checking when they purchase but if you want to know before you buy, Microsoft has you covered.
