Chapter 22: Working with Windows Media Center

Computers are now everywhere, even in people's kitchens and garages. Many users find that they want to control their home entertainment systems using the power of their computer. Now they can with Windows Media Center. It includes many multimedia features that let users control TV shows, record and play back TV shows, view slide shows of their pictures, burns DVDs, and perform other tasks using their computer and a TV. With Media Center, user can use a Media Center Remote Control and Receiver device or a Media Center Keyboard to navigate the Media Center interface while they relax in the comfort of their living room. This chapter introduces the features of Media Center.

Note  

Media Center includes a number of options and features that are beyond the scope of this chapter and this book. Consult a separate title that discusses Media Center in detail to learn all about its features.

What Is Media Center?

When Microsoft released its first version of Media Center, it was a separate operating system users could install to replace their current operating system. With Windows Vista, however, Media Center has become a part of the operating system, essentially an application users can launch. Windows Media Center provides a centralized entertainment hub to let you control other home entertainment devices. For example, one feature of Media Center is the Live TV tool, with which you can watch TV shows using Windows Vista and a TV tuner installed in your computer. Along with watching TV shows, you also can record shows to watch at a later time (see Figure 22-1), or pause, rewind, and fast forward shows as you watch them. By connecting your computer's TV tuner to a TV set (it becomes the display by which you view your computer output), you can view the TV shows on your regular TV set but have it controlled by Windows Media Center.

Figure 22-1: Record, watch, and pause live TV using Media Center and a TV tuner card.

Note  

A TV tuner is a hardware device that you can install in your computer or connect via USB port that enables you to receive TV signals on your computer. TV tuners come in varying designs and capabilities, but most of them support cable, satellite, and antenna hookups. Many of the newer ones also support HDTV (high-definition television) standards. To learn more about TV tuner hardware, visit Pinnacle Systems at http://www.pinnaclesystems.com and Hauppague Computer Works at http://www.hauppauge.com/index.htm. These companies produce and sell TV tuners compatible with Windows Vista.

The idea behind Media Center is to allow you to integrate your PC into your everyday entertainment life. The features of Media Center include the following:

• Pictures + Videos Organize, play back, and delete photographs and videos. You also can watch a slide show of your pictures. Media Center stores images in the Picture Library and stores videos in the Video Library.

• Music Play music stored on your computer in the Music Library, play back all your music by clicking Play All, tune into radio stations using an FM tuner (a hardware device you must have on your computer) or Internet radio software, and search for music in your Music Library.

• TV + Movies Record and play back TV shows, watch TV shows live, access the Program Guide to get a listing of upcoming shows and to set up Media Center to record future shows, access the Movies Guide for a listing of upcoming movies that will be showing on your local TV stations, play DVDs, and search for shows and movies listed in the Program Guide, Movies Guide, or saved on your computer.

• Online Media Access the Program Library, which enables you to access online media tools and files, such as online games , news and sports reports and shows, lifestyle segments, and more. You also can share pictures with other users, download movies, and find and download online music.

• Tasks Set up and configure Media Center for it to work with your TV tuner, allow it to locate and monitor videos and images to add to the Picture and Video Libraries, burn CDs or DVDs, synchronize digital devices, set up Windows Media Center Extender devices, and more.