Boxee to Cease Supporting End-User Software with 1.5 Release

Since Boxee’s first public launch in early 2010, it has become one of the most popular choices for those looking to turn their PC into a media center. The reasons are simple: it’s feature-packed, works well and has potential to rid your cable TV. But later that same year when the company teamed up with D-Link to release a set-top media player, it became clear that we might reach a point when the software would no longer be offered to end-users directly. Well, that time has come.

In an effort to focus entirely on the commercial side of things, the software will no longer be supported after January 2012, though the software could still be offered on the website after that time. Along with this announcement came a new release, version 1.5, which is said to mimic the 1.5 firmware release for the Boxee D-Link product.

While it’s unfortunate to see Boxee drop out of offering the software to end-users, it’s a little hard to fault the folks there for this decision. Though, this is easier to take when you realize that much of what makes Boxee so great is made possible with the help of the XBMC project, which is still alive and well.

What made Boxee so interesting was its commitment to delivering content that could help you rid your cable. TV shows available for free are grabbed and made available, and with services such as Netflix and Pandora, you’re never without content to view. Still, if you’re wanting to take advantage of this particular software going forward, an all-in-one product will need to be purchased. For those who don’t mind putting in a little extra effort, XBMC should fit the bill nicely.