Steaming different audio and video is great, but what about all the home movies, stored music, and videos on your PC? Using the native Windows Media Player for those files means dealing with compression and codex requirements that are bound to dampen the brilliance of their original sound and video quality.

JRiver Media Center is a reliable, fully integrated software platform that empowers users to play whatever they want at full speed and size. It is one of the most comprehensive audio and video players available online. With JRiver, you get all the features of a professional media player wrapped into an immaculate user interface that anyone can enjoy.

The software features complete native ASIO support, which is the primary driver professional streamers, audiophiles, and movie enthusiasts use in their commercial setups. This means you can stream directly through your own interfaces as well as from RAM for speakers systems with 5.1 Dolby Digital.

That power of sound mixing extends beyond playback. JRiver Media Player includes the ability to play through most major streaming platforms like Netflix, Last.fm, Hulu, and YouTube. This is the best kind of software for those that have a home theater. The video and audio quality you'll receive is as close to a major chain as possible. All you'll be missing is the customized popcorn and overpriced drinks.

The JRiver Media Center also includes recording features. You'll be able to capture TV in high definition for storing later and watching at your own convenience. There is even an optional Media Center remote for when you don't want the interface right in front of you so you can sit back and veg on your couch.

If there is a question about this robust Media Center you cannot find an answer for, you can check out their forums. Users from all over the globe have come together to explain a litany of uses that are too long to get into here. Needless to say, you have a lot of options!

There are two features that sell the product well: the tagging options and zone replay. For those among us who enjoy organizing our media libraries into exact categories, there is a tagging option for creating a unique word or phrase-based queries. This allows users to quickly find the media they want with only a short search.

The zone-based playing allows a complete home system to operate all from one platform. This way, you can have a movie playing in the living room for the kids while music is playing in the backyard for mom and dad, as your mother-in-law enjoys her shows that stream in the upstairs guest room. That kind of flexibility is really useful.

If you are interested in a free trial of JRiver Media Center, check them out at https://www.jriver.com and start enjoying a truly fantastic audio and video experience.