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Playing Video Files ...........................................................105
Watching TV Programs Stored on the
HP Personal Media Drive .............................................. 106
About Recording TV to the HP Personal Media Drive............. 106
Recording TV programs to the
HP Personal Media Drive................................................... 107
Changing the TV recording path to the
HP Personal Media Drive................................................... 107
Changing the TV recording path to the local hard disk drive..108
Disconnecting the HP Personal Media Drive Safely ............... 108
Changing Disk Allocation..................................................109
Updating Recorded TV List after Removing the
HP Personal Media Drive .............................................. 109
System Requirements to View Recorded
TV Programs on Other PCs............................................ 109
Index ....................................................... 111
Table of Contentsv
viHP Media Center PC Software Guide
Experience the Fun of Media Center
Welcome
Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition
2005 lets you do amazing things with your HP
Media Center PC. With a full range of easy-to-use
digital entertainment features, you can experience
TV, movies, music, and photos like never before.
Watch and record live TV
With Media Center you can pause, advance frame
by 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.
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. Combine the powerful
features of your HP Media Center PC with a home
theater receiver to enjoy an even more dynamic
entertainment experience.
Record TV with ease by using the Television Program
Guide (Internet service required) 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.
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
Share your digital memories
Create personalized slideshows with music for
viewing on your TV. Easily edit and create
professional-looking home videos from the comfort
of your couch with the remote control.
viewing experience with a high-quality digital sound
system. Sit back and enjoy the show.
Welco me1
Using Media Center Features
n
If your HP Media
Center PC came with
a rewritable DVD
drive, the drive is
able to read and
record to both
DVD+R/RW and
DVD-R/RW media.
n
Some of the Media
Center features
listed are for select
models only.
Some of the
components listed in
the HP Media Center
PC documentation,
such as speakers, are
optional and sold
separately.
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 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
slideshow 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.
You can run Media Center side-by-side with other
Windows software programs. It’s possible to browse
through your pictures, watch videos, play music,
and even record TV while using other Windows
programs.
■ 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. Instant messaging
(Internet service required) may not be
supported in all countries/regions.
■ Enjoy Media Center remotely (select models
only).
■ Easily back up your media files to CD, DVD,
or another hard disk drive such as the HP
Personal Media Drive (sold separately).
■ Listen to FM radio stations.
■ Access streaming music and video
subscription services. Some music and video
subscription services may not be available in
n
The Television
Program Guide
(Internet service
required) may not be
available in all
countries/regions.
all countries/regions.
2Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
Setting Up Media Center
Using Media Center
The first time you start your HP Media Center PC,
a Media Center setup wizard opens. It is
recommended to complete each step in the Media
Center setup wizard to be able to use all the
features in Media Center. The Media Center setup
Completing the setup wizard steps
If you did not complete the Media Center setup
wizard steps the first time through, you can
complete or change your selections by using the
following procedure. You need to complete all of the
required steps to access all of the Media Center
features.
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings. You may need to use the
arrow buttons on the remote control to scroll
down to see all the menu items.
3 Select General, Media Center Setup, and
then Run Media Center Setup Again.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete
the wizard.
Following are some of the items included in the
setup wizard:
wizard may take approximately 10 to 40 minutes to
complete. If there are steps you still need to
complete, you can go to the Settings menu to do so.
See the following procedure.
n
For the latest
information about
setting up your
HP Media Center PC,
refer to the setup
poster.
n
You must subscribe
with an Internet
service provider (ISP)
to have an Internet
connection.
■ Check for your Internet connection. An
Internet connection allows Media Center to
display information about your music CDs,
DVDs, 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 HP Media
Center PC receives the correct TV signal and
Television Program 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, color,
and centering.
■ Set up your speakers. Select how many
speakers you have and test them.
n
You can change your
Media Center settings
in the Settings menu.
Using Media Center3
Media Center Start Menu
CDEFG
A
B
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
A Access a menu to exit Media Center, to
shut down or to restart the PC, to log
off to end your Media Center session,
to put the PC into standby mode, or to
switch users
Some of the features
listed are for select
models only.
