HP m7050e, m7050y, m7060n, m7063w, m7067c Reference Guide

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Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Reference Guide

Microsoft Windows XP

Media Center Edition 2005

Reference Guide

The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

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The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Welcome...................................................... 1

Experience the Fun of Media Center ....................................... 1

Using Media Center Features.................................................2

Using Media Center ...................................... 3

Setting Up Media Center.......................................................3

Getting the Most out of Media Center ..................................... 4

Media Center Start Menu ...................................................... 5

Using Online Spotlight .......................................................... 6

Using More Programs in Media Center ................................... 6

Closing Media Center...........................................................7

Synchronizing Media to a Portable Media Device .................... 8

Using Media Center Help......................................................9

Using Instant Messaging in Media Center.............................. 10

Changing Media Center Settings.......................................... 11

Finding Additional Media Center Information ........................ 12

Using the Remote Control ........................... 13

Remote Control Buttons Overview.........................................14

Remote Control Buttons .......................................................17

Watching and Recording TV Programs........ 23

Navigating My TV..............................................................23

Watching TV .....................................................................24

Using the Television Guide ..................................................27

Searching for TV Programs .................................................. 30

Recording TV Programs....................................................... 32

Playing Recorded TV Programs ............................................ 37

About Recording Errors ....................................................... 39

Resolving Recording Conflicts ..............................................40

Deleting TV Programs.......................................................... 41

Setting Parental Controls .....................................................42

Setting Caption Display....................................................... 43

Displaying Teletext ............................................................. 43

Safeguarding Recorded TV Programs.................................... 44

Using Two TV Tuner Cards ..................................................48

Managing Hard Disk Drive Space ........................................ 49

Content Protection Update ................................................... 52

Playing Music Files ..................................... 53

HP Tunes ........................................................................... 53

My Music .......................................................................... 53

Using HP Tunes with Media Center.......................................54

Adding Music to the iTunes music Library .............................. 54

Playing CDs with HP Tunes .................................................. 56

Creating a Playlist with iTunes.............................................. 56

Creating and Editing a New Playlist with HP Tunes................. 57

Creating Music CDs with iTunes ........................................... 57

Using My Music with Media Center......................................58

Adding Music to My Music Library ....................................... 59

Playing Music Files in My Music...........................................61

Creating a Queue List in My Music .......................................63

Finding and Playing an Album in My Music ...........................63

Creating a Playlist in My Music ............................................64

Copying Music Files to CD in My Music ................................65

Selecting a Visualization......................................................66

Working with Pictures................................ 67

HP Image Zone Plus ............................................................67

My Pictures ........................................................................67

Working with Digital Images................................................67

Using HP Image Zone Plus in Media Center ...........................68

Organizing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus............................68

Viewing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus ................................73

Editing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus ..................................74

Printing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus .................................75

Using My Pictures in Media Center .......................................76

Organizing Pictures in My Pictures........................................77

Adding Pictures to My Pictures .............................................77

Viewing Pictures in My Pictures.............................................78

Editing Pictures in My Pictures ..............................................81

Printing Pictures in My Pictures .............................................83

Copying Pictures to CDs and DVDs.......................................84

Using the Desktop for Some Picture Tasks ..............................84

Playing Videos........................................... 85

Playing Digital Videos in Media Center .................................86

Using Supported Video File Types.........................................86

Transferring and Recording Video Files .................................87

Creating a CD/DVD from Video Files....................................87

Organizing Videos .............................................................88

Playing a Video Stored on Removable Media ........................89

Changing the Display for Better Image Quality.......................89

Creating a Desktop Background from a Video File..................89

Adding Digital Videos to My Videos .....................................90

Using the More Information Button with My Videos .................91

Playing DVDs ............................................. 93

Changing the DVD Movie Language .....................................94

Changing DVD Audio Settings .............................................94

Programming Remote Control Buttons for DVD........................96

Listening to FM Radio ................................. 97

Playing FM Radio Stations ...................................................98

Organizing Pre-set Radio Stations.........................................99

Using the FM Radio and the TV Signal at the Same Time .........99

Recording TV Programs to DVDs............... 101

Copying Recorded TV Programs to DVD ..............................101

Watching Recorded TV Programs on DVD ...........................102

Using Double-Layer Technology and Media .........................103

Digital Media Copy Protection ...........................................104

Table of Contents iii

Playing CDs and DVDs ............................. 105

Playing Music CDs with iTunes ...........................................105

Playing DVD Movies with InterVideo WinDVD......................107

Playing Video CDs (VCD) with InterVideo WinDVD...............108

Creating (Burning) CDs and DVDs ............. 109

Creating (Burning) CDs and DVDs with RecordNow!.............109

Storing Files on a DVD or CD.............................................111

Copying a DVD or CD ......................................................113

Erasing a DVD or CD ........................................................113

Removing Files in RecordNow!...........................................114

Removing Files from a Recorded Data Disc ..........................114

Archiving Files on a CD or DVD .........................................115

Creating an Image File......................................................115

Saving an Image ..............................................................115

Burning an Image .............................................................116

Recording Video Files........................................................116

Using Disc Labels..............................................................116

Creating Recovery CDs/DVDs for the PC.............................116

Using Compatibility Information..........................................117

Identifying Disc Feature and Compatibility ...........................118

Using the Optical Drive Quick Reference Table ....................119

Using the Software Quick Reference Table...........................120

Importing, Editing, and Burning Videos .... 123

Using InterVideo WinDVD Creator......................................123

Getting Started with WinDVD Creator.................................124

Identifying Requirements for Capturing Video with

WinDVD Creator .........................................................126

Capturing Digital Camcorder Video with WinDVD Creator....126

Capturing Analog Video with WinDVD Creator....................127

Capturing a Still Image......................................................128

Editing Video Files with WinDVD Creator ............................128

Authoring Your DVD with WinDVD Creator .........................130

Recording VHS Files Direct to DVD with WinDVD Creator .....132

Converting Recorded TV to VCD or DVD Format...................132

Using muvee autoProducer unPlugged.................................133

Getting Started with muvee autoProducer.............................134

Adding Videos to Your Movie with muvee autoProducer........134

Adding Pictures to Your Movie with muvee autoProducer.......135

Adding Music to Your Movie with muvee autoProducer .........135

Setting the Style in muvee autoProducer...............................136

Changing the Settings in muvee autoProducer ......................136

Making the Movie with muvee autoProducer ........................137

Recording muvee autoProducer Movie to Disc with

WinDVD Creator .........................................................137

Using an HP Personal Media Drive............139

Setting Up the HP Personal Media Drive

to Work with Media Center .......................................... 139

Locating the Drive After Installation..................................... 140

Assigning a Drive Letter to the HP Personal Media Drive ....... 140

Viewing and Storing Files ................................................. 140

Playing Media Files.......................................................... 141

Playing Music Files........................................................... 141

Viewing Picture Files......................................................... 142

Playing Video Files........................................................... 142

Watching TV Programs Stored on the

HP Personal Media Drive.............................................. 143

About Recording TV to the HP Personal Media Drive ............ 143

Disconnecting the HP Personal Media Drive Safely............... 146

Changing Disk Allocation ................................................. 146

Updating Recorded TV List after Removing the

HP Personal Media Drive.............................................. 147

System Requirements to View Recorded

TV Programs on Other PCs ........................................... 147

Troubleshooting ........................................149

Troubleshooting Problems and Finding Solutions .................. 149

PC Hardware, Operating System, and Other Hardware ....... 150

Music ............................................................................. 152

Television, Guide, Recording TV ........................................ 154

Video/DVD: Video or Display Problems or Errors................. 158

Pictures........................................................................... 160

Burning CDs or DVDs ....................................................... 160

Index........................................................161

iv HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Experience the Fun of Media Center

Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 lets you do amazing things with your HP Media Center PC. With a full range of easy-touse digital entertainment features, experience movies, music, and photos like never before.

Media Center is simple and easy to use. You can easily find and choose your media. You can play movies, listen to music, view photos, and watch TV with a single remote control. Combined with the powerful features of your HP Media Center PC, you will enjoy rich sounds and brilliant images for a great entertainment experience.

Watch and record live TV

With Media Center you can pause, advance frameby-frame, skip ahead, or use instant replay to catch every moment of live TV. Use fast-forward to bypass unwanted content. When you are not able to watch your favorite show, you can use Media Center to record it.

Record TV with ease by using the Television Guide to select the shows you want to record. You can record one show or an entire series and watch it when it is convenient for you. You will never miss a moment of your favorite shows.

Welcome

The right music for the moment

Browse your entire music library by artist, genre, and song. Select a playlist or a single album, or do a random shuffle from your music collection. You can even play songs from your iTunes music Library.

Transform your living space into a theater

Whether you are watching a DVD movie or your own home videos, Media Center delivers a rich viewing experience with a high-quality digital sound system. Use the remote control and sit back and enjoy the show.

Share your digital photos

Organize your photos with HP Image Zone Plus, and then search for photos or albums with the ease of the remote control. Create and view personalized slide shows for viewing on your TV or PC. Add music and have fun viewing your digital memories.

Welco me 1

Using Media Center Features

Some of the Media Center features listed are for select models only.

The Television Guide may not be available in all countries/ regions.

You can control the Media Center functions and navigate Media Center windows by using the remote control, the keyboard, or the mouse. You can easily switch back and forth between them by moving the mouse, or by pressing a button on the remote control or the keyboard.

When using the remote control and the Media Center program, you can:

■ Watch, record, and play back television

programs on any TV or PC in the house.

■ Pause, rewind, and fast-forward TV programs.

■ Watch an instant replay.

■ Play back your digital videos.

■ View your digital pictures or play them as a

slide show with music. Easily print your photos.

■ Browse, select, and play music CD files with

full-screen visualizations.

■ Record CD tracks to your media library.

■ Play DVD movies. Resume playing your DVDs

where you left off.

■ Listen to FM radio stations.

You can run Media Center side-by-side with other Windows software programs. It is possible to browse through your pictures, watch videos, play music, and even record TV while using other Windows programs.

■ Access streaming music and video

subscription services.

■ Record your TV shows automatically while you

are doing something else.

■ Open specific windows in Media Center by

using the shortcut buttons on the remote control.

■ Communicate with your friends and family by

using instant messaging.

■ Enjoy Media Center remotely with a

Media Center Extender device (sold separately).

■ Easily back up your media files to CD, DVD,

or a hard disk drive such as the HP Personal Media Drive.

2 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Setting Up Media Center

Using Media Center

The first time you open Media Center, a setup wizard opens. It is best to complete each step in the Media Center setup wizard to be able to use all the

Completing the setup wizard steps

Press the Media Center Start button on the remote control, and the Media Center setup wizard opens. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the wizard.

features in Media Center. The Media Center setup wizard may take approximately 10 to 40 minutes to complete.

Listed below are some of the items included in the setup wizard:

■ Check for your Internet connection.

An Internet connection allows Media Center to download and update your TV Guide, and to display information about your music CDs and other media.

■ Configure your TV tuner, TV signal

source, and Television Program Guide. You need to provide information

about your TV signal source and your TV signal equipment (set-top box, cables, and so on). This step makes sure your computer receives the correct TV signal and TV Guide information. If you have a cable box or satellite receiver, the setup wizard programs your remote control to work with them.

■ Optimize how Media Center looks on

your display. You can change display settings such as brightness, contrast, RGB color, and centering.

■ Set up your speakers. Select how many

speakers you have and test them.

You mu s t subs c ribe with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to have an Internet connection.

You can change your Media Center settings in the Settings menu.

Using Media Center 3

Getting the Most out of Media Center

To maximize effective use of Media Center and to ensure access to all of its features, complete the following list before getting started. Refer to the setup poster and the Getting Started Guide that came with your HP Media Center PC. Before opening Media Center, make sure:

■ The PC is set up correctly.

■ The remote control has two AA alkaline

batteries installed.

■ The remote sensor is properly plugged into a

USB connector on your PC and is placed where you can point the remote control at it.

Opening Media Center

Press the Media Center Start button on the remote control.

Click Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center.

■ The remote sensor control cable is securely

plugged into the remote sensor and attached to your cable or satellite set-top box, if present.

■ The PC has a properly configured and

working Internet connection.

■ The PC is properly connected to your TV

signal source.

4 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Media Center Start Menu

CDE FG

Some of the features listed are for select models only.

N O

A Access a menu to exit Media Center, to

shut down or restart the PC, to log off to end your Media Center session, to put the PC into standby mode, or to switch users

B Use media playback controls: Play,

Stop, Pause, Skip, Fast-Forward, Replay, Rewind, Record, Volume Up/Down, and Channel Up/Down

C Open the Media Center Start menu

D Go back one screen

E Open the Media Center Help

F Minimize the Media Center window

G Resize the Media Center window

H Close the Media Center window

J Go to the Media Center Web site for the

latest Media Center information

K Watch your home videos

L View digital pictures, play a slide show,

and print photos

M Watch, record, and play back TV

programs

N Play music files or music CDs, create

and edit playlists, and record music files to CD

O Play FM radio stations

P Find utilities and programs: instant

messaging, video editing, creating CDs and DVDs, and sync to device

Using Media Center 5

Other menus not shown:

■ HP Image Zone — View digital pictures,

play a slide show, and print photos

■ HP Tunes — Play music from your iTunes

music Library or from music CDs

Using Online Spotlight

■ Play DVD — Watch DVD mo vies

■ Settings — Change Media Center program

settings

Some features listed for Online Spotlight may not be available for all countries/ regions.

Online Spotlight is a link to the Media Center Web site for the latest Media Center information and for media offers and services.

Music: This area includes links to music service providers, such as Napster and Live365.

Movies: This area includes links to movie service providers such as MovieLink and Cinema Now. You can find information about popular films, view trailers, download movies, and more.

News/Sports: This area lists top stories from news and sports broadcasters such as MSNBC and ESPN.

