Watch, Pause, or Record Live TV
Easy to set up
Computers running Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition include Windows Media Center, which enables you to use your computer as both a TV tuner and a digital video recorder. That makes watching and recording TV a much richer, easier experience.1
Once you've got a PC with a TV tuner card installed, set-up is straightforward. You simply plug the cable, satellite or antenna signal into the tuner card, just as you do with one of today's set-top boxes.
After your system is set up, you can use the remote control that comes with your computer to tune to your favourite channel and use other Windows Media Center features. You can also connect your computer to your television and watch live TV - and all of your recorded content - on your TV screen instead of on your computer monitor.
Watch or pause live TV
Watching TV with Windows Vista is as simple as clicking the TV section of the Windows Media Center interface. From there, you can select a show to watch from your local listings. But what if you want to go to another room for a minute?
One of the best things about watching television with Windows Vista is the ability to pause live TV. Just press the Pause button on the remote control; your programme will wait for you. Press the Play button when you return, and the programme will start where you paused it.
The Windows Media Center interface.
Rewind live TV
In addition to pausing, you also can rewind TV, even while the programme is still on. For example, if you answer your phone but forget to use the Pause button, you can rewind up to 30 minutes of the live show you were watching.
Record live TV
If you're watching a programme and want to record the rest of it, just press the Record button on the remote control. Then, when you're ready, just go to the Recorded TV section in Windows Media Center and your show will be there for you, ready to play. In many cases, you can also schedule programmes to record in the future.
If you love to watch TV, you can use Windows Vista with more than one TV tuner card. Then you can watch one show while recording another, or record two shows at the same time.
Surf the Internet, too
Windows Vista does more than just provide a great digital video experience. When you're using Windows Vista as your entertainment centre, you can surf the Internet while you're watching TV. Do you want to find out the name of the band that sings the theme song for your favourite programme? If your PC is connected to the Internet, you can go to the programme's website to check while your programme continues to play.
Watch HDTV on your computer
High-definition TV (HDTV) is becoming increasingly popular because it adds tremendous vibrancy to television. Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions support HD in South Korea and the United States. In addition to over-the-air HD, in the United States Windows Vista supports digital cable service, including premium high-definition content when you have a supporting CableCARD from your local cable provider.