COpen the Media Center Start menu
D Go back one screen
EOpen the Media Center Help
FMinimize the Media Center window
G Resize the Media Center window
H Close the Media Center window
JGo to the Media Center Web site for the
latest Media Center information
K Watch your home videos
4Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
LView digital pictures or play a
slideshow; 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
PFind utilities and programs such as for
instant messaging, video editing, and
creating other menus not shown:
■ HP Image Zone— View digital pictures,
play a slideshow, and print photos
■ HP Tunes — Play music from your iTunes
music Library or from music CDs
■ Play DVD — Watch DVD movies
■ Settings — Change Media Center program
settings
Online Spotlight
Online Spotlight is a link to the Microsoft Web site,
where you can find the latest Media Center
information and media offers and services. This site
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.
is periodically updated by Microsoft. Some of the
services listed may not be available in some
countries/regions.
Your HP Media Center PC must be connected to the
Internet to access the Online Spotlight Web site.
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.
.
Media Center menu bars
When you move the mouse, the Media Center menu
bars appear. These menu bars allow you to access
media controls, Media Center Help, the back screen
arrow, window control icons, and the Media Center
icon that takes you to the main Media Center menu.
When you use the remote control, or when you stop
using the mouse (after 5 seconds), the menu bars
disappear.
n
You can use the
Minimize and Resize
buttons to switch to
the desktop or to run
Media Center side-byside with another
program.
Using Media Center5
Media Center control menu
To access the control menu in Media
Center, move the mouse to display the
menu bars. Select the Shut Down icon
on the main Media Center window.
From this control menu, you can select icons to
perform various actions.
IconAction
Using Instant Messaging in Media Center
Log off and end your
Media Center session
and switch users
Shut down the HP
Media Center PC
Restart the HP Media
Center PC
Put the HP Media
Center PC in a powerreduced state
(standby mode)
Instant messaging may not be supported in all
countries/regions.
Media Center supports instant messaging (Internet
service required) so you can communicate with your
friends and family while you are doing something in
Media Center. You always have the option to turn
this feature on or off.
n
From most areas in
Media Center, you
can press Ctrl+D on
the keyboard or
select a media file
and press the More
Info button on the
remote control to
access the Messenger
login screen.
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.
6Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
You can use your remote control to log in and type
messages. You can even have multiple
conversations.
3 Select More Programs,
and then select the
Messenger icon.
4 Select Sign In.
5 Enter your .NET passport information, and
then 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 slideshows, and for controlling
sound and the display of all the Media Center
windows.
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 Center7
n
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
Television Program 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.
■ DVD to select a language for subtitles, audio
tracks, and menus of your DVDs, program the
Skip and Replay buttons on the remote control
for your DVDs, and select close captioning.
You can also access audio settings for your
speakers.
■ 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 HP
Media Center 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.
n
The Microsoft
Windows XP Media
Center Edition 2005
Reference Guide is for
select models only.
■ Messenger to allow instant messages within
Media Center. Instant messaging may not be
supported in all countries/regions.
■ Radio to organize or delete preset radio
stations.
■ Parental Controls to block unwanted TV
channels and block unwanted TV and
movie ratings, change access code, and
reset parental controls.
■ Automatic Downloads Options to get
media information about CDs, DVDs, and
movies from the Internet.
■ Help to find help about using Media Center
and your hardware.
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. Online Spotlight
may not be available in all countries/regions.
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 the online documentation for your product,
search for your model number, and then click
Manuals.
8Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
Using the Remote Control
(Select models only)
The remote control is designed to work with Media Center. 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 HP Media Center PC.
■ 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.
DVD MENU
RADIO
RECORD
REW
REPLAY
BACK
MUSIC
PLAY
PAUSE
OK
PICTURES
TV
VIDEOS
STOP
FWD
SKIP
MORE
n
The remote control
requires two AA
batteries.
The remote control
operates up to 7.9
meters (26 feet)
away from the
remote sensor.
Make sure there is
nothing blocking the
pathway between
your remote control
and the remote
sensor.
■ Be used as a VCR, DVD player, or stereo remote control.
■ Turn on or off a TV that is connected to your HP Media
Center PC (select models only).
■ Turn on the HP Media Center PC.
VOLUME
MUTE
LIVE TV
PQRS
GUIDE
GHI
*
CLEARENTERPRINT
ABC
JKL
TUV
0
CH/PG
RECORDED TV
DEF
321
MNO
654
WXYZ
987
#
Using the Remote Control9
Remote Control Buttons Overview
The remote control is included with select
models only. Features and location may vary.
A Standby puts the HP Media Center PC into
and out of a power-reduced state.
BDVD 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.
ERecord 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.
FRew (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 HP Media Center 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 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 Television Program Guide.
PClear deletes the last character entered.
QTV opens the My TV window.
RPictures opens the My Pictures window.
SVideos 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.