Tips: This area includes tips from Microsoft on how to use Media Center.

Downloads: This area includes information and services that you can download.

Using More Programs in Media Center

More Programs contains links to programs, services, and common tasks.

■ Create CD/DVD is a link to a CD creation

wizard that helps you find the media files you want to copy to CD or DVD. For more information about creating CDs and DVDs, see “Creating (Burning) CDs and DVDs with RecordNow!” on page 109.

■ Messenger opens an instant messaging log

on window. For more information see “Logging in to your messenger account” on page 11.

■ Sync to Device allows you to automatically

transfer your music, picture, video, and recorded TV files from the PC to a portable device such as a portable Media Center device, a SmartPhone, a pocket PC, or a mass storage device. Select Help in Media Center for more information.

6 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Navigating Media Center

In the Media Center windows, a selected item such as a folder, file, or menu item is outlined with a green border.

You can control the Media Center functions and navigate Media Center windows by using the remote control, the keyboard, or a mouse.

To select items in Media Center by using the remote control, use the arrow buttons on the remote control, and then use the OK button to enter your selection.

If you have media playing, such as music or television, it appears in an inset window in the lower-left corner. To switch from watching your media in the inset window to watching it in fullscreen mode, use the arrows on the remote control to select it, and then press OK.

Closing Media Center

1 Move the mouse to display the Media Center

menu bars.

2 Click the Close icon to close Media

Center.

Using Media Center 7

Synchronizing Media to a Portable Media Device

Sync to Device in More Programs allows you to automatically transfer your music, picture, video, and recorded TV files from the PC to a portable device such as a portable Media Center device, a SmartPhone, a pocket PC, or a mass storage device. Select Help in Media Center for more information.

1 Connect your portable media device to

the PC.

2 Select Yes when the message appears asking

if you want to sync content to the device.

3 If device is connected, press Start on the

remote control.

4 Select More Programs, and then select

Sync to Device.

Viewing files on a portable media device

1 Connect your portable media device to

the PC.

2 Minimize Media Center by selecting the

minimize icon.

3 Click Start on the taskbar, and then click

Windows Media Player.

5 Select the Up arrow or Down arrow on the

screen to move a playlist up or down in the list. The playlist at the top of the list is synchronized to the portable device first.

Select Delete next to a playlist you do not want to transfer to the device.

Select Add More to select other media categories you want to add to the list.

6 Select Start Sync.

4 Click the Sync tab to view files on the

portable media device.

8 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Using Media Center Help

When you select the Help icon in Media Center, the Help Center window opens. From here you can access local help files located on your PC as well as help files found on the Internet.

The help categories are:

■ Help: Find help on using Media Center from

files located on your PC.

■ Community: Visit Media Center forums and

get help online.

■ Tips: Go to the Microsoft Web site for helpful

tips about using Media Center.

Opening Media Center Help

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Move the mouse to show the

Media Center navigation bar, and then select the Help (?) icon from any window in Media Center.

3 From the Help Center, select Help. 4 When Media Center Help files appear, use

your mouse, keyboard, or your remote control to select a help category.

■ Hardware: Find support information about

your Media Center PC hardware.

When Media Center is open, you can also press F1 on the keyboard to open Media Center Help.

5 Select a help topic.

Using Media Center 9

You can use the Minimize and Resize buttons to switch to the desktop or to run Media Center side-byside with another program.

Media Center menu bars and PC control menu

When you move the mouse, the Media Center menu bars appear. When you use the remote control, or when you stop using the mouse (after 5 seconds), the menu bars disappear.

To access the PC control menu from Media Center menu, move the mouse to display the menu bars. Select the Turn Off icon on the main Media Center window.

From this menu, you can select icons to perform various actions.

Icon Action

Log off and end your Media Center session and switch users

Turn off the PC

Restart the PC

Put the PC in a reduced power state — standby mode

Using Instant Messaging in Media Center

Media Center supports instant messaging so you can communicate with your friends and family while

From most areas in Media Center, you can press Ctrl + D on the keyboard, or select a media file and press the More Information button on the remote control to access the Messenger login screen.

you are doing something in Media Center. You always have the option to turn this feature on or off.

You can use your remote control to log in and type messages. You can even have multiple conversations.

10 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Logging in to your messenger account

1 First, you must go to

http://www.msn.com to set up your

messenger account. You will need a .NET Passport to log in to messenger. A .NET Passport is an e-mail address, a login name, and a password. Make sure you verify the account with MSN before you try to log in from Media Center.

2 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control to open Media Center.

3 Select More Programs, and

then select the Messenger icon.

4 Select Sign In.

Changing Media Center Settings

In the Media Center Settings window, you can change settings for watching television, for viewing your pictures and slide shows, and for controlling sound and the display of all the Media Center windows.

5 Enter your .NET Passport information, and

then select Sign In.

To change your Media Center settings:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings. 3 Select a category. 4 Select one of the settings listed. Then, use the

arrow buttons to select an option or follow the onscreen instructions.

5 Select Save to save your changes.

Using Media Center 11

Some settings, such as parental control and caption display settings for TV and DVDs, are included with select models only. Not all channels support closed captioning.

Media Center settings categories

■ TV to set up TV signal, audio, and closed

captioning. You can download or edit the TV Guide, view or clear recording history, set hard disk drive recorder storage space, configure your display, and set recording defaults.

■ Pictures to set slide-show settings.

■ Music to select visualizations or song

information to display when playing a song.

■ DVDs to select a language for subtitles, audio

tracks, and menus of your DVDs; program the remote control buttons for your DVDs; and select closed captioning. You can also access audio settings for your speakers. You must use a mouse or keyboard to select the audio settings.

■ Messenger and Caller ID to allow instant

messages within Media Center and set notifications for caller ID.

■ Radio to organize or delete pre-set radio

stations.

■ General to set:

■ Startup and Window behavior.

■ Visual and Sound Effects to set

transition animations and sounds when navigating in Media Center.

■ More Programs Options to change

settings for other programs on the PC.

■ Media Center Setup to configure your

Internet connection, TV signal, speakers, TV, or monitor; access Windows updates; run Media Center setup again; set up remote desktop; and reset Start Page defaults.

■ Parental Controls to block unwanted TV

channels, block unwanted TV and movie ratings, change the access code, and reset parental controls.

■ Automatic Download Options to get

media information about CDs, DVDs, and movies from the Internet and to select how to download the TV Guide.

Finding Additional Media Center Information

To learn more about using Media Center, refer to the online and other Help files located in Media Center. Using your mouse, click the Help icon in the Media Center toolbar.

You can select Online Spotlight from the main Media Center menu to go online for the latest Media Center tips and other information.

12 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

■ Help to find help about using Media Center

and your hardware.

Also, you can access the Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Reference Guide when you go online to the HP Support Web site at:

http://www.hp.com/support

To find your online documentation, search for your model number and then click Manuals.

You can use your remote control with Media Center to play CDs and DVDs, to view pictures, and to watch and record television programs.

This remote control helps you navigate the Media Center windows on your computer just as a TV remote control helps you navigate cable TV options or control the playback of a movie in a VCR or DVD player.

The remote control can:

■ Navigate and control all Media Center

windows.

■ Control the video or live TV display.

■ Place the computer in and out of

standby mode.

■ Shut down or restart the PC.

Using the Remote Control

DVD MENU

RADIO

BACK

RECORD

REW

REPLAY

MUSIC

PLAY

PAUSE

PICTURES

VIDEOS

STOP

FWD

SKIP

The remote control has a range of about 26 feet.

Make sure there is nothing blocking the pathway between your remote control and the remote sensor.

■ Log off from Media Center or switch users.

The remote control cannot:

■ Navigate the Windows desktop or control

other computer programs outside of Media Center.

■ Be used as a VCR, DVD player, or stereo

remote control.

■ Turn on or off a TV that is connected to

your PC.

■ Turn on the PC.

VOLUME

LIVE TV

GHI

PQRS

GUIDE

CLEAR ENTERPRINT

MUTE

ABC

JKL

TUV

CH/PG

RECORDED TV

DEF

321

MNO

654

WXYZ

987

Using the Remote Control 13

If you turn off (shut down) your PC, Media Center will not record a scheduled TV program. The PC must be turned on or in standby mode to record TV programs.

Make sure you turn off the monitor and turn down or mute the volume, for example, if you have a scheduled recording in the middle of the night and do not want to be disturbed.

The PC will not automatically go into standby mode if Media Center is open. It is best to close Media Center before you manually place the PC in standby mode.

Remote Control Buttons Overview

Features and location may vary

A Standby puts the PC into and out of a

power-reduced state.

B DVD Menu opens the Play DVD window or

opens the main menu of a DVD movie, if available.

CMusic opens the My Music window.

DRadio opens the Radio window.

E Record records a selected television program

and stores it on the hard disk drive when in Live TV mode. The Record button is inactive for all other media.

F Rew (Rewind) moves the media backward at

two speeds.

GReplay moves media backward 7 seconds.

HPause pauses audio and video tracks and live

or recorded TV programs.

JBack returns PC to the previous window within

Media Center.

KArrow buttons move the cursor to navigate

and select actions within all Media Center windows.

LStart opens Media Center to the main

Start menu.

MVolume increases (+) and decreases (–)

volume.

NLive TV is a shortcut to the full-screen view of

live TV. Moves a TV program forward to the end of the pause buffer and resumes playing live TV.

OGuide opens the TV Guide.

PClear deletes the last character entered.

G H

DVD MENU

MUSIC

RADIO

PICTURES

VIDEOS

Q R

S T

RECORD

PLAY

REW

REPLAY

PAUSE

STOP

FWD

SKIP

BACK

VOLUME

CH/PG

MUTE

LIVE TV

GHI

PQRS

CLEAR ENTERPRINT

GUIDE

RECORDED TV

ABC

JKL

TUV

DEF

321

MNO

654

WXYZ

987

DD EE

14 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

QTV opens the My TV window.

R Pictures opens the My Pictures window.

S Videos opens the My Videos window.

TPlay plays the selected media.

UStop stops the media currently playing.

V Fwd (Fast-forward) moves media forward

at three speeds.

WSkip moves media forward — for example,

30 seconds in videos and live TV or one music track.

X More (i) displays available information about

a selected media file and displays other menus.

YOK selects the desired action or window option

and acts as the Enter key.

ZCH/PG up (+) and down (–) changes the TV

channels or moves pages up and down, depending on available options. Moves to the next DVD chapter.

AA Mute turns computer sound off. The word Mute

is displayed when Mute is turned on.

BB Recorded TV opens the Recorded TV window

where recorded TV programs are listed.

CC 0 to 9, #, * are the numeric keypad buttons

to change channels or enter text into a Media Center search or text box. Each time you press a number button, a different character appears. Press the Enter button to select a character.

DD Enter selects the desired action, menu, or

window option.

EE Print prints your pictures that you select in the

My Pictures window of Media Center.

Using the Remote Control 15

Begin using your remote control

1 Point the remote control at the remote sensor.

The remote sensor should be located near your monitor or in a convenient place. Make sure there is nothing blocking the pathway between your remote control and the remote sensor.

2 To start Media Center and to open the

Media Center Start menu, press the Start button .

3 If this is your first time using the remote

control, the Media Center setup wizard opens. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the remote control setup steps.

If you have completed the Media Center setup wizard, the Media Center Start menu opens. Use the arrow keys on the remote control to select an item, and then press OK to select an option and to begin using Media Center.

16 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Remote Control Buttons

Shortcut buttons

(Select models only)

You can use the remote control shortcut buttons to open specific windows in Media Center.

The direct access buttons open the main Media Center windows.

Button Function

DVD Menu

TV Opens the My TV window, where you can watch and record TV, open your Television

Radio Opens the FM radio station window, where you can select FM radio stations to

Music Opens the My Music window, where you can browse and play music CDs and your

Pictures Opens the My Pictures window, where you can search for, sort, and view pictures and

Videos Opens the My Videos window, where you can search for, sort, and play back your

Live TV Moves a TV program forward to the end of the pause buffer and resumes playing live

Guide Opens the Television Guide.

Recorded TVOpens the Recorded TV window where all your recorded TV programs are stored.

Opens the Play DVD main menu, where you can play your DVD movies.

Guide, schedule future TV recordings, and find your recorded TV programs.

listen to.

music files.

slide shows that are stored in the My Pictures or the Shared Pictures folder in Windows Explorer. You can also view your pictures on other media such as a digital camera or a memory card.

video files that are stored in the My Videos or the Shared Video folder in Windows Explorer. You can also view your videos on other media such as a memory card.

TV. When you pause a TV program, you can use the Live TV button to move forward to live TV. Opens Media Center and then begins playing live TV in full-screen mode.

From this window, you can search for and play back a recorded show.

Some older DVDs may not include a DVD menu.

Using the Remote Control 17

Make sure you turn off the monitor and turn down or mute the volume, for example, if you have a scheduled recording in the middle of the night and do not want to be disturbed.

The PC will not automatically go into standby mode if Media Center is open. It is best to close Media Center before you manually place the PC in standby mode.

Standby button

The Standby button puts the computer into and out of a power-reduced state, called standby, which runs the computer with minimal power until you give it a command. To take the computer out of standby, press the Standby button for at least 1 to 2 seconds on the remote control. It is recommended that you use this button when Media Center is closed.

An LED (light-emitting diode) located under the Standby button blinks when the remote control is transmitting a signal to the remote sensor.

Recording in standby mode

Media Center can take the PC out of standby mode just before a scheduled show begins recording. The PC returns to standby mode when the recording is complete.

Media Center begins recording with the monitor and sound turned on unless you manually turn them off before the scheduled recording.

Media Center cannot record TV programs if the computer is turned off.

Remote control LED and the remote sensor LED

Under the Standby button is an LED that blinks when the remote control is sending a signal to the remote sensor.

