Playback Preferences: Changing DVD Settings

There are several ways to customize your DVD playback experience using Media Center by changing the options available in the Media Center Setting menu. To reach it, press the green Media Center button on the remote to launch the main menu screen, and then select Settings and then DVD (see Figure 11.4).

Figure 11.4. If your DVD is already playing when you switch to the Media Center Settings menu, the video will continue to play in the inset window.

Language Settings

Using Windows Media Center's language settings menu, you can choose an exhaustive list of languages, ranging from Afrikaans to Vietnamese. You can also individually set the language preferences for Subtitle , Audio Track, and Menu (see Figure 11.5).

Figure 11.5. If you or your guests speak or read a language other than English, Media Center is ready to accommodate you.

caution

Changing your "global" language settings to Macedonian or Malayalam (which is the principal language of the South Indian state of Kerala, in case you were wondering) won't magically create a DVD soundtrack or subtitles in that languagethe languages you've chosen as your preferences are subject to what's available on the DVD disc itself. Your choices can also be overridden by selections you make in the DVD's default on-disc menu.

To change the language setting with the remote control, do the following:

1. Use the navigation buttons to select the attribute you want to change: Subtitle, Audio Track, or Menu.

2. Highlight the or +, and then use the OK button to change the language that is displayed.

3. When you're satisfied with your selections, highlight Save and press OK.

If you are currently watching a DVD, each time you store your language preferences, the DVD will restart from the beginning.

Audio Settings

You can also customize your audio settings for DVD playback. You'll need to have your mouse and/or keyboard handy to complete this maneuver. The audio controls are configured using a utility which is not part of the Media Center interface, but according to the Windows driver files supplied by the manufacturer of the playback hardware and software inside your Media Center PC. As a result, your Media Center remote control will be of little use in this exercise.

An example is the nVidia nV DVD audio device control panel application that shipped with many Media Center PCs (see Figure 11.6).

Figure 11.6. The nV DVD driver control panel allows you to choose from a range of options to create the perfect audio playback experience.

The nV DVD audio control panel lets you do the following:

• Choose a dynamic range control. Choices include Normal, Late Night, or Theatre.

• View the bit rate (Kbits/sec) for the currently playing DVD.

• Perform speaker setup. You can specify whether your Media PC is connected to computer speakers , headphones, or a receiver. Audio options change depending on which output mode you choose.

Try a range of output options and listen to the differences to determine which ones work best for your room acoustics, and which ones simply sound more pleasing to your ears.