Discover What's on TV
Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions both include Windows Media Center. If your PC has one of these operating systems and a TV tuner card, you can watch, pause and record live TV. In some countries, you also can use the electronic programme guide, or EPG, to find and record TV shows from your local service.
The electronic programme guide is a simple, convenient way to browse what's on television using a chronological table. The guide includes the date and time the show will air, as well as programme and film summaries. You can use the grid view to quickly explore what's showing, or look for specific films or programmes using the searchable programme guide.
Here's the really great part. Unlike similar services, the guide is free. With Windows Vista Home Premium, you pay no monthly fees or subscription charges for the electronic programme guide service.
Find the ideal show for you
Rather than changing the channel to find a good show, you can get an instant list of what's on now and what will be on in the hours or days ahead. While you're watching TV, just press the Guide button on the Windows Media Center remote control to display the on-screen electronic programme guide. The programme you're watching will remain in the background as you browse for shows or for information such as programme times and plot summaries.
The free electronic programme guide is a fast way to find and record TV shows and films.
Record the TV programmes you want
A VCR enables you to watch TV to your schedule. But, like many people, you may find VCRs hard to set up and a bother to use. And there is the expense of the tapes. Now, you no longer need to rely on your VCR. It's simple to use your computer to record TV. And you can record as much content as will fit on your hard drive.
When you review the guide and find something you'd like to record, simply click Record to record the programme when it is broadcast. You can record one programme or an entire series. You can even set up the schedule so you don't record re-runs.
With Windows Media Center, you can pause, rewind, fast forward and record live TV.
Use the mini-guide to browse listings
Another way to see what's on TV is to use the mini-guide. While you're watching a programme, press the directional arrows on the remote control to bring up the mini-guide. Without interrupting your programme, the mini-guide lets you see what's showing on other channels now, and in the hours and days ahead.
Even more ways to search
In addition to browsing through the grid-based guide or the mini-guide, you can search for programmes by name or type. If you want to find a specific programme, you can use your remote control to enter its name. You can narrow your search by browsing content categories - such as HD Content, Movies or Kids.
Search the electronic programme guide for shows by name or category using your remote control.
Are you ready to watch? Your show is easy to find
With the Windows Media Center user interface, it's easy to find a recorded show to watch. Just browse to the Recorded TV section to quickly review the content you've recorded. To make it easy to look through your recordings, Windows Vista displays an image from the show, such as a logo or one of the key characters.
It is easy to play a recording: just point and click. And, of course, you can pause and rewind at any time.
Parental controls put you in charge
Windows Vista Home Premium helps you control the content that your children can watch, even when you're not nearby. Windows Media Center features a set of media-specific Parental Controls that let you set appropriate ratings for TV shows (in the United States) and DVDs that you decide are acceptable for your children to watch.
The Parental Controls in Windows Media Center work with the Windows Vista Parental Controls. This feature lets parents set a limit on the amount of time their children spend on the PC each day. When the time limit expires, Windows Vista logs them off the PC, even if they are in the middle of watching a film.
You can set specific criteria to ensure your children are watching appropriate content.
