Special Media Center Downloads

Microsoft offers an intriguing array of downloads to enhance and enliven your Media Center desktop. You can generally access these files by logging on to the Media Center Download page at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/downloads, as shown in Figure 24.3.

Figure 24.3. The Media Center Download page provides numerous add-ons to customize and update your Media Center experience.

At the time of writing this chapter, the page included the following types of download files:

• Microsoft PowerToys

• Previous versions

• Skins

• Songs

• Screensavers

• Desktop Images

In the next few pages, we'll describe each of these downloadable options for your Media Center machine in greater detail.

Microsoft PowerToys

Formally called Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, the PowerToys download consists of numerous software elements designed to spruce up and spice up your Media Center experience.

caution

Although Microsoft maintains that the PowerToys applications are safe and sane add-ons to your Media Center desktop, the company does not actually support the software contained in the PowerToys downloads. If they don't work quite as advertised, be prepared to uninstall them, because Microsoft says it will not answer questions or provide technical assistance with the programs.

The PowerToys available for download at the time Media Center Edition 2004 was introduced in the fall of 2003 included the following:

• Alarm Clock Designed to work like an old-fashioned clock radio, the Media Center Alarm Clock PowerToy (shown in Figure 24.4) lets you choose a song and have Media Center wake you up with it at the time you designate . Of course, everything can be configured using your Media Center remote control. The file is only 1.18MB to download.

  Figure 24.4. The Media Center Alarm Clock allows you to configure Media Center to wake you up to your favorite audio selection.

  

• PlaylistEditor The Playlist Editor program (see Figure 24.5) allows you to create and edit music playlists via your Media Center remote control. You can sort and add songs by various attributes, such as album, artist, title, or genre . The download file is 1.2MB.

  Figure 24.5. The Media Center Playlist Editor allows you to sort and choose songs, and then save sets of them as preconfigured playlists.

  

• Solitaire The quintessential Windows time- waster , Solitaire (see Figure 24.6), has been adapted to run on your Media Center, via remote control. The download file is 2.06MB.

  Figure 24.6. Nothing on My TV? This clever adaptation of the classic card game of one-sided one-upmanship can keep you occupied for hours.

  

Before you can work with audio files and playlists from within Media Center, you need to first load some music files onto your system, and then run Windows Media Player to add the files to your Media Library. You can also copy CDs directly into Media Center using the My Music interface, as described in the section "Ripping a CD from the My Music interface," in Chapter 13, "Preparing Your Music Collection for XP Media Center."

Installing PowerToys

PowerToy programs, along with other third-party applications designed to run in conjunction with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, require that you download and install the software from the Windows XP desktop. If you click on the appropriate link on the Media Center Downloads Web page (shown earlier in Figure 24.3) the process is fairly simple:

1. Follow the link to find the file you want to download, and then click on it.

2. A pop-up window will ask whether you want to save the file to disk or open it.

3. Select Open, and follow the onscreen prompts to install the software.

To launch and use the programs after you have installed them, launch Media Center and select More Programs from the main menu. You should see a list of programs that includes the one you just installed (see Figure 24.7).

Figure 24.7. The More Programs screen contains links to games and other software programs designed to run from within Media Center.

Previous Versions

The Previous Version Downloads section of the Web-based Media Center Download pages includes various performance updates, patches, and bug fixes, along with utilities to enhance or expand the capabilities of your Media Center machine. Among other things, you can download software that will provide support for additional set-top boxes, or update the firmware for your remote sensor to correct a bug that causes remote-control commands to get "stuck," or repeat themselves .

Watching Recorded TV on an XP Machine

You can also download a utility that will allow you to watch Media Center recorded TV programs on another PC that's running a standard version of Windows XP. To do this, you'll need to install a file with the catchy name of Q810243_WXP_SP2_x86_rENU.exe on your Windows XP machine. You will also have to install the Windows XP Service Pack 1, and you'll need Windows Media Player 9 software, or another player that is compatible with Microsoft's DirectShow multimedia architecture.

caution

Even if you do everything right in installing and transferring the files needed to play recorded TV on a separate Windows XP machine, there is a possibility that some files won't work. This is because broadcasters can use a technology called CGMS-A to protect their content. If this is the case with a particular show, you will be able to watch it only on the Media Center PC that originally recorded the show.

After you have the software installed on your XP machine, just transfer the show you want from your Media Center machine via a network connection, recordable CD or DVD, and so on. Remember that recorded shows are stored by default in your Media Center's C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Recorded TV folder, with the extension .dvr-ms.

Skins

Skins refer to software that changes the look of your Windows Media Player. Although changing skins won't really affect the look or operations of Media Center itself, Microsoft has created several Media Player skins that are specially designed to complement the look of your Media Center interface (see Figure 24.8). To try on a new skin, click on the download link for the skin you want, and then choose Yes in the dialog box. The new skin will be installed automatically, and you'll see it the next time you use Windows Media Player.

Figure 24.8. These are two of the skins designed to give the Windows Media Player application a look and feel that complements Media Center.

tip

It's easy to toggle between skin mode and the traditional full screen (aka "full mode") in Windows Media Player. If you're in skin mode, press Ctrl+1 on your keyboard to switch to full mode. To switch from full mode back to skin mode, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+2.

Songs

How about a Media Center theme song? Microsoft has provided a few original tunes to help you get into the Media Center frame of mind. The tunes, available free for download, include "Home of the Future," "Enjoy," "Remote Control," and "Online." The style is appropriately Techno-Pop, and all are performed by Microsoft's own "house band " formed for the occasion, "Press the Green Button."

Screensavers

If you have installed the skins, have downloaded the tunes, and are fully determined to live "La Vida Media Center" in every possible way, then of course you will also need to get the Media Center screensaver (see Figure 24.9).

Figure 24.9. This screensaver shows two Media Center aficionados having a rollicking good time watching Media Center My TV.

Also available from the Media Center Downloads page, the file mcesaver.exe weighs in at slightly under 2MB. The screensaver is actually larger, but it has been compressed, or " zipped ." To install it, do this:

1. Click on the file link, and then click on Open in the file download dialog box. After the file is downloaded, the WinZip Self-Extractor will launch.

2. Click Browse in the Self-Extractor window and choose a directory to unzip the file in.

3. Choose Unzip. Then click on OK, and Close.

4. Open My Computer from the XP Start menu, and go to the directory where you unzipped the file.

5. Double-click on the file called Windows XP Media Center Edition Screen Saver to install it. Choose Next, then Finish, and finally OK.

6. The Display Properties dialog box will appear, with the Screen Saver tab already selected. The Media Center screensaver is now set as the default. You can change the timer settings, preview it, and so on. Press OK to complete the process.

Desktop Images

The finishing touch for totally redoing your desktop decor in a Media Center motif is to add some new wallpaper. Microsoft offers a complete selection, from a green start button sized appropriately for the Jolly Green Giant himself, to a Media Centerinspired party scene.

To install one of the Media Center wallpapers, simply click on the image you want. This will open another browser window containing a full-screen version of the graphic. Right-click anywhere on the image, and select Set as Background. Close or minimize all the open windows to admire your handiwork (see Figure 24.10).

Figure 24.10. This wallpaper image from the Windows XP Media Center Downloads page shows off the sleek design of the Media Center remote control.