N
G
M
O
A
B
DVD MENU
C
RADIO
MUSIC
PICTURES
D
RECORD
PLAY
E
REW
F
REPLAY
PAUSE
TV
VIDEOS
STOP
FWD
SKIP
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
H
J
BACK
MORE
X
Y
K
L
VOLUME
OK
CH/PG
Z
MUTE
AA
GHI
GUIDE
RECORDED TV
ABC
JKL
TUV
*
DEF
321
MNO
654
WXYZ
987
0
#
BB
CC
DD
LIVE TV
PQRS
P
CLEARENTERPRINT
EE
10Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
X More information (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.
Z CH/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.
w
If you turn off
(shut down) your HP
Media Center PC,
Media Center will not
record a scheduled TV
program. The HP
Media Center PC must
be turned on or in
standby mode to
record TV programs.
n
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 don’t want
to be disturbed.
The HP Media Center
PC will not
automatically go into
standby mode if
Media Center is open.
It is recommended
that you close Media
Center before you
manually place
the HP Media Center
PC in standby mode.
Using the Remote Control11
12Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
Watching and Recording TV Programs
Watch live TV or record your favorite shows for later
playback. Use the Television Program 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:
n
Digital video
recording features
and the Television
Program Guide are
for select models
only.
■ 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
wasn’t 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 Television Program
Guide (Internet service required) 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: 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.
n
The Movies online
information feature is
available for some
countries/regions.
Watching and Recording TV Programs13
n
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
Windows Media
Center by pressing
the Live TV button on
the remote control.
While in the Guide,
you can select a
channel to see
upcoming programs
for that channel, by
pressing the arrow
buttons 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 PC 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.
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
the numeric keypad on the
remote control, and then press
OK 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.
14Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
i
■ 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.
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 automatically
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. To record
a program longer than the 30 minutes, you must
select to record the program.
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.
n
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
when you select to
record the program.
n
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.
n
The digital video
recording features
are for select models
only.
Watching and Recording TV Programs15
Using the remote control in My TV
ButtonAction
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 a 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 Program
Guide.
To play a recorded TV program or to resume watching a program after
pressing the Pause, Fast-Forward, Rewind, Replay, or Skip buttons, press Play.
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 (TV)To maximize the TV viewing window to full-screen mode, press Live TV. Also, to
advance to the end of the pause buffer and resume watching the live TV
broadcast, press Live TV.
More
information
i
CH/PGTo move to the next channel or page in the Television Program Guide, press the
GuideTo op en th e Tele visi on P r ogr am Gu ide, press Guide. When in the Guide
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.
window, press 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.
16Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
Using the Television Program Guide
The Television Program Guide (Internet service
required) is a service contracted by Microsoft that
provides TV listings information, such as channel,
network, program title, summary, and scheduled
broadcast times. This service is currently not
available in some countries/regions.
In countries/regions where the Guide is not
available, refer to “Using Media Center without the
Guide” on page 17, and see “Recording programs
without the Guide” on page 25 for more
information about recording TV programs.
Using Media Center without the Guide
Before using Media Center, it is important to
complete the Media Center setup wizard. This takes
you through steps to identify your TV signal source
and scan for channels you are able to receive from
your TV provider. By scanning for channels, you can
manually select TV programs to watch and record,
even if your country/region is unable to download
the TV listings information of the Guide listed above.
The Television Program Guide data may not be
available in your country/region. You can still
record TV programs without a Guide; see
“Recording programs without the Guide” on
page 25.
Using the 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. 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.
If you have already completed the setup wizard, but
want to change your settings or scan for TV
channels again:
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, General, Media Center
Setup, and then Run Media Center
Setup Again.
3 Follow the onscreen instructions to scan for
your channels.
n
Your H P M edia Ce n ter
PC requires a
connection to the
Internet to access the
Guide.
Watching and Recording TV Programs17
n
The Television
Program Guide is not
available in all
countries/regions.
Television Program Guide errors
If there is no Guide data available when you try to
download or search for Guide information, the
following messages may appear:
■ Download Incomplete: We were unable to
locate any Television Program Guide
information for the following reason: Guide
data is not available for the country or region
setting you selected in the Control Panel
Settings.
■ Search in My TV is unavailable because there
is no Guide information.
■ The current lineup and/or location selected
for the Guide is not supported.
■ The Guide information is either missing or
corrupt.
w
Make sure the HP
Media Center PC is
connected to the
Internet and Media
Center is properly set
up before you try to
change the Guide
settings.
n
When you select a
channel and then
press OK on the
remote control, you
can view up to two
weeks of
programming
information. Use the
scroll arrows at the
bottom of the
window.
