HP z556, z558 Software Guide

HP Digital Entertainment Center

Software Guide

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

Experience the Entertainment Fun ............................. 1

Watch and record live TV.................................. 1

The right music for the moment ........................... 1

Share your digital memories .............................. 1

Transform your living space into a theater............ 1

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

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

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

Opening Media Center using a trackball.............3

Opening Media Center using the remote control .. 4

Media Center menu bars ................................... 5

Navigating Media Center.................................. 5

Media Center control menu................................ 6

Using Media Center Away mode........................ 7

Completing the setup wizard steps...................... 8

Media Center Start Menu ........................................ 9

Online Spotlight .............................................10

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

Logging in to your messenger account............... 11

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

Media Center Settings Categories..................... 12

Contacting HP Support in Media Center.................. 13

Finding Additional Media Center Information........... 13

Using the Remote Control................15

Remote Control Buttons Overview ........................... 16

Watching and Recording

TV Programs .................................. 19

Navigating My TV ................................................ 19

Watching TV........................................................20

Watching Live TV............................................21

Controlling TV playback ..................................22

Using the remote control in My TV ....................23

Using the Television Program Guide........................24

Using Media Center without a Guide ................25

Television Program Guide Errors....................... 25

Viewing the Television Program Guide ..............26

Setting up how Media Center

downloads the Guide...................................... 27

Manually downloading the Guide.....................28

Adding a postal code to receive

the correct Guide............................................28

Adding missing channels to the Guide............... 29

Editing channels in the Guide...........................29

Removing channels from the Guide ...................29

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

Searching for TV programs using categories ......31

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

Recording TV from the Guide ...........................33

Recording programs manually with or

without a Guide..............................................34

Recording quality and hard disk drive

storage space.................................................35

Copying recorded TV programs to DVD or CD ...36

Media Copy Protection....................................37

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

Table of Contents

Table of Contents iii

Playing Music Files ......................... 39

My Music ............................................................ 39

Using My Music with Media Center........................ 40

Adding Music to the My Music Library .................... 41

Adding music files from your hard disk drive...... 41

Adding music files from a CD........................... 42

Deleting music files from the My Music library.... 42

Using supported music file types ...................... 43

Playing Music Files in My Music............................. 44

Playing an album in My Music ......................... 45

Playing a song in My Music............................. 45

Creating a Queue List in My Music......................... 46

Finding and Playing an Album in My Music............. 46

Creating a Playlist in My Music .............................. 47

Copying Music Files to CD in My Music .................. 48

Working with Pictures .................... 49

HP Image Zone .................................................... 49

My Pictures.......................................................... 49

Working with Digital Images ................................. 50

Using HP Image Zone in Media Center ................... 50

Creating your picture catalog in

HP Image Zone ..............................................51

Creating albums............................................. 53

Modifying a date assigned to your pictures........ 53

Assigning a keyword to your pictures................ 54

Assigning a place to your pictures .................... 54

Searching for pictures in Media Center .............55

Viewing Pictures in HP Image Zone......................... 56

Viewing a slideshow

in HP Image Zone........................................... 56

Viewing a slideshow with music

in HP Image Zone........................................... 56

Editing Pictures in HP Image Zone ..........................57

Editing pictures in HP Image Zone

from the desktop............................................. 57

Editing pictures in HP Image Zone

in Media Center ............................................. 58

Sharing Pictures in HP Image Zone .........................59

Using supported picture file types

with HP Image Zone ....................................... 61

Printing Pictures in HP Image Zone..........................62

Creating a Backup Disc of Your Pictures ..................62

Using My Pictures in Media Center .........................63

Adding Pictures to My Pictures ...............................64

Adding picture files from your hard disk drive ....64

Viewing Pictures in My Pictures ..............................65

Viewing pictures as a slideshow .......................66

Viewing a slideshow with music

in My Pictures.................................................66

Using supported picture file types

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

Editing Pictures in My Pictures ................................68

Fixing red eye or contrast ................................68

Cropping pictures in My Pictures ......................69

Rotating pictures .............................................69

Printing Pictures in My Pictures ...............................70

Copying Pictures to CDs and DVDs......................... 71

Playing Videos................................73

Playing Digital Videos in Media Center ...................74

Using Supported Video File Types...........................75

Transferring and Recording Video Files ...................75

Creating a CD/DVD from Video Files......................76

Playing DVDs..................................77

Playing DVD Movies in Media Center .....................77

Changing the DVD Movie Language .......................78

Changing DVD Audio Settings ...............................78

Listening to FM Radio......................79

Playing FM Radio Stations .....................................80

Organizing Preset Radio Stations............................81

Using the FM Radio and the TV Signal

at the Same Time ..............................................81

iv HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Creating Audio and Data Discs ........83

Erasing Rewritable Discs Before Recording ..............84

Working with Audio CDs ......................................85

Verifying an audio disc recorded

without errors ................................................. 86

Audio CD tips ................................................86

Creating audio CDs ........................................ 87

Creating jukebox discs .................................... 88

Working with Data DVDs and CDs ......................... 89

Verifying a data disc recorded without errors..... 89

Creating data discs......................................... 91

Copying a DVD or CD .......................................... 92

Archiving Files on a CD or DVD ............................. 93

Archiving files using Media Center ...................93

Working with image files................................. 94

Creating an image file ....................................94

Burning from an image file............................... 95

Disc Labeling with LightScribe ................................ 95

LightScribe requirements.................................. 96

Burning a LightScribe label with

Sonic Express Labeler...................................... 96

Using adhesive disc labels............................... 97

Compatibility Information ......................................97

Disc Features and Compatibility Table..................... 98

Optical Drive Quick Reference Table ......................99

Software Quick Reference Table........................... 100

Creating Video Discs and Movies...103

Before You Begin Capturing Video .......................103

Sonic MyDVD Video Projects ...............................104

Creating a video project................................ 104

Adding files to a video project .......................105

Capturing video to a video project ................. 105

Adding slideshows to a video project.............. 106

Adding submenus to a video project ............... 106

Editing the style of a video project .................. 107

Editing movie files......................................... 107

Burning a video project to disc ....................... 108

Creating a Video Project with the

Direct-to-Disc Wizard ......................................109

Video Quality and Disc Size ................................110

DVD Recording Time ...........................................111

Creating Movies Using

muvee autoProducer .................... 113

Basic Steps to Make a Movie ...............................113

Locating the two versions of

muvee autoProducer......................................115

Using muvee autoProducer on the Desktop.............116

Getting started on the desktop ........................116

Capturing video from a DV camcorder ............117

Adding videos..............................................119

Adding pictures ............................................120

Adding music ...............................................120

Selecting the style .........................................121

Changing the settings....................................121

Adding an opening title and closing credits .....122

Making the movie .........................................122

Saving the movie project................................123

Recording the movie project to disc.................123

Using muvee autoProducer unPlugged

in Media Center .............................................124

Selecting videos............................................125

Selecting pictures..........................................125

Selecting music.............................................126

Setting the style.............................................126

Adjusting audio and video settings..................127

Making the movie .........................................127

Upgrading muvee autoProducer ...........................128

Table of Contents

Table of Contents v

Using an HP Personal

Media Drive ................................. 129

Setting Up the HP Personal Media Drive to

Work with Media Center................................. 130

Locating the Drive After Installation ....................... 130

Assigning a Drive Letter to the

HP Personal Media Drive................................. 131

Viewing and Storing Files.................................... 131

Playing Media Files ............................................ 132

Playing Music Files .............................................132

Viewing Picture Files ........................................... 132

Playing Video Files .............................................133

About Recording TV to Your

HP Personal Media Drive................................. 133

Watching TV Programs Stored on the

HP Personal Media Drive................................. 134

Recording TV programs to Your

HP Personal Media Drive...............................135

Changing the TV recording path to the

HP Personal Media Drive ...............................135

Changing the TV recording path to the

local hard disk drive .....................................136

Disconnecting the

HP Personal Media Drive Safely .......................136

Changing Disk Allocation .................................... 137

Updating Recorded TV List After Removing

Your HP Personal Media Drive .........................137

System Requirements to View R

ecorded TV Programs on Other PCs ..................138

Index............................................139

vi HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Welcome

Experience the Entertainment Fun

Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Update Rollup 2 lets you do amazing things with your HP Digital Entertainment Center. With a full range of digital entertainment features, you can experience TV, 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. Combine the powerful features of your HP Digital Entertainment Center with a home theater receiver to enjoy an even more dynamic entertainment experience.