The remote sensor displays a red LED when you press a button on the remote control (select models only). Some kinds of lighting may cause the remote sensor to blink without you pressing the remote control.

If you turn off (shut down) your PC, Media Center will not record a scheduled TV program. The PC must be turned on or in standby mode to record TV programs.

18 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Media playback buttons

These buttons allow you to play back picture slide shows, music files, playlists, music CDs, DVD movies, home videos, and live TV from within the Media Center program.

Button Function

Record Records TV programs. The Record button works only when My TV is used to play a TV

show. It is inactive when other media is playing.

■ Press Record once to record a TV show while watching live TV or while in the TV

Guide.

■ Press Record twice to record a TV series while in the TV Guide.

■ Press Record repeatedly, until the record icon disappears from the TV Guide, to cancel

a recording.

Play Plays selected media.

Stop Stops selected media. When Stop is pressed while you are watching TV, the

Media Center pause buffer continues to record in the background.

Rew

Pause Pauses selected media. Press Pause and then Fwd repeatedly to play media frame-by-

Rewinds selected media. Press Rew again to increase the rewinding speed.

■ Moves the video backward.

■ Moves live TV program to the beginning of the 30-minute pause buffer.

■ Moves the TV Guide back 3 hours.

frame in slow motion. To continue slow motion, you must press the Fwd button more than once.

Press the Rew or the Replay button and then the Play button to watch an instant replay.

Using the Remote Control 19

Button Function

Fwd Moves selected video media forward. Press Fwd up to three times to increase the

fast-forwarding speed.

■ Moves MP3 music files forward

■ Moves a video forward

■ Moves the TV Guide forward 3 hours

Replay Moves selected video media backward. To move backward in live TV by 7 seconds,

press Replay. You can repeatedly rewind with the instant replay option, but only to the beginning of the pause buffer or recorded program. Allows you to go back 12 hours in the Guide.

Skip Moves selected video media forward. To advance in live TV or in a recorded program by

30 seconds, press Skip once. You can repeatedly skip forward, but only to the end of the pause buffer or the recorded program. Allows you to skip 12 hours in the Guide.

20 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Navigation and other buttons

These buttons allow you to play picture slide shows, music files, playlists, music CDs, DVD movies, home videos, and live TV from within the Media Center program.

Button Function

Back Returns to the previous window.

More Information (i)

Arrows Move between menus, windows, or activities. Move the cursor to select actions

OK Selects a desired action and works as an Enter button. If you are watching live

Vol ume (+ and –)

Start Opens the Media Center Start menu if you are in Media Center or if you are at

CH/PG (+ and –)

Mute Turns off the PC sound. The word Mute appears in the window when it is

Displays available information about a selected media file and displays other menus. Some media may not include this information. This button displays details such as TV program summary or music artist. You may need to be connected to the Internet to receive TV programming or CD artist information.

within the Media Center windows.

TV, press OK to go to the previous channel. Press OK again to toggle back to the original channel you were watching.

Increases or decreases PC volume.

the desktop.

Changes channels up and down or moves the cursor to the next or previous page of options. Changes channels for live TV or moves to the next chapter of a DVD movie.

turned on.

Using the Remote Control 21

Alphanumeric Keypad and Print buttons

The alphanumeric keypad buttons allow you to enter text, change channels, and print your pictures.

Button Function

Numeric keypad (1-9, #, and *)

Clear Deletes the last character entered. Clear works the same way as a Backspace

Print Prints picture files from the My Pictures window of Media Center. This button

Enter Selects a desired action, menu, or window. Enter works the same way as the

Changes channels and enters text. Each time you press a number key, a different character appears. When you find the character you want, press the Enter button or wait a few seconds.

key on a keyboard.

does not print files from Windows Explorer or from the HP Image Zone Plus area of Media Center.

OK button.

22 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Watching and Recording TV Programs

Watch live TV or record your favorite shows for later playback. Use the Television Guide to find the show you want to watch or record.You can also record a show while watching another prerecorded show.

Navigating My TV

From the My TV window you can search for and play your favorite TV shows. Use the following menu items to help you locate what you want to do:

■ Live TV: Watch, pause, fast-forward, or

rewind your favorite TV shows. You can watch recorded TV shows while recording another show. Use the More Information button on the remote control to display TV show information.

■ Recorded TV: View a list of recorded

programs by date or title, view a list of programs scheduled to be recorded, play a recorded program, find out why a program was not recorded, or add a TV recording manually.

■ Search: Quickly find a TV program or a

series to watch or record by entering a descriptive word, program title, or program category.

■ Guide: (Not available in all countries/

regions.) Scroll through the free Television Guide to find programs to watch and record. You can record specific TV shows or a whole series to your hard disk drive or an HP Personal Media Drive.

■ Movies: (Not available in all countries/

regions.) Go online to find movies to watch now or later. Get the latest information about movies on TV: read reviews, see cast lists, find other times the movie is broadcast, view the DVD cover, browse for related movies, and find other movies with the same cast members.

Digital video recording features and the Television Guide are for select models only.

The Movies online information feature is available for some countries/regions.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 23

You can change the channel by using the remote control while in full-screen mode or when the inset window is selected.

You ca n g o to l i ve TV from anywhere in Media Center by pressing Live TV on the remote control.

Watching TV

Before you can watch TV by using Media Center, make sure:

■ The computer is set up correctly for your TV

signal source. Refer to the setup poster and the HP Media Center Getting Started Guide for more information.

■ You have completed the Media Center setup

wizard. If you have not completed the setup wizard, refer to “Completing the setup wizard steps” on page 3.

You ca n s elec t a channel to see upcoming programs for that channel.

Watching Live TV

1 Press the TV button on the remote control or

select My TV from the main start menu. Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to select Live TV, and then press OK. The last channel selected or the first channel available begins playing.

2 Select a channel by using the CH/PG (+) or

(–) buttons or by using the numeric keypad on the remote control, and then press Enter on the remote control. The channel number and program information are displayed in the window.

3 Press the More Information button to

open another menu with the following options and information:

■ A zoom option

■ Access to Messenger and Settings windows

■ Program information such as channel

number and station, title and time period of program, actual time, and a brief summary of the program and TV rating, if available (recording options are also shown)

4 To exit full-screen mode and return to the

previous window, press Back on the remote control.

24 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Controlling TV playback

The personal video recorder functionality lets you record single shows or capture entire series for later viewing.

When you open the My TV window and begin watching live TV, Media Center begins recording the selected program in the background for up to 30 minutes. When you pause a live TV program while watching in full-screen mode, the time-shifting window appears.

You can return to the live broadcast by pressing the Live TV button on the remote control.

When you change the channel, Media Center deletes the previously recorded portion and begins recording again after a short delay.

You cannot use time shifting when recording a TV program. For example, you cannot pause a live TV program and then rewind to the beginning of the pause buffer and then begin recording. You can record a TV program only from live TV.

The 30-minute pause buffer applies only when pausing, rewinding, and fastforwarding live TV. Media Center allows you to record a program for longer than 30 minutes.

The digital video recording features are for select models only.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 25

Using the remote control in My TV

Button Action

To freeze the live TV image, press Pause. While paused, My TV continues to record a pause buffer for up to 30 minutes. To resume watching TV where you left off, press Play.

To stop live TV or a recorded program, press Stop once. To resume watching the program, press Play.

To move forward in the live TV program that has been paused, or in a recorded program, press Fast-Forward (Fwd). To speed up the fast-forwarding, press Fwd two or three times. Fwd allows you to skip 3 hours in the Television Guide.

To play a recorded TV program or to resume watching a program after pressing the Pause, Fast-Forward, Rewind, Replay, or Skip buttons.

To advance in live TV or in a recorded program by 30 seconds, press Skip once. You can repeatedly skip forward, but only to the end of the pause buffer or the recorded program. Allows you to skip 12 hours in the Guide.

To move backward in live TV or a recorded program, press Rewind (Rew). To speed up rewinding, press Rew three times. To resume watching the program, press Play. Rew allows you to move back 3 hours in the Guide.

To move backward in live TV by 7 seconds, press Replay. You can repeatedly rewind with the instant replay option, but only to the beginning of the pause buffer or recorded program. Allows you to move back 12 hours in the Guide.

Live TV To maximize the TV viewing window to full-screen mode, press Live TV. Also, to

For some countries/ regions, the Live TV button is labeled TV on the remote control.

More Information

CH/PG To move to the next channel or page in the Television Guide, press the

Guide To open the Television Guide, press Guide. When in the Guide window, press

26 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

advance to the end of the pause buffer and resume watching the live TV broadcast, press Live TV.

To access other menus or to see the channel number, station identifier, title of program, time slot, and category of program, press the More Information button while in full-screen mode. If you select a recorded show and then press the More Information button, you can access more information about a program, stop or delete a program, record a series, change the “Keep Until” setting, copy a selected program to CD/DVD, access the instant messaging dialog box, and access TV settings.

CH/PG (+) and (–) buttons.

Guide again to view a program categories menu. To filter your Guide to display only programs in a category, you can select a category, such as Drama.

Using the Television Guide

In the Television Guide, you can scroll through a list of the current and upcoming television programs and channels available from your television service provider. The Guide displays the channel and network, as well as the program title, scheduled time block, and a brief description of the program.

Important information about the Television Guide

Television Guide data may not be available in your country/region. You can still record TV programs without a Guide; see “Recording TV without the Television Guide” on page 33.

If there is no Guide data available when you try to download or search for Guide information, you may receive one of several error messages. An error can occur because your PC is not connected to the Internet, guide listings are not available in your country/region, or your TV signal provider and PC location settings are not supported.

Make sure you are connected to the Internet and check your TV signal and guide settings in the Settings menu of Media Center.

Viewing the Television Guide

The number of days displayed depends on your television service provider; most providers display up to 14 days. By selecting a program title, a detailed description of the program appears at the bottom of the window.

The Television Guide is not available in all countries/ regions

Make sure the PC has a connection to the Internet and that you have completed the Media Center setup wizard before you try to download your Television Guide or change the settings for your Guide.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My TV, and then select Guide.

If you press the Guide shortcut button on the remote control while you are already in the Guide, you can select one of the Guide filter categories, such as Movies, to search for a movie.

3 Use the arrow buttons to select a channel, and

then use the arrow buttons to scroll through up to two weeks of programming for that channel.

4 Select a program, and then press OK to watch

it. Press the Record button on the remote control to record the program.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 27

When you select a channel and then press OK on the remote control, you can view up to two weeks of programming. Use the scroll arrows at the bottom of the window.

No data available

appears next to each channel if the Guide has not been downloaded. This can occur if the PC does not have an Internet connection or if there is no service available in your country/region.

Press the More Information button on the remote control to access another menu for more options of searching the Guide.

Setting up how Media Center downloads the Guide

You must select a TV listings provider before you can use and download the Guide. You can set up Media Center to download the Guide when you connect to the Internet or you can select to manually download the Guide.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, General, Automatic

Download Options, and then select:

If your PC has, for example, a DSL connection, your PC is always connected. The Guide is downloaded at a specified time every few days. This option may not be supported by all providers. The download interval varies, depending on the ISP.

28 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

■ Connect to the Internet and

download: Media Center connects to the Internet, and then downloads the Guide.

■ Download when connected: Connect

to the Internet, and Media Center automatically downloads the Guide.

■ Manual download: Connect to the

Internet and then manually download the Guide in Media Center TV Settings menu.

3 Follow the onscreen instructions. When the

Television Guide starts downloading from the Internet, it can take up to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of data to download and the speed of your Internet connection.

Manually downloading the Guide

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then select

Get Latest Guide Listings.

3 Follow the onscreen instructions. The Guide

can take up to 30 minutes to download, depending on the amount of data to download and the speed of your Internet connection.

Changing a postal code to receive the correct Television Guide

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then select

Set Up Guide listings.

3 Select Next, and follow the onscreen

instructions.

Adding missing channels to the Guide

Some program channels are seasonal and do not appear in the Guide all the time. To add the names and numbers of the television channels you are missing or to change the associations between channel numbers and lineups:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My TV, Settings, Guide, and then

select Add Missing Channels to add the names and numbers of the channels you are missing.

4 Enter your postal code, and then select Next. 5 To download your provider information and

then start downloading your Guide information, follow the onscreen instructions.

3 Select Add Channel. 4 Use the numeric keypad on your remote

control or your keyboard to enter the name of the missing channel, and then select Next.

5 Enter the correct channel number, and then

select Add.

6 Repeat steps 3 through 5 to add additional

channels.

7 Click Done when you have added all the

channels.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 29

Removing channels from the Guide

You may want to remove some channels from your Guide to prevent users from having access to them.

■ Using Categories to

search can help you find, for example, all football games. A title or keyword search displays every program that has “football” in the title or description.

■ The TV search

results do not include previously recorded TV programs.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My TV, Settings, Guide, and then

select Edit Channels to remove the names and numbers of the channels you do not want to appear in the Guide.

Searching for TV Programs

To find a TV program, you can enter a title or keyword or select a category in your Guide by using your remote control.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Search.

2 Select Title. Use the numeric keypad on your

remote control or your keyboard to enter a program title word, and then press OK on the remote control.

Select Keyword. Use the numeric keypad on your remote control or your keyboard to enter a descriptive word that would appear in a program title or program description, and then press OK on the remote control.

3 Select or clear a check box to add or remove

the channel.

4 Select Save.

3 To scroll through search results, use the arrow

buttons to select a program, and then press OK. If multiple times for the program are

Guide filtering features, such as searching by keyword or category, are available for select models only.

30 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

displayed, select a time and press OK.

4 To begin watching the program in full-screen

mode, select the program, and then press OK. If the program is not currently playing, select Record or Record Series, and then press OK.

Searching for TV programs using categories

You can search the Guide to find a TV program by selecting a category using your remote control. Some categories are not available in all countries/ regions.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Search.

