Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Windows® XP Media Center®

Another thing you can’t do with your Media Center PC (that you can with most

other DVRs) is use the remote control to operate other entertainment devices, such

as your TV, VCR, or standalone DVD player.

Getting Prepared Physically

The idea of this section is not that you need to start lifting weights before setting up

your Windows Media Center PC (although, if you opted to buy a Gateway machine

with an optional 42-inch plasma display, as shown in Figure 1.1, remember that

baby weighs in at approximately 115 pounds—so if you plan to move it by yourself,

you had better start pumping up!). Getting ready physically means making plans

for the physical requirements of your new system. You need to make some decisions

and lay some groundwork before you can break ground on your new digital enter-

tainment experience.

CHAPTER 1 PREPARING FOR XP MEDIA CENTER

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FIGURE 1.1

Gateway’s Media

Center PC can be

combined with

an optional

42-inch plasma

display. Just

make sure you’ve

got a buddy to

help you lift it

into place.

Gathering Your Wits and Materials

Bringing home a new Media PC is a little like bringing home a new puppy; a little

planning is required. If you want it to meet your expectations of being a loving,

faithful, and (ideally) well-behaved friend, you first have to meet its expectations.

You’re going to have to find a place for it to stay and make sure it has all the things

it requires to be happy and healthy.

It’s true, you don’t have to feed your Media Center PC, and there’s no danger of it

messing on the carpet. But to enjoy the full benefit of this powerful device, you’re

going to have to provide it with a few basics: electricity, of course; a source of TV

programming (cable, satellite, and so on); and a way to reach the Internet so that it

can download current program-guide information. That’s the minimum. You may

also want to connect your Media PC to your home network.

That covers just the inputs you need to get ready

before installing your new Media PC. What about

outputs? Do you want to connect to an existing

home entertainment system? That would typically

include a TV, a VCR, a standalone DVD player

(although you don’t really need one—it’s included

in your PC), and a sound system.

You’re probably getting the idea by now; this is

much more than your typical desktop PC installa-

tion. In fact, your Media PC probably isn’t a

“desktop” machine at all. It’s very likely to be a

tower design, made to sit on the floor. The HP

machine shown in Figure 1.2 is typical of the

tower design.

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ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER

Even if you have

some kind of broadband

connection to the Internet—that

is, something other than a dial-up

connection, such as a DSL or

cable modem—you may want to

connect your Media PC to a phone

line as well. For instance, you need

phone-line access to take advan-

tage of the built-in fax features

that come with Windows XP.

FIGURE 1.2

Hewlett-Packard’s

Media Center PC

is the original—

the first Windows

XP Media Center

Edition system

to ship, and

probably the

best-selling

model to date.

Its classic tower

design is still the

most prevalent

among Media

PC makers.