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.

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 Windows Media Player music library.

Record TV with ease by using the Television (Electronic) Program 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.

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.

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. Sit back and enjoy the show.

Welcome

Welc om e 1

Using Media Center Features

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

If your HP Digital Entertainment Center came with a rewritable DVD drive, the drive is able to read and record to both DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW media.

When using the Media Center program, you can:

■ Watch, record, and play back television programs.

■ 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.

■ Listen to FM radio stations.

■ Access streaming music and video subscription

services. Some music and video subscription services may not be available in all countries/regions.

■ 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.

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.

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

Some of the components listed in the HP Digital Entertainment Center documentation, such as speakers, are optional or sold separately.

■ Communicate with your friends and family by using

instant messaging. Instant messaging may not be supported in all countries/regions.

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

another hard disk drive, such as the HP Personal Media Drive (sold separately).

■ Use the Optimization setting to keep your computer

running smoothly.

■ Use the Away mode to save power when the

computer is not in use, and then you can display the computer desktop instantly by touching a keyboard key or a remote control button.

The Television Program Guide (Internet service required) is not available in all countries/regions.

2 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using Media Center

Setting Up Media Center

The first time you start your HP Digital Entertainment Center, a Media Center setup wizard opens. It is recommended to complete each step in the Media Center

For more information about setting up your HP Digital Entertainment Center, refer to the Start Here guide.

Opening Media Center using a trackball

setup wizard to be able to use all the features in Media Center. The Media Center setup wizard may take several minutes to complete. If there are steps you still need to complete, you can go to the Settings menu to do so. See “Completing the setup wizard steps” on page 8.

You can use either your remote control or your trackball to open and to navigate within Media Center.

To use your trackball:

1 Click Start on the taskbar, and then click

Media Center.

2 Move your trackball over the Media Center Start

menu items, and click an item to open it. Select an option by clicking it. To scroll the list of Start menu items, move the trackball pointer over the list until an item is selected, then continue moving the pointer down the list to see the items that are not displayed.

3 Move the trackball to display the Media Center

toolbar, and then click the back arrow at the top of the window to go to a previous window.

4 Click the ? icon at the top of the window to open

Media Center Help.

5 Click the Media Center Start icon to return to

the Media Center Start menu.

Using Media Center

Using Media Center 3

Opening Media Center using the remote control

You can use either your remote control or your trackball to open and navigate within Media Center.

To use your remote control:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to

select a Media Center menu.

3 Press the OK button to enter your selection and

open that window. To scroll the list of Start menu items, use the arrow buttons until the item is highlighted, and then continue moving the arrow buttons down the list to see the items that are not displayed.

4 Press the Back button on the remote control to go to

a previous window.

5 Use the arrow buttons to select the ? icon at the top

of the window to open Media Center Help.

6 Press the Media Center Start button to return

to the Media Center Start menu.

4 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Media Center menu bars

When you move the trackball, 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 trackball (after 5 seconds), the menu bars disappear.

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 trackball.

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.

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

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 full-screen mode, use the arrows on the remote control to select it, and then press OK.

Using Media Center

Using Media Center 5

Media Center control menu

To access the control menu in Media Center, move the trackball 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.

Icon Action

Log off and end your Media Center session and switch users

Shut down the HP Digital Entertainment Center

Restart the HP Digital Entertainment Center

Put the HP Digital Entertainment Center in a reduced power state — standby mode

If you are recording a TV program and then put the HP Digital Entertainment Center into standby, the recording stops.

If the HP Digital Entertainment Center is in standby and a recording is about to begin, the HP Digital Entertainment Center wakes from standby and records the program.

6 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using Media Center Away mode

When your computer is in Away mode it appears off, but you can actually still perform tasks such as record TV programs or music files. Away mode turns off the display and mutes the audio.

After you have enabled Away mode in the Control Panel, you can activate it by pressing the Sleep button on your computer, keyboard, or remote control.

To enable your HP Digital Entertainment Center for Away mode:

1 Click Start on the taskbar, and then click

Control Panel.

2 Click Performance and Maintenance. 3 Click Power Options. 4 Select the Away tab. 5 Place a check mark in the Enable Away mode

check box.

Under Options you can select to:

You can return to your desktop almost instantly by pressing any Sleep button again, by pressing any key on the keyboard, by moving the trackball, or by pressing any button on the remote control if you select the Return

the computer from Away mode on mouse or keyboard activity option in the Power Options

Properties window. See the following procedure.

Return the computer from Away mode on mouse or keyboard activity.

Prompt for password when the computer returns from Away mode.

6 Click OK.

The audio and video of TV recordings are not affected when the HP Digital Entertainment Center is in Away mode.

Using Media Center

Using Media Center 7

Completing the setup wizard steps

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

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

select Run Media Center Setup Again. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the wizard.

Following 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 Television Program Guide and display information about your music CDs, DVDs, and other media.

You must select analog or digital TV signals in the setup wizard for your TV tuner to work properly (select models only).

You must subscribe with an Internet service provider (ISP) to have an Internet connection.

■ 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, cable, and so on). This step makes sure your HP Digital Entertainment Center receives the correct TV signal and Television Program Guide information. If you have a cable box or satellite receiver, the setup wizard programs your Media Center remote control to work with them.

8 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

■ Optimize how Media Center looks on your

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

■ Display Calibration. You can test and adjust the

display settings of your monitor, TV, or other display. You can use the Media Center video to help you change onscreen centering, sizing, aspect ratio (shape), brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness of the display with your TV remote control or your monitor controls.

■ Set up your speakers. Select how many

speakers you have and test them. Speakers are sold separately for some models.

Media Center Start Menu

CDE

A Access a menu to exit Media Center, to shut down or

to restart the HP Digital Entertainment Center, to log off to end your Media Center session, to put the HP Digital Entertainment Center into standby mode, or to switch users. See page 6.

B Use media playback controls: Play, Stop, Pause,

Skip, Fast-Forward, Replay, Rewind, Record, Volume Up/Down, Mute, and Channel Up/Down. See page 23.

C Open the Media Center Start menu. See page 4.

D Go back one screen.

E Open Media Center Help.

F Minimize the Media Center window.

G Resize the Media Center window.

My Pictures — View digital pictures, play a slideshow,

and print photos. See page 49.

My Music — Play music files or music CDs, create and edit playlists, and record music files to CD. See page 39.

More Programs — Find utilities and programs for communicating with instant messaging (see page 11), editing videos (see page 113), backing up files (see page 93), and creating CDs/DVDs (see page 48).

Settings — Change program settings. See page 11.

My TV — Watch, record, and play back TV shows. See

page 19.

Radio — Play FM radio stations. See page 80.

*HP ImageZone — View, edit, share, and print digital

pictures, and play a slideshow. See page 49..

H Close the Media Center window.

Media Center Start menu items

Play DVD — Watch DVD movies. See page 77.

*Online Spotlight — Go to the Media Center Web site

for the latest Media Center information. See page 10.

