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hp media center pc

Microsoft Windows XPMedia Center Edition

user’s guide

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The information in this document is subject tochange without notice.

Hewlett-Packard Company® makes no warranty of anykind with regard to this material, including, but notlimited to, the implied warranties of merchantability andfitness for a particular purpose.

HP shall not be liable for errors contained herein or forincidental or consequential damages in connection withthe furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

HP assumes no responsibility for the use or reliability ofits software on equipment that is not furnished by HP.

This document contains proprietary information that isprotected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No partof this document may be photocopied, reproduced, ortranslated to another language without the prior writtenconsent of HP.

Hewlett-Packard CompanyHome Products DivisionP.O. Box 4010Cupertino, CA 95015-4010USA

© Hewlett-Packard Company, 2002. All rights reserved.

Hewlett-Packard is a registered trademark ofHewlett-Packard Company in the United States ofAmerica and other countries/regions.

This product incorporates copyright protectiontechnology that is protected by method claims of certainU.S. patents and other intellectual property rights ownedby Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners.Use of this copyright protection technology must beauthorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intendedfor home and other limited viewing uses only unlessotherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation.Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.Apparatus Claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 4,631,603,4,577,216, 4,819,098, and 4,907,093 licensed forlimited viewing uses only.

Other brand or product names are trademarks of theirrespective holders.

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Table of Contents

Introduction ..............................1Getting Started with Microsoft Windows XP

Media Center Edition ............................ 1Getting Help .............................................. 2Getting the Most out of Media Center .......... 2Media Center Overview ............................. 3Media Center Start Menu ........................... 5Media Center Setup ................................... 6Using the Media Center Setup Wizard ........ 7Watching the Introducing Windows

Media Center Video .............................. 9Opening Media Center ............................ 10Switching to the Windows Desktop ............ 10Displaying Media Center Toolbars ............. 11Setting Media Center as the Default .......... 11Using Shortcut Buttons .............................. 12

Remote Control .......................13What Can I Do with the Media Center

Remote Control? .................................. 13Remote Control Buttons Overview .............. 14Remote Control Button Groups .................. 15Using the Media Center Remote Control .... 16

My TV .....................................21What Can I Do in My TV? ........................ 21Watching TV ........................................... 22Using Remote Control in My TV ................. 23Watching Live TV Using Time Shifting ........ 24Using the Television Program Guide .......... 25Searching for Programs in My TV .............. 26Recording TV ........................................... 28My TV Settings ......................................... 32Recorded TV ............................................ 33About Recording Errors ............................ 34

Resolving Recording Conflicts ................... 35Deleting a Scheduled Show or Series ........ 36Deleting a Recorded Show or Series .......... 36

My Music ................................37What Can I Do in My Music? ................... 37What Can I Do in

Windows Media Player? ...................... 38Using Supported File Types for

My Music ........................................... 39Using Remote Control in My Music ............ 40Creating Your Music Library Using

Windows Media Player ....................... 41Adding Music from Your Hard Drive to

Windows Media Player Library ............ 43Playing Digital Music Files ........................ 44Finding Music Files in My Music ............... 45Playing a Song ........................................ 46Setting Up an Automatic Disc Jockey ......... 46Finding and Playing an Album .................. 47Creating a Playlist .................................... 48

My Pictures .............................49What Can I Do in My Pictures? ................. 49Using Supported File Types for

My Pictures ......................................... 50Using Remote Control in My Pictures ......... 50Organizing Your Pictures .......................... 51Viewing Your Pictures in Media Center ...... 53

My Videos ..............................57What Can I Do in My Videos? .................. 57Using Remote Control When

Playing a Video .................................. 58Using Supported File Types for

My Videos .......................................... 59

Organizing Your Videos ........................... 60Playing Digital Videos .............................. 61Playing a Video in Full Screen Mode ......... 63Sorting Videos ......................................... 63Viewing Video Details .............................. 64

Play DVD ................................65Playing DVDs in Media Center .................. 65Using Remote Control When

Playing a DVD .................................... 66

Settings ..................................69Changing Media Center Settings ............... 69Changing General Settings ....................... 70Changing TV Recorder Settings ................. 71About Recorded TV Storage Space

Settings .............................................. 72Archiving Recorded TV Programs

to DVD ............................................... 74Watching TV Programs That Are

Archived to DVD ................................. 74Change TV Guide Settings ........................ 75Changing Parental Controls for

TV Viewing ......................................... 76Changing DVD Movie Language ............... 77Selecting Closed Captioning ..................... 78Changing Picture Settings ......................... 79

Troubleshooting ......................81Using Microsoft Windows Media

Center Help ........................................ 81

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1

Introduction

Introduction

Getting Started with Microsoft Windows XPMedia Center Edition

■ Watch TV or a DVD movie while doingother tasks on your computer.

■ Record your TV shows automatically whileyou are doing something else.

Welcome to the exciting new HP Media CenterPC experience! With this computer, you canplay all kinds of audio, video, and picturemedia on your computer by using a speciallydesigned remote control.

When using the remote control and the MediaCenter program, you can:

■ Watch, record, and play back televisionprograms.

■ Pause, rewind, and fast forward TVprograms by using the Media Center timeshifting feature.

■ Watch an instant replay.

■ Play back your digital videos.

■ View your digital pictures or play them as aslide show with music.

■ Browse, select, and play music CDs andDVD movies.

■ Resume playing your DVDs where youleft off.

■ Navigate the Media Center program byusing either the remote control or the mouseand keyboard.

■ Quickly open specific windows in MediaCenter by using the shortcut buttonson the remote control or on the front ofyour computer.

■ Easily update the Television Program Guidefrom the Internet.

2

Getting the Most out of Media CenterIt is best to have the following items completed before trying to use Media Center; otherwise,many of the program features won’t be available to you. Before using Media Center, make sure:

Getting HelpThe Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition User’s Guide can help you get started using theMedia Center program with your remote control. Other sources of help are:

■ Media Center HelpHelp files about using and troubleshootingthe Media Center program

■ Windows Media Player HelpHelp files about using and troubleshootingthe Windows Media Player program

■ Media Center introduction videoInstructional overview of the MediaCenter program

■ HP Web sitehttp://www.hp.comTechnical support

■ HP Media Center PC is set up correctly. Forsetup information, refer to the setup posterand to the HP Media Center PC HardwareUser’s Guide.

■ Remote control has two AA alkalinebatteries installed.

■ Remote sensor is properly plugged into aUSB connector on your PC and is placedwhere you can point the remote controlat it.

■ Setup posterInformation about assembling yourcomputer system

■ HP Media Center PC HardwareUser’s GuideInformation about connecting your PC tothe Internet, to your TV and stereo, andconnecting any gaming controllers such asa joystick

■ HP DVD Writer GuideInformation about using your DVD Writerdrive and the DVD writing software

■ Remote sensor control cable is securelyplugged into the remote sensor andattached to your cable or satellite set-topbox, if present.

■ PC has a properly configured and workingInternet connection.

■ PC is properly connected to your TV signalsource.

�Connections to the Internet and to aTV signal source are optional, butthey are recommended to get themost out of Media Center.

3

Introduction

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Media Center OverviewYou can control the Media Center functionsand navigate Media Center windows by usingthe remote control, the keyboard, or themouse. You can easily switch back and forthbetween them by moving the mouse or bypressing a button on the remote control or thekeyboard.

To open Media Center, simply point the remotecontrol at the remote sensor and pressthe Start button. Media Center opens infull screen mode. Make sure the remotecontrol is in the correct range of the remotesensor.

You can run Media Center side by side withother Windows software programs. It’spossible to browse through your pictures,watch videos, play music, and even recordTV while using other Windows programs.

4

Navigating Media CenterIn the Media Center windows, a selected itemsuch as a folder, file, or menu item is outlinedwith a green border.

To select items in Media Center, use the arrowbuttons on the remote control, and then use theOK button to enter your selection.

If you have media playing, such as music ortelevision, it appears in an inset window in thelower left corner. To switch from watching yourmedia in the inset window to watching it in fullscreen mode, use the arrows on the remotecontrol to select it and then press OK.See diagram on the next page.

Opening Media CenterTo open Media Center by using the keyboardand the mouse, click the Startbutton on the taskbar of yourdesktop and then select Media Center on theStart menu.

When you open Media Center, you’ll see theMedia Center Start menu. Use the arrowbuttons on the remote control or the keyboard,or use the mouse to navigate and select menuoptions. You may need to use the scroll buttonsto view all items in some Media Center menus.To enter a selection, press OK on the remotecontrol, press the Enter key on the keyboard,or click the mouse.

Selected item

5

Introduction

Watch, record, and play back liveTV programs

Media Center Start menu

Go Back

Media Center Help

Play music files or music CDs

View digital pictures or play a slide show

Watch your home videos

Change Media Center program settings

Log off to end your Media Centersession or to switch users

Media playback controls

Media Center Start Menu

Watch DVD movies

Close window

Resize window

Minimize window

Inset window that showsmedia currently playing

�You can use the Minimize andResize buttons to run Media Centerside by side with another programfrom your desktop.

6

Media Center SetupThe first time you open Media Center, a setup wizard opens. Use the setup wizard to test yourremote control and to configure your Internet connection, TV signal, and Television ProgramGuide. This may take approximately 10 to 40 minutes to complete.

To complete the setup wizard you need to:

■ Be logged on as the administrator. For more information, go to Microsoft Help.

■ Have an Internet connection to download your television service provider’s program guide.

■ Provide your ZIP Code.

■ Provide the name of your television service provider, if you subscribe to either cable orsatellite TV.