2 Select Categories. 3 Select a category of program types, such as

Movies.

4 Select an option such as Genres or Top

Rated.

5 Select a sorting option, such as By movie

title.

6 Use the arrow buttons to scroll through

search results and to select a program. Then press OK on the remote control.

7 Select an option to find out more about the

program, to watch it, to schedule a recording, or to view other showings of your program.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 31

If you turn off (shut down) your PC, Media Center will not record a scheduled program. The PC must be turned on or in standby mode to record a TV program. The PC will not automatically go into standby mode if Media Center is open.

Make sure you turn off the monitor and turn down or mute the volume if, for example, you have a scheduled recording in the middle of the night and do not want to be disturbed.

Recording TV Programs

Media Center allows you to record TV programs so that you can watch them when it is convenient. You can record the program you are watching, or you can record a future program or series from the Guide, the Search, or the Recorded TV window in My TV. You can record two programs at the same time if your PC has two TV tuners (select models only).

If a recording error occurs, the program will not be recorded unless the conflict is resolved. If you try to schedule a recording and another is already scheduled for the same time, a conflict window appears and gives you the option to record the new program or record the previously scheduled program.

To make sure your program is being recorded, select My TV, Recorded TV, and then select Scheduled. The Record icon also appears next to the program in the Guide while you are recording. The Record icon disappears when the recording is complete.

Recording icons

The Record icon appears in the TV Guide next to the program scheduled to record.

The Record Series icon appears in the TV Guide next to each occurrence of a program in a series that is scheduled to be recorded.

The Record Conflict/Error icon appears in the TV Guide and the taskbar if another program is scheduled to be recorded at the same time.

Record Series means that you select to record each episode of that program from one channel. Media Center will not record duplicate episodes. Media Center also looks for alternative times to record an episode if a recording conflict arises.

Recording TV from the Guide

To record a current or future program or series from the Guide:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Guide.

For more information about recording to your HP Personal Media Drive, see “About Recording TV to the HP Personal Media Drive” on page 143.

32 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

2 To find the program you want to record, use

the arrow buttons on the remote control, and then select the program. You can also use the numeric keypad on the remote control to enter a channel number. Press the right arrow button in the Guide to select a program that will be broadcast in the future.

3 Press the Record button on the remote control.

The Record icon appears next to the program in the Guide. Press Record twice to record a series.

The Record Series icon is displayed to indicate a series. Press Record again to cancel the recording.

4 To return to the previous window, press Back

on the remote control.

5 If there is a recording conflict, Media Center

displays a message and allows you to select which program you want to record.

Recording manually

Recording a program manually allows you to select a specific date, channel, and recording time period. For some programs, you may want to begin recording before the scheduled beginning and after the scheduled ending of the program.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, Recorded TV, and then select Add Recording.

2 Select Channel and Time. 3 Select the channel number box and enter the

channel number using the numeric keypad on the remote control.

4 Select the (+) or (–) buttons, and then press

OK on the remote control to scroll through choices and enter the recording frequency, date, start and stop times; and storage and quality options.

5 To set the recording and return to the

Recorded TV window, select Record in the window, and then press OK on the remote control.

■ Recorded TV

programs that have been copied to a DVD can be played on your PC and on some DVD players.

■ Recorded TV

programs can be backed up as part of a full system backup and restored to the same PC, but not to other PCs.

6 To return to the previous window, press Back

on the remote control.

Recording TV without the Television Guide

You do not need the Television Guide to record TV. You can record a TV program by pressing the Record button on the remote control while watching live TV. You can also select the program you want to record manually. See “Recording manually” on page 33.

Record by using the Record button

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Guide.

2 Select the program you want to record, and

then press the Record button on the remote control.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 33

Recording TV from Search

You can find a program to record based on a keyword such as an actor or director name, program title, or a category (select models only). To record a current or future program or series using Search:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Search.

2 Select Title, Keyword, or Categories.

For Title and Keyword searches, enter your descriptive search words. Media Center starts searching from the first letter you type into the text box. For a Categories search, select the category you want and press OK.

3 Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the

search results to select the program you want to record, select the program, and then press OK.

4 Select Record or Record Series in the

window, and then press OK. The Record icon for a single program or the Record Series icon for a series appears next to the program in the Guide. If there is a scheduling conflict, Media Center displays a message and allows you to select which program you want to record.

Title search

5 To return to the previous window, press Back

on the remote control.

34 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Category search

The Record icon in the taskbar

If a program is currently being recorded, the Record icon also appears in the taskbar. If you move your mouse over the icon, Media Center displays which program is currently being recorded. You can rightclick the icon to open Media Center and stop recording.

Recording TV tips

■ If your PC has one TV tuner and you are

watching live TV during a scheduled recording time, you can watch only the program being recorded. If you change channels, recording stops.

■ If you go to another area in Media Center, the

TV channel you last selected will be displayed in the inset window at the bottom of the window.

■ Some channels can be shared by two or more

Important information about My TV and FM radio

In Media Center, FM radio shares the use of the single tuner card with My TV. In Media Center, you are unable to watch or record TV and listen to FM radio at the same time.

When Media Center is scheduled to start a recording, a warning appears that says FM radio stops when the TV recording starts. If you do not select Cancel recording, Media Center automatically stops radio and begins recording TV.

networks, depending on the time of day. The Guide may display only one network’s programming. This may cause recording options to be unavailable. You may need to manually update the Guide before scheduling a recording.

To copy a recorded TV program to DVD to view on a home DVD player, see “Copying a TV program to CD/ DVD using Media Center” on page 101.

Standby mode and scheduled recordings

You should always close Media Center before you manually place the PC in standby mode, to avoid file corruption and other recording problems.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 35

Refer to Media Center Help for more information about recording errors, advanced recording features, and My TV settings

TV programs that have been encrypted (protected) by the broadcaster cannot be copied and played back on any player other than the Media Center PC that they were recorded to.

Recording quality and hard disk drive storage space

The space available for recording TV programs depends on your hard disk drive size, the percentage of hard disk drive space allocated to recorded TV, and the recording quality setting.

To get the maximum recording time, change the recording quality to Fair instead of the default setting of Best.

Copying recorded TV programs to DVD or CD

You can record TV programs to DVD in Media Center to create a backup copy or to save space on your hard disk drive by using the following procedure. These DVDs can be played from a PC and from some set-top DVD players.

The Media Center PC includes several other recording software programs for you to create CDs and DVDs. You can use InterVideo WinDVD Creator

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

Quality of recording

Best *2.7 GB/hour

Better *2.1 GB/hour

Good *1.4 GB/hour

Fair *1.2 GB/hour

*This table shows approximate sizes of recorded TV program

files. Some files may be smaller or larger.

1 GB = 1 billion bytes when referring to hard disk drive capacity. Actual formatted capacity is less.

to record the recorded TV program to a format that can be played from a PC and from some set-top DVD players. See “Using InterVideo WinDVD Creator” on page 123.

For more detailed information about recording CDs and DVDs, refer to information on the HP Support Web site at: http://www.hp.com/support

7 Select Recorded TV. 8 Select the Recorded TV programs you want to

2 Select More Programs.

copy to CD or DVD.

Hard disk drive space used

3 Insert a blank CD or DVD. 4 Select Create CD/DVD. 5 Select the type of CD or DVD you want

(Music or Data).

6 Enter a title for your DVD by using the numeric

buttons on the remote control, and then select OK.

36 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

9 Select View DVD or View CD. 10 Select Create DVD or Create CD. 11 Select Ye s. 12 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete

burning your TV show to disc.

Playing Recorded TV Programs

Recorded TV is the storage place for all your recorded programs. In the Recorded TV window, you can sort your programs by name, date, or category. You can also delete a recorded program or series of programs and check for any recording errors.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Recorded TV.

2 To organize all of your previously recorded

programs, select Sort by Date or Sort by Title.

3 To begin watching the program, select the

recorded program you want to watch, and then press OK on the remote control.

Media Center places recorded TV programs in the Recorded TV folder that is located in your Shared Documents folder on your hard disk drive.

Using the More Information button with recorded TV programs

When you select a recorded TV program and then press the More Information button on the remote control, a menu appears with several options you can select.

■ More Information (i) displays details

about the recorded TV show such as the title, the date and time recorded, a summary of program, and the original date it was aired.

■ Play allows you to play the recorded

program.

■ Delete allows you to delete the recorded

program.

■ Record Series allows you to record other

shows in that series, if available.

■ Keep Until allows you to change the setting

for keeping the program until space is needed or until a specific date, until you watch it or until you manually delete it.

■ Copy to CD/DVD allows you to record this

program to CD or DVD.

■ Messenger allows you to access your instant

messaging login window.

■ Settings allows you to access the main

Settings window.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 37

Playing a recorded program on a non-Media Center PC

To play recorded TV programs in Windows Media Player, a PC requires:

■ The Windows XP

operating system.

1 Make sure the PC has Windows XP Service

Pack 1 and a DVD player software installed.

a Click Start and then click My Computer.

b Click Help and then click About

Windows.

c In the About Windows dialog box, if you

see Service Pack 1 in the version information, go to step 2. If not, you must install Windows XP Service Pack 1. For more information go to:

http://www.microsoft.com

Locating recorded TV programs on your hard disk drive

2 Make sure the PC has a media player that

works with Windows XP Service Pack 1, such as Windows Media Player 9 or later. If Windows Media Player is installed, check for software updates.

3 Download and install the update from

Microsoft’s Web site. Search for “Watch television shows recorded by Media Center PCs on other Microsoft Windows XP PCs.”

4 Open the media player program and then

open the digital video recording file (.dvr-ms extension) you want to watch.

Recorded TV shows are stored by default in the Recorded TV folder in the Shared Documents folder on the local hard disk drive of a Media Center PC.

1 Click Start on the taskbar, and

then click My Computer.

2 Double-click the Shared Documents folder. 3 Double-click the Recorded TV folder. 4 Double-click your recorded TV program file. 5 Use the playback controls in Windows Media

Player to control the playback of your recorded TV program.

■ Windows Media

Player 9 or later.

■ A special Media

Center codec file that may be available through Windows Update (for select models only).

38 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

About Recording Errors

A recording error means that a program scheduled to record is not recorded. This can occur for several reasons. If your PC is turned off and not in standby mode during the time the program is scheduled to record, or if there is a recording conflict with

Common recording errors

Recording error Description of error

Redundant Program already exists in Recorded TV library or has been recorded

and deleted in the past eight weeks.

Missed PC was turned off during scheduled recording time.

Conflict Another program was scheduled to record at the same time.

Canceled You s elec ted Don’t record on the Program Info menu and canceled the

recording.

Repeat In Advanced Record, you selected First Run only for a series recording

so any programs in a series that are not first run are not recorded.

Error Unknown technical error:

■ Media Center failed to start the recorder.

■ TV signal was lost.

■ Failed communication with the set-top box.

another scheduled program, a recording error occurs. If you are watching live TV when the program is scheduled to record and decline the prompt to change channels, a recording error occurs.

For more information about troubleshooting the recording conflicts, refer to Media Center Help.

Not enough space Hard disk drive is too full.

Deleted You deleted the program.

Not recorded Program was not recorded because of recording conflict or because of

other error.

Partial Part of the program was recorded.

Viewing recording errors

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control; select My TV.

3 Select Scheduled. 4 Select History.

2 Select Recorded TV.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 39

Resolving Recording Conflicts

If two recordings are in conflict, but one is scheduled to air at another time, Media Center displays a message with the option to record an alternate recording of one of the programs.

Media Center can record only one TV program at a time. If your PC model includes one TV tuner and you schedule two recordings for the same time, a message appears telling you to resolve the conflict. If you do not resolve the conflict, Media Center automatically makes the selection just before the program begins recording. Before the program records, a conflict icon (a red circle with an exclamation point) is listed next to the program in

Recording priority rules

Media Center selects which program to record based on the following priority rules:

1 A scheduled program that is not a rerun 2 The program that was scheduled first 3 Manual recordings

Often, Media Center is able to find an alternative date and time for recording one of the programs so that both programs can be recorded. If one recording partially overlaps another, Media Center records to the end of the first and then begins recording the second.

the Guide. Press the Media Center Start button on the remote control, select My TV, Recorded TV, and then select Scheduled.

To enable Media Center to resolve recording conflicts, you can set up how program recordings are handled. When you try to record a program and another is scheduled at the same time, Media Center prompts you to choose a program to record.

After you resolve a recording conflict, the conflict icon continues to appear for the program that is not scheduled to record so you can return to the conflict and reverse it, if needed.

If you are watching TV while recording a program, you can watch only the channel being recorded. If a recording is scheduled to begin and you are watching a different channel, a message appears giving you the choice to change the channel to begin the recording. If no choice is made, the channel changes automatically.

Resolving a recording conflict

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

To s el ec t t he recording start and stop times and other recording priority settings, select Record settings or Series settings, and then select the option you want.

40 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

the remote control, select My TV, Recorded TV, and then select Scheduled.

2 Select a program you want to change.

3 Select Resolve Conflict and then select the

show you want to record.

Select Record settings, and then Change settings.

Select a recording option: Do not record, Record Series, or Other Showings to

find other times it is playing.

Deleting TV Programs

Deleting a scheduled program or series

To prevent recording conflicts, you may need to delete a program or series that is scheduled to be recorded.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, Recorded TV, and then select Scheduled.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select the program

title you do not want to record, and press OK.

Deleting a recorded program or series

To free up hard disk drive space, you may need to delete a program or series that has been recorded.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select My TV, and then select Recorded TV. A list of all the programs you have recorded and saved appears.

2 To select the program title you want to delete,

use the arrow button to highlight the program title, and then press OK.

3 To remove a single program, select Do not

record in the window, and press OK on the

remote control.