My Videos — Watch your home videos. See page 73.

*Some of the features listed are for select models only.

Using Media Center 9

Using Media Center

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 is periodically updated by Microsoft. Some of the services listed may not be available in some countries/regions.

Your HP Di git al En ter tain me nt Center must be connected to the Internet to access the Online Spotlight Web site.

Using Instant Messaging in Media Center

Instant messaging may not be supported in all countries/ regions.

Media Center supports instant messaging 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.

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

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

10 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Logging in to your messenger account

1 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.

5 Enter your .NET passport information, and then

select Sign In.

2 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control or, with your trackball, click

Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center 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 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 or, with your trackball, click

Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center.

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

Using Media Center

Media Center Settings Categories

Media Center includes various settings categories listed below.

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

(not all channels support 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.

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.

■ 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 Skip and Replay buttons on the remote control for your DVDs, and select closed captioning. You can also access audio settings for your speakers.

■ Messenger to allow instant messages within Media

Center and set notifications for caller ID. Instant messaging may not be supported in all countries/ regions.

■ Radio to organize or delete preset 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 HP Digital Entertainment Center.

■ 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 and block unwanted TV and movie ratings, change an access code, and reset parental controls.

■ Automatic Downloads Options to get

media information about CDs, DVDs, and movies from the Internet.

■ Optimization to keep your computer running

smoothly by performing various tasks on a regularly scheduled basis. The Optimization setting restarts your computer at a specific time each day that you determine.

■ Help to find help about using Media Center and

your hardware.

12 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Contacting HP Support in Media Center

You can access HP Support in Media Center by using your remote control. At HP Support you can:

■ Register your product with HP.

■ Learn more about your HP Digital Entertainment

Center and Media Center.

■ Test your hardware with interactive diagnostic

software.

■ Connect to online technical support or access a

telephone number to talk with a technical support agent.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select More Programs, HP Settings, and then

select HP Support.

3 Select an option, and then follow the onscreen

instructions. You need to use your trackball and keyboard in this Web site.

HP Support is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

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 trackball, 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.

You can also find guides and information for your HP Digital Entertainment Center using the Internet to access a Support Web site.

To view information for your HP Digital Entertainment Center, go to the Support Web address listed in the Warranty and Support Guide, and search for your model’s name and number. The model number is on the lower front of the HP Digital Entertainment Center chassis.

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

Using Media Center

Using Media Center 13

14 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using the Remote Control

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 HP Digital Entertainment Center 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 HP Digital Entertainment Center in and out of

standby mode.

■ Shut down or restart the HP Digital Entertainment

Center.

■ Log off from Media Center or switch users.

DVD MENU

RADIO

MUSIC PICTURES VIDEOS

RECORD

REW

REPLAY

BACK MORE

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

FWD

SKIP

Using the Remote Control

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 HP Digital

Entertainment Center.

■ Turn on the HP Digital Entertainment Center.

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.

VOLUME

LIVE TV

CH/PG

MUTE

GUIDE RECORDED TV

Using the Remote Control 15

Remote Control Buttons Overview

Features and location may vary

1 Standby — Puts the HP Digital Entertainment Center

into and out of a power-reduced standby state. It does not turn the HP Digital Entertainment Center off.

2DVD Menu — Opens the Play DVD window in

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

3Music — Opens the My Music window in Media

Center.

4Radio — Opens the FM Radio window in Media

Center.

5Record — Records a selected television program

and stores it on the hard disk drive.

6Rew — Moves the media backward at three speeds.

7Replay — Moves media backward 7 seconds, or to

the beginning of a music track or a DVD chapter.

8Pause — Pauses audio and video tracks and live or

recorded TV programs.

9Back — Returns to the previous window within

Media Center.

10 Arrows — Move the cursor to navigate and select

actions within all Media Center windows.

13 14

DVD MENU

2 3

RADIO

MUSIC PICTURES VIDEOS

RECORD

PLAY

REW

REPLAY

PAUSE

STOP

FWD

SKIP

17 18

19 20 21

BACK MORE

VOLUME

MUTE

CH/PG

LIVE TV

GUIDE RECORDED TV

11 Start — Opens the Media Center main menu.

12 Volume — Increases (+) and decreases (–) volume.

13 Live 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.

14 Guide — Opens the Television Program Guide.

15 Clear — Deletes the last character entered.

16 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

30 31

16 LED — Activity indicator light. The LED tells you that the

remote control is emitting a signal when you press a button.

17 TV — Opens the My TV window in Media Center.

18 Pictures — Opens the My Pictures window in Media Center.

19 Videos — Opens the My Videos window in Media

Center.

20 Play — Plays the selected media.

21 Stop — Stops the media currently playing.

22 Fwd — Moves media forward at three speeds.

23 Skip — Moves media forward 30 seconds in videos and

live TV, one music track, or one DVD chapter.

24 i (More information) — Displays available information

about a selected media file and displays other menus.

25 OK — Selects the desired action or window option and

acts as the Enter key.

26 CH/PG up (+) and down (–) — Change the TV

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

Using the Remote Control

27 Mute — Turns computer sound off. The word Mute is

displayed when Mute is turned on.

28 Recorded TV — Opens the Recorded TV window where

recorded TV programs are listed.

29 0 to 9, #, * — 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.

30 Enter — Selects the desired action, menu, or window

option.

31 Print — Prints your pictures that you select from the

My Pictures window of Media Center.

Using the Remote Control 17

If you turn off (shut down) your HP Digital Entertainment Center, Media Center will not record a scheduled TV program. The HP Digital Entertainment Center 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 don’t want to be disturbed.

The HP Digital Entertainment Center will not automatically go into standby mode if Media Center is open. It is recommended to close Media Center before you manually place the HP Digital Entertainment Center in standby mode.

18 HP Digital Entertainment Center 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:

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

rewind your favorite TV shows. You can watch recorded TV shows while recording another show. Use the i (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 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.

Digital video recording features are for select models only.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

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

Watching and Recording TV Programs 19

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 or the Start Here guide and the HP Digital Entertainment Center User’s Guide for more information.

■ You have completed the Media Center setup wizard.

If you have not completed the setup wizard, refer to “Opening Media Center using the remote control” on page 4.

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

You can go to live TV from anywhere in Windows Media Center by pressing Live TV 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.

20 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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. The channel number and program information are displayed in the window.

3 Press the i (More information) button to open

another menu with the following options and information:

■ 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.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording TV Programs 21

Watching and Recording

Controlling TV playback

The digital 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 and playing back the selected program in the background. This allows you to review a program for up to 30 minutes. To replay a program longer than the 30 minutes, you must select to record the program.

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

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 digital video recording features are for select models only.

22 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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 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 two or three times. To resume watching the program, press Play. 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.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

Live 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.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 23

Button Action

i (More information)

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

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

Guide

To see the channel number, station identifier, title of program, time slot, and category of program, press the i (More information) button while in full-screen mode. If you select a recorded show and then press the i (More information) button, you can access more information about a program, stop or delete a program, change a recording setting, change the “Keep Until” setting, access the instant messaging dialog box, and access TV settings.

and (–) buttons.

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 Movies.

Using the Television Program Guide

The Television Program Guide (Internet service required) is a free service from Microsoft that provides TV listings information, such as channel, network, program title, program summary, and scheduled broadcast times. This service is currently not available in some countries/ regions. You can go to http://www.microsoft.com to find out if the Guide is available in your country/ region and to find the terms and conditions of the

Television Program Guide service.

Your HP Digital Entertainment Center requires a connection to the Internet to access the Guide.

In countries/regions where the Guide is not available, refer to “Using Media Center without a Guide” on page 25 and see “Recording programs manually with or without a Guide” on page 34 for more information about recording TV programs.

