The post-purchase tv tuner card will come with some software to interface
between the computer and the tuner card. This is for scheduling, tuning,
etc. Media Center performs the same function. The software that comes with
the tuner card, may or may not, (often not( be accessible. The software in
Media Center is pretty much compatible.
When Microsoft first introduced the concept of the Media Center, the
software and hardware were tightly bundled and compatible with each other.
Now In VISTA and Windows 7 Media Center comes as a pre-installed component
in the operating ystem whether it has a tuner card or not. The "challenge"
is to make sure that the tv tuner card you get, whether it's to be installed
internally or connect through USB, is to make sure that its operation is
compatible with Media Center.
Hope that helps. You're getting pretty close to the end of my knowledge!!
Good luck.
Clifford
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brett Boyer" <bboyer...@gmail.com>
To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
Hey Clifford and John. What is the difference of a media center computer
and a tv tuner card bought for a regular pc?
How about that one!
bb
----- Original Message -----
From: "DJ DOCTOR P" <djdoct...@att.net>
To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
High Brett,
I can't answer all the other questions for you, but I can answer the last
one for you.
If the PC has an S-video out jack and or composite video out jack or HDMI
out jack, you can watch the videos on any TV set that's hooked up to the
PC.
And or, you can watch from that same PC via the GVI out jack that is also
on the mane video card via the computer monitor.
My best regards.
John.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brett Boyer" <bboyer...@gmail.com>
To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 11:43 AM
Subject: Re: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
Hey! Couple of things:
1 what kind of sighted asistance do you think I'll need?
2 I think I'm going to go for it! Maybe I will just get the xp version
but I thought now would be the time to get in to windows 7.
3 do you watch these shows from your computer monitor or does the signal
get sent back to the tv?
Thanks so much for your help.
bb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ford Blackwell" <blackwe...@ameritech.net>
To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
Yes, when you enter Media Center, you click on "My TV". That brings up
options for watching live, watching a previously recorded show or the
Guide. The Guide is a table arrangemnt of times and channels. You can
arrow along a channel for up to a few days and clicking on a show in
the future will give you the option to record a single episode or the
series at the same time every day.
On the other access, you can find the time you're interested in and
arrow up or down and see what's on each channel. Reading the times is
a little more difficult, but you can get the hand of it.
In addition to the "My TV" option, there's "My Music", "DVD, "Photoos,
and a few more.
Initial set up may require some sighted help especially if you're
setting up a surround sound system.
I use a 15" Phillips tv as my monitor. I generally leave it set so
that the Media Center runs through it. However, by pushing a couple of
buttons on the tv, I can use the tv independently of the computer.
The card that came with mine is a single source card so you can watch
one show and record one other channel at the same time. I believe you
can get cards that allow you to record a couple of things at the same
time while watching a third.
Recording shows takes up lots of space so get a system with as large a
hard drive as you can and back up the shows or move them to another
drive so they don't record over themselves!
Once a show is recorded, you can edit out commercials using a program
like Vide Redo Suite or Lifextender. The second is only availabe of
Vista so far as I know.
I probably record three or four shows a day for my kids and they
accummulate up to about 50 shows before they start recording over
themselves. So once a week I either edit the commercials out and save
the resultant file to a dvd or to another drive or move some of the
recorded shows until I can find the time for editing.
I don't know about how well this works in VISTA or Windows 7 machines,
but in my XP Media Center, it's pretty flawless.
Let me know if you have more questions. Sorry that I'm responding from
a different address.
Clifford
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brett Boyer" <bboyer...@gmail.com>
To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
Can you set up schedules and things like that? How about just watching
tv through it?
bb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Blackwell, Clifford" <cblackw...@cityofmadison.com>
To: "'PC Audio Discussion List'" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 9:56 AM
Subject: RE: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
I don't know of where to go, but I use an XP Media Center computer
with Jaws and Charter cable. It all works pretty slickly.
I've heard that there may be a little less functionality with VISTA
or Windows 7 Media Center computers, but can't attest to that.
If you have questions, I'll try to answer them.
Though I can easily find tv programs, record them and play them back
and play dvds, I can't say that the interface for other functions
isn't a little clunky from time to time.
Clifford
-----Original Message-----
From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org
[mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Brett Boyer
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:24 AM
To: PC Audio Discussion List
Subject: MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER
Hi everyone. I'm looking in to getting a new desktop pc but not
really sure where to start. I've been looking at media center
computers because I would like to hook up my tv / cable box so I can
have some form of control.
Any tips or places to go for some information?
thanks in advance
bb
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