the nuts and bolts of it all . . .
Media Center PCs run a special edition of Windows XP. MCE is a superset of Windows XP Professional, which means it has all the features and functionality of Windows XP Professional, plus added features.
You'll find that MCE has the same familiar interface as Windows XP Professional. What makes MCE special is the Media Center application, which is identified by the green button icon, shown at the left of the top toolbar in Figure 1-1.
Media Center remote controls have a green button that you press to start the Media Center application.
The first step in setting up your Media Center PC is to configure it to work with your display (CRT or LCD monitor or standard, projection, or plasma TV) and your video source (antenna, cable, or satellite). MCE runs a Setup Wizard the first time you open the Media Center application and steps you through the configuration process.
MCE Versions
The original version of Windows XP MCE was designed to display on computer monitors. The second version, MCE 2004, makes it easier to calibrate the picture for tube, projection, and plasma TVs and adds better support for widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) screens. MCE 2004 added a number of new fetu, including the ability to:
Set priorities for TV programs scheduled to be recorded, which are used to decide which program are recorded in case of conflicts.
Check the Guide and record a selected program if the schedule changes so that it does not broadcast at the time it was originally scheduled.
Pause, rewind, and skip forward during a live Internet radio broadcast.
Automatically synchronize Windows Media Library files.
Display Caller ID information on screen if a call comes in on the phone line connected to the Media Center PC's analog modem.
Automatically connect to the Internet to download the Guide, and then disconnect (when using a dialup connection).
Filter programs in the Guide based on the genre or type of show (sports, movies, news, and so on).
Fast forward or rewind through recorded TV shows at different speeds.
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If your computer is running the original version of Windows XP MCE, installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 upgrades it to MCE 2004.
The third and most recent version, MCE 2005, was released in late Autumn 2004. While very similar to MCE 2004, MCE 2005 offers some new features including:
- Support for HDTV
- Support for multiple tuners so you can watch one TV show while you record another
- Built-in CD and DVD burning
- Tools to help you take entertainment around your house and on the go.
The Windows Media Center Application
My Videos: Enables you to organize, sort, view, and share your video files.
My Pictures: Enables you to organize, sort, view, and share your digital photos and create digital slideshows.
My TV: Enables you to watch and pause live TV, record TV manually, or on a scheduled basis, and search, sort, and play back recorded TV programs.
My Music: Enables you to organize, sort, and listen to your music files and create music playlists.
Radio: Enables you to listen to Internet and FM radio programs.
The Online Spotlight A new feature in MCE 2004 that makes it easy to download media content from Internet sites without leaving the Media Center application interface, as shown in Figure 1-2. With the Online Spotlight, you can download music, watch movies, and access news and Media Center tips.
Integrating a Media Center PC into your Home Theater or Home Audio System
Integrating your Media Center PC into your home theater or home audio setup starts with selecting the right Media Center PC. You may want to consider a rack style PC that looks similar to a home audio/home theater component instead of a traditional desktop style PC.
Connecting the Television Display
The next step is connecting the Media Center PC to a television display. You can do this in one of several ways, depending on the connectors available on your PC and on your TV. In ascending order of quality, the possibilities include:
Using a composite video cable that has one connector (usually color coded yellow) for the video signal. The cable may also have red and white or red and black connectors for stereo audio signals.
Using an S-video cable that resembles a PS/2 mouse or keyboard connector and has seven pins. Although it uses a single cable, the video signal is separated into two signals for better quality.
Using component video cables that use three separate connectors to split the signal into three signals. The connectors are large RCA type pin plugs and are usually color coded green, blue, and red.
Using a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) cable that uses a single connector shaped similarly to a serial port connector and has 24 small pins.
Connecting the Video Source
To watch and record TV, you must connect your Media Center PC to a TV antenna, a CATV cable, or a set-top box from the cable or satellite provider. To use the Media Center PC's remote control to change channels on a set-top box, you need to attach the PC's infrared sensor to the infrared eye on the set-top box.
Connecting the Sound System
Finally, if you want to play sound through your audio sound system or your home theater sound system, you need to connect the Media Center PC's sound card to the sound system's receiver or amplifier. The type of cables you use depends on your sound card and your audio/home theater equipment. If both components support it, digital optical or coaxial S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interchange Format) provides the highest quality sound.
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You don't have to connect the Media Center PC to a home audio/home theater system. Instead, you can output the PC sound through your TV's stereo speakers or through a set of speakers attached directly to the PC's sound card.
Connecting your Media Center PC to a sophisticated home theater system can be complex. For more information, see Microsoft's guide to Connecting to Your Home Theater System.
Connecting to the Internet
You can use your Media Center PC to play music and movies, watch and record live TV, view your digital photos, and listen to FM radio without an Internet connection. However, if you want to use the Media Center PC as a PVR to schedule unattended recordings of TV programs, or if you want to listen to Internet radio stations or use the online spotlight feature, you need to be able to connect to the Internet.
Most Media Center PCs come with a built-in analog modem that you can use to connect to a regular phone line if you have a dialup account with an ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Most Media Center PCs also come with a built-in Ethernet NIC (Network Interface Card). You can plug a cable modem or DSL modem into the NIC via a standard CAT5 (Category 5) Ethernet cable to use a high-speed broadband connection.
You can also use the NIC and an Ethernet cable to connect to a hub or switch on a home network, and use a shared Internet connection. This also allows the Media Center PC to access files on other computers on the LAN (local area network), and to be accessed by other LAN computers.