■ Provide the brand of your set-top box, if you use one.

You can click the Help button any time while completing the setup wizard.

�Use Media Center Settings to:

■ Change settings for yourtelevision service provider.

■ Change settings for your InternetService Provider.

■ Manually update the My TVTelevision Program Guide.

■ Check your remote control.

■ Change your ZIP Code to receivethe correct Television ProgramGuide for your area.

7

IntroductionUsing the Media Center Setup WizardIt is best to complete each step in the Media Center setup wizard to be able to use all thefeatures in Media Center. You can select to bypass these steps and complete them later in theSettings window in Media Center.

Press the Start button on the remote control. The Media Center setup wizard opens.Follow onscreen instructions to complete the following four steps:

■ Make sure the remote control has twoAA alkaline batteries installed.

■ Make sure you point the remote controlat the remote sensor.

■ Make sure the LED on the remote controlblinks when a button is pressed.

1 Check Your Remote Control This step is an interactive test to make sure the remotecontrol is working with the remote sensor. Before performing this test:

8

2 Set up an Internet Connection This step creates or tests your Internet connection sothat Media Center can update your Television Program Guide from the Internet. An Internetconnection is also needed to get information about your music CDs and other media. Even ifyou already have an Internet connection, you will need to provide Internet Service Provider(ISP) information.

Select from the onscreen choices, and then follow onscreen instructions:■ A broadband or LAN connection (continuous connection using a digital cable provider

or LAN)■ None, I will connect manually (manual connection using a dial-up ISP provider)

To set this up later, select Settings from the Media Center Start menu, select General, andthen select Internet Connection.

3 Set up Television Signal This step makes sure your computer receives the correct TVsignal and the correct Television Program Guide information. If you have a set-top box, thesetup wizard programs your remote control to work with your set-top box so that you can viewpremium channels. Make sure the TV signal source is properly connected to your PC and thecorrect TV provider is selected.

To set this up later, select Settings from the Media Center Start menu, select TV/DVD, andthen select TV signal.

4 Set up Television Program Guide An Internet connection is needed to complete thisstep. If your computer isn’t connected to the Internet or if Media Center hasn’t configured yourISP information in step 2, you will see No data available in the Television Program Guide.

To set this up later, select Settings from the Media Center Start menu, select TV/DVD, andthen select Guide setup, and then Change lineup.

9

IntroductionWatching the Introducing Windows Media Center VideoBefore using the Media Center program, you can watch an introduction video to become familiarwith many Media Center features. You can click a link at the end of the Media Center setupwizard to open the introduction video.

To play this video in Media Center using theremote control:

1 Press Start button on your remotecontrol.

2 On the Media Center Start menu, use thearrow buttons to select My Videos andthen press OK.

3 Select Shared Video and then press OK.

4 Select the Sample Video folder and thenpress OK.

5 Select the Introducing WindowsMedia Center video and press OK tobegin watching it.

6 Use the media playback buttons to controlthe video.

To play this video in Windows Media Player using the mouse:

1 Click Start on the taskbar and then click My Computer.

2 Double-click the Shared Documents folder.

3 Double-click the Sample Video folder.

4 Double-click the mcintro file to begin the Media Center introduction video.

5 Use the Windows Media Player buttons to control the video.

10

Opening Media CenterTo open the Media Center program:

■ Press the Start button on your remotecontrol.

Or

■ Click Start on the taskbar,and then click Media Center.

Or

■ Click the Media Centericon on your desktop.

Switching to the Windows DesktopMedia Center Start icon

Minimize

Resize windowClose window

You can switch to the desktop at any timewithout closing Media Center.

To display the desktop, select the Minimizeicon by using the arrow buttons on the remotecontrol or by using the mouse.

To return to Media Center, use the mouse toclick the Media Center icon on the taskbar.

11

Introduction

Media playback

Displaying Media Center Toolbars

Setting Media Center as the DefaultWhen you insert a CD and Media Center is active, your CD plays automatically after a fewseconds. If you are not in Media Center, Windows asks you what you want to do with the CD.To avoid this message, you can select Media Center as the primary program to play CDs.

To select Media Center as the primary CD playing program:

1 Close Media Center.

2 Insert a CD into the drive. A message appears asking you what you want Windows to do.

3 Select Play Audio CD using Windows Media Center.

4 Check the Always do the selected action check box, and then click OK.

Channel up and down

PlayStop

Record Mute

Replay, Rewind (Previous)

Skip, Fast Forward (Next)

Volume up and down

Media CenterStart menu Go Back

MediaCenter Help

When you move the mouse, the Media Centertoolbars appear. When you use the remotecontrol, they disappear.

12

TV GUIDE MUSIC PICTURES VIDEOS

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Using Shortcut ButtonsRemote controlYou can use the remote control shortcut buttons to open windows in Media Center. Refer to theRemote Control chapter for more information about the shortcut buttons on the remote control.

Front of computerYou can use the shortcut buttons on the front of the PC to open Media Center when the computeris already turned on.

KeyboardThe keyboard shortcut buttons do not open any programs in Media Center. Refer to theHP Media Center PC Hardware User’s Guide for more information about your keyboardshortcut keys.

13

Rem

ote Control

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Remote Control

What Can I Do with the Media Center Remote Control?

�Your remote control can send astrong signal to the remote sensorfrom within a range of about26 feet.

Make sure there is nothing blockingthe pathway between your remotecontrol and the remote sensor.

Your remote control is designed to work withMedia Center. You can use your remote controlwith Media Center to play CDs, DVDs, andvideos, to view pictures, and to watch andrecord television programs.

This remote control helps you navigate theMedia Center windows on your computer justas a cable TV remote control navigates cableTV options or controls the playback of a moviein a VCR or DVD player.

Remote control can:■ Navigate and control all Media Center

windows.

■ Control the video or live TV display.

■ Place the computer in and out of standbymode.

Remote control cannot:■ Navigate the Windows desktop or control

other computer programs outside of MediaCenter.

■ Be used as a VCR, DVD player, or stereoremote control.

■ Turn the computer on or off (shut down PC).

■ Turn a TV that is connected to yourcomputer on or off.

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Remote Control Buttons Overview

� Standby puts the PC into a powerreduced state called standby. An LEDlocated under the Standby button blinkswhen the remote control is transmitting asignal to the remote sensor. You must pressStandby for 1–2 seconds.

� This button has no function.

� Music opens My Music window.

� Recorded TV opens Recorded TVwindow.

� Record records selected televisionprogram and stores it on the hard disk.

� REW (Rewind) moves the mediabackward at 2 speeds.

� Replay moves media backward, forexample, 7 seconds in videos and live TV,one music track or one DVD chapter ata time.

� Pause pauses audio or video track, orpauses live or recorded TV programs.

Back returns PC to the previous windowwithin Media Center.

Arrow buttons move cursor to navigatewithin all Media Center windows.

� Live TV is a shortcut to the full screen viewof live TV. It also moves to the current pointin live TV program after pausing live TV.

� Details displays available informationabout selected media file.

Volume increases (+) and decreases (-)sound.

� Clear deletes selection and works as thebackspace button does on a keyboard.

� TV opens My TV window.

� Pictures opens My Pictures window.

� Video opens My Videos window.

� Play plays selected media.

� Stop stops media currently playing.

� FWD (Fast forward) moves mediaforward at 3 speeds.

Skip moves media forward, for example,30 seconds in videos and live TV, onemusic track or one DVD chapter.

Guide opens Television Program Guideto display available TV channels andprograms to watch and record.

OK selects desired action or windowoption. It acts as the Enter key. If watchingTV in full screen mode, pressing OKswitches back to the previous channelwatched. Press again to toggle back. It actsthe same way as a Jump button on some TVremote controls.

DVD Menu opens main menu on a DVDmovie, if available.

Start opens Media Center to the mainStart menu.

Channel/Page up (+) and down (-)changes TV channel or moves page up anddown, depending on available options.

Mute turns computer sound off.

0 to 9 changes channels or enters text intoMedia Center search or text box.

Enter selects desired action or windowoption.

15

Rem

ote ControlRemote Control Button Groups

Standby and direct access

Media playback

Navigation and other direct access

Audio and Video

Use your remote control to navigate allthe Media Center windows. Your remotecontrol includes four major groups of controlslisted below.

Standby and direct accessThe Standby button places the computer in andout of standby (reduced power) mode.

The direct access buttons open specificwindows within Media Center.

Media playbackThe media playback buttons control theplayback of music, DVD movies, videos,recorded and live TV programs, and pictureslide shows within Media Center.

Navigation and other direct accessThe navigation buttons move the cursor aroundMedia Center windows and select desiredactions as a mouse does.

The other direct access buttons open specificwindows within Media Center, such as theTelevision Program Guide, a DVD main menu,and live TV in full screen mode.

Audio and VideoThe audio and video buttons control soundand channel selection, display details, andenter text.

16

Using the Media Center Remote ControlTo begin using your remote control:

1 Point the remote control at the remote sensor. The remote sensor should be located near yourmonitor or in a convenient place. Make sure there is nothing blocking the pathway betweenyour remote control and the remote sensor.

2 Press the Start button to start Media Center and to open the Media Center Start menu.

3 If this is your first time using the remote control, the Media Center setup wizard opens. Followonscreen instructions to complete the remote control setup steps.

Or

If you have completed the Media Center setup wizard, the Media Center Start menu opens.Use the arrow keys on the remote control to select an item, and then press OK to select anoption and to begin using Media Center.

17

Rem

ote Control

Always shut down and unplugyour computer before moving it toavoid damage to internalcomponents.

Direct access buttonsThe direct access buttons open the mainMedia Center windows.

