Watch TV while Using Your Computer

Get work done while watching your favorite TV show. You can run other programs when using Windows Media Center and make it stay on top of other windows.

To run other programs on your computer while you watch TV:

1. Press the Green Start Button on your remote to open the Media Center Start menu.

2. With your mouse, click Restore Down on the toolbar to switch Media Center out of full-screen mode and into a movable, sizable window. (If the toolbar is not shown on your screen, move your mouse slightly.)

3. Drag the lower-right corner of the window to resize it so that you have room to run other programs on your desktop. You can also click the top bar in the Media Center window, and then drag the window to the location where you want it on your desktop.

4. Start the program that you want to use. If the program is maximized, click its Minimize button, and then resize the window by using your mouse to drag its lower right corner.

5. To control Media Center with your remote while it is in a window (rather than in full-screen mode), you must first either click the window with your mouse or press the Green Button on your remote. To control Media Center with your mouse when it is in a window, click the buttons at the top and bottom of the window in the same way that you would press buttons with your remote.

To configure Media Center to stay on top of other windows:

1. Press the Green Button on your remote, and then select Settings.

2. On the Settings page, select General.

3. On the General Settings page, select Startup and Window Behavior.

4. Select the Media Center window always on top check box.

5. Select Save.

If you don't want to watch TV with Media Center, you can close Media Center by clicking the Close button with your mouse. Media Center can still record TV while it is closed, as long as you leave the computer turned on, in standby mode, or in hibernate mode.

Learn more: Watch Internet TV