Boxee: Media center suite with a social twist

There are plenty of media center suites designed to let you access photos, videos, and music stored on your PC or the web using a TV screen and remote control. But Boxee, which launches in private alpha on Monday is a bit different from Windows Media Center, MythTV, or other media center suites. That's because Boxee doesn't just let you access your media, it lets you share media and recommendations with other users. Eventually, the company plans to add Facebook integration so you can access your social networking data on a TV screen.

Boxee is based on the open source XBMC project. That means anyone can develop add-ons for the media center suite. Currently the software runs on Linux or Mac, with a Windows version coming later this year. Down the road, the company is hoping to bundle the software with set top boxes so you won't need to plug your PC into your TV to use Boxee.

The software supports a wide array of video formats and resolutions, including 1080p HDTV. But it does not support DRM, which means you won't be able to watch videos purchased from stores like iTunes or Amazon Unbox.

Boxee launches in private alpha on Monday, but you can sign up for an invitation on the company web site today.

[via NewTeeVee]

Tags: boxee, media-center, opensource