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.

24 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using Media Center without a 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 manually with or without a Guide” on page 34.

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.

■ 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.

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 select Run Media Center Setup Again.

3 Follow the onscreen instructions to scan for your

channels.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

The Television Program Guide is not available in all countries/regions.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 25

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.

Make sure the HP Digital Entertainment Center is connected to the Internet and Media Center is properly set up before you try to change the Guide settings.

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.

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.

The Television Program Guide is not available in all countries/regions.

Press the i (More information) button on the remote control to access another menu for more options of

searching the Guide.

26 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Setting up how Media Center downloads the Guide

Your HP Digital Entertainment Center 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.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select Settings, General, Automatic

Download Options, and then select:

■ 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

Program Guide starts downloading from the Internet, it can take between 1 and 30 minutes, depending on the amount of data to download and the speed of your Internet connection.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

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

If your HP Digital Entertainment Center has a broadband connection, your HP Digital Entertainment Center is always connected. The Guide is downloaded at a specified time every few days. The download interval varies, depending on the ISP.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 27

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.

4 Select Yes.

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 then select Set

Up Guide Listings.

3 Click Next. 4 Select Yes and then Next. 5 Select I agree and then Next.

28 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

6 Enter your postal code, and then select Next for

Media Center to determine which TV/Program Guide listings are available for your country/region.

7 Select Next. 8 Select a TV signal provider and then Next. 9 Select Next and then Finish.

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 select Add

Missing Channels to add the names and numbers

of the channels you are missing.

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:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then select 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 select

OK on the remote control.

3 Click Add Channel. 4 Use the numeric keypad on your keyboard to

enter the number 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.

5 Select Assign channel to assign a new channel

number.

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.

8 Select Yes.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

Removing channels from the Guide

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select Settings, TV, Guide, and then select Edit

Channels to remove the channels you do not want

to appear in the Guide.

3 Select a check next to a channel you want to remove,

and then press OK on the remote control to remove the channel from the lineup.

4 Select Save when you have selected all the channels

to be removed from the Guide.

Watching and Recording TV Programs 29

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 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.

■ 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.

30 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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

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. 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

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

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 HP Digital Entertainment Center 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 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 Television Program Guide next to the program scheduled to record.

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.

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

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.

32 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

For more information about recording to your HP Personal Media Drive, see “About Recording TV to Your HP Personal Media Drive” on page 133.

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.

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 or press the Backspace key on the keyboard.

5 If there is a recording conflict, Media Center displays

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

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

Watching and Recording TV Programs 33

Recording programs manually with or without a Guide

You do not need the Television Program Guide to record TV. You can record a TV program by pressing the Record button on the remote control while watching live TV, or you can select a specific date, channel, and recording time period in Media Center.

For some programs, you may want to begin recording before the scheduled beginning and after the scheduled ending of the program.

To record a program without a Guide:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, press the Live TV button, and then press Record to begin recording your program.

■ Recorded TV programs that have been

copied to a DVD can be played on your HP Digital Entertainment Center and on some DVD players.

■ Recorded TV programs can be backed up as

part of a full system backup and restored to the same HP Digital Entertainment Center, but not to other PCs.

5 To set the recording and return to the Recorded TV

window, select Record in the window, and then press Enter on the keyboard, or OK on the remote control.

Click Start, and then click Media Center, or 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 keyboard or remote control.

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

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

34 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

6 To return to the previous window, press the back

arrow on the keyboard, or press Back on the remote control.

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.

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

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.

Hard disk drive space used *

Watching and Recording TV Programs 35

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

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 an HP Digital Entertainment Center and from some set-top DVD players.

The HP Digital Entertainment Center includes several other recording software programs for you to create CDs and DVDs. You can use Sonic MyDVD to record the recorded TV program to a format that can be played from an HP Digital Entertainment Center and from some set-top DVD players. See “Sonic MyDVD Video Projects” on page 104.

For more detailed information about recording CDs and DVDs, refer to information on the HP Support Web site at:

http://www.hp.com/support

To copy a recorded TV program to CD or DVD:

TV programs that have been encrypted (protected) by the broadcaster cannot be copied and played back on any player other than the HP Digital Entertainment Center that recorded the program.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select More Programs. 3 Insert a blank disc. 4 Select Create CD/DVD, and then select Data. 5 Enter a title for your DVD by using the numeric

buttons on the remote control, and then select OK.

6 Select Recorded TV. 7 Select the recorded TV programs you want to copy to

CD or DVD.

8 Select View DVD or View CD.

9 Select Create DVD or Create CD. 10 Select Yes. 11 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete burning

your TV show to disc.

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

36 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Media Copy Protection

Media content, such as DVDs or TV programs, may place restrictions on rights to distribute or copy the content, depending on what is permitted by the copyright owner. Such restrictions protect copyrighted media files from being illegally copied and used. If you try to record a program that contains such restrictions, the following message is displayed: Recording Canceled. Manual

Recording cannot be recorded. Restrictions set by the broadcaster and/or originator of the content prohibit recording of this program. When you record certain

music or video files, they may retain copy protection that will prevent copying or distribution, including technology that encrypts media content and/or limits access to people who have a license to play the content.

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.

TV Programs

Watching and Recording

Watching and Recording TV Programs 37

38 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Playing Music Files

The My Music area in Media Center is a great way to play, organize, and back up your music files. My Music is designed to work with the Windows Media Player program.

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 40.

My Music is designed to work with Windows Media Player.

Playing Music Files 39

Playing Music Files

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

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.

40 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Adding Music to the 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.

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.

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 i (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 OK 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.

6 Select OK.

Playing Music Files

Playing Music Files 41

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.

42 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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.

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.

For more information about music file

File extension File type .cda CD audio file .au, .snd Audio file .aif, .aifc, .aiff AIFF audio file .wav Windows audio file .mp3, .m3u MP3 file .wax, .wma Windows Media Audio file .asf, .asx, .wm,

.wma, .wmv, .wmp, .wmx, .wpl, .wm, .wmd, .wmz

Windows Media files

formats, use Windows Media Player Help and Media Center Help.

Only supported audio file types are displayed in the My Music window. Unsupported files won’t play.

Playing Music Files 43

Playing Music Files

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.

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.

44 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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.

You can select Visualize in the Now Playing window to see a visualization while you play a music track.

Playing Music Files

Playing Music Files 45

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.

■ 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.

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

Play. All songs in your queue list are played in the

order you have selected them.

Finding and Playing an Album in My Music

1 In the Media Center Start menu, select My Music,

and then select Albums.

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.

■ Shuffle to rearrange the play order.

■ Repeat to play the album again.

■ 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

asong.

■ Edit Queue to save your queue list as a playlist,

create a CD/DVD, or clear all the songs in the queue list.

4 To return to the previous window, press Back on the

remote control or the Backspace key on the keyboard.

46 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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:

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.

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

Playing Music Files 47

Playing Music Files

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.

2 Select More Programs. 3 Insert a blank CD-R disc. 4 Select Create CD/DVD. 5 Select a disc format: Audio CD or Data CD, and

then select OK.

6 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control or the

arrow keys on the keyboard to select the Untitled text box.

7 Use the alphanumeric keypad buttons on the remote

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

8 Select Music. 9 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 or the Backspace key on the keyboard to select more songs from different menus.

10 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 or press the Enter key on the keyboard to delete the song from your list of songs to be recorded to CD. This does not delete the song from your music library.

48 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

11 Select Create CD. 12 Select Yes. 13 Select OK. 14 Follow the onscreen instructions.

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.

Working with Pictures

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

HP Image Zone

HP Image Zone is a software program located in your All Programs menu that works together with the HP Image Zone 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, see “Using HP Image Zone in Media Center” on page 50.