■ No data available.
■ Channel information is currently not available.
If you receive any of these messages, then the Guide
data is not available in your country/region, and
you cannot use Television Program Guide features.
Check back periodically to see if Guide data has
been provided.
Viewing the Television Program Guide
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 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.
18Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software 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.
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
Your HP Media Center PC must have a connection to
the Internet and you must select a TV listings
provider in the Media Center Setup Wizard before
you can use and download the Guide information.
You can set up Media Center to download the
Guide information when you connect to the Internet,
or you can select to manually download the Guide.
i
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, General, Automatic
Download Options, and then:
■ Download when connected: Connect
to the Internet, and Media Center
automatically downloads the Guide.
Or
■ 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 Program 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.
.
n
If your HP Media
Center PC has a
digital subscriber line
(DSL) connection, your
HP Media Center PC is
always connected.
The Guide is
downloaded at a
specified time every
few days. The
download interval
varies, depending on
the ISP.
n
No data available
appears next to each
channel if the Guide
has not been
downloaded. This can
occur if the HP Media
Center PC does not
have an Internet
connection or if there
is no service
available in your
country/region.
Watching and Recording TV Programs19
Manually downloading the Guide
1 Press the Media Center Start
button on the remote
control.
2 Select Settings, TV, Guide,
and 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.
Adding a postal code to receive the correct Guide
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and Set Up
Guide Listings.
3 Click Next, and follow the onscreen
instructions.
Adding missing channels to the Guide
Some program channels may not appear in the
Guide. To add the names and numbers of the
channels that are missing or to change the
association between channel numbers and lineups:
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then Add
Missing Channels to add the names and
numbers of the channels you are missing.
3 Click Add Channel.
4 Enter your postal code, and select Next
for Media Center to determine which
TV/Program Guide listings are available
for your country/region.
5 Follow the onscreen instructions.
4 Use the numeric keypad on your keyboard to
enter the number of the missing channel, and
select Next.
5 Enter the correct channel number, and
select Add.
6 Select Assign channel to assign a new
channel number.
20Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
Or
Select Share channel to share the channel
with another channel.
7 Click Save to add the channel.
.
Editing channels in the Guide
Some program channels may not appear correctly
in the Guide information. To edit the channel
numbers that are incorrect for your TV provider
information:
8 Repeat steps 3 through 7 to add additional
channels.
9 Click Done when you have added all the
channels.
5 Select Assign channel to assign a new
channel number.
Or
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then Edit
Channels to edit the channel numbers
currently assigned by Media Center.
3 Select Edit Numbers.
4 Use the numeric keypad on your keyboard to
enter the number of the correct channel, and
then press OK on the remote control.
Removing channels from the Guide
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control.
2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then Edit
Channels to remove the channels you do not
want to appear in the Guide.
3 Select the check next to a channel you want to
remove, and then press the OK button on the
remote control to remove the channel from the
lineup.
Select Share channel to share the channel
with another channel.
6 Click Save when you have edited all the
channels.
7 If you need to go back to the channel numbers
automatically assigned by Media Center,
select Restore Default.
4 Select Save when you have selected all the
channels to be removed from the Guide.
Watching and Recording TV Programs21
n
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.
n
Guide filtering
features, such as
searching by
keyword or category,
are available for
select models only.
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.
Or
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 To scroll through search results, use the arrow
buttons to select a program, and then press
OK. If multiple times for the program are
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.
22Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software Guide
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 Programs23
Recording TV Programs
w
If you turn off
(shut down) your HP
Media Center PC,
Media Center will not
record a scheduled
program. The HP
Media Center PC must
be turned on or in
standby mode to
record a TV program.
The HP Media Center
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.
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 HP Media Center PC has two TV tuners
that have the same type of TV signal input (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 TV from the Guide
To record a current or future program or series from
the Guide:
Recording icons
The Record icon appears in the
Television Program Guide next to
the program scheduled to record.
The Record Series icon appears
in the Television Program 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 Television
Program 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 won’t record duplicate episodes. Media
Center also looks for alternative times to record an
episode if a recording conflict arises.
1 Press the Media Center Start button on
the remote control, select My TV, and then
Guide.
n
For more information
about recording to
your HP Personal
Media Drive, see
“About Recording TV
to the HP Personal
Media Drive” on
page 106.
24Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Software 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.
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