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9780789735423

Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System With Windows Media Center

by ;
  • ISBN13:

    9780789735423

  • ISBN10:

    0789735423

  • Edition: 1st
  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2006-04-21
  • Publisher: Que Pub
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List Price: $29.99

Summary

The first hands-on guide to buying, configuring, and using a home theater PC equipped with Windows Media Center Edition.

Author Biography

Michael Miller has written more than 60 popular how-to books, including Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, How Home Theater and HDTV Work, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Theater Systems, and Microsoft Windows XP for Home Users. He is known for his ability to create best-selling book products, and to explain complex topics in easy-to-understand language.

 

The Green Button (www.thegreenbutton.com) is the premiere website for Windows Media Center Edition, offering users a place to ask questions, get information and discuss features.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1(1)
Who Should Read This Book
2(1)
How This Book Is Organized
3(1)
Special Features in This Book
3(1)
Navigating Media Center
4(3)
PART I: PLANNING YOUR MEDIA CENTER SYSTEM
Why You'd Want a PC in Your Living Room
7(16)
Things You Can Do with a PC in Your Living Room
8(7)
Why a Living Room PC Is Different from a Desktop PC
15(4)
Controlling the Living Room PC--With Windows XP Media Center Edition
19(1)
Alternatives to a Living Room PC
20(3)
Media Center System #1: The Digital Audio Server
23(18)
The Goal: Listening to Your Music Collection, Digitally
24(8)
The Plan: Configuring Your System
32(9)
Media Center System #2: The Digital Video Recorder
41(16)
The Goal: Watching and Recording Television and Movies
41(9)
The Plan: Configuring Your System
50(7)
Media Center System #3: The Whole House Entertainment System
57(12)
How a Media Center Extender Works
58(3)
Goal #1: Sharing Audio/Video Entertainment Throughout the House
61(1)
Plan #1: Placing Multiple Media Center Extenders Throughout Your Home
62(1)
Goal #2: Accessing Audio and Video Files Stored on Another PC--On Your Living Room System
63(1)
Plan #2a: Placing a Media Center Extender in Your Home Theater System
64(1)
Plan #2b: Using an Xbox Game Console As a Media Center Extender
65(2)
Using Windows Media Center via a Media Center Extender
67(2)
Buying or Building: Choosing the Right Media Center System for You
69(22)
Different Types of Media Center PCs
69(4)
Shopping for a Living Room Media Center PC
73(4)
Building a Media Center PC from Scratch
77(11)
Build or Buy: Comparing the Options
88(3)
PART II: SETTING UP YOUR MEDIA CENTER PC
Making the Connections
91(30)
How Connecting a Media Center PC Is Different from Connecting a Desktop PC
91(3)
Connecting the Antenna Input
94(7)
Connecting the Video Output
101(7)
Connecting the Audio Output
108(6)
Connecting to a Network
114(3)
Connecting the Keyboard, Mouse, and Remote Control
117(1)
Connecting External Peripherals
118(3)
Configuring Windows XP Media Center Edition
121(26)
Dealing with Windows XP
121(1)
Setting Up MCE for the First Time
122(19)
Configuring Other Settings
141(6)
PART III: USING YOUR MEDIA CENTER PC
Getting to Know Windows XP Media Center Edition
147(20)
Basic Operation
148(1)
The Start Page
149(2)
Getting Help in Media Center
151(1)
The Menus
152(10)
Launching and Exiting Media Center
162(5)
Using Windows XP MCE for Audio Storage and Playback
167(42)
Setting Up Media Center for Audio Use
168(5)
How to Play CDs
173(3)
How to Copy CDs to Your Hard Drive
176(1)
How to Download Digital Music to Your PC
177(2)
Managing and Playing Digital Audio Files
179(13)
How to Work with Playlists
192(13)
How to Burn Your Own Music CDs
205(4)
Using Windows XP MCE for Television Viewing and Recording
209(36)
How to Use the Program Guide
209(8)
How to Watch Live Television
217(7)
How to Record Television Programs
224(15)
How to View Programs You've Recorded
239(6)
Using Windows XP MCE for DVD Playback and Recording
245(16)
How to Play DVDs
245(3)
How to Record DVDs
248(7)
How to Rip DVDs to Your Hard Drive
255(3)
How to Play Other Video Files
258(3)
Using Windows XP MCE for Digital Photos
261(16)
Configuring Your Photo Slideshows
262(1)
How to View Digital Photos
263(2)
How to Manage Your Digital Photos
265(3)
How to Edit Your Digital Photos
268(3)
How to Burn Your Photos to a CD
271(3)
How to Play a Photo Slideshow
274(1)
How to Listen to Music While Playing a Slideshow
275(2)
Using Windows XP MCE for Computer Tasks
277(16)
Chatting with Other Users via Media Center Messenger
277(4)
Checking Your Email with Hotmail Plus Reader
281(2)
Managing Your Schedules, Contacts, and Email with MCE Outlook
283(4)
Managing Your Files with My File Manager
287(6)
PART IV: EXTENDING YOUR MEDIA CENTER PC
Using Your Media Center PC with a Media Center Extender
293(10)
Connecting a Media Center Extender
293(4)
Configuring a Media Center Extender
297(1)
Using Your Media Center Extender
298(1)
Tricks for Improving Media Center Extender Performance
299(4)
Exploring the Online Spotlight
303(24)
Understanding Online Spotlight
303(2)
TV & Movies in the Spotlight
305(6)
Music & Radio in the Spotlight
311(7)
News & Sports in the Spotlight
318(3)
Games in the Spotlight
321(2)
Lifestyle Options in the Spotlight
323(4)
Finding and Using Other Media Center Applications
327(22)
News Programs
328(3)
Weather Programs
331(1)
Entertainment Programs
332(3)
DVD-Burning Programs
335(2)
Lifestyle Programs
337(2)
Home Automation Programs
339(1)
Caller ID Programs
340(1)
Internet Phone Utilities
340(1)
Computer Applications
341(2)
Remote Control Utilities
343(1)
Media Center Utilities
344(2)
Games
346(3)
Customizing Windows XP Media Center Edition
349(16)
Tweaking Windows Media Center with Tweak MCE
350(7)
Customizing Windows Media Center with MCE Customizer
357(8)
Troubleshooting Media Center Problems
365(14)
Keeping Your Media Center System Up-to-Date
365(2)
Where to Go for Help
367(2)
Common Problems--And Probable Solutions
369(8)
All These Problems--Is It Worth It?
377(2)
Index 379

Supplemental Materials

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