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 63.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 49

Working with Digital Images

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

Windows XP and Media Center detect your external device and display a message asking if you want to view your images. You can display them from the desktop or from within Media Center.

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

When transferring pictures from a digital photo camera to your HP Digital Entertainment Center in HP Image Zone, set the camera’s USB setting to disk drive instead of digital camera.

Using HP Image Zone in Media Center

Most tasks, such as viewing a slideshow, sharing your pictures online, cropping, rotating, and printing your pictures, you can do both from the HP Image Zone program on your desktop and from within Media Center version. There are a few things, for example, like some editing functions and the Help files, that are only available in the HP Image Zone program on the desktop.

50 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

HP Image Zone menu in Media Center

Creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone

The first time you open the HP Image Zone program, a message appears asking 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.

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

2 When the catalog message appears, click OK to

index the images and place them in the HP Image Zone catalog.

3 At the top of the gallery window, click the View tab,

click the Browse tab, and then click the Image Catalog icon to see all of the images in the catalog. You can also select the Search tab to browse for images.

4 Click Help at the top of the window for more

information about creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone.

Working with Pictures

Media Center displays a message allowing you to add pictures to your My Pictures folder whenever Media Center detects any new pictures.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 51

E F

A The Mode tabs allow you to create an

image project and view, edit, print, share, and back up your images.

B The menu items and display options allow

you to view images or perform various tasks.

C Various items, depending on the tab you

select. The View tab includes a map of the folders on your hard disk drive.

D The Tips window displays helpful hints

about using HP Image Zone.

E The Preferences button allows you to

customize HP Image Zone. The Help menu gives you troubleshooting and other information.

F The Image display icons let you view

images in a group, one at a time, in full screen, or as a slideshow.

G Gallery of images.

H The Selection tray displays images that you

have selected.

52 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Creating albums

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

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

6 Type a title using your keyboard, and then click OK.

You can now view your albums in Media Center.

7 Select HP Image Zone, and then select Albums.

2 Click the View tab. 3 Select the Image Catalog icon. 4 Select the pictures that you want to place into an

album by placing a check in the check box under the image. The selected images appear in the My Selections area at the bottom of the window.

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

5 Select the Albums icon, and then select Create a

new album.

Modifying a date assigned to your pictures

Digital cameras and scanners assign a creation date to digital images. HP Image Zone automatically recognizes this creation date and organizes your pictures by date. The most recent images are listed first in your image catalog.

Working with Pictures

To change a date:

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

2 Click the View tab, and then click Image Catalog

under the Browse and Search tabs. The most recent images are listed first in your image catalog.

3 Select a picture or pictures to assign a new date. 4 Right-click one of the images, and then select Set

Image Date and Time.

5 Select a date and time, and then click OK.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 53

Assigning a keyword to your pictures

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

3 Select a picture or pictures to assign a keyword.

4 Right-click one of the images, select Keywords,

2 Click the View tab, and then click Image Catalog

under the Browse tab. The most recent images are listed first in your Image Catalog.

5 Type the new keyword, and then click OK.

6 Click OK again.

Assigning a place to your pictures

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

2 Click the View tab, and then click Image Catalog

under the Browse tab. The most recent images are listed first in your Image Catalog.

3 Select a picture or pictures to assign a place. 4 Select the Search tab, and then select By Place. 5 Under by Place, select Assign. 6 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.

7 When your location is in the center of the cross

8 Click Assign again.

9 Click Close.

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

Assign, and then select a previously created

keyword or (New Keyword).

symbol, click Assign.

54 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Searching for pictures in Media Center

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

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your mouse, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select the Search tab. 4 Select By Date. Select the Year, Month, and

Day boxes, and then use the number keypad on

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

Select By Place. Select the arrow buttons under the globe to rotate the globe. Select the magnifying glass icon to zoom in and out. Select a location. Locations that have pictures assigned to them will have a colored dot on the map.

HP Image Zone Search in Media Center

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

Working with Pictures

Select By Keyword. Select a keyword.

5 Select Search.

Workin g w ith Pi ct ur es 55

Viewing Pictures in HP Image Zone

Viewing a slideshow in HP Image Zone

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

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select HP Image Zone.

4 Select Slide Show. If you do not select the pictures

you want to view as a slideshow, Media Center displays all pictures.

5 Use the media playback keys on the remote control

or move the trackball to display the media controls to control the playback of your slideshow.

3 Select the pictures you want to view as a slideshow.

Viewing a slideshow with music in HP Image Zone

1 Select My Music on the Media Center Start menu. 2 Select the music you want, and then press OK on the

remote control. If the music doesn’t start automatically, press the Play button on the remote control.

3 To go back to the Media Center Start menu, press the

Media Center Start button on the remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center.

4 Select HP Image Zone.

5 Select the pictures.

6 Select Slide Show. When Media Center switches

to full-screen mode, the inset window disappears, but the music continues to play.

56 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Editing Pictures in HP Image Zone

Editing pictures in HP Image Zone from the desktop

You can make changes to your pictures and video clips in HP Image Zone from the desktop. Some of the editing features include removing red eye, cropping, resizing, and rotating images.

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

2 Click the Help drop-down list at the top of the

window, and then select Edit Tab Help for more information about editing your images.

Working with Pictures

Work in g wi th Pic tures 57

Editing pictures in HP Image Zone in Media Center

You can make changes to your pictures and video clips in HP Image Zone in Media Center. The editing features include cropping, resizing, and rotating images.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your mouse, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select the picture you want to edit. The edit window

appears when you select a picture file.

4 Select and editing option such as Crop. 5 Select the arrow buttons under the picture to crop

your picture.

6 Select Save As when you are finished editing the

picture.

7 Select OK to save your edited picture.

You may need to refresh the window to view your edited picture in your HP Image Zone folders.

58 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

HP Image Zone Edit in Media Center

Sharing Pictures in HP Image Zone

You can quickly share your photos with friends and family by first creating e-mail shortcuts and then sending thumbnails of your photos. The recipient then clicks a link in the e-mail message to view the full-size photo on a secure Web page without downloading any attachments. The Web page is automatically displayed in a language based on the recipient’s Web browser settings. The photos can be viewed, printed, and saved to a computer.

Before you can share photos in Media Center, you must agree to the license agreement in the desktop version of Image Zone. See the following procedure.

To agree to the license agreement in Image Zone:

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, and then click HP Image Zone.

The HP Image Zone window opens.

2 Select the HP Instant Share tab. 3 Select E-mail. 4 Select your country/region from the drop-down menu

under Select your region.

5 Select the I Agree check box, and then select

Next.

Working with Pictures

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

Work in g wi th Pic tures 59

To share photos in Media Center:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your mouse, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select the group of pictures you want to share, and

then select Share.

4 Select the pictures you want to share by placing a

check mark on each picture, and then select Next.

5 Select an e-mail shortcut.

Use the remote control keypad or the keyboard to type an e-mail address into the text box. If you want to save this e-mail address, select Save e-mail as a shortcut by placing a check in the check box next to it. Enter a shortcut name for the address.

6 Select Next.

HP Image Zone Share in Media Center

7 Select Original or Compressed image size. 8 Use the remote control keypad or the keyboard to

type an e-mail subject in the text box, and then select Send.

9 Select OK to have HP Instant Share send your e-mail.

10 To view the status of the e-mail, select Outbox in

HP Image Zone.