■ TV opens the My TV window where youcan watch and record TV and access otherMy TV features.

■ Recorded TV opens the Recorded TVwindow where all your recorded TVprograms are stored. From this window,you can search for and play back arecorded show.

■ Music opens the My Music windowwhere you can play music CDs and yourmusic files.

■ Pictures opens the My Pictures windowwhere you can search for, sort, and viewpictures and slide shows that are stored inthe My Pictures or the Shared Pictures folderin Windows Explorer.

■ Video opens the My Videos window whereyou can search for, sort, and play back yourrecorded video files that are stored in theMy Videos or the Shared Videos folder inWindows Explorer.

Standby button

RemotecontrolLED

�Make sure you turn off the monitorand turn down or mute the volumeif you, for example, have ascheduled recording in the middleof the night and don’t want to bedisturbed.

The PC will not automatically gointo standby mode if Media Centeris open. It is best to close MediaCenter before you place the PC instandby mode.

�If you turn off (shut down) your PC,Media Center will not record ascheduled TV program. Your PCmust be turned on or in standbymode to record TV programs.

Standby buttonThe Standby button puts the computer into apower reduced state, called standby, whichruns the computer with minimal power untilyou give it a command. To take the computerout of standby, press the Standby button forat least one to two seconds on the remotecontrol.

Recording in standby modeMedia Center can record TV programs whenthe computer is in standby mode becauseMedia Center takes the PC out of standbymode when a scheduled show beginsrecording. The PC returns to standby modewhen recording is complete.

Media Center begins recording with themonitor and sound turned on unless youmanually turn them off before the scheduledrecording.

Media Center cannot record TV programsif the computer is turned off.

Remote control LED andthe remote sensor LEDUnder the Standby button is an LED (light-emitting diode) that blinks when the remotecontrol is sending a signal to the remotesensor.

The remote sensor displays a red LED whenyou press a button on the remote control.Some kinds of lighting may cause the remotesensor to blink without you pressing the remotecontrol.

18

Media playback buttons

Use REW to rewind selected video or picturemedia. Press REW again to increase therewinding speed.

Pressing the REW button:

■ Moves the picture slide show backward tothe previous picture.

■ Moves the video backward.

■ Moves live TV program to the beginning ofthe 30-minute pause buffer.

Use Record to record TV programs. TheRecord button works only when My TV is usedto play a TV show. It is inactive when othermedia is playing.

■ While watching live TV or in the Guide,you can press the Record button once torecord a TV show.

■ In the Guide, you can press it twice torecord a TV series.

■ In the Guide, press it three times to cancelrecording.

These buttons allow you to play back pictureslide shows, music files, playlists, music CDs,DVD movies, home videos, and live TV, fromwithin the Media Center program.

Use Pause to pause selected media. PressPause and then FWD repeatedly to playmedia frame by frame in slow motion. Tocontinue slow motion, you must press theFWD button more than once.

Use Play to play selected media.

Use FWD to move selected video or picturemedia forward. Press FWD up to three timesto increase the fast fowarding speed.

Pressing the FWD button:

■ Moves pictures forward to the next picture.

■ Moves a video forward.

■ Moves a TV program (that has been pausedor stopped) forward to the current momentin live TV, and then begins playing.

�Press the Pause button and thenpress the FWD button repeatedly towatch media frame by frame inslow motion.

Press the REW or the Replay buttonand then the Play button to watchan instant replay.

Not all video files can be fastforwarded or rewound.

19

Rem

ote Control

Navigation and other direct access buttons

Use DVD Menu to open the DVD main menu.

Use Live TV to view live TV in full screenmode.

The Live TV button:

■ Moves a TV program forward to the end ofthe pause buffer and resumes playing liveTV. When you pause a TV program, youcan use the Live TV button to move forwardto live TV.

■ Opens Media Center and then beginsplaying live TV in full screen mode.

Use Stop to stop selected media from playing.When this is pressed while you are watchingTV, the Media Center pause buffer continuesto record in the background.

Use Skip to move forward in the selectedaudio or video file.

■ For music, Skip moves to the next track.

■ For DVDs, Skip moves to the next chapter.

■ For videos and live TV and videos,Skip moves ahead 30 seconds.

These buttons allow you to move the cursorand to select actions within the Media Centerwindows.

Use the Start button to open the MediaCenter Start menu if you are in Media Centeror if you are at the desktop.

Use Arrows to move between menus,windows, or activities.

Use OK to select a desired action. The OKbutton works as an Enter button. If you arewatching live TV, press OK to go to theprevious channel. Press OK again to toggleback to the original channel you werewatching.

Use Back to return to a previous window.

Use Guide to open the Television ProgramGuide.

Use Replay to move backward 7 seconds inthe selected audio or video file.

■ For music, Replay moves to the previoustrack.

■ For DVDs, Replay moves to the previouschapter.

■ For videos and live TV and videos,Replay moves back 7 seconds.

�Some older DVDs may not include aDVD menu.

20

Audio and Video buttons

Use the numeric buttons 0 to 9 to changechannels and enter text.

■ Change channels when live TV is playing.

■ Enter text in the Media Center searchfeature. Each time you press a number key,a different character appears. When youfind the character you want, press theEnter button.

Use Clear to delete the last character entered.Clear works the same way as a backspacecommand on a keyboard.

Use Enter to select a desired action, menu,or window. Enter works the same way as theOK button.

The audio and video buttons change channels,adjust volume, and show details of selectedmedia.

Use Volume (+ and -) to increase or decreasecomputer volume.

Use Mute to turn off the sound. Mute appearsin the window when it is turned on.

Use Details to display media information, ifavailable. This button displays details such asTV program summary or music artist. You mayneed to be connected to the Internet to receiveTV programming or CD artist information.

Use Channel/Page (+ and -) to changechannels up and down or to move the cursor tothe next or previous page of options. Changeschannels for live TV or changes camera anglewhen DVD movies are playing.

21

My TV

My TV

What Can I Do in My TV?The My TV window in Media Center workswith the Media Center remote control soyou can watch and record TV at your ownconvenience and pace.

In My TV you can:

■ Watch your favorite television programs infull screen mode or in an inset window.

■ Pause, stop, rewind, and fast forward liveTV, similar to the way you would control aDVD from a DVD player.

■ Record a single TV show or an entire series.My TV will manage the recordings for youand give advanced warning if there areany recording conflicts.

■ Create a recorded TV library.

■ Search for TV shows to watch or recordusing the Television Program Guide.

■ Quickly check which TV shows you havescheduled to record.

■ Browse for TV shows in Search by title,keyword, or category.

■ Simultaneously watch a recorded show andrecord a live show.

Scroll through the TelevisionProgram Guide for programs towatch and record

View a listof all your

recordedprograms

and find outwhy yourprogram

wasn’trecorded

Quickly finda TV show

or series towatch or

record usinga descriptiveword, show

title, or showcategory

TV channel currentlyplaying

Change recordingpriorities, TV Guidesettings, and othersettings

22

Watching TVBefore you can watch TV by using Media Center, make sure:

■ Your computer is set up correctly for your TV signal source. Refer to the setup poster and theHP Media Center PC Hardware User’s Guide for more information.

■ You have completed the Media Center setup wizard.

�You can change the channel byusing the remote control while infull screen mode or when the insetwindow is selected.

You can go to live TV fromanywhere in Windows MediaCenter by pressing Live TV on theremote control.

To watch a television program

1 Press the TV button on the remote control.The last channel selected or the first channelavailable begins playing next to the My TVmenu.

2 Select a channel by using theChannel/Page (+ or -) buttons or by usingthe numeric buttons on the remote control.The channel number displays in thewindow.

3 Using the arrow buttons, select the TVviewing window, and then press OK tomaximize the TV window to full screenmode. You can also press the Live TVbutton to watch TV in full screen mode.

4 Press Back on the remote control to exitfull screen mode and return to the previouswindow.

23

My TV

Using Remote Control in My TVTo control the playback of live or recorded shows, you can use the media playback buttons onthe remote control to do the following in Media Center:

Action Remote control button to press

Press Pause to freeze the live TV image. While paused, My TVcontinues to record a pause buffer for up to 30 minutes. PressPlay to resume watching TV where you left off.

Press Live TV to maximize the TV viewing window to full screenmode. Also, you can press Live TV to advance to the end of thepause buffer and resume watching the actual point in the live TVprogram.

Press Stop once to stop live TV or a recorded program. PressPlay to resume watching the program.

Press Fast Forward (FWD) to move forward in the live TVprogram that has been paused, or in a recorded program. Ifwatching live TV, FWD can advance only to the live moment inthe broadcast. Press FWD two or three times to speed up thefast forwarding. Press Play to resume watching the program.

Press Skip once to advance in live TV or in a recorded programby 30 seconds. You can repeatedly skip forward but onlyto the end of the pause buffer or the recorded show.

Press Rewind (REW) to move backward in live TV or arecorded program. Press REW two times to speed up rewinding.Press Play to resume watching the program.

Press Replay to move backward in live TV by seven seconds.You can repeatedly rewind with the instant replay option butonly to the beginning of the pause buffer or recorded show.Press Play to resume watching the program.

24

Watching Live TV Using Time ShiftingWhen you open the My TV window and begin watching live TV, Media Center begins recordingthe selected program in the background for up to 30 minutes.

This allows you to use your remote control to stop, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TVprograms within a 30-minute time range. Recording continues in the background, with a slightdelay. When you pause a live TV program, the time shifting window appears.

You can always move to the actual point in the live broadcast by pressing the Live TV button onthe remote control.

When you change the channel, Media Center deletes the previously recorded portion and beginsrecording again after a short delay.