To remove the entire series from the recording schedule, select Series, Cancel Series, and then press OK.

3 To remove the selected program from the hard

disk drive, select Delete.

4 Select Yes.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 41

Setting Parental Controls

Blocking unwanted TV programs and movies

(Select models only)

If you set Media Center to block unrated channels, an error can occur. It is recommended that you make sure this option is not selected.

To do this :

Parental control and caption display settings for TV and DVDs are included with select models only.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, General, and then select

Parental Controls.

3 Enter your four-digit code number. 4 Select TV Ratings.

Setting movie/DVD ratings

(Select models only)

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, General, and then select

Parental Controls.

3 Enter your four-digit code. 4 Select Movie/DVD Ratings.

5 Select Turn on TV blocking by selecting the

area next to Turn on TV blocking to display a check mark. Make sure that Block unrated

TV programs is not selected.

6 Select Advanced to select more restrictive

ratings to block such things as fantasy violence, suggestive dialogue, offensive language, and sexual content.

7 Select Yes, and then select Save.

5 Select Turn on movie blocking by using

the arrow buttons on the remote control to select the area to the left of Turn on movie blocking. A check mark appears when it is selected.

6 Select (+) or (–) next to the rating that is

currently selected to change the movie rating.

7 Select Save.

Some DVDs do not have ratings assigned to them.

42 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Changing parental control access code

(Select models only)

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, General, and then select

Parental Controls.

3 Enter your four-digit code, and select Change

Access Code.

4 Enter a new four-digit code twice, and then

click OK.

Setting Caption Display

(Select models only)

If you set Media Center to display captions while in window mode (not full-screen mode), the window or the caption text may flash as the text scrolls in the window. To fix this problem, change the display to full-screen mode or turn off the caption display option.

To turn off the caption display option:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, and then select Audio.

Displaying Teletext

(Select models only)

To display the Teletext toolbar:

1 While watching TV in full-screen mode,

press the More Information (i) button on the remote control to display the information bar.

3 Click (+) or (–) next to the current Caption

display setting to change it. You can select:

■ On to view speech as text in a TV program

containing the captioning signal.

■ On when muted to display speech in a

muted TV program.

■ Off to disable caption display.

4 Select Save.

2 Select the Telet ext button on the information

bar. The Teletext toolbar will also appear at the bottom of the screen so that you can navigate the Teletext pages.

For more information about the Teletext toolbar, refer to the Help menu in Media Center.

The Teletext feature may not supported in some countries/ regions.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 43

About Teletext

Teletext is additional information that is broadcast within a TV signal in some countries/regions. You can navigate the Teletext main page and subpages to find information such as the weather, sports scores, or community events. You can turn on subtitles in a specific language for a program you

Teletext may not be available for all the channels you receive. The Teletext button will only display on the information bar if Teletext is available for that channel. If you would like more information about which channels have Teletext available, contact your TV service provider.

are watching. When a TV show is recorded, the Teletext subtitles are stored with the recording so you can view the subtitles when you play the recording later.

Safeguarding Recorded TV Programs

Most television broadcasters do not encrypt programs, so a recording can be played on any Media Center PC. A recording of a broadcasterencrypted TV program, though, can be played only on the PC that recorded it.

When you record TV programs using Media Center, the TV program broadcaster may have an encryption code that Microsoft includes as a special code in the recorded files. This code is keyed to

or replace the hard disk drive in your PC. If you do not have the backup CD after you perform a system recovery or replace the hard disk drive, you will not be able to play any previously recorded TV programs that are broadcaster-encrypted.

The procedures that follow describe how to prepare your PC, make the backup files you need, copy the file to CD, and use the backup CD to restore the files to your PC after a system recovery.

your PC and is required to play broadcasterencrypted TV programs previously recorded to your hard disk drive, copied to DVD, or copied to other media. When you perform a system recovery or replace the hard disk drive in your PC, you lose the special code.

You can safeguard your capability to play recorded TV programs by making a backup CD and using it as described in the procedures provided here. Make the backup CD now, before you need it, so that you can use the CD after you perform a system recovery

To safeguard your recorded TV programs you need to:

■ Prepare the code key files.

■ Make a backup CD.

■ Perform a system recovery, if necessary.

■ Use the code key backup CD after a system

recovery.

Important information about recorded TV programs

When you replace the hard disk drive, you lose any files or software that you created, saved, or installed on the PC. You also lose a special code that

Without the code, Media Center will not play the TV programs previously recorded to disk or copied to DVD or to other media.

Microsoft includes in the files of the recorded TV programs.

44 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Preparing the code key files

1 After you set up your PC and turn it on,

complete the initial Microsoft Windows setup. Open Media Center and complete its setup.

2 Record at least one TV program. 3 Close Media Center. 4 Open the Microsoft Backup utility: Click Start

on the taskbar, choose All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Backup. The Backup or Restore Wizard

opens.

5 Click the Advanced Mode link near the

middle of the window.

6 At the top of the Backup Utility window, click

Too ls and select Options.

7 Click the Exclude Files tab.

The code key files and backup CD you make can be used in your PC only.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 45

8 In the Files excluded for all users box, put your

cursor over the vertical line between Filename and Application in the title bar, and then click and drag the line to the right to see the full list of entries.

9 Scroll down the list to see and then click the

entry: C:\Documents and Settings\ All Users\DRM\*

10 Click Remove, click Apply, and then click

OK. The Options window closes.

11 In the Backup Utility window, click the

Backup tab.

12 In the left box, click the plus sign (+) for Local

Disk (C:). The file tree expands. Click the plus sign (+) for Documents and Settings, click the plus sign (+) for All Users, and then click the

DRM box so a check mark appears.

13 Scroll down the list and click the System

State box so a check mark appears.

14 At the bottom of the window, beneath Backup

media or file name, click Browse. Because a diskette is too small to save the backup file on, you will need to save the file to the desktop portion of the hard disk drive before writing the file to CD. If the message Insert a disk into

drive A appears, click Cancel.

15 The Save as window opens. In the Save as

type box, select Desktop from the drop-down list. In the Save as box, use the default name (Backup.bkf) or type a file name with the extension .bkf and then click Save. The window closes.

16 Click Start Backup in the Backup Utility

window. The Backup Job Information window opens.

17 Click Start Backup. The Backup Progress

window opens. When the process finishes, the window displays the message The backup is

complete.

18 Click Close. 19 Close the Backup Utility window. Continue

with the next procedure.

46 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Making the backup CD

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, RecordNow!, and then click RecordNow! again. The RecordNow!

window opens.

8 In the RecordNow! window, click the red

Burn icon. If a warning window opens, click OK.

9 Wait while the program writes to the CD and

2 Insert a blank CD. 3 Select the Data Projects tab, and then click

Data Disc.

the disc tray ejects.

10 Remove the CD, label it, and store it in a

safe place for use with the next procedure. Click Done.

4 Click Continue.

11 Close the RecordNow! window.

5 Click Add Files and Folders. The Select

files and folders to add window opens.

6 In the Look in box, select Desktop from the

drop-down list.

12 Because you do not need the backup file you

created, drag the file to the Recycle Bin on the desktop. This deletes the copy of the file that was on the hard disk drive.

7 Click the backup file (for example,

Backup.bkf) so it appears in the File name box. Click Add. The window closes.

Using the code key backup CD after a system recovery

1 Insert the backup CD you made into a drive.

The drive window opens and shows the disc contents.

6 Click Browse again, and the window shows

Select file to catalog.

7 Click the drop-down menu arrow, and click

the optical drive with the backup CD.

If the window does not open automatically, click Start, My Computer, and then rightclick the drive icon to view the contents of your backup disc.

2 Double-click the backup file (for example,

Backup.bkf). The Backup or Restore Wizard opens.

3 Click Next. 4 Choose Restore files and settings, and

then click Next.

5 When the What to restore window opens,

click Browse, and the Browse window shows the (A:) drive.

8 Click the backup file name. 9 Click Open and then click OK.

10 In the Items to restore box, click the plus sign

(+) for the backup file name. The file tree expands. Click the C box so a check mark appears. Click the System State box so a check mark appears.

11 Click Next. 12 The Backup or Restore Wizard window shows

the message You have created the following restore settings. In the window, click the

Advanced button. Click Next.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 47

13 A warning message window opens. Click OK

in the Warning window.

14 Select Replace existing files and then click

Next. Click Next again. Click Finish. The

Restore Progress window opens.

15 Wait until the process completes, and then

click Close in the Restore Progress window.

Using Two TV Tuner Cards

(Select models only)

16 A Backup Utility message window opens.

Click Yes to restart the PC. Wait until the restart completes.

Open Media Center and complete the setup. You can now play previously recorded TV programs that are broadcaster encrypted.

Your HP Media Center PC can support two analog antennae (NTSE, PAL, or SECAM), two analog cables (no set-top box), two cable set-top boxes, or two satellite TV set-top boxes. You cannot set up the tuners to different TV signal sources, such as satellite and antenna. Both TV tuners must be connected to the same signal source. For example, you must use an antenna, cable, two cable boxes, or two satellite set-top boxes for both tuner inputs.

Recording two programs at the same time

(Select models only)

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My TV, and then select Guide. 3 Use the arrow buttons to select a show to

record, and then press the Record button on the remote control.

With two TV tuners, your Media Center PC can record two programs at the same time. You can also watch live TV while recording a program on another channel.

4 Select a second show to record at the same

time, and then press the Record button again.

5 Follow any onscreen instructions.

48 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Watching live TV and recording a different channel at the same time

(Select models only)

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My TV, and then select Guide. 3 Use the arrow buttons to select a show to

record, and then press the Record button on the remote control.

Managing Hard Disk Drive Space

The space available for recording TV programs depends on your hard disk drive allocation, drive size, and default recording quality selections. The PC requires a certain amount of space to run your Windows XP operating system, run software programs, and store data files. If your hard disk drive becomes full, it may affect the PC speed and performance. You may need to free up storage space to record more programs or to optimize the

Increasing hard disk drive space

■ Adjust TV recording and recorder storage

settings. See “Adjusting TV recording and storage settings” on page 50.

4 Select a second show to watch, and then

press the OK button to begin watching it.

5 Follow any onscreen instructions.

performance of your PC. There are several things you can do to optimize and increase your available hard disk drive space.

The size of your PC hard disk drive depends on your model. The PC comes with preloaded software programs and a backup partition within the hard disk drive that takes up a certain amount of space on the hard disk drive.

■ Uninstall software programs. See “Uninstalling

software programs that are not needed” on page 51.

■ Use the Disk Cleanup Utility. See “Using the

Disk Cleanup utility” on page 51.

■ Adjust the System Restore settings. See

“Adjusting System Restore settings” on page 51.

■ Delete recorded TV programs from the

Recorded TV folder in Shared Documents. See “Deleting recorded TV programs” on page 51.

■ Archive TV programs to a DVD if your PC has

a DVD Writer drive. See “Copying Recorded TV Programs to DVD” on page 101.

■ Archive TV programs to an HP Personal

Media Drive. See “Recording TV programs to the HP Personal Media Drive” on page 144.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 49

The storage space for your PC may differ from the amount listed here.

Adjusting TV recording and storage settings

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, and then select

Recorder.

3 Select Recorder Storage to change your

Disk allocation and Recording quality settings. Increase the percentage of hard disk drive space available for recorded TV programs in Default Settings.

Select Recording Defaults to change your recording storage settings. Select Fair as the default recording quality. The better the quality of the recording, the more space the file takes. Select Until I watch as the Keep setting for each recorded program.

4 Use your arrow buttons on the remote

control to select the (+) or (–) next to the recording default setting to change your options. Press OK on the remote control to change the setting.

5 Select Save.

50 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Using the Disk Cleanup utility

1 Click Start on the taskbar. 2 Choose All Programs, Accessories,

System Tools, and then Disk Cleanup.

Adjusting System Restore settings

1 Click Start on the taskbar. 2 Right-click My Computer. 3 Click Properties. 4 Select the System Restore tab.

Deleting recorded TV programs

1 Click Start on the taskbar, and then click My

Computer.

2 Double-click Shared Documents, and then

double-click Recorded TV.

3 Select the drive you want to clean up, and

then click OK.

4 Select the type of files you want to delete. 5 Click OK.

5 Select a drive, and then click the Settings

button.

6 Move the slider under Disk space to use to a

lower setting to save disk space.

7 Click OK, and then click OK again.

3 Right-click recorded TV files, and then select

Delete.

To delete a recorded TV program from within Media Center, see “Deleting a recorded program or series” on page 41.

Uninstalling software programs that are not needed

1 Click Start.

5 Click Yes when the confirmation window

opens.

2 Click Control Panel.

6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each program you

3 Double-click Add or Remove Programs,

if it is present.

want to remove.

7 Click Close.

4 Click the program, and then click the

Change/Remove button.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 51

Content Protection Update

Media Center will protect content based on all widely known flags delivered in NTSC, PAL, DVD, and other formats. All protected programs are encrypted to the PC via time-limited Digital Rights Management (DRM) based licenses.

Some DVD movies and other programs that are broadcast are copy-protected. A Copy Never message may be displayed if the content cannot be recorded or archived to disc.

For more information about protected content and other restrictions about transferring or copying digital media, refer to Media Center Help or go to the Microsoft Web site at:

http://www.microsoft.com

52 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

The HP Tunes and My Music areas in Media Center are great ways to play, organize, and back up your music files. HP Tunes is designed to work with the Apple iTunes program in your All Programs menu, and My Music is designed to work with the Windows Media Player program.

HP Tunes

With HP Tunes, you can play your favorite music you have added to your iTunes music Library. For more information about using HP Tunes, see “Using HP Tunes with Media Center” on page 54.

Playing Music Files

When a CD is in your drive, it takes longer to open HP Tunes. Also, you must be in HP Tunes to play your iTunes music files from within Media Center. If you leave this area, your music files stop playing.

