How-to: Setting Up Displays in Windows Media Center

Your computer can be of the core of your home media or entertainment system. By connecting your computer to a television, the media that you store on your computer—such as digital pictures or videos—can be displayed on a large screen. It's also possible to use your computer as a personal video recorder to record television programs on your computer.

To get the greatest benefit from connecting your computer to a TV, you should use Windows Media Center, which is included in Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Vista Home Premium.

To connect your computer to a television, your computer needs to have a connection that matches one of the inputs on your television.

If your television does not have a VGA or DVI input, you will need to use HDMI, composite video, or S-Video cables. If your computer doesn't have any of these TV-compatible outputs, then you might be able to install a new video card that has the right connection.

If you have a High Definition Television (HDTV), there are other ways to connect your computer. For more information, see HDTV: frequently asked questions.

1. Turn off your computer and position it within easy reach of your television. Disconnect the monitor, but leave the mouse and keyboard connected.

2. Connect the appropriate video cable from your computer's video port to your television.

3. Turn on your television and set it to the input that matches the video port connected to your computer. You might need to refer to your television's user's guide for instructions on how to do this.

4. Turn on your computer.

You should see Windows displayed on your television.

Note: VGA, DVI, HDMI, or component video cables provide the sharpest displays. Composite video and S-Video connections result in displays that are not as sharp. If your computer does not have an appropriate video port, then you might be able to install a new video card with the appropriate television-friendly connection.

To watch and record TV in Windows Media Center, you need to have a TV tuner connected to your computer. A TV tuner is a special kind of video device that lets you receive a TV signal to watch on your computer. The tuner might be a TV tuner card that you install in your computer, or it might be a USB device that you plug into a USB port on your computer.

Most TV tuners have inputs that you can use to connect to a TV signal, such as connecting a cable to receive a signal from an antenna or cable TV. TV tuners typically come with programs that you can use to watch and record TV programs.

An optional analog or digital TV tuner is required to play and record TV in Windows Media Center.

Windows Media Center supports a wide range of TV signal types, including antenna signals, cable TV signals, and satellite TV signals. The type of signals you can set up is determined by the type of TV tuner you have installed on your computer, the area in which you live, and the cable or satellite television provider to which you subscribe. In Windows Media Center, high-definition signals that are transmitted through a cable or satellite set-top box will be converted to analog signals.

Windows Media Center supports both analog and high-definition TV (HDTV) signals that are broadcast over-the-air to an antenna. For steps on connecting a TV signal to your computer, visit the Help & How To article "Connect a TV signal to your computer." See also TV signals that are supported by Windows Media Center.

With the new Extenders for Windows Media Center, you can stream the digital media you have on your Windows Media Center PC in as many as five rooms in your house. Use streamlined menus to access the live and recorded TV, music, movies, videos, sports, Internet TV and other online content on your PC running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate through your wired or wireless home network.

If you have an Xbox 360, you may not know that it's also an Extender for Windows Media Center. Setup is easy, and soon you'll be cruising through Windows Media Center menus using your Xbox 360 anywhere in your home. To learn more, visit these pages: .

Play your digital media anywhere in the home.

Set up a Windows Media Center Extender device.