[Image:DISCover.jpg|thumb|DISCover logo]]

DISCover is a technology that allows "drop and play" of PC games on a video game console/multimedia center. It attempts to bring games console user-friendliness to the PC games market. Alienware is the foremost manufacturer of DISCover-based systems. DISCover made its debut at the 2004 Consumer Electronics Show. Alienware Corporation is an American computer hardware company; it has a reputation for offering the latest technologies for desktops and laptops that are specialized for video editing, audio editing, and especially gaming. ... The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is a trade show held each January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association. ...

The DISCover architecture "Drop n' Play" technology,used for PC games that are compatible with the technology, installs the game automatically, while users without the technology must manually load the game before playing. The DISCover My Games interface works with Third-party services to help facilitate online multiplayer games, and downloadable content such as free trials and rental of commercial software.

DISCover systems require an internet connection to work, as - much like the abortive DIVX DVD rental system - the software will connect automatically to central servers in order to download updates and new compatibility lists. This article is about the video codec DivX. For the pay-per-view DVD system, see DIVX. DivX® is a video codec created by DivX, Inc. ...

DISCover has been compared to Panasonic's 3DO Interactive Multiplayer system, which was able to easily run several different types of media discs, but failed due to market oversaturation and a prohibitively-high price. Like the 3DO, most DISCover-capable units retail at a high price (Alienware's DHS 2 console retails at $1,600), but this is typical of most high-end Media Center PCs. Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ... 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (most commonly referred to as the 3DO) was a line of video game consoles released in 1993 and 1994 by Panasonic, Sanyo and Goldstar, among other companies. ... It has been suggested that Media Server be merged into this article or section. ...

See also

• Alienware
• Media Center