60 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using supported picture file types with HP Image Zone

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

File extension File type .jpg, .jpeg Joint Photographic Experts

Group

.tif, .tiff Tagged Image File Format .gif Graphics Interchange Format .mov, .qt QuickTime movie file .mpeg-1 Movie file .m1v Movie file .mpg Movie file, .mpeg animation .avi Audio Video Interleaved .bmp Bitmap .dcx Multipage .pcx file .fpx FlashPix Bitmap .pcx Bitmap Graphics .png Portable Network Graphics

Working with Pictures

■ Only supported image file types are displayed in

My Pictures. Unsupported files are skipped in a slideshow.

■ 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.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 61

Printing Pictures in HP Image Zone

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select HP Image Zone. 3 Select Albums, Months, or Folders, and then

select the album, month, or folder where your picture is located.

4 Select Print. 5 Select the picture you want to print by placing a

check mark on the picture, and then select Next.

6 Select (+) or (–) to choose a printer, and then select

Print.

7 Follow any onscreen instructions.

or, with your trackball, click Start

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

Creating a Backup Disc of Your Pictures

To create a backup disc of images you have put into HP ImageZone:

1 Click Start on the taskbar, choose All

Programs, HP, HP ImageZone, and then click HP ImageZone again.

2 Select the Backup tab, and then click Back Up

Images on the left side of the window.

3 Select your backup settings, and then click Next.

62 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

4 Insert a blank disc.

5 Select the drive and media type, and then click Next.

6 Click Start Backup.

7 Follow any onscreen instructions.

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 trackball.

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

Working with Pictures

My Pictures in Media Center

My Pictures folder in Windows Explorer

Work in g wi th Pic tures 63

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 i (More information) button on the remote

control, and select Add Pictures.

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 OK 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.

64 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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’ve 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 percent; press OK

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

Working with Pictures

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

■ Select a slide transition, a slide time delay,

and a background color.

■ Include picture folders you have created.

■ Show captions.

■ Display your pictures randomly.

■ Show song information during a slideshow.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 65

Viewing pictures as a slideshow

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

6 Press the Back button to go to a previous picture. Use

the arrow buttons to display the next or previous pictures.

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

slideshow, and then press OK.

4 Select Play Slide Show, and then press OK.

If you do not select the pictures you want to view as a slideshow, 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.

5 Press the i (More information) button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details. The picture name, location, last

modification date, and resolution appear, if available.

Viewing a slideshow with music in My Pictures

1 Select My Music on the Media Center Start menu. 2 Select the music you want, and then press OK

on the remote control. If the music doesn’t start automatically, press the Play button on the remote control.

3 Press the Media Center Start button on the

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

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

66 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Using supported picture file types in My Pictures

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

File extension File type .jpg, .jpeg Joint Photographic Experts

Group

.tif, .tiff Tagged Image File Format .gif Graphics Interchange Format .bmp Bitmap .wmf Windows MetaFile .png Portable Network Graphics

■ 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.

Working with Pictures

Work in g wi th Pic tures 67

Editing Pictures in My Pictures

Fixing red eye or contrast

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select My Pictures. 3 Select the picture you want to edit. 4 Press the i (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.

68 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

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 Right-click the picture or press the i (More

information) button on the remote control, and then select Picture Details.

4 Select Touch up, and then select Crop. 5 For this step, you must use the mouse and

keyboard. Select the arrows under the picture to move the picture side to side or 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.

Working with Pictures

6 After you select the options you want to fix, select

Save or Save As. If you select Save, you cannot

revert to the original picture.

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.

7 Select Yes to save changes and replace the original

picture file if you selected Save in the previous step.

Select Yes to create a different version of the original file if you selected Save As in the previous step.

4 Press the i (More information) button on the

remote control, and then select Picture Details.

5 Select Rotate, and then press OK on the remote

control.

Work in g wi th Pic tures 69

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

You need to set up your printer before you can print from Media Center otherwise the file is saved to the My Documents folder by default when you select to print the picture.

70 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Copying Pictures to CDs and DVDs

You can copy your pictures to CDs and DVDs in Media Center or by using the Sonic Digital Media Projects program. You can also create a LightScribe label for your CD or DVD if you have a LightScribe optical drive and you use LightScribe media discs. Refer to the HP Digital Entertainment Center User’s Guide and the other documentation that came with your HP Digital Entertainment Center.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control.

2 Select More Programs. 3 Insert writable media (CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R/-R, or

DVD+RW/-RW) into the drive.

4 Select Create CD/DVD. 5 Select the Untitled area, 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.

6 Select Pictures. 7 Select the pictures you want to copy. A check mark

appears next to a picture when you select it.

8 Select View CD/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/Create DVD.

10 Select Yes. Media Center displays a message when

your disc has been created.

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

Working with Pictures

Work in g wi th Pic tures 71

72 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Playing Videos

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.

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 73

Playing Videos

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.

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click

Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center.

2 Select My Videos. 3 Select the video folder you want. 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. The video plays in full-screen

mode. Use the trackball 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 or the Backspace key on the keyboard. Your video continues to play in the inset window.

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.

74 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

■ Use the trackball to select the up arrows

and down arrows 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.

Using Supported Video File Types

You can view the following types of video files in Media Center. Other file types are supported if your HP Digital Entertainment Center has the correct software installed.

For more information about supported video File extension File type .avi Video file .dvr-ms Digital Video Recording —

Microsoft (TV file format)

.mpeg, .mpg, .mpe, .m1v, .mp2, .mpv2

.wm, .asf Windows Media file .wmv Windows Media AV file

Movie file

file types, refer to Media Center Help menu.

Transferring and Recording Video Files

Once you capture your video 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 the HP Digital Entertainment Center User’s Guide and the other documentation that came with your HP Digital Entertainment Center for more information about capturing and recording videos files from an analog video camera.

Recording a digital video file

Refer to the HP Digital Entertainment Center User’s Guide for more information about recording videos files from a digital video camera.

Playing Videos 75

Playing Videos

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, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select More Programs. 3 Insert writable disc, and then select OK. 4 Select Create CD/DVD. 5 Select the Untitled area, enter the name of your disc

by using the numeric keys on the remote control or the keyboard, and then select OK. Use the Clear button on the remote control or the Backspace key on the keyboard to delete letters.

6 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control to select

Video, and then select OK.

7 Select the video file you want to copy, and then

select View CD/View DVD.

8 Select Add More if you want to add additional

video files to your disc.

9 Select View CD/View DVD to check the contents

of your disc before recording them.

10 Select Create CD/Create DVD to begin recording

the disc, and then select Yes.

76 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Playing DVDs

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, or, with your trackball, click

Start on the taskbar, and then click Media Center.

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 don’t select an option, the DVD plays automatically in fullscreen 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 full-screen mode.

3 If a DVD menu appears, use the remote control or

the trackball to select the DVD menu items and control the DVD movie playback.

4 To stop playing the DVD, press Stop on the remote

control or move the trackball to display the media controls, and then click the Stop button.

5 To change the window size while the DVD movie is

playing, move the trackball for the Resize icon to appear.

6 Click the Resize icon on the taskbar to

adjust the window size.

Playing DVDs

Playing DVDs 77

Changing the DVD Movie Language

To select DVD language settings for subtitles, closed captioning, and viewing the DVD:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select Settings. 3 In the Settings window, select DVD. 4 In the DVD Settings window, select DVD

Language.

5 Use the arrow buttons on the remote control or the

arrow keys on the keyboard to select (+) or (–). Press OK on the remote control or press the Enter key on the keyboard to scroll through the languages available.

6 When you find the one you want, select Save, and

then press OK on the remote control or the Enter key on the keyboard.

7 To return to the main Settings window, press the

Backspace key on the keyboard or press the Back button on the remote control.

Changing DVD Audio Settings

To select DVD audio settings for viewing the DVD:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select Settings. 3 Select DVD.

78 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

4 Select Audio. The Audio Properties window opens. 5 Select Configuration, and then select your speaker

and sound options. Select your speaker output and your channel mode, if applicable. Select Save.