You cannot use time shifting when recording aTV program. For example, you can’t pause alive TV program and then rewind and beginrecording. You can record a TV program onlyfrom live TV.

�The 30-minute pause buffer appliesonly when pausing, rewinding, andfast forwarding live TV. MediaCenter allows you to record aprogram for longer than 30minutes.

Time shifting windowwith the pause buffertime highlighted in green

Pause buffer beganrecording around 3:55 p.m.

Pause buffer hasrecorded until 4:16 p.m.

Program was rewoundand paused at 4:12 p.m.

25

My TV

�The Guide is a shared programingschedule that is visible to all users.A message appears if someonetries to schedule a recording duringa time period already scheduled.

If the Guide is not updated,the number of days displayeddecreases each day until the Guideis updated again.

�Your Internet Service Provider:

■■■■■ May not support automaticGuide updates. You may need tomanually update your Guide in theSettings window.

■■■■■ May not disconnectautomatically from the Internetwhen the Guide update iscompleted. You may needto manually disconnect fromthe Internet.

Using the Television Program GuideIn the Guide, you can scroll through a list of the current television programs and channelsavailable from your television service provider. The Guide displays the channel and network, aswell as the show title and scheduled time block. The number of days displayed depends on yourtelevision service provider. By selecting a program title, a detailed description of the programappears at the bottom of the window.

■ You can have Media Center automaticallyconnect to the Internet and update yourGuide. Not all Internet Service Providerssupport this feature.

■ You can manually update the Guide inthe Media Center Settings window at anytime even if you have automatic updatesset up. Refer to the Settings chapter formore information.

■ If the Guide has not been downloaded fromthe Internet because there is no Internetconnection, you will see No data availablenext to each channel.

■ The number of channels and calendar daysof TV listings depends on your televisionservice provider.

■ The Guide does not display past TV listings.

26

Searching for Programs in My TVYou can search the Guide to find a TV program by entering a title, keyword, or by selecting acategory using your remote control.

�Search tips:

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Using Categories to search canhelp you find, for example, allfootball games. A title or keywordsearch displays every show thathas “football” in the title ordescription.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ The TV search results do notinclude previously recorded TVshows.

To search for a TV show

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol, select My TV, and then selectSearch.

2 Select Title. Use the numeric buttons onyour remote control to enter a program titleword, and then press OK on the remotecontrol.

Or

Select Keyword. Use the numericbuttons on your remote control to enter adescriptive word that would appear in aprogram title or program description, andthen press OK on the remote control.

3 Use the arrow buttons to scroll throughsearch results, select a show, and thenpress OK. If multiple times for the showare displayed, select a time and press OK.

4 Select Play in the window, and thenpress OK on the remote control to beginwatching the program in full screen mode.If the show is not currently playing, selectRecord show or Record Series, andthen press OK.

27

My TV

Searching for programsusing categoriesYou can search the Guide to find a TVprogram by selecting a category using yourremote control.

To search for a TV show

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol, select My TV, and then selectSearch.

2 Select Categories. Select a category ofprogram types such as Movies or Sports,and then press OK on the remote control.All items that match the category aredisplayed in the search results. You cansort them by date or by name.

3 Use the arrow buttons to scroll throughsearch results and to select a show. Thenpress OK.

4 Select Play in the window, and thenpress OK on the remote control to beginwatching the program in full screen mode.If the show is not currently playing, you canselect Record show or Record Series,and then press OK.

28

Recording TVMedia Center allows you to record TVprograms so that you can watch them whenit is convenient. You can record the show youare watching, or you can record another orfuture show or series from the Guide, theSearch, or the Settings window in My TV.After you have scheduled the recording ofseveral shows or series, you can change thepriority order in the My TV Settings window.

Recording a TV showTo record a TV show you are currentlywatching, just press the Record button onthe remote control once. The Record icon appears in the Guide next to the programbeing recorded or the program to berecorded.

If a show is currently being recorded, theRecord icon also appears in the taskbar onthe desktop. If you move your mouse over theicon, Media Center displays which show iscurrently being recorded. You can right-clickthe icon to open Media Center and stoprecording.

Media Center automatically records until theshow is scheduled to be over as listed in theGuide. To make sure your show is beingrecorded, you can select Guide. The Recordicon should appear next to the show in theGuide while you are recording. The Recordicon disappears when the recording iscomplete.

If there is a recording conflict or error, theRecord Conflict icon appears next to theshow in the Guide. This means the show willnot be recorded unless the conflict is resolved.

�Recording TV tips

■■■■■ If you are watching live TVduring a scheduled recording time,you can watch only the show beingrecorded. If you change channels,recording stops.

■■■■■ If you go to another area inMedia Center, the TV channel youlast selected will be displayed inthe inset window at the bottom ofthe window.

■■■■■ When scheduling a recordingin the Guide, you can press theRecord button once to record ashow, twice to record a series, orthree times to cancel a scheduledrecording you just selected.

■■■■■ When you press the Recordbutton to record a show youare watching, the recordingautomatically stops at the end ofthe show’s regularly scheduledend time.

■■■■■ Some channels can be shared bytwo or more networks, dependingon the time of day. The Guidemay display only one network’sprogramming. This may causerecording options to beunavailable. You may need tomanually update the Guide beforescheduling a recording.

Record icon

Record Series icon

Record icon in taskbar

�If you turn off (shut down) your PC,Media Center will not record ascheduled program. Your PC mustbe turned on or in standby mode torecord a TV program. The PC willnot automatically go into standbymode if Media Center is open.

Make sure you turn off the monitorand turn down or mute the volumeif you, for example, have ascheduled recording in the middleof the night and don’t want to bedisturbed.

Record Conflict/Error icon

29

My TV

Recording from the GuideTo record a current or future show or series from the Guide:

1 Press the Start button on the remote control, select My TV, and then select Guide.

2 Use the arrow buttons on the remote controlto find the show you want to record, selectthe show, and then press OK.

You can also press the numeric buttonson the remote control to go directly to achannel. Press the right arrow button inthe Guide to select a show that will bebroadcast in the future.

3 Select Record in the window and pressOK on the remote control to record theshow. The Record icon appears nextto the show in Guide.

Or

Select Record Series and press OK on the remote control to record the entire series.The Record Series icon is displayed to indicate a series.

Or

Select Advanced Record to select recording options like recording start and stop times andto select the quality of recording. Press Back on the remote control to select Record (show)or Record Series options.

4 Press Back on the remote control to return to the previous window.

If there is a recording conflict, Media Center displays a message and allows you to select whichshow you want to record.

�Record Series means that you selectto record each available episode ofthat program from all channels thatare showing it. Media Center won’trecord duplicate episodes. MediaCenter also looks for alternativetimes to record an episode if arecording conflict happens.

�Recorded TV programs cannot bechanged to other formats.

Recorded TV programs that havebeen copied to a DVD can beplayed only from your PC bydouble-clicking the file. MediaCenter must be closed to playrecorded TV programs from a DVD.

Recorded TV programs can bebacked up as part of a full systembackup and restored to the samePC, but not to other PCs.

30

Recording from SearchTo record a current or future show or series using Search:

1 Press the Start button on the remote control, select My TV, and then select Search.

2 Select Title, Keyword, or Categories. For Title and Keyword searches, enter yourdescriptive search words. Media Center starts searching from the first letter you type intothe text box. For a Categories search, select the category you want and press OK.

3 Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the search results to select the show you want torecord, select the show, and then press OK.

4 Select Record or Record Series in the window, and then press OK. The recording icon fora single program or the recording icon for a series appears next to the show in theGuide.

5 Press Back on the remote control to return to the previous window.

If there is a recording conflict, Media Center displays a message and allows you to select whichshow you want to record.

Title search Keyword search Category search

31

My TV

Recording manuallyRecording a program manually allows you to select a specific date, channel, and recording timeperiod. For some programs, you may want to begin recording before the scheduled beginningand after the scheduled ending of the program.

To manually record a show or series:

1 Press the Start button on theremote control, and then select Settings.You may need to select the scroll arrowson the bottom of the window to view theSettings button.

2 Select TV/DVD.

3 Select Manual Record.

4 Enter the channel number using the numericbuttons on the remote control.

5 Use the arrow buttons on the remote controlto select the + or - buttons in the window.Press OK on the remote control to scrollthrough choices and enter the recordingfrequency, date, start and stop times,storage, and quality options.

6 Select Record in the window, and thenpress OK on the remote control to setthe recording and return to the Settingswindow.

7 Press Back on the remote control to returnto the Start menu.

32

My TV SettingsIn the My TV Settings window, you can change several settings that control how Media Centerplays and records TV programs, as well as how it plays DVDs. For more information aboutMy TV settings, refer to the Settings chapter.

For more information about advanced recording features, refer to Microsoft Media Center Help.

Changing recording prioritiesTo enable Media Center to resolve recording conflicts, you can set up how program recordingsare handled. The first time you try to record a show or series and there is another scheduled atthe same time, Media Center asks you which program you want to record.

To resolve a recording conflict:

1 Press the Start button on the remote control, select My TV, and then select Settings.

2 Select Recorder, and then select Scheduled to display a list of programs that you havescheduled to record.

3 Select the program for which you want to change recording settings, and press OK on theremote control.

4 Select Record in the window and then press OK on the remote control to record theprogram. You can also select one of the following options:

■ Select Don’t Record to cancel the scheduled recording.

■ Select Cancel Series to cancel all the scheduled recordings in that program series.

■ Select Record Settings to select the recording start and stop times and other recordingpriority settings.