My Music

With My Music, you can find and play your favorite music files and CDs you have added to the Windows Media Player Library. For more information about using My Music, see “Using My Music with Media Center” on page 58.

Playing Music Files 53

For more information on using the iTunes program, refer to the HP Support Web site at: http://www.hp.com/

support

If your songs do not appear in HP Tunes, make sure your songs are added to the iTunes music Library. You may need to close and open Media Center to update your display.

Using HP Tunes with Media Center

iTunes is an Apple-developed software program located in your All Programs menu that works together with the HP Tunes area in Media Center. HP Tunes is linked to your Apple iTunes music Library. Both programs work together to organize and play back your favorite music files, CDs, and created playlists.

Some tasks you must do in the iTunes program with your mouse and keyboard, and some tasks you can do from within Media Center with your remote control. For example, you must add music files to the iTunes music Library before you can access them in HP Tunes in Media Center. Also, you can record your playlists to CDs in the iTunes program but not in Media Center.

HP Tunes menu in Media Center

Adding Music to the iTunes music Library

To create your iTunes music Library, you can import music files from a CD, download iTunes music files from the iTunes Music Store or the Internet, or import them from your hard disk drive.

Adding music files from a CD in iTunes

1 With your mouse, click Start

on the Windows taskbar, choose All Programs, iTunes, and then click iTunes.

2 Insert an audio CD. 3 Select your CD under the Source menu.

4 Make sure the songs you want to add to your

library are selected. A check mark appears next to the song when it is selected.

5 Click the Import icon in the

toolbar to bring the songs into the library.

54 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Adding music files from the Internet

For more information about downloading music from the iTunes Music store, refer to the Help menu in the iTunes program.

1 Connect to the Internet. 2 Follow the online instructions to download

your songs. If songs are downloaded from the iTunes Music Store, they appear in your iTunes music Library.

3 If songs are downloaded to your desktop,

drag them into the iTunes music Library. If the files are in an unprotected .wma format, they are encoded into .aac files by default (or into the importing format you select from the Preferences menu) and placed into the library.

Adding music files from your hard disk drive

If the music file is in another format, iTunes will automatically convert the file to the .aac format before it adds it to your iTunes music Library.

1 Click Start on the taskbar,

choose All Programs, iTunes, and then click iTunes.

4 To change your import format:

a Click the Edit menu, and then select

Preferences.

b Select the Importing tab.

c Select the Import Using drop-down

menu, and then select an import format.

5 Select Library. Songs are listed

alphabetically or by the sort order of the library column heading you select.

2 Click the File menu, and then select Add File

to Library. Click the drop-down arrow to

browse for your music files. Select your file, and then click Open.

If your songs are listed as track numbers instead of names, make sure the PC is connected to the Internet so iTunes can look up the song and album names.

MP3 files are the most compatible music file format for playing back on most PCs and other audio playback devices.

Using supported music file types

You can play the following types of digital audio files in iTunes. By default, iTunes converts several file types to .aac files when you import them into the iTunes music Library.

Some file types, such as protected .wma files and other proprietary file types, are not able to be played in iTunes.

Media Center cannot play .aac files from My Music.

With iTunes, you can share .mp3, .aiff, .wav, and .aac files between other computers on a local network.

File extension File type

.aac Apple Lossless

Encoder

.aiff Apple Compressed

Encoded

.wav Windows audio file

.mp3 Audio files

You ca n s elec t Media Center as the default player for any of the listed file types. Refer to iTunes Help for information about supported file types.

Playing Music Files 55

For more information about music file compatibility with iTunes, go to the iTunes Help menu.

Changing song name, genre, artist, or album in iTunes

For more information about changing name, genre, artist, or album information with iTunes, refer to the Help menu in the iTunes program.

Playing CDs with HP Tunes

When you insert a CD that has not been added to your iTunes music Library, it will be listed under Playlists or Albums. If it has been added to your library, it will be displayed under Songs, Albums, Artists, or Genres.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select HP Tunes.

2 Insert a CD. 3 Select Playlists or Albums.

4 Scroll through the displayed playlists or

albums, and then select your CD title. If the songs on this CD were not added to your music library, this playlist or album will disappear when you eject the CD.

Creating a Playlist with iTunes

A playlist is a customized list of songs that you saved together and can play later or record to CD. Using playlists, you can group various digital music files together and determine the order in which you

If your playlist does not appear in HP Tunes, make sure your songs are in your iTunes music Library. You may need to close and open Media Center to update your display.

want the files to play.

You can create a playlist that includes several tracks from various CDs or even a playlist that contains background music for a slide show.

You can use iTunes or HP Tunes in Media Center to create playlists.

56 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

1 Click Start on the taskbar,

choose All Programs, iTunes, and then click iTunes again.

2 Click File, and then select New Playlist.

3 Type a name for your playlist.

4 Select Library.

5 Drag your music files from the library to your

Playlist icon.

6 Select the Playlist icon to check whether

your songs were added. Your playlist is now available in the HP Tunes area of Media Center.

Creating and Editing a New Playlist with HP Tunes

A queue (or Now Playing) list is a temporary list of songs that are scheduled to be played in the order they were selected. A queue list acts like a group of songs you select to play on a jukebox. You can continue to add songs, or you can delete songs from your queue list. You also have the option of saving your queue list as a playlist.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select HP Tunes.

2 Select Songs. 3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

select a song, and then press OK on the remote control to place a check mark next to the song.

5 Press the Back button on the remote control to

return to the now playing list. Click View Now Playing List and then Edit Now Playing List to select songs to move or

delete.

Repeat steps 2 through 4 to add more songs to your queue list.

4 Select Add to Now Playing List, and then

select OK.

Once you create a queue list, you can save it as a playlist that you can play again and again.

Creating Music CDs with iTunes

To create a music CD using iTunes:

1 With your mouse, click Start on the Windows

taskbar, choose All Programs, select iTunes, and then click iTunes.

2 Click the Edit menu, and select

Preferences.

3 Click the Burning tab, and choose Audio

CD as the disc format.

4 Click the Use Sound Check check box if

you would like all songs on the CD to play at the same volume level, and click OK.

5 Click the File pull-down menu, and select

New Playlist.

6 Enter a name for your new playlist, and an

empty playlist window opens.

7 Drag and drop selected songs from your

source to your new playlist.

8 Select your playlist. 9 Click the Burn Disc icon in the

toolbar area. When the disc is finished recording, the Burn Disc icon disappears.

10 Insert a blank CD-R disc into your drive

(double-layer DVD+R discs are not compatible).

11 Click Burn Disc to begin recording your

playlist.

For more information about creating music CDs with iTunes, click the Help menu in the iTunes menu bar. For help online, go to:

http://www.hp.com/support

iTunes music files cannot be recorded to double-layer DVD media.

IMPORTANT: HP supports the lawful use of technology and does not endorse or encourage the use of our products for purposes other than those permitted by copyright law.

Playing Music Files 57

You can store your music files in the My Music folder or in other folders on your hard disk drive, but you need to add those files to the Windows Media Player Library for Media Center to be able to find and play them.

Using My Music with Media Center

You can copy digital music files and organize a music library by using My Music in Media Center or by using the Windows Media Player program.

Music files that are added from within My Music in Media Center are copied into the Windows Media Player Library and are then accessible from within Media Center.

In My Music you can:

■ Play CDs or selected music tracks from your

created Windows Media Player Library that you access in Media Center.

■ Select and edit a personalized queue list of

songs from your library.

■ Delete songs from a music library or

queue list.

■ Burn your favorite songs to CDs.

■ Back up your music tracks to a DVD or to an

HP Personal Media Drive.

My Music menu in Media Center

58 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Adding Music to My Music Library

When you add music files to your My Music library, they are placed into the music library in Windows Media Player. The added music files can immediately be found and played back by using My Music in Media Center.

Adding music files from your hard disk drive

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select My Music.

2 Press the More Information button on the

remote control, and select Add Music.

3 Select Add folders, and then select Next. 4 Select Add folders on this computer,

and then select Next.

5 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

select a location. Press the OK button to expand a folder. When you find the folder that contains your music folder, select it by making sure an arrow appears next to the folder. Repeat this step to add additional folders, and then select Next and then select Finish.

You can also add music files to your music library from within the Windows Media Player program. For more information about adding and deleting music files to the library, use the Windows Media Player Help menu.

Playing Music Files 59

Each time you add music files outside of Windows Media Player, you must use the Tools menu to add music files to your Windows Media Player Library for Media Center to find them.

Adding music files from a CD

To add the CD tracks to your Media Center music library:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select

My Music.

2 Insert a CD into the CD drive. 3 Select Albums. 4 Select the Album CD you want to add to your

music library.

5 Select Copy CD. The first time you copy a

music CD you must select your copy-protection option, and then follow any onscreen instructions.

6 Select Yes to begin copying tracks to your

music library. This process may take several minutes, depending on the length of your music tracks.

7 Click OK.

Deleting music files from the My Music library

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select

My Music.

2 Select Songs. 3 Use the arrow buttons on your remote control

to scroll through your songs. Select the song you want to delete, and then press OK on the remote control.

4 Select Delete, and then select Yes.

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Using supported music file types

You can play the following types of digital audio files in My Music. Refer to Windows Media Player Help for more information about supported file types.

Playing Music Files in My Music

When you first open Media Center and open the My Music window, you may not find any music files listed unless there is a music CD in your CD drive or unless you have already added audio files to your Windows Media Player Library.

When you copy music files using Windows Media Player and your computer is connected to the Internet, the CD information is copied and displayed in Media Center and in the Windows Media Player Library.

If you insert a music CD when Media Center is not open, a message appears asking what you want to do. You can select Windows Media Player as your default audio player. If you have another program set as the default audio player, Windows opens the program and begins playing the CD.

File extension File type

.cda CD audio

.wav Windows audio file

.mp3, .m3u MP3

.asx, .wm, .wma, .wmv, .wmp, .wmx

Windows Media audio files

For more information about music file formats, use Windows Media Player Help and Media Center Help.

Only supported audio file types are displayed in the My Music window. Unsupported files will not play.

You can place all your music files into the My Music folder or into other folders on your hard disk drive, but you need to add those files to the Windows Media Player Library for Media Center to be able to find and play them.

Playing Music Files 61

You ca n s elec t Visualize in the Now Playing window to see a visualization while you play a music track.

Playing an album in My Music

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Music. 3 Insert a music CD into the CD drive. 4 Select Albums. 5 Select the album you want to play. 6 Select Play.

Playing a song in My Music

You can play a song from anywhere in My Music. You can select it from the View Song list, or from the Album, Artist, and Genre lists. You can also play a single song from a playlist:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Music. 3 Select Songs. The list displays all the songs in

your library.

4 Use the arrow buttons to select a song, and

then press OK on the remote control to play it.

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Creating a Queue List in My Music

A queue list is a temporary list of songs that is created in My Music as you select songs, albums, or playlists to play. You can continue to add songs or you can delete songs from your queue list.

You can create a queue list and save it as a playlist that you can access in Media Center.

1 From the My Music window:

■ Select Songs, use the arrow keys to select

a song you want, and then select Add to Queue.

2 Use the Back button on the remote control to

go back to the Songs, Albums, or Playlists menu if you want to select more songs to add to your queue list. Repeat step 1.

3 After you add the last song for your queue list,

■ Select Albums or Playlists, select an

album or a playlist, and then select Add to Queue to add the entire album or

playlist to the queue.

Finding and Playing an Album in My Music

1 In the Media Center Start menu, select My

Music, and then select Albums.

select Play. All songs in your queue list are played in the order you have selected them.

■ Shuffle to rearrange the play order.

■ Repeat to play the album again.

2 Use the arrow buttons to select an album, and

then press OK on the remote control. You can also press Play on the remote control to play the album. The Now Playing window opens, and the album starts playing.

3 In the Play window, you can also select:

■ View Cover to view cover art and play

one track.

■ View Queue to view an ordered list of all

tracks that will be played on the album.

■ Copy CD to copy an album into your

Media Library.

■ Buy Music to connect to the Internet, find

CD information, and buy music CDs. To go back to Media Center, press Start on the remote control.

■ Visualize to view a picture while listening

to a song.

4 To return to the previous window, press Back

on the remote control.

When you select Buy Music, your Internet browser opens the Microsoft Web site. Here you will find information about the artist or album you are currently listening to or similar artists. You have the option to purchase CDs.

Playing Music Files 63

Creating a Playlist in My Music

A playlist is a customized list of songs you can keep to play later or record to CD. Using playlists, you can group various digital music files together and determine the order in which you want the files to play.

You can create a playlist that includes several tracks from various CDs or even a playlist that contains background music for a slide show.

You can create playlists in Windows Media Player or from within Media Center.

To create a playlist:

If your PC is connected to the Internet, the CD track titles and cover art appear in Media Center.

1 Select My Music, and then select either

Albums, Artists, Playlists, Songs, or Genres.

2 Use the arrow buttons to navigate to the music

you want to add to your playlist.

3 Press OK to select a song. 4 Select Add To Queue. A confirmation

displays that the music was added to the list of music in the queue.

5 Select the inset window in the lower-left corner

to go to the Queue.

6 On the Queue screen, select Edit Queue,

and then select Save As Playlist.

7 Use the numeric keypad to enter a name for

the playlist, and then select Save.

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Copying Music Files to CD in My Music

To copy your music files to CD:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and select More Programs.

2 Insert a blank CD-R disc. 3 Select Create CD/DVD. 4 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

select the Untitled text box.

5 Use the numeric keypad buttons on the remote

control to enter a name for your CD, and then select OK.

6 Select Music. 7 Select the music files to record. A check mark

appears next to the song when it is selected. Use the Back button on the remote control to select more songs from different menus.

8 When you are finished adding songs, select

View CD to see the songs you have selected.

