Getting Prepared Mentally

Welcome to the world of Windows XP Media Center Edition. Unless this is your first experience with a personal computer, you're going to find many things that are familiar to you. In fact, if you've ever used any version of Microsoft Windows before ”and particularly if you've been previously exposed to Windows XP ”most of the operations of your new Media Center PC will seem completely normal and natural. For that reason, we'll dispense with all the ordinary Windows- related matters and get right to the meaty stuff: what's new and cool about your Windows XP Media Center Edition PC and how you can get the most out of it.

Let's assume that your new Media Center PC is still in the box. Your fingers are already twitching in anticipation of the glorious experience that awaits you. But before you cut into that carton, let's get mentally prepared for what lies ahead. I've always found that I'm happiest with my purchase ”whether it's a new gadget or a used car ”when I know exactly what I'm getting into.

Setting Your Expectations: Knowing What Your Media Center PC Does and Doesn't Do

For starters, there are some very unique aspects of your new Media Center PC:

• It is the first Windows PC desktop operating system for consumers that cannot be purchased separately. As of this writing, the only legal way to lay your hands on it is to buy it as part of a bundled system.

• It is the first major version of the Windows PC operating system to ship with a remote control as standard equipment.

These two attributes tell you a lot about what Microsoft had in mind when it created Windows XP Media Center Edition. By making this an OEM-only product, meaning that you can get the OS only if it's running on a PC made by an Original Equipment Manufacturer who has adhered to Microsoft's strict guidelines for constructing a media PC, Microsoft deliberately stole a page from the Apple Computer playbook .

One of the reasons Apple machines have always been great at handling "media" (complex video, audio, and graphical data files) is that not just anybody is allowed to build a Macintosh computer. Apple may not build the machines itself, but the contractors it uses are stringently controlled by Apple engineers so that every machine the company places its operating system on works the way it was designed. It's a much more controlled manufacturing environment than simply slapping together a hodge-podge of off-the-shelf computer parts . However, that is exactly how Windows PCs have always been made: a come-one-come-all manufacturing free-for-all that allowed anyone anywhere to build a Windows-compatible PC. Naturally, some are built to exacting standards, and cost a pretty penny. Others aren't, and don't.

When you think about it, it's quite an amazing achievement to create a software platform that operates seamlessly (well, almost) on literally millions of hardware variations. When you add the variables of different peripherals and device drivers into the constantly moving target of hardware that Microsoft has had to design for in the past, it becomes a lot easier to forgive the occasional system crash. However, when it comes to watching or recording your favorite show or Bowl Game on television, or making your own music and movies on your PC, you need the stability and precision that can be achieved only through a meticulous and tightly-integrated design. That's why Microsoft has released the Media Center Edition software only to qualified OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) who agree to build their Media Center systems from approved parts, according to a strict reference design. This limits the ability of each OEM to truly differentiate its Media Center products, but it goes a long way toward ensuring that your Media Center machine provides you with seamless, stable operation.

Although the OEM-only part of Microsoft's plan is a bit subtle, the other unique aspect ”the remote control ”is quite blatant. The message: This PC is about entertainment. It's about kicking back on the couch and enjoying the same audio and video experience you've become accustomed to in your living room ”only better.

What Your Media Center PC Does

In a nutshell , your Media Center PC allows you to do all the following, and more:

• Record, pause, and rewind live television programming, just like a TiVo or ReplayTV set-top box.

• Find shows to watch and record, using a free, interactive electronic program guide.

• Pause and rewind live FM radio. Isn't it about time somebody finally married the radio to a hard-drive recorder?

• Watch commercially released DVD movies, and create your own DVD-quality videos . If you have the right third-party software, you can burn your own recordable DVDs, as well.

• Conveniently store, organize, and browse your digital video, photo, and audio collections, all with the click of a mouse or the press of a button on your Media Center remote control.

• Listen to, rip, and burn your own audio CDs.

• Do anything you can do on a conventional personal computer running Windows XP. After all, it is a Windows XP Professional machine ”just with a few added entertainment-related extras to make it a star in the living room as well as the home office.

What Your Media Center PC Doesn't Do

What can't you do with a Media Center PC? The primary thing you can't do is make major modifications to your PC ”at least not with impunity.

caution

What about gamers who want the freedom to constantly upgrade their video cards to get bleeding-edge performance as new games and hardware are released? It's possible that you may one day find yourself upgrading right out of compliance with the Media Center "spec." If you're a serial upgrader, you probably know how to make comprehensive backups before you tweak your system ”so if your next upgrade "breaks" any of Media Center's capabilities, at least you'll have a choice whether to press ahead or fall back to your previous configuration.

As pointed out in the preceding list, you can essentially do anything on an XP Media Center Edition “based machine that you can on any Windows XP “based personal computer, and more. However, making major changes to your hardware and software configuration may carry some consequences, particularly if you want to keep all the audio and video functions working precisely as they did when your Media Center PC was factory fresh. Although you might not think twice about swapping out the components of your typical Windows desktop machine, you'll want to give careful consideration before making the same types of changes to your tightly integrated Media Center system. Remember that page from the Apple playbook: Controlling what's inside the box is what allows the Media Center to do all its fancy tricks with audio and video files.

Does a Media Center PC Do Everything a TiVo or ReplayTV Can Do?

It's a reasonable question; you just paid a heck of a lot more for your Windows XP Media Center machine than you would have for a dedicated DVR (digital video recorder), such as a typical TiVo or a ReplayTV, so you'd like to know whether your XP Media Center can do everything a DVR can. Well, no. It can't.

For instance, at the time of this writing, Windows XP Media Center Edition supports only a single TV tuner. So although a dual-tuner DVR such as many TiVo models (or one of Microsoft's own UltimateTV devices) would allow you to record two shows at once ”all while you watch a third, already-recorded show, if you want to get fancy ”you can't do that on your Media Center PC. Yes, you can record one show while watching some other prerecorded show, but that's as far as it goes. And, of course, you can work on a spreadsheet or fire up your word processor or browser while you're at it ”try that on a TiVo!

Another thing you can't do with your Media Center PC (that you can with most other DVRs) is use the remote control to operate other entertainment devices, such as your TV, VCR, or standalone DVD player.