5 Press Back on the remote control to return to the previous window.�To optimize storage space onyour hard drive, you can changerecording settings by selectingDefaults from the Recorder page.Use the arrow buttons to selectrecording options. Press OK tochange the setting.

33

My TV

Recorded TVRecorded TV is the storage place for all your recorded programs. In the Recorded TV window,you can sort your shows by name, date, or category. You can also delete a recorded program orseries of programs and check for any recording errors. �

Recorded TV’s Schedules windowdisplays a list of shows scheduledto record in the future, beginningwith the current date. Each showis listed individually even if it is apart of a series.

Playing a recorded programTo find and play a recorded program:

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol, select My TV, and then selectRecorded TV.

2 In the Recorded TV window you can:

■ Select Sort by date, Sort bycategory, or Sort by name toorganize all of your previouslyrecorded programs.

■ Select Scheduled to view a list of allprograms scheduled to be recorded. Youcan also resolve any recording conflictsin this window. Use the arrow buttons tomove through the list, select a program,and then press OK on the remotecontrol. Select the option to change,and then press OK again.

■ Select Recording errors to see whichshows weren’t recorded and determinewhy they weren’t recorded. The showmay have been in conflict with anotherand then canceled by Media Center, orit may have been a duplicate episode ina series.

3 Using the arrow buttons, select therecorded program you want to watch, andthen press the OK button on the remotecontrol to begin watching the program.

34

About Recording ErrorsA recording error means that a program scheduled to record was not recorded. This can occurfor several reasons. If your PC was turned off and not in standby mode during the time the showwas scheduled to record, or if there was a recording conflict with another scheduled program, arecording error occurs. If you were watching live TV when the show was scheduled to record anddeclined the prompt to change channels, a recording error occurs.

Common recording errors

Program already exists in Recorded TV library RedundantPC was turned off during scheduled recording time MissedAnother show was scheduled to record at the same time ConflictYou selected not to record the program CanceledIn Advanced Record, you selected First Run only for a series recording so any programs in a series that are not first run are not recorded RepeatUnknown technical error: Error ■ Media Center failed to start the recorder ■ TV signal was lostHard disk is full Not enough space

Description of error Recording error

�When you replace the hard diskdrive, you can no longer playpreviously recorded TV programs.

Important information about recorded TV programsWhen you replace the hard disk drive, you lose any files or software that you created, saved,or installed on the PC. You also lose a special code that Microsoft includes in the files of therecorded TV programs. Without the code, Media Center will not play the TV programspreviously recorded to disk or copied to DVD or to other media.

35

My TV

Resolving Recording ConflictsMedia Center can record only one TV show at a time. If you schedule two recordings for thesame time, a message appears telling you to resolve the conflict. If you don’t resolve the conflict,Media Center automatically makes the selection just before the program begins recording. Beforethe program records, a conflict icon (a red circle with an exclamation point) is listed next to theprogram in the Guide. You can view and resolve the conflict by opening My TV window,selecting Settings, Recorder, and then Scheduled.

Media Center selects which show to record based on the following priority rules:

1 A scheduled program that is not a rerun

2 The program that was scheduled first

3 Manual recordings

Often, Media Center is able to find an alternative date and time for recording one of theprograms so that both shows can be recorded. If one recording partially overlaps another,Media Center records to the end of the first and then begins recording the second.

After you resolve a recording conflict, the conflict icon continues to appear for the program thatis not scheduled to record so you can return to the conflict and reverse it, if needed.

If you are watching TV while recording a show, you can watch only the channel being recorded.If you attempt to change the channel, a message appears telling you that changing the channelstops the recording. If a recording is scheduled to begin and you are watching a differentchannel, a message appears giving you the choice to change the channel to begin the recording.If no choice is made, the channel changes automatically.

�For more information abouttroubleshooting the recordingconflicts, refer to Media CenterHelp.

36

Deleting a Scheduled Show or SeriesTo prevent recording conflicts, you may need to delete a program or series that is scheduledto be recorded.

1 Press the Start button on the remote control, select My TV, and then select Settings.

2 Select Recorder, and then select Scheduled. A list of programs that you have scheduledto record displays, starting with the current date.

3 Use the arrow buttons to select the program title you don’t want to record and press OK.

4 Select Don’t Record in the window and press OK on the remote control to remove asingle show.

Or

Select Cancel Series and press OK to remove the entire series from the recording schedule.

Deleting a Recorded Show or SeriesTo free up hard disk space, you may need to delete a program or series that has been recorded.

1 Press the Start button on the remote control, select My TV, and then selectRecorded TV. All the programs you have recorded appear.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select the program title you want to delete, and then press OK.

3 Select Delete in the window and press OK on the remote control to remove that programfrom the hard disk.

37

My M

usicMy Music

What Can I Do in My Music?The My Music window in Media Center works with Windows Media Player to find and play yourmusic files and CDs. You can use Windows Media Player to create your music library and thenuse Media Center to find and play your music using your remote control.

�You can store your music filesin the My Music folder or in otherfolders on your hard drive, butyou need to add those files to theWindows Media Player Libraryfor Media Center to be able tofind and play them.

In My Music, you can:

■ Play music CDs. Skip, shuffle, or repeatsongs or albums.

■ Play digital music files from a music libraryyou create and organize using WindowsMedia Player.

■ Search for music files by categories: album,artist, playlist, song, or genre.

■ View music CD details such as artist name,song title, length of song, and albumcover art.

■ Play a music playlist with a slide show.

�Your PC must be connected to theInternet to view music CD details.

38

What Can I Do inWindows Media Player?Windows Media Player allows you to copydigital music files and organize amusic library that you can accessby using the My Music window inMedia Center. You can:

■ Create playlists of your favorite songs.

■ Create a music library by copying CDs oradding music files from the Internet.

■ Organize digital music files by album,artist, playlist, or genre.

■ Edit information about music files, such asthe song title, music type, or artist name.

■ Share music files with others.

■ Delete files from your music library.

�Media Center can find and playonly those files that have beenadded to the Windows MediaPlayer Library.

39

My M

usicUsing Supported File Types for My MusicYou can play the following types of digital audio files in Media Center. You can also selectMedia Center as the default player for any of the listed file types. Refer to Windows MediaPlayer Help for more information about supported file types.

.cda CD audio

.wav Windows audio file

.MP3, .M3u Audio files

.asf, .asx, .wax, .wm, .wma, Windows Media audio files

.wmd, .wmv, .wvx, .wmp, .wmx

File extension File type

�For more information about musicfile formats, use Windows MediaPlayer Help and Media CenterHelp.

Only supported audio file types aredisplayed in the My Music window.Unsupported files won’t play.

40

Using Remote Control in My Music

Play selected song

Go to the next song in an album or playlist

Go to the previous song in an album or playlist

Pause song/press pause again to resume song

Stop playing song

Move around the menu items

Enter selected menu item

Turn off sound

Adjust volume

Action Remote control button to press

41

My M

usicCreating Your Music Library Using Windows Media Player

�Each time you add music filesoutside of Windows Media Player,you must use the Tools menu toadd music files to your WindowsMedia Player Library for MediaCenter to find them.

To add music files

1 Click Start on the taskbar,and then click Windows MediaPlayer.

2 Click the Media Library tab on the sideof the window. The first time you selectMedia Library, a message tells you thatWindows Media Player needs to searchyour computer for your music files.

3 Click Yes. Windows Media Playersearches for all available audio media andplaces them in the Media Library.

4 To add files from a CD to your MediaLibrary, insert the CD, select Copy fromCD, and then select Copy Music in thetoolbar. You can select to copy your musicfiles as MP3 files or as Windows MediaAudio files (.wma).

5 Click the Media Library tab to see whereyour new audio files have been placed. Youcan rename files by selecting the file andtyping a new name or genre over the oldone. The way you label your music filesdetermines the category in which they areplaced.

42

Your added music files can now be found andplayed back using My Music in Media Center.You may need to close and open MediaCenter for the added music files to appear inMy Music.

For more information about adding music filesto the Media Library, use the Windows MediaPlayer Help menu.

Deleting music filesTo delete a file from the Windows MediaPlayer Library, select the music file, right-clickthe mouse, and then select Delete fromLibrary.

43

My M

usicAdding Music from Your Hard Drive toWindows Media Player Library

�You can place all your music filesinto the My Music folder or intoother folders on your hard drive,but you need to add those files tothe Windows Media Player Libraryfor Media Center to be able to findand play them.

You may have already copied and organizedyour music files on your hard drive. If so, youneed to add them to the Windows MediaPlayer Library to access them with the MediaCenter.

To add music files that are stored in yourMy Music or Shared Music folder on yourhard drive:

1 Click Start on the taskbar,and then click Windows Media Player.

2 Move the mouse to view the WindowsMedia Player toolbar and then click Tools.

3 Select Search for Media Files.

4 Select Search to search all drives or selectBrowse to search through a specific drive.Select a drive and then click OK. WindowsMedia Player searches the selected drivesfor all supported audio files and adds themto the Media Library.

If Windows Media Player does notrecognize all of your audio files, trycopying the files directly into WindowsMedia Player. Refer to Windows MediaPlayer Help for more information.

Your music files can now be found and playedin My Music window in the Media Center. Youmay need to close and open Media Center forthe added music files to appear in My Music.

44

�To display CD information suchas song titles and cover art inMedia Center or in WindowsMedia Player, your PC needs to beconnected to the Internet. Withoutan Internet connection, the musicfiles are labeled unknown and onlytrack numbers and playing timesare displayed.

Playing Digital Music FilesWhen you first open the Media Center andopen the My Music window, you may not findany music files listed unless there is a musicCD in your CD drive or unless you havealready added audio files to your WindowsMedia Player Library.