If you want to delete songs, use the arrow buttons on the remote control to select the X next to the song you want to delete. Press OK on the remote control to delete the song from your list of songs to be recorded to CD. This does not delete the song from your library.

IMPORTANT: HP supports the lawful use of technology and does not endorse or encourage the use of our products for purposes other than those permitted by copyright law.

9 Select Create CD.

10 Select Ye s.

Playing Music Files 65

Deleting music files from the My Music library

To delete your music files:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select

My Music.

2 Select Songs.

Editing song and album information

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select My Music.

2 Select the song or album you want to edit. 3 Select Edit Info.

Selecting a Visualization

To select which visualization to display when you play a song:

3 Use the arrow buttons on your remote control

to scroll through your songs. Select song you want to delete and then press OK on the remote control.

4 Select Delete.

5 Select Yes.

4 Use the arrow buttons and the numeric

keypad on the remote control to enter new information about the song or album.

5 Select Save.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, select Settings.

2 Select Music. 3 Select Visualization Options.

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4 Use the arrow buttons to select the

visualization settings you want, and then press OK on the remote control change the setting.

5 Select Save.

Use the HP Image Zone Plus and My Pictures areas in Media Center to view and print your pictures.

HP Image Zone Plus

HP Image Zone Plus is a a software program located in your All Programs menu that works together with the HP Image Zone Plus area in Media Center. Both programs work together to organize, search for, and display your digital images. It is designed to organize your photos, scanned images, and video clips by date, keyword, or place. For more information about using HP Image Zone Plus, see “Using HP Image Zone Plus in Media Center” on page 68.

Working with Pictures

My Pictures

With My Pictures, you can view and print your pictures from the folders you create in the My Pictures directory in Windows Explorer. For more information about using My Pictures, see “Using My Pictures in Media Center” on page 76.

Working with Digital Images

You can connect a digital image source, such as a digital camera or a digital video camera, directly to the PC or through a docking station. Most digital picture files you copy or download from the device appear in the My Pictures folder.

You can copy digital picture files from the memory cards used by digital cameras and other digital imaging devices by using the memory card reader (select models only).

Working with Pictures 67

For specific details on using the HP Image Zone Plus program, click the Help link in the control area of the program window.

Using HP Image Zone Plus in Media Center

Some tasks you must do in the HP Image Zone Plus program on your desktop with your mouse and keyboard, and some tasks you can do from within Media Center with your remote control. For example, you must add your pictures to the HP Image Zone Plus program on the desktop before you can access them in the HP Image Zone Plus area in Media Center.

HP Image Zone Plus menu in Media Center

Organizing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus

The HP Image Zone Plus program and Media Center work together. Before you can view and search for your pictures in Media Center, you have to set some things up in HP Image Zone Plus program.

To start organizing your pictures in HP Image Zone Plus:

1 Create your image catalog. This indexes all

of your pictures so you can assign dates, keywords, and places to your files. See “Creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone Plus” on page 70.

2 Assign dates, keywords and places to your

pictures. See “Modifying a date assigned to your pictures” on page 71, “Assigning a keyword to your pictures” on page 71, and “Assigning a place to your pictures” on page 72.

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HP Image Zone Plus window

3 You can edit your images from this window

too. See “Editing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus” on page 74.

4 When you have finished organizing your

images, open Media Center to view, play a slide show, and search for your photos by the labels you have established. See “Searching for pictures in HP Image Zone Plus” on page 72.

For more information about changing picture dates, assigning keywords and locations, and performing searches of your pictures, go to the help files inside the HP Image Zone Plus program.

HP Image Zone Plus window in Media Center

Working with Pictures 69

You can click Go to My Pictures at the top of the HP Image Zone Plus window to open the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer.

Creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone Plus

The first time you open the HP Image Zone Plus program, a message appears asking you if you want to create a catalog by indexing images in the My Pictures folder and its subfolders. This catalog allows you to search for your pictures by date, keyword, or place by using HP Image Zone Plus.

1 Using the mouse, double-click the

HP Image Zone Plus icon on

your desktop.

Click Start on the taskbar, choose All Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone Plus. The HP Image Zone Plus window

opens.

3 At the top of the gallery window, click the My

Images tab (A), and then click the Select All check box below it to see all of the images

in the catalog. You can also select a drive under the Folders Menu (B) to browse for images.

4 Click Help at the bottom of the window for

more information about creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone Plus.

2 When the catalog message appears, click

OK to index the PC images and place them in

the HP Image Zone Plus catalog.

A Mode tabs are used to choose a

work area.

B The Preferences button is used to

customize HP Image Zone Plus and change some tab settings.

70 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

C Gallery of images.

D Selection tray displays images that you

have selected.

Creating albums

You can organize your pictures into albums by using the HP Image Zone Plus program. After you create your picture albums in HP Image Zone Plus, you can then view them in Media Center.

To create an album:

1 Using your mouse, double-click the

HP Image Zone Plus icon on the desktop.

2 Click the My Images tab.

4 Click Albums under View/Search. 5 Click Albums, and then select New

Album.

After you create your picture albums in the HP Image Zone Plus program, you can then view them in Media Center.

3 Select the pictures that you want to place into

an album.

Modifying a date assigned to your pictures

Digital cameras and scanners assign a creation date to digital images. HP Image Zone Plus automatically recognizes this creation date and organizes your pictures by date.

To change a date:

1 Using your mouse, double-click the

HP Image Zone Plus icon on the desktop.

2 Click the My Images tab, and then click the

All by Date under View/Search.

Assigning a keyword to your pictures

1 Using your mouse, double-click the

HP Image Zone Plus icon on the desktop.

2 Click the My Images tab, and then click All

by Keyword.

3 Select your picture by clicking it. You can

select more than one picture, if desired.

4 Click My Selections Menu, at the bottom

of the window, choose Keywords, and then click Assign to All (New Keyword).

6 To change the title of the album, just select it

and type in a title using your keyboard. You can now view your albums in Media Center.

3 Select a picture to assign a new date. 4 Select a date, and then click Set.

5 Select a keyword from the available keywords

list, and then use the arrow button to add the keyword to the Assign to all box. Click Assign, and then click OK.

Click New, type in a keyword, and then click OK. The new keyword is added to the

keyword list. Use the arrow button to add the keyword to the Assign to all box.

You ca n a ssig n more than one keyword. You ca n a lso e d it or delete assigned keywords.

Working with Pictures 71

Assigning a place to your pictures

There are multiple ways to move around the HP Image Zone Plus map: you can click and drag or point and click the small globe.

You must open the HP Image Zone Plus program from the desktop to assign dates, keywords, and places to your pictures.

1 Using your mouse, double-click the

HP Image Zone Plus icon on the desktop.

2 Click the My Images tab, and then click the

All by Place under View/Search.

3 Select your picture by clicking it. You can

select more than one picture, if desired.

4 Click Assign, and then click Assign again.

Searching for pictures in HP Image Zone Plus

You can search for pictures by date, keyword, and place by using your remote control or mouse in Media Center. HP Image Zone Plus automatically organizes your pictures by date, based on the date assigned by the camera when the picture was taken or the date the picture was scanned.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select Search. 4 Select By date. Use the number keypad on

the remote to enter the start and end date range. The date range of the pictures you selected is displayed in this window.

5 Click the map to find your location. Each time

you click the map, it zooms in closer. Use the arrow buttons surrounding the map to move around on the map. When your location is in the center of the cross symbol, click Assign.

6 Click OK.

7 Click Close.

Select By keyword. Select a keyword, and then press OK on the remote control.

Select By place. Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to rotate the globe and numbers 1 through 5 to zoom in or out. When you have picked a location, press OK. Locations that have pictures assigned to them will have a colored dot on the map.

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Viewing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus

Viewing a slide show in HP Image Zone Plus

When viewing images, you can view a slide show of all your images, individual albums, or pictures selected from a search.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select the pictures you want to view as a slide

show, and then press OK. If you do not select the pictures you want to view as a slide show, Media Center displays all pictures.

Viewing a slide show with music in HP Image Zone Plus

1 Select My Music on the Media Center

Start menu.

4 Select Play slide show, and then press OK

on the remote control.

5 Use the media playback keys on the remote

control or the controls that appear at the top of the window to control the playback of your slide show.

4 Select HP Image Zone. 5 Select the pictures, and then press OK.

2 Select the music you want, and then press OK

on the remote control. If the music does not start automatically, press the Play button on the remote control.

6 Select Play slide show, and then press OK.

When Media Center switches to full-screen mode, the inset window disappears but the music continues to play.

3 To go back to the Media Center Start menu,

press Start on the remote control.

Working with Pictures 73

Changing view and slide-show options

You can change the way pictures are displayed:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

4 Select your settings. Use the scroll arrows at

the bottom of the window to view all the setting options.

2 Select HP Image Zone.

5 Select OK.

3 Select Settings.

Editing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus

You can make changes to your pictures and video clips in HP Image Zone Plus. Some of the editing features include removing red eye, cropping or resizing images, rotating images, and adjusting the color, brightness, and sharpness of your images.

Updating edited picture files in Media Center

After you make edits to your picture files, you need to update the files before they can be displayed correctly in Media Center. To update the files:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

For more information about the editing tools, refer to the Help menu in the HP Image Zone Plus program.

4 Under Thumbnail options, select Refresh,

and then select OK.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select Settings.

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5 Select View all images. Your edited

pictures should now be displayed.

Using supported picture file types with HP Image Zone Plus

HP Image Zone Plus supports the following types of image files, video files, and audio files.

File extension

.jpg, .jpeg Joint Photographic Experts

.tif, .tiff Tagged Image File Format

.gif Graphics Interchange Format

.bmp Bitmap

.fpx FlashPix Bitmap

.pcx Bitmap Graphics

.pdf Portable Document Format

.png Portable Network Graphics

File type

Group

(PC Paintbrush)

■ Only supported image file types are displayed

in My Pictures. Unsupported files are skipped in a slide show.

■ Corrupted and unsupported image file types

display a generic image icon but cannot be displayed in Media Center.

■ Some file types are supported only if

appropriate filters and software are installed.

Printing Pictures in HP Image Zone Plus

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select the picture group you want to

print from.

4 Select Print images.

If the message Image cannot be displayed

appears, the file may be corrupted, or it may be an unsupported file type. You may need to edit your image with a photo editor and save it in a supported file format.

You cannot use the Print button on the remote control in HP Image Zone Plus.

5 Select the picture you want to print. 6 Select Print. Follow any onscreen

instructions.

You need to set up your printer before you can print from Media Center.

Working with Pictures 75

Using My Pictures in Media Center

My Pictures is a folder on your hard disk drive in the My Documents folder, and it is a Media Center menu item that allows you to view and search for your digital images by using the remote control or the keyboard and mouse.

My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer

It provides all the tools you need for viewing, organizing, editing, printing, sharing, and protecting your digital images.

My Pictures menu in Media Center

76 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

Organizing Pictures in My Pictures

For Media Center to find and display your pictures, they can be stored in several places:

■ The My Pictures folder on your

computer.

■ The Shared Pictures folder on your

computer, which allows you to share your pictures with others.

■ Other removable media such as a memory

card, a DVD, or a CD.

When you save pictures from your digital camera or scanner to your computer, Windows automatically stores them in the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer unless you manually store them in another place.

Before opening Media Center and viewing your pictures, you may want to spend some time organizing your pictures by creating picture folders in the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer.

Adding Pictures to My Pictures

Adding picture files from your hard disk drive

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select My Pictures.

2 Press the More Information button on the

remote control and select Add Pictures.

■ Each user has a

separate My Pictures folder that can be opened only by that person. You can share pictures by storing them in the Shared Pictures folder.

■ When you

download pictures from the Internet, you can use the browser in Windows Explorer to place your pictures in the My Pictures folder.

3 Select Add folders, and then select Next. 4 Select Add folders on this computer,

and then select Next.

5 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

select a location. Press the OK button to expand a folder. When you find the folder that contains your picture folder, select it by making sure an arrow appears next to the folder. Repeat this step to add additional folders, and then select Next.

6 Select Finish.

Working with Pictures 77

From the My Pictures menu, you can select Settings to:

■ Select a slide

transition, slide time delay, and a background color.

■ Include picture

folders you have created.

■ Show captions.

■ Display your

pictures randomly.

■ Show song

information during slide show.

Viewing Pictures in My Pictures

After you organize your pictures in the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer, open Media Center to view your pictures:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Pictures. The right side of the

window shows a small picture image (thumbnail) and, if you have organized your pictures into folders, folder icons. The pictures are displayed just as you organized them in the My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer.

3 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

move through your picture files and folder files, and select a picture.

4 Press OK to select a picture or folder to view.

The selected picture opens in full-screen mode.

5 Press OK again to zoom in 150%; press OK

again to zoom in 225%. Press the arrow buttons to pan across a picture. To return the picture to the original size, press OK a third time.

Viewing pictures as a slide show

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select the folder of pictures you want to view

as a slide show, and then press OK.

4 Select Play Slide Show, and then

press OK.

5 Press the More Information button on

the remote control, and then select Picture Details. The picture name, location on the PC, last modification date and resolution appear, if available.

78 HP Media Center PC Reference Guide

6 Press the Back button to go to a previous

picture. Use the arrow buttons to display the next or previous pictures.

If you do not select the pictures you want to view as a slide show, Media Center uses the first folder listed. If you have picture files that are not stored in folders you created, Media Center plays all files stored in the My Pictures folder.

Viewing a slide show with music in My Pictures

1 Select My Music on the Media Center

Start menu.

4 Select My Pictures. 5 Select the folder of pictures, and then

2 Select the music you want, and then press OK

on the remote control. If the music does not start automatically, press the Play button on the remote control.

6 Select Play Slide Show, and then press

3 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control to go back to the Media Center Start menu.

