Back to my work computer!

I watch through the computer monitor.  Although as I said in an earlier post, 
the monitor can double as a stand alone tv.

The set up routine in the Windows XP Media Center doesn't read very well 
especially in the area of setting up speakers.  There are some other things 
that don't read, but selecting the default can get you through.  As I recall, 
there is one thing you need to check for getting the Guide updated that if not 
checked tosses you out and I needed some help with that.

I use Jaws so I don't know how set up might go with Windows Eyes or System 
Access.  It's been around a year since I had to set up anything.

If you go with a Windows Media Center, remember that it's fairly tightly bound 
to the hardware and software that comes bundled.  It comes with a version of 
Sonic and Nero for some of the cd and dvd related functions.  When I first got 
mine, I tried to load an old copy of Roxio Easy CD Creater and it turned the 
computer into a jabbering paperweight.  I had to do a reinstall from the 
restore disks to get things right.  However, I've since added cd burners like 
Express burn and other programs without a problem.  I guess make sure that 
you're backed up before you try adding something.

Good luck.  I really like and enjoy my Media Center and it has been great to be 
able to record things while away for a weekend, etc.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

clifford
-----Original Message-----
From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On 
Behalf Of Brett Boyer
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 10:43 AM
To: PC Audio Discussion List
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
>>> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
>>> pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
>>>
>>> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
>>> pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
>>
>>
>> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
>> pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
> pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org 


To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org

To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to:
pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org

Reply via email to