If you don’t have any music files listed, youneed to add music files to the Windows MediaPlayer Library, and then restart Media Centerto play your music files in Media Center.

When you copy music files using WindowsMedia Player and your computer is connectedto the Internet, the CD information is copiedand displayed in Media Center and in theWindows Media Player Library.

To play a music CD usingMedia CenterIf you insert a CD when Media Center is notopen, a message appears asking what youwant to do. You can select Windows MediaPlayer as your default audio player. If youhave another program set as the default audioplayer, Windows opens this program andbegins playing the CD.

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol.

2 Insert a CD into the CD drive; the CD playsautomatically in Media Center.

Or

If you have other media such as live TValready playing when you insert the CD,Media Center asks you if you want toplay the CD. Select Yes to begin playingthe CD.

�Media Center cannot be used torecord music files. Use WindowsMedia Player to record music files.

45

My M

usicFinding Music Files in My MusicAfter you have added and organized files in Windows Media Player Library, you can browsethrough your music files in the My Music window. You can search for music files by album title,artist, song title, or music genre. You can also use the search feature to quickly find a specificsong, album, or artist.

Select Search. Use the numeric buttonson the remote control to enter a descriptiveword, song title, or artist name and displaya list of all the titles that match your entry.

2 Use the arrow keys to select a music file,and then press the Play button on theremote control to begin playing thatmusic file.

To find a music file

1 In the My Music window, select Albums,Artists, Playlists, View Songs, orGenres to display a list of all items inthat category. In these windows you willhave other options, depending on thecategory you select.

Or

46

Playing a SongYou can play a song from anywhere in MyMusic. You can select it from the View Songlist, or from the Album, Artist, and Genre lists.You can also play a single song from aplaylist:

1 In the My Music window, select ViewSongs. The list displays all the songs inyour media library.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select a song,and then press OK or Play on the remotecontrol to play it.

Setting Up anAutomatic Disc JockeyYou can select to have Media Center randomlyplay all the available songs in one genre:

1 In the My Music window, select Genres.The list displays all the genres available inyour Media Library.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select a genre,and then press OK on the remote control.

3 Use the arrow buttons to select Shuffle,and then press OK on the remote control.All songs in that genre are randomlyplayed.

47

My M

usic

�When you select Buy Music,your Internet browser opens theMicrosoft Web site. Here you’ll findinformation about the artist oralbum you’re currently listening toor similar artists. You have theoption to purchase CDs.

Finding and Playing an Album

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectMy Music, and then select Albums.

2 In the Albums window, select View by listor View by cover to organize all of thealbums available.

3 Use the arrow buttons to select an album,and then press OK on the remote control.You can also select:

■ Shuffle to rearrange the music trackson the album.

■ Play to play the album selected. TheNow Playing window opens, and thealbum starts playing.

4 In the Play window, select a song andpress OK on the remote control. You canalso select:

■ View Song to view cover art and playone track.

■ View Tracks to view a list of all trackson the album.

■ Shuffle to rearrange the play order.

■ Repeat to play the album again.

■ Buy Music to connect to the Internet,find CD information, and buy musicCDs. To go back to Media Center, pressStart on the remote control.

5 Press Back on the remote control to returnto the previous window.

48

To create a playlist

1 Click Start on the taskbar andselect Windows Media Player.

2 Select Media Library.

3 Click New playlist in the toolbar, typein a name for your playlist, and then clickOK. Your new playlist should appear underthe My Playlists area of the Media Playerwindow.

4 In the Media Library, select the music filethat you want to add to your playlist.

5 Click Add to playlist in the toolbar, andthen select your playlist from the drop-downmenu. Repeat this step until all of your filesare added.

6 Select your playlist to check your addedmusic files.

7 Close Media Center, if open, and thenpress the Start button on the remotecontrol. Your playlist won’t appear inMy Music unless you close and openMedia Center.

You can now play your playlist inMedia Center.

Creating a PlaylistA playlist is a customized list of digital music files. Using playlists, you can group various digitalmusic files together and determine the order in which you want the files to play. You can create aplaylist that includes several tracks from various CDs or even a playlist that contains backgroundmusic for a slide show.

Use Windows Media Player to create playlists and then play them back using Media Center.

49

My Pictures

My Pictures

What Can I Do in My Pictures?

View pictures stored inthe My Pictures or

Shared Pictures folder inWindows Explorer

Sort your digital picturesby name or by date

Scroll through your digitalpictures by clicking the

page up and page downbuttons using the mouse

The My Pictures window in Media Center is agreat way to view and share your pictures.

In My Pictures, you can:

■ View pictures individually or as a slideshow.

■ Change transition time and display order ofthe pictures in your slide show.

■ Sort pictures by name or date.

■ View and scroll through pictures that are inthe My Pictures folder by using your remotecontrol or your keyboard and mouse.

View small image(thumbnail) and title of

picture file

50

Using Supported File Types for My PicturesYou can view the following types of image filesin Media Center.

About viewing pictures inMedia Center■ Only supported image file types are

displayed in My Pictures. Unsupported filesare skipped in a slide show.

■ Folder icons appear even if the imagesinside them cannot be displayed.

■ Corrupted and unsupported image filetypes display a generic image icon butcannot be displayed in Media Center.

■ Some file types are supported only ifappropriate filters and software areinstalled.

■ Picture file extensions are not displayed.

.jpg, .jpeg Joint Photographic ExpertsGroup

.tif Tagged Image File Format

.gif Graphics InterchangeFormat

.bmp Bitmap

.wmf Windows MetaFile

.png Portable Network Graphics

Fileextension File type

Using Remote Control in My Pictures

Plays slide show with selected pictures

Moves to the next picture

Moves to previous picture

Pauses slide show/resume paused slide show

Stops slide show

Enters selected menu item or shows selected picture

Action Remote control button to press

�If the message Image cannotbe displayed appears, the filemay be corrupted or it may be anunsupported file type. You mayneed to edit your image with aphoto editor and resave it in asupported file format.

51

My Pictures

Organizing Your PicturesWhen you save pictures from your digital camera or scanner to your computer, Windowsautomatically stores them in the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer.

Before opening Media Center and viewing your pictures, you may want to spend some timeorganizing your pictures.

You need to place all your pictures in the My Pictures or Shared Pictures folders inWindows Explorer for Media Center to be able to display them.

�■■■■■ Each user has a separateMy Pictures folder that can beopened only by that person. Youcan share pictures by storing themin the Shared Pictures folder.

■■■■■ When you download picturesfrom the Internet, you can usethe browser in Windows Explorerto place your pictures in theMy Pictures folder.

To organize your pictures

1 Locate your picture files that have not beenplaced in the My Pictures folder.

2 Click Start on the taskbar,and then click My Pictures to open theMy Pictures folder.

52

3 Move picture files from other places onyour computer’s hard drive to My Picturesfolder. You can add, delete, rename, andorganize your picture files into specificfolders within My Pictures, such as Vacationor Birthday.

Or

If you want to share your pictures withothers, place your pictures in the SharedPictures folder.

Your pictures can now be displayed inMedia Center.

53

My Pictures

�Use the mouse to select theup arrow or the down arrow atthe bottom of the window to scrollto other pages of picture filesand folders.

Viewing Your Pictures inMedia CenterAfter you organize your pictures in theMy Pictures folder in Windows Explorer,open Media Center to view your pictures:

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol to open the Media Center Startmenu.

2 Select My Pictures. The right side ofthe window shows a small picture image(thumbnail) and, if you’ve organizedyour pictures into folders, folder icons.Your pictures are displayed just as youorganized them in the My Pictures folderin Windows Explorer.

Arrow buttons

OK button

3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote controlto move through your picture files andfolder files and select a picture.

4 Press OK to select a picture or folderto view. The selected picture opens infull screen mode.

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To view pictures as a slide show

1 Press the Start button on the remote control to open the Media Center Start menu.

2 Select My Pictures.

3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to select the folder of pictures you want to viewas a slide show, and then press OK.

4 Use the left and right arrow buttons on the remote control to go to the next or the previouspicture manually.

Or

Use the arrow buttons to select Play slide show, and then press OK to display yourpictures automatically. If you do not select the pictures you want to view as a slide show,Media Center uses the first folder listed. If you have picture files that are not stored in foldersyou created, Media Center plays all files stored in the My Pictures folder.

�In the My Pictures menu, selectSettings to:

■■■■■ Set slide delay time.

■■■■■ Set the slide show to includefolders you have created.

■■■■■ Set the slide show to displayyour pictures randomly.

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My Pictures

To view a slide show with music

1 Select My Music on the Media CenterStart menu.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select the musicyou want, and then press OK on theremote control. If the music doesn’t startautomatically, press the Play button onthe remote control.

3 Press Start on the remote control to goback to the Media Center Start menu.

To sort picturesTo organize your pictures by date or by name:

1 Select My Pictures on the Media CenterStart menu.

2 Select Sort by date or select Sort byname.

4 Select My Pictures.

5 Select the folder of pictures, and thenpress OK.

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6 Select Play slide show, and thenpress OK. When Media Center switchesto full screen mode, the inset windowdisappears but the music continues to play.

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My V

ideos

My Videos

What Can I Do in My Videos?

�Each user has a separate MyVideos folder that can be openedonly by that person. You can sharevideos with others by storing themin the Shared Video folder.

Play videosstored in theMy Videos orShared Videofolder inWindowsExplorer

Sort your digital videosby name or by date

Scroll throughyour digitalvideos andfolders byclicking thepage up andpage downbuttons usingthe mouse

View smallimage(thumbnail)and title ofvideo file

The My Videos window in Media Centermakes it easy to play home video files youcreated or video files you downloaded fromthe Internet.