Zooming into and panning across your pictures

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

5 Press OK again to magnify 225%. 6 Once you have zoomed in, you can use the

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select a picture you want to view.

7 Press OK again to return the picture to the

4 Press OK on the remote control once to

magnify 150%.

press OK.

OK. When Media Center switches to fullscreen mode, the inset window disappears but the music continues to play.

arrow buttons on the remote control to pan around the image.

original size.

Sorting pictures

To organize your pictures by date or by name:

1 Select My Pictures on the Media Center

Start menu.

2 Select the folder of pictures you want to sort. If

you want to sort all your pictures, do not select a folder.

3 Select Sort by date or select Sort

by name.

Working with Pictures 79

Use the scroll arrows at the bottom of the picture settings window to view all of the options.

Changing picture settings

Each user can set his or her own picture settings.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings. You may need to select the

scroll arrows on the Start menu to view Settings.

3 Select Pictures. 4 Select an option. Press OK on the remote

control to select a specific setting.

5 When you have selected all of your picture

settings, select Save.

Turning photo captions on or off

A caption displays the file name or title and the date the file was created or edited, whichever is first.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select Settings. 3 Select Pictures. 4 Select the Show caption check box, and

then press OK.

5 Select Save, and then press OK.

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Using supported picture file types in My Pictures

You can view the following types of image files in Media Center.

File extension

.jpg, .jpeg Joint Photographic Experts

.tif, .tiff Tagged Image File Format

.gif Graphics Interchange Format

.bmp Bitmap

.wmf Windows MetaFile

.png Portable Network Graphics

File type

Group

Editing Pictures in My Pictures

Fixing red eye or contrast

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

■ Only supported image file types are displayed

in My Pictures. Unsupported files are skipped in a slide show.

■ Folder icons appear even if the images inside

them cannot be displayed.

■ Corrupted and unsupported image file types

display a generic image icon but cannot be displayed in Media Center.

■ Some file types are supported only if

appropriate filters and software are installed.

If the message Image cannot be displayed

appears, the file may be corrupted or it may be an unsupported file type. You may need to edit your image with a photo editor and save it in a supported file format.

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select the picture you want to edit. 4 Press the More Information button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details.

5 Select Tou ch Up. 6 Select Red Eye or Contrast, and then

press OK.

7 After you select the options you want to fix,

select Save. The picture is displayed with the new settings.

8 Select Yes to save changes and replace the

original picture file.

Working with Pictures 81

Cropping pictures in My Pictures

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and select My Pictures.

2 Select the picture you want to edit. 3 Press the More Information button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details.

4 Select Tou ch Up, and then select Crop. 5 Select the arrows under the picture to move

the picture side to side, up, or down. Select the magnifying glass to move the cropping tool in or out. Select the rotate tool to move the cropping tool to a vertical or horizontal position.

6 After you select the options you want to fix,

select Save. The picture is displayed with the new settings.

Rotating pictures

If your picture appears horizontally or vertically and you want to change the orientation, you can change it in Media Center:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select the picture you want to rotate. 4 Press the More Information button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details.

5 Select Rotate, and then press the OK button

on the remote control.

7 Select Yes to save changes and replace the

original picture file.

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Printing Pictures in My Pictures

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select the picture you want to print. 4 Press the More Information button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details.

5 Select Print, and then select Print again. 6 Follow any onscreen instructions.

You may need to set up your printer before you can print from Media Center.

You can also press the Print button on the remote control.

Setting up your printer

Set up your printer before you try to print your pictures with the remote control.

1 Connect your printer to the PC and install the

printer drivers for your printer, if necessary. Follow the instructions that came with your printer.

2 Click Start on the taskbar, and

then click Printers and Faxes.

Working with Pictures 83

Copying Pictures to CDs and DVDs

In Media Center, all pictures are copied to CDs as .jpg files.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

6 Select Pictures.

7 Select the pictures you want to copy. A check

2 Select More Programs.

mark appears next to a picture when you select it.

3 Insert writable media (CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R,

or DVD+RW) into the drive.

4 Select Create CD/DVD. 5 Select the Untitled area, and enter the name of

your disc by using the numeric keys on the remote control, and then select OK. Use the Clear button to delete letters.

Using the Desktop for Some Picture Tasks

You can use the remote control to display, edit, print, delete, and copy your pictures to CD, but some tasks you must perform with a keyboard and mouse from the desktop. Some of these tasks are:

■ Transferring pictures from an HP digital

camera.

8 Select View CD or View DVD. From here

you can delete a picture, add more pictures, or change the name of your disc.

9 After you have selected all of your pictures,

select Create CD or Create DVD.

10 Select Yes. Media Center displays a message

when your disc has been created.

■ Moving or labeling your picture folders.

■ Uploading and sharing pictures on a

personal Web site.

■ E-mailing pictures.

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The My Videos window in Media Center makes it easy to play home video files you created or video files you downloaded from the Internet.

Playing Videos

In My Videos you can:

■ Play videos that are stored anywhere on your

hard disk drive.

■ Create a CD or DVD of your video files.

■ View your videos in full-screen mode or from

an inset window in Media Center.

■ Display your video details such as the name

and date your video file was modified.

■ View small image (thumbnail) and title of

video file.

Each user has a separate My Videos folder that can be opened only by that person. You can share videos with others by storing them in the Shared Video folder.

Playing Videos 85

Playing Digital Videos in Media Center

After you organize your videos in the My Videos or Shared Video folder in Windows Explorer, open Media Center to watch your videos.

■ Use the mouse to

select the Up arrow and Down arrow at the bottom of the window to scroll to other pages of video files and folders.

■ You can maximize

the media playing in the inset window by using the arrow buttons to select the inset window and then pressing OK on the remote control.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select My Videos. 3 Select the video folder you want, and

then press OK. The video folder opens, displaying a list of video files. You may need to use the scroll arrows at the bottom of the window to display all videos.

4 Select the video file, and press OK again.

The video plays in full-screen mode. Use the mouse to resize the window if you want to watch your video while doing something else on your desktop.

5 To exit full-screen mode and return to the

previous window, press Back on the remote control. Your video continues to play in the inset window.

Using Supported Video File Types

You can view the following types of video files in Media Center. Other file types are supported if your PC has the correct software installed.

6 When the video is finished, select Restart,

and then press OK to replay the video, or select Done to close the file and return to the My Videos window.

For more information about supported video file types, refer to Media Center Help menu.

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File extension File type

.avi Video file

.mpeg, .mpg, .mpe, .m1v, .mp2, .mpv2

.wm, .asf Windows Media file

.wmv Windows Media A/V file

Movie file

Transferring and Recording Video Files

Once you capture your video to the PC by using video capture and editing software, you can use Media Center to find it and add it to your My Videos area.

Recording an analog video file

Refer to “Capturing Analog Video with WinDVD Creator” on page 127 for more information about capturing and recording videos to DVDs or CDs from an analog video camera.

Recording a digital video file

Refer to “Identifying Requirements for Capturing Video with WinDVD Creator” on page 126 and “Capturing Digital Camcorder Video with WinDVD Creator” on page 126 for more information about recording videos to DVDs or CDs from a digital camera.

Creating a CD/DVD from Video Files

To create a CD/DVD from your videos:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Select More Programs.

6 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

7 Select the video file you want to copy, and

3 Insert writable disc (CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, or

DVD+RW), and then select OK.

8 Select Add More if you want to add

4 Select Create CD/DVD.

9 Select View CD or View DVD to check the

5 Select the Untitled area and enter the name of

your disc by using the numeric keys on the remote control, and then select OK. Use the Clear button to delete letters.

10 Select Create CD or Create DVD to begin

select Video, and then select OK.

then select View CD or View DVD.

additional video files to your disc.

contents of your disc before recording them.

recording the disc, and then select Yes.

Playing Videos 87

Organizing Videos

When you attach a digital video camera to your PC, Windows asks you how you want to capture your video. You can choose from various software programs to capture and then edit your video file.

Most programs automatically save your file to the My Videos folder in Windows Explorer. If not, you can move your videos into the My Videos or Shared Video folder in Windows Explorer for Media Center to be able to automatically find them.

Once you have placed all your videos into the My Videos or Shared Video folder, you can rename, add, delete, and organize them into folders.

To organize and store your videos, click Start on the taskbar, click My Documents, and then double-click the My Videos folder.

If you want to share your videos with others, place them in the Shared Video folder. To do this, click Start on the taskbar, click My Documents, click the Shared Documents folder under Other Places, and then double-click the Shared Video folder.

You can rename, add, delete, or organize them into folders.

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Playing a Video Stored on Removable Media

Once you capture your video to the PC by using a video capture and editing software, you can use Media Center to find it and add it to your My Videos area. Media Center does not support playing videos from removable media.

Changing the Display for Better Image Quality

You can use a Media Center wizard and the display controls on your PC monitor or TV to adjust various display settings to improve the quality of the picture.

To adjust your display settings by using the Media Center wizard:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select Settings.

2 Select General, Media Center Setup, and

then select Configure Your TV or Monitor.

3 Follow the onscreen instructions to select your

display type. This wizard allows you to change settings such as onscreen centering and sizing, aspect ratio (shape), brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness.

Creating a Desktop Background from a Video File

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control, and then select My Videos.

2 Select the video you want to capture and then

select Play.

3 Press the Print Screen button on the keyboard

when you find the image you want.

5 Select the Edit menu, and then select Paste. 6 Save the image to your My Pictures folder. 7 Click Start on the desktop, and then click My

Pictures to open your My Pictures folder.

8 Right-click the picture, and then click Set as

Desktop Background.

4 Click Start on the desktop with your mouse,

choose All Programs, Accessories, and then click Paint to open the Paint program.

Playing Videos 89

Adding Digital Videos to My Videos

If you have stored your videos in folders on your hard disk drive, you can find them with Media Center. This links your video to Media Center so you can play them or create a CD or DVD with them.

1 Press the Media Center Start button

on the remote control, and then select My Videos.

2 Select Add Videos to open the Video

Discovery wizard, which helps you to locate other folders where your videos are stored.

3 Select Add folders and then select Next.

Select Add folders on this computer, and then select Next. Make sure a check mark appears next to the selection.

4 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control

to scroll through and select the location of your video folder. Select the drive you want to search, and then select the (+) or (–) next to the drive or folder names by pressing the OK button to display all of the internal folders. If you do not select a folder, Media Center adds all the files and folders. Select Next.

5 Select the folder with your video by selecting

the box on the left side of the folder name and pressing OK on the remote control. Make sure a check mark appears next to the folder, and then select Next.

6 Select Finish.

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Using the More Information Button with My Videos

To display information about the video in Media Center, select a video file, and then press the More Information button on the remote control.

The information includes the:

■ Video title.

■ Video description (if available).

■ Date the video file was created or modified.

■ Resolution setting of the picture.

If you press the More Information (i) button on the remote control while the video is playing, the title and time span or size of the video is displayed at the bottom of the window.

A submenu appears. Use this menu to:

■ Zoom in.

■ Access the instant messenger login screen.

■ Access the Help menu.

If you press the More Information button after you have selected the video file that is not playing, a different menu appears. From this submenu,

you can:

■ Delete the video file from your hard disk drive.

■ Copy to CD/DVD.

■ Get Picture Details.

■ Access the instant messenger login screen.

■ Access the Help menu.

Playing Videos 91

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Watching DVDs in Media Center allows you to control the playback with your remote control. If you play your DVD in another program outside of Media Center, you will not be able to use the remote control.

Playing DVD movies in Media Center

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control.

2 Insert the DVD into the drive. If you have

other media playing, Media Center asks if you want to play the DVD. Select Yes or No. If you do not select an option, the DVD autoplays in full-screen mode after a few seconds.

If the DVD is already in the drive, select Play DVD from the main start menu. The DVD movie begins playing in fullscreen mode.

Playing DVDs

To v ie w m or e information about a DVD that you are watching (such as the DVD title, chapter title, genre, parental rating, length and current position), press the More Information button on the remote control.

3 If a DVD menu appears, use the remote

control or the mouse to select the DVD menu items and control the DVD movie playback.

4 To stop playing the DVD, press Stop on the

remote control.

5 To change the window size while the DVD

movie is playing, move the mouse for the Resize icon to appear.

6 Click the Resize icon on the

taskbar, and then you can manually adjust the window size.

Playing DVDs 93

Changing the DVD Movie Language

To select DVD language settings for subtitles, closed captioning, and viewing the DVD:

1 In the Media Center Start menu, select

Settings.

2 In the Settings window, select DVD. 3 In the DVD Settings window, select

Language.

4 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control

to select (+) or (–). Press OK on the remote control to scroll through the languages available.

5 When you find the one you want, use the

arrow buttons to select Save, and then press OK on the remote control.

6 To return to the main Settings window, press

the Back button.

Changing DVD Audio Settings

To select DVD audio settings for viewing the DVD:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on

the remote control

2 Select Settings. 3 Select DVD.

About playing DVDs

When you open Media Center and then insert a DVD into your drive, there is a delay of a few seconds before the movie begins playing.

Even though Media Center supports closed captioning, subtitles, and multiple languages, these options appear only if the DVD movie includes them.

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4 Select Audio. The Audio Properties window

opens.

5 Using your mouse or keyboard, select your

speaker and sound options, and then click OK.

If your DVD includes its own playback software, Media Center may not open when you insert the DVD.

To watch your DVD in Media Center, cancel the onscreen messages to use the DVD player software, and then open Media Center.

If you have manually resized the Media Center window, the DVD plays in this same window size.

HP m7050e, m7050y, m7060n, m7063w, m7067c Reference Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Welcome

The right music for the moment

Transform your living space into a theater

Share your digital photos

Using Media Center

Using the Remote Control

Watching and Recording TV Programs

Playing Music Files

Working with Pictures

Playing Videos

Recording an analog video file

Recording a digital video file

Playing DVDs