6 Select OK.

Listening to FM Radio

If your HP Digital Entertainment Center is equipped with a radio tuner input (FM Tuner In), Media Center can play FM radio. The Radio window in Media Center makes it easy to play FM radio stations using your remote control.

In Radio you can:

■ Listen to FM radio stations.

■ Set up presets of your favorite radio stations.

■ Delete or organize your radio station presets.

■ Use the time-shifting features: pause, rewind, and

fast-forward up to 30 minutes of radio programs.

Make sure you connect the FM radio antenna

to the back of the HP Digital Entertainment

Center before selecting an FM radio station.

This antenna is for select models only.

Listening to FM Radio

Listening to FM Radio 79

Playing FM Radio Stations

1 Connect the FM radio antenna to the back of the

HP Digital Entertainment Center, to the connector labeled FM Antenna In.

2 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

3 Select Radio. 4 Enter a radio station number by using the numeric

keypad on the remote control or your keyboard.

Select the Seek (–) or (+) buttons for Media Center to find the next playable station.

Select the Tune (–) or (+) buttons to manually find a station.

5 If you want, select Save to save it as one of your

nine preset stations.

6 Select Start FM to begin playing that station.

80 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

7 Use the playback controls on the remote control, such

as Pause, Rewind, and Fast-Forward to control radio playback. If you press the Pause button, Media Center continues to record the program for up to 30 minutes. Press Play to resume listening to the program where you left off.

8 Select Back to return to the previous window.

Organizing Preset Radio Stations

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your trackball, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

2 Select Settings. 3 Select Radio. 4 Select the up arrows and down arrows next

to each preset station to move it to a different position.

Select the Delete icon (X) to delete a preset station.

Select Auto Sort to sort your preset stations in numerical ascending or descending order.

5 Select Save to save your changes. 6 Select Back to return to the previous window.

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

The FM radio signal and My TV input signal share a single tuner card. This means that you are unable to watch or record TV and listen to FM radio at the same time unless you have two TV tuners. 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, then Media Center automatically stops radio and begins recording TV.

Listening to FM Radio

Listening to FM Radio 81

82 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

(Select models only)

Creating Audio and

Data Discs

This chapter contains the procedures you must perform to record (or burn) music and data files to recordable CD and DVD discs. It also includes information about labeling your discs using the LightScribe labeling technology included on select models.

For information about recording video files to DVDs, see “Sonic MyDVD Video Projects” on page 104.

Your HP Digital Entertainment Center may include one or more CD, DVD, or combination optical drives capable of recording. Additionally, your HP Digital Entertainment Center may include the following software programs for recording to CDs or DVDs:

■ Windows Media Player

■ Sonic MyDVD Plus (select models only)

■ Sonic DigitalMedia Plus

■ Windows XP

These programs include features that enable you to copy, archive, and manage music and data files and then record the files to CDs or DVDs. You can also use Windows Media Player to download and copy music

files to a portable device or memory card.

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

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

Creating Audio and Data Discs 83

Erasing Rewritable Discs Before Recording

Previously recorded files on rewritable discs must be erased before recording new files. CD-R, DVD+R, and DVD-R discs cannot be erased.

To erase a rewritable disc in Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click Tools and then Erase Disc.

3 Insert the rewritable disc you want to erase. 4 Click the Quick Erase or Full Erase option, and

then Erase Disc.

CD-R discs are compatible with more players than CD-RW discs.

Burn is an industry term used to describe the recording of information onto a DVD or CD. Optical recording uses a laser beam to place information onto the disc, thus the term burning.

84 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Working with Audio CDs

Sonic DigitalMedia Plus enables you to create audio CDs that play in your car or home CD player, and on PCs. You can create two main types of music CDs:

■ Uncompressed — Typical CD format like you

would purchase on a commercial CD. This type of CD will hold 10 to 20 songs depending on their length.

Uncompressed files can be burned on CD-Rs (which play in most home and car stereos, DVD players, and computers) or CD-RWs (which play only in some stereos, DVD players, and computers).

The procedure for creating this type of CD is described in “Creating audio CDs” on page 87.

■ Compressed — Files are burned to a disc using a

compressed file format (.mp3, .wma, or .m4a). The smaller file format enables you to fit approximately ten times as many songs onto the disc (depending on length and format).

Compressed files can be burned to CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD+Rs, DVD+RWs, DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs (select models only). Compressed files can only be played on computers, CD players, or DVD players that support the file format you use to create the disc (.mp3 is most commonly supported). For file format compatibility, check the documentation for the device where you intend to play the disc. You may hear a slight loss of sound quality using compressed audio files.

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

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

The procedure for creating this type of CD is described in “Creating jukebox discs” on page 88.

For more compatibility information, see “Disc Features and Compatibility Table” on page 98.

Creating Audio and Data Discs 85

Verifying an audio disc recorded without errors

When copying or burning audio files to CD, it is recommended that you use Sonic DigitalMedia Plus because it includes a feature that confirms that your disc has been created without errors.

This write verification feature is enabled by default.

To check the status of the write verification feature in DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click Tools and then Options.

Audio CD tips

When recording music files, it is important to note that:

■ To play your music CD in a home or car stereo, it

needs to be recorded as a music CD in CD audio (.cda) format, not as a data CD.

■ As you add music files in the recording session,

DigitalMedia Plus calculates and displays the amount of recording time available to record additional music files.

■ You can’t record song names unless you make an

exact copy of a music CD in your collection.

■ If your recording fails, manually select a slower

recording speed, if available, each time you make a recording. Refer to the Help menu in your selected software program for more information about selecting a slower recording speed.

3 In the Options window, click Copy. 4 Ensure that the Verify copied data discs box is

checked.

5 Click OK.

■ If you try to record more than a standard CD can

hold, a message displays warning you that all the tracks may not fit on your disc.

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.

86 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Creating audio CDs

To create uncompressed audio CDs using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click the Audio tab and then Audio CD. 3 Do one or more of the following:

■ Click Add Music and navigate to music stored

on your HP Digital Entertainment Center.

■ In the Quick Find panel, click Scan to

automatically search your HP Digital Entertainment Center for songs.

■ Insert a CD and add songs from it.

4 Select the songs you want to record, and then

click Add.

5 Click the Burn icon when you have

added all the audio files to your music CD project.

6 When prompted, insert a blank CD-R or

CD-RW disc. If you want to play your music CD in your home or car stereo, use a CD-R disc. CD-RW discs may not play in some stereos.

7 Click OK.

You can get detailed online help by clicking the Help menu and then selecting Help.

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

Creating Audio and Data Discs 87

Creating jukebox discs

DVD discs can store significantly more music files than a CD. Jukebox discs can only be played on computers, CD players, or DVD players that support the file format you use to create the disc (.mp3 is most commonly supported).

To create compressed (jukebox) music CDs or DVDs using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click the Audio tab and then Jukebox CD/DVD. 3 Do one or more of the following:

■ Click Add Music and navigate to music stored

on your HP Digital Entertainment Center.

■ In the Quick Find panel, click Scan to

automatically search your HP Digital Entertainment Center for songs.

■ Insert a CD and add songs from it.

4 Select the songs you want to record, and then

click Add.

5 Click the Burn icon when you have

added all the audio files to your music CD project.

6 When prompted, insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc.

If you want to play your music CD in your home or car stereo, use a CD-R disc. CD-RW discs may not play in some stereos.

7 Click OK. 8 You can get detailed online help by clicking the

Help menu, and then selecting Help.

88 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Working with Data DVDs and CDs

Unlike audio CDs and jukebox DVDs, data DVDs and CDs can be recorded in multiple sessions.