In My Videos you can:

■ Browse through and play back all of yourdigital video files using the remote controlor the keyboard and mouse.

■ Sort videos by name or date.

■ View your videos in full screen mode orfrom an inset window in Media Center.

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Using Remote Control When Playing a Video

Plays video

Moves video forward/press up to three timesto advance faster

Moves video forward 30 seconds

Moves video backward/press twice to rewind faster

Moves video back 7 seconds

Pauses video/resumes paused video

Stops video

Enters selected menu item or shows selected picture

Action Remote control button to press

�If the video is paused whenyou press Skip, the video willadvance 30 seconds and remainpaused. Press Play on the remotecontrol to resume playing thevideo.

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My V

ideos

Using Supported File Types for My VideosYou can view the following types of video files in Media Center. Other file types are supported ifyour PC has the correct audio and video cards installed.

.avi Video file

.mpeg, mpg, .mpe, .mlv, Movie file

.mp2, .mpv2

.wm, .asf Windows Media file

.wmv Windows Media A/V file

File extension File type

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Organizing Your VideosWhen you attach a digital videocamera to your PC, Windows asksyou how you want to capture yourvideo. You can choose from varioussoftware programs to capture and then edityour video file.

Most programs automatically save your fileto the My Videos folder in Windows Explorer.If not, move your videos into the My Videos orShared Videos folder in Windows Explorerfor Media Center to be able to find andplay them.

Once you have placed all your videos into theMy Videos or Shared Videos folder, you canrename, add, delete, and organize them intofolders.

To organize and store your videos,click Start on the taskbar, clickMy Documents, and then double-click theMy Videos folder.

If you want to share your videos with others,place them in the Shared Videofolder. To do this, click Start onthe taskbar, click My Documents, clickthe Shared Documents folder underOther Places, and then double-click theShared Video folder.

You can add, delete, edit, rename, andorganize your video files into folders youcreate in the Shared Video folder.

Your videos can now be played in MediaCenter.

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My V

ideos

If you do not have any videos displayed,this message appears.

Playing Digital VideosAfter you organize your videos in the My Videos or Shared Videos folder in Windows Explorer,open Media Center to watch your videos.

�Use the mouse to select the up anddown arrows at the bottom of thewindow to scroll to other pages ofvideo files and folders.

1 Press the Start button on theremote control to open the Media CenterStart menu.

2 Select My Videos. The right side of thewindow shows small images of your videofiles and folder icons, if you’ve organizedyour videos into folders.

3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote controlto move through and select your video orvideo folder.

4 Press the OK button on the remote control.The selected video plays in full screenmode, or the folder opens displaying a listof video files. Use the mouse to resize thewindow if you want to watch your videowhile doing something else on yourdesktop.

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5 When the video is finished, select Restartand then press OK to replay the video, orselect Done and press OK to close the fileand return to the My Videos window.

Inset window

�If your video is playing in fullscreen mode and you want to see itplay in the inset window, press theBack button on the remote control.

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My V

ideos

Sorting VideosTo organize your videos by date or by name:

1 On the Media Center Start menu, select My Videos or Shared Video.

2 If your videos are organized within other folders, use the arrow buttons to select the folderyou want to sort, and then press OK. If you don’t select a folder, Media Center sorts all thefiles and folders.

3 Select Sort by date or Sort by name.

Playing a Video in Full Screen Mode

1 On the Media Center Start menu, selectMy Videos.

2 On the My Videos menu, selectMy Videos or Shared Video.

3 Use the arrow buttons to select the folderyou want, and then press OK. Select thevideo file and press OK again. Your videoplays in full screen mode.

4 Press Back on the remote control to exitfull screen mode and return to the previouswindow.

Video folderVideo files

�You can maximize the mediaplaying in the inset window byusing the arrow buttons to selectthe inset window, and thenpressing OK on the remote control.

Inset window

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Viewing Video DetailsTo display information about the video in Media Center, select a video file from the My Videosor Shared Videos window, and then press the Details button on the remote control.

The details include:

■ Video title.

■ Video description (if available).

■ Date the video file was created.

■ Date the video file was modified.

■ Time span or size of the video file.

If you press the Details button while thevideo is playing, the title and time span orsize of the video is displayed at the bottomof the window.

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Play D

VD

Play DVD

Playing DVDs in Media CenterWatching DVDs in Media Center allows you to control the playback with your remote control. Ifyou select to play your DVD in another program, the use of some of the remote control buttons isnot supported.

To play a DVD movie in Media Center

�When you open Media Center andthen insert a DVD into your drive,there is a delay of a few secondsbefore the movie begins playing.

Even though Media Center supportsclosed captioning, subtitles, andmultiple languages, these optionsappear only if the DVD movieincludes them.

If your DVD includes its ownplayback software, Media Centermay not open when you insertthe DVD.

To watch your DVD in MediaCenter, cancel the onscreenmessages to use the DVD playersoftware, and then open MediaCenter.

If you have manually resized theMedia Center window, the DVDplays in this same window size.

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol.

2 Insert the DVD into the drive. If you haveother media playing, Media Center asksif you want to play the DVD. Select Yesor No. If you don’t select an option, theDVD autoplays in full screen mode aftera few seconds.

3 If a DVD menu appears, use the remotecontrol or the mouse to select the DVDmenu items and control the DVD movieplayback.

4 Press Stop on the remote control to stopplaying the DVD.

5 To change the window size, move themouse and click the Resize button on thetaskbar of the DVD window.

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Using Remote Control When Playing a DVD

Plays movie/stops fast forward or rewind actionsand begins playing movie

Fast forwards the movie/press it again to move forward faster

Rewinds the movie/press it again to rewind faster

Skips to next DVD chapter and begins playing

Returns to the previous DVD chapter and begins playing

Pauses movie/resumes paused movie

Stops playing movie and returns to the Stopped menu

Moves around in the menu windows

Enters selected menu item

Turns off sound

Adjusts volume

Action Remote control button to press

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Play D

VD

Stopping a DVD movie

1 Press the Stop button on the remote control to stop the movie.

2 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to select an item on the Stopped menu, and thenpress OK.

■ Select Resume to begin playing the DVD where you left off.

■ Select Restart to begin playing the DVD at the beginning.

■ Select Title Menu to go to the DVD main menu, if available.

■ Select DVD Languages to change the language for the DVD soundtrack, subtitles,and menu.

■ Select Eject to open the disc tray.

Watching DVD in the inset window or in a resized windowWhile the DVD movie is playing, press the Start button on the remote control. This opens theMedia Center Start menu with the DVD playing in the inset window.

While the DVD movie is playing, move the mouse for the Resize icon to appear. Select theResize icon, and then you can manually adjust the window size.

Playing a DVD movie already in your driveIf you already have a DVD movie in your drive, but you have been doing other things inMedia Center or in other programs from your desktop, you can play the DVD by:

1 Press the Start button on the remote control.

2 Select Play DVD. The DVD movie begins playing in full screen mode.

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Settings

General settings menu

TV/DVD settings menu

Pictures settings menu

Settings

Changing Media Center SettingsIn the Media Center Settings window, you can change settings for watching television, forviewing your pictures and slide shows, and for controlling sound and the display of all theMedia Center windows.

Administrator controlled settingsSome settings apply to all Media Centerwindows for all users and must be set up bythe administrator. These settings are:

■ Parental Control sets up rating permissionsfor TV viewing. This setting requires theadministrator to use a separate password.This option may not be available with yourmodel.

■ Internet Connection sets up Internetconnection.

■ Guide Setup sets up channel mappingfor the Television Program Guide, whichenables your computer to download thecorrect guide from the Internet.

■ TV Signal sets up your TV or cableconnection.

User controlled settingsSome settings can be selected by each personusing the PC. These settings are:

■ UI Sounds, Appearance, and Audiosets sound and display settings.

■ DVD sets language and audio settings forplaying DVD movies.

■ Pictures determines slide transition timeand selects which pictures to display in aslide show.

Data credits, Privacy, and Terms of Useare links to the Microsoft Windows XP

Media Center Edition Web site

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Changing General SettingsGeneral settings affect each user’s experience in Media Center and can be changed only by theadministrator of the computer.

1 In the Media Center Start menu, select Settings. You may need to select the scroll arrows inthe Start menu to view Settings.

2 In the Settings window, select General.

3 In the General window, do one of the following:

■ Select About Media Center to find information about your version ofMedia Center.

■ Select UI sounds to turn the sound on or off. Use the arrow buttons to select an option,and then press OK on the remote control. Select OK in the window, and then press OKagain.

■ Select Appearance to turn transition animations or notifications on or off. Use the arrowbuttons to select the item to change, and then press OK on the remote control. Select OKin the window, and then press OK again.

■ Select CD/DVD metadata to work offline. This option prevents Media Center fromconnecting to the Internet to get CD/DVD information. Use the arrow buttons to selectWork offline, and then press OK on the remote control. Select OK in the window, andthen press OK again.

■ Select Check your remote to make sure your remote control is working with the remotesensor. Follow the onscreen instructions.

■ Select Internet connection to open the Internet Connection wizard. This allows you toset up your connection. Follow the onscreen instructions.

■ Select Media Center Edition Online to connect to the Microsoft Windows XP MediaCenter Edition Web site.

4 Press the Back button on the remote control to return to the main Settings window.

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Settings

Changing TV Recorder SettingsThe TV Recorder settings allow you to control your recording priorities and options in Media Center.

1 In the Media Center Start menu,select Settings.

2 Select TV/DVD.

3 Select Recorder.

■ Select Scheduled to check a list ofscheduled recordings, delete scheduledrecordings, resolve recording conflicts,and to change recording priorities forthe programs you scheduled to record.

■ Select Recording errors to findout if a program wasn’t recorded.Media Center keeps a log of the lasttwo weeks. Refer to Media Center Helpfor more information about recordingerrors.

■ Select Series to view a list of whichseries have been scheduled to berecorded. You can also cancel ascheduled series recording or changerecording settings for a series.

■ Select Storage to check the amountof recording space on your hard disk.Also, you can change the settings thataffect the recording storage space.

■ Select Defaults to change the generalrecording default settings that affect howand when your programs are recorded.

Find out why programwasn’t recorded

Check and changerecording schedule forTV programs

Check forrecordingconflicts ordelete aTV seriesscheduled tobe recorded

Check recording spaceavailable and change settingsto free up recording space

Change recordingdefault settings

4 To change the TV/DVD settings, use thearrow buttons to select an option, and thenpress OK on the remote control. Select OKin the window and then press OK on theremote control again to enter the changes.

5 Press the Back button on the remote controlto return to the main Settings menu.

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About Recorded TV Storage Space SettingsThe space available for recording TV programs depends on your hard disk allocation, drive size,and default recording quality selections. Your PC requires a certain amount of space to run yourWindows XP operating system, run software programs, and store data files. If your hard diskbecomes full, it may affect the PC speed and performance. You may need to free up storagespace to record more programs or to optimize the PC’s performance.

To increase disk space, you can:

■ Delete recorded shows from the RecordedTV window. For more information, refer tothe My TV chapter.

■ Increase the percentage of hard disk spaceavailable for recorded TV shows in DefaultSettings. Select between 5 and 90 percent.The default is set at 75 percent.

■ Record TV programs to the largest drive.Media Center does not support removabledrives, network drives, or drives with lessthan 5 MB of disk space.

■ Archive TV programs to a DVD+RW orDVD+R if your PC has a DVD writer drive.You can play archived programs recordedon DVDs only from the PC that yourecorded the TV program from.

■ In the Recorder Defaults window, selectFair as the default recording quality. Thebetter the quality of the recording, the morespace the file takes.

■ In the Recorder Defaults window, selectUntil I watch as the Keep setting for eachrecorded show.

�The total space available forrecording TV programs variesdepending on the amount of spaceused for the operating system,other software programs, and datafiles on your hard disk.

�If your PC has a dvd writer drive,you can archive your recorded TVprograms to DVD+RW or DVD+Rmedia and play them back on yourPC in Media Center.

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Settings

Best *3 GB/hourBetter *2.4 GB/hourGood *2 GB/hourFair *1 GB/hour

Quality of Hard diskrecording space used

* This table shows approximate sizes ofrecorded TV program files. Some files maybe smaller or larger.

Recording quality andhard disk storage space

The space available for recording TVprograms depends on your hard disk size,the percentage of hard disk space allocated torecorded TV, and the recording quality setting.

To get the maximum recording time, changethe recording quality to Fair instead of thedefault setting of Best.

�The hard disk space on your PCmay differ from the space listedon this page. The Windows XPoperating system, large data files,and software programs requiredisk space.

80 GB Hard Disk 120 GB Hard Disk

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Archiving Recorded TV Programs to DVD

�Recorded TV programs cannot bechanged to other formats.

Recorded TV programs that havebeen copied to a DVD can beplayed only from your PC.

Recorded TV programs can bebacked up as part of a full systembackup and restored to the samePC, but not to other PCs.

TV programs recorded in Media Centercannot be reformatted or recompressedin other formats. These recorded TV showscan be played only from the PC they wererecorded from.

To copy a TV program to a DVD

1 Insert a blank DVD+RW or DVD+R disc.

2 Click Start on the taskbar,and then click My Computer.

3 Right-click the dvd writer icon and selectFormat.

4 Under Volume Label, type in the title ofthe disc. Select format type, and then clickStart to format the disc. Follow onscreeninstructions.

5 In My Computer, double-click the SharedDocuments folder and then double-clickthe Recorded TV folder.

6 Copy your recorded TV files to theformatted DVD.

Watching TV Programs ThatAre Archived to DVD

1 Make sure Media Center is closed, andthen insert the DVD.

2 Click Start on the taskbar,and then click My Computer.

3 Double-click the DVD drive icon to viewthe recorded program files.

4 Double-click the program file to watch it.

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Settings

Change TV Guide SettingsIn the Guide Settings you can select whichchannels to display and you can manuallyupdate your Guide from the Internet.

TV Guide settings are the same for each userand can be changed only by the administratorof the computer.

To change the TV Guide settings

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectSettings. You may need to select the scrollarrows on the Start menu to view Settings.

2 In the Settings window, select TV/DVD.

3 In the TV settings menu, select Guidesetup.

■ Select Customize to show or hidechannels that appear in the Guide.To show a channel, place a check marknext to the channel. To hide a channel,clear the check mark by selecting it.

■ Select Change lineup to changethe network and Guide informationfor channels to display correctly.

■ Select Get Guide data to manuallyupdate the Television Program Guidefrom the Internet. Media Center connectsto the Internet. This may take a fewminutes to update.

■ Select About Guide data to find outgeneral Guide information and thedate range of your current TelevisionProgram Guide.

Show or hide TV channels

Find out the date range of your Guide

Manually update your Guide

Change network and Guide information forchannels to display correctly

�Media Center can be set up toautomatically connect to theInternet and update the Guide.This option may not be available,depending on your Internet ServiceProvider. You can also manuallyupdate the Guide from the TV/DVDSettings menu.

4 Use the arrow buttons to select an option,and then press OK on the remote control.

5 Press the Back button on the remote controlto return to the TV/DVD Settings window.

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Changing Parental Controls for TV ViewingOnly the administrator of the computer can change the Parental Control setting. This feature maynot be available on your PC.

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectSettings. You may need to select the scrollarrows on the Start menu to view Settings.

2 In the Settings window, select TV/DVD.

3 In the TV Settings menu, select Parentalcontrol. The first time you select Parentalcontrol, Media Center asks you to createa password. Use the numeric keys on theremote control to enter your password.

4 Select Movie/DVD Ratings.

5 Use the arrow buttons to select Turn onmovie blocking, and then press OK.

6 Use the arrow buttons to select Blockunrated movies, and then press OK.

7 Use the arrow buttons to select the + or -area. Press the OK button on the remotecontrol to scroll through the movie ratinglevels. When you find the one you want,use the arrow buttons to select OK in thewindow, and then press OK on the remotecontrol to enter settings and return to theTV/DVD settings window.

8 Press the Back button on the remote controlto return to the main Settings window.

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Settings

Changing DVD Movie LanguageTo select DVD language settings for subtitles, closed captioning, and viewing the DVD:

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectSettings.

2 In the Settings window, select TV/DVD.

3 In the TV/DVD Settings window, selectDVD and then select Language.

4 Use the arrow buttons to select the + or -buttons. Press the OK button on the remotecontrol to scroll through the languagesavailable. When you find the one youwant, use the arrow buttons to select OKin the window, and then press OK on theremote control.

5 Press the Back button on the remote controlto return to the main Settings window.

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Selecting Closed CaptioningThe audio settings window allows you to select closed captioning. Closed captioning displays theTV’s spoken audio in text format for those who are unable to hear the audio.

To select closed captioning

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectSettings.

2 Select TV/DVD.

3 Select Audio.

4 Use the arrow buttons to select the + or -buttons. Press OK on the remote control toscroll through the choices available.

■ Audio: If you select Secondary AudioProgram (SAP) instead of stereo, MediaCenter allows a simultaneous broadcastof a primary and secondary audioprogram. It could contain and additionalvoice track such as a voice-overcommentary or a foreign languageinterpretation.

■ Caption Display: You can selectto turn Closed Captioning on, off,or on when mute.

5 Use the arrow buttons to select OK inthe window, and then press OK on theremote control.

6 After you make your changes, pressthe Back button to return to the mainSettings menu.

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Settings

Changing Picture SettingsEach user can set his or her own picture settings.

1 In the Media Center Start menu, selectSettings. You may need to select the scrollarrows on the Start menu to view Settings.

2 In the Settings window, select Pictures.

3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote controlto select an option.

■ Select the + or - button and then pressthe OK button on the remote control toincrease or decrease the transition time.Select OK in the Settings window andthen press OK on the remote control toenter the setting and go back to theSettings window.

■ Select the check icon and then pressthe OK button on the remote controlto show pictures within folders or inrandom order. Select OK in the Settingswindow and then press OK on theremote control to enter the setting andgo back to the Settings window.

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TroubleshootingTroubleshooting

Using Microsoft Windows Media Center HelpIf you need more information about using or troubleshooting Media Center, refer to theMedia Center online Help files.

�When Media Center is open, youcan press F1 on the keyboard toopen Media Center Help.

To open Media Center Help

1 Press the Start button on the remotecontrol.

2 Move the mouse to activate theMedia Center navigation bar, andthen select the Help icon from anywindow in Media Center.

3 When Media Center Help files appear:

■ Select the Contents tab and thenclick the + next to the topic to open theavailable files. Click a file to view thetext on the right side of the window.

■ Select the Index tab and then scrolldown the list of topics, or type adescriptive word and click the Displaybutton. Double-click a topic to view it.

■ Select the Search tab and then type adescriptive word. Click the List Topicsbutton. Double-click a topic to view it.

4 To return to Media Center, close the Helpfiles by clicking the Close button on thetaskbar of the Help window.

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