Verifying a data disc recorded without errors

When copying or burning data files to DVD or CD, it is recommended that you use Sonic DigitalMedia Plus because it includes a feature that confirms that your disc has been created without errors.

This data verification feature is enabled by default.

To check the status of the write verification feature in Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click Too ls and then Options.

3 In the Options window, click Data. 4 Ensure that the Verify data written to the disc

after burning box is checked.

5 Click OK.

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

Creating Audio and Data Discs 89

Data disc tips

When storing data files on a disc, it is important to note that:

■ You can add new data files to a CD-R,

DVD-R, or a DVD+R in a later recording session, until the disc is full. With DVD+R or DVD-R discs, insert your partially recorded DVD, click the Wrench icon to display the Options window, click Data, select the first Write-Once DVD Compatibility option, and then click OK.

■ When you record files that have the same name

as previously recorded files, Sonic DigitalMedia Plus updates the file and the previous version is overwritten.

■ Sonic DigitalMedia Plus allows you to change the

names of files you want to record and the files that were previously recorded.

■ As you select data files to record to your disc,

Sonic DigitalMedia Plus calculates and displays the amount of recording space used on your disc.

■ If your recording fails, manually select a slower

recording speed, if available, each time you make a recording. Refer to the Help menu in your selected software program for more information about

selecting a slower recording speed.

An appendable disc can have additional files added to it, if there is disc space available. Recorded audio CDs are closed-session discs that are not appendable.

90 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Creating data discs

To create data CDs or DVDs using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click the Data tab, and then click Data Disc. 3 Do one or more of the following:

■ Click Add Data and navigate to files stored

on your HP Digital Entertainment Center.

■ In the Quick Scan panel, select a type of file to

search for, and then click Scan to automatically search your HP Digital Entertainment Center for the selected file type.

■ Insert a CD or DVD that contains the file you

want to add.

4 Select the files you want to record, and then

click Add.

You can rename your files in the file selection window by selecting and typing over the current name. This does not affect the original files on your hard disk drive.

5 To name your disc, click Volume Label, and

then type a name over it. Sonic DigitalMedia Plus assigns a name based on the recording date if you do not type a name.

6 Click the Burn icon when you have

added all the files to your data project.

7 When prompted, insert a blank or

appendable disc (select models only).

DVD discs can store significantly more files than a CD.

8 Click OK.

You can get detailed online help by clicking the Help menu and then selecting Help.

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

Creating Audio and Data Discs 91

Copying a DVD or CD

Sonic DigitalMedia Plus enables you to make copies of an existing music or data disc. You can configure Sonic DigitalMedia Plus to verify that:

■ Data files have been copied without errors by

performing the procedure described in “Verifying a data disc recorded without errors” on page 89.

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.

To make a copy of an existing music or data disc using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click the Copy tab, and then click Disc Copy.

■ Music files have been copied without errors by

performing the procedure described in “Verifying an audio disc recorded without errors” on page 86.

Your DVD Writer or CD Writer drive will not copy commercially available DVD movies. Most commercial DVDs are encoded to prevent unauthorized duplication.

3 Insert the CD or DVD you want to copy. 4 Insert a blank DVD or CD into the drive. 5 Click the Copy icon. 6 Click Done when the recording is complete.

92 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

Archiving Files on a CD or DVD

To make an archive file copy of files stored on your HP Digital Entertainment Center using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click the Data tab and then Easy Archive.

6 Click Save, enter a name for your archive, and

7 Click the Burn icon. 8 When prompted, insert a recordable disc,

3 Select the path to the files that you want to archive

(or click Browse to navigate to them).

9 If the files do not fit on one disc, you are prompted

4 Select the type of files you want to add to the

archive, or select All Files in the Selected Path.

5 Place a check mark in the Only Archive Files

Changed Since box, and select a date to limit the

scan to files that have been changed since that date.

10 Click Done when recording is complete.

For additional information about saving archives on your hard disk drive, or scheduling automatic archives, see the online Help.

Archiving files using Media Center

To archive your hard disk drive files using Media Center:

1 Press the Media Center Start button on the

remote control, or, with your mouse, click Start

on the taskbar, and then click Media

Center.

then click OK.

and then click OK.

for additional discs.

Data Discs

Creating Audio and

2 Select More Programs. 3 Select Media Archive. 4 Select the drive where your files are located by

selecting (+) or (–).

5 Select the type of files to archive, by placing a

check next to Music, Pictures, Video, and Recorded TV.

6 Select the drive where you want to archive your

files by selecting (+) or (–).

7 Select Archive. Follow any onscreen instructions.

Creating Audio and Data Discs 93

Working with image files

The Sonic recording programs can convert all the files from a CD or DVD and convert them into a single image file (.iso) or a series of Global-Image files (.gi), none exceeding 2 GB. You can use the image file to reproduce the original disc. Image files are typically used when you need to make multiple copies of the same disc.

Creating an image file

To make an image file using Sonic DigitalMedia Plus:

1 Open the Sonic DigitalMedia Plus program by

clicking Start, All Programs, Sonic, and then DigitalMedia Home.

2 Click Copy, select .iso or .gi (if prompted for file

type), and then click Save Image.

An image file is not a traditional picture file. An image file can be used to reproduce an original disc. Image files are typically used when you need to make multiple copies

of the same disc.

Your DVD Writer or CD Writer drive will not copy commercially available DVD movies. Most commercial DVDs are encoded to prevent unauthorized duplication.

3 Insert the CD or DVD from which you want to make a

image file.

4 Click Browse to select the location where the image

file will be created.

5 Click the Save Image icon to create the image file.

94 HP Digital Entertainment Center Software Guide

HP z556, z558 Software Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Welcome

Experience the Entertainment Fun

Watch and record live TV

The right music for the moment

Share your digital memories

Transform your living space into a theater

Using Media Center Features

Using Media Center

Setting Up Media Center

Opening Media Center using a trackball

Opening Media Center using the remote control

Media Center menu bars

Navigating Media Center

Media Center control menu

Using Media Center Away mode

Completing the setup wizard steps

Media Center Start Menu

Online Spotlight

Using Instant Messaging in Media Center

Logging in to your messenger account

Changing Media Center Settings

Media Center Settings Categories

Contacting HP Support in Media Center

Finding Additional Media Center Information

Using the Remote Control

Remote Control Buttons Overview

Navigating My TV

Watching and Recording TV Programs 19

Watching TV

Watching Live TV

Controlling TV playback

Using the remote control in My TV

Using the Television Program Guide

Using Media Center without a Guide

Television Program Guide Errors

Viewing the Television Program Guide

Setting up how Media Center downloads the Guide

Manually downloading the Guide

Adding a postal code to receive the correct Guide

Adding missing channels to the Guide

Editing channels in the Guide

Removing channels from the Guide

Searching for TV Programs

Searching for TV programs using categories

Recording TV Programs

Recording TV from the Guide

Recording programs manually with or without a Guide

Recording quality and hard disk drive storage space

Copying recorded TV programs to DVD or CD

Media Copy Protection

Playing Recorded TV Programs

Playing Music Files

My Music

Using My Music with Media Center

Adding Music to the My Music Library

Adding music files from your hard disk drive

Adding music files from a CD

Deleting music files from the My Music library

Using supported music file types

Playing Music Files in My Music

Playing an album in My Music

Playing a song in My Music

Creating a Queue List in My Music

Finding and Playing an Album in My Music

Creating a Playlist in My Music

Copying Music Files to CD in My Music

Working with Pictures

HP Image Zone

My Pictures

Working with Digital Images

Using HP Image Zone in Media Center

Creating your picture catalog in HP Image Zone

Creating albums

Modifying a date assigned to your pictures

Assigning a keyword to your pictures