Get Started with HDTV in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Published: October 12, 2004
Although I wasn't aware of it at the time, an acronym epidemic began about a year ago that was going to change my definition of TV. I had already grabbed on to the personal video recording (PVR) and digital video recording (DVR) wagon and happily so, but it turns out that TV broadcasters have something more to offer—high definition television (HDTV).
First, my cable provider started adding network channels marked with DTV or HD. Then retailers started selling TVs that support HDTV. However, I knew there was a real acronym outbreak when Windows XP Media Center Edition announced it would be adding support for HDTV but only for over-the-air (OTA) signals. What is this acronym madness? What is all the hype about and how does it tie into my Media Center PC?
In this column, I take a look at the basics of digital TV and then explain how to set up your Media Center PC so you've got the right hardware and software before you download and install the update. Only after you've prepared your Media Center should you download and install the Update Rollup 1 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with HDTV Support (KB873369).
Note: In the course of my research, I came across even more acronyms, so I have included an acronym glossary you can refer to.
How HDTV Works
Digital television (DTV), high definition (HD), and high definition television (HDTV) all refer to the latest type of broadcast TV. You might have noticed that your cable or satellite providers are now offering some channels in both standard and high definition broadcasts. You can tell which channels are high definition or digital because the channel network name is often annotated with a -DT or -HD. Digital TV broadcasts for local channels are also offered over-the-air (OTA) in many regions for those with digital TV antennas.
Typically, digital TV offers increased image resolution and more stability than standard TV and is often coupled with higher quality audio such as surround sound. You're probably more familiar with standard (analog) TV, which is the type of TV most commonly distributed today through antenna, cable, digital cable, or satellite. On average, standard TV broadcasts an image resolution of about 210,000 pixels. In comparison, Digital TV can broadcast an image resolution of up to 2 million pixels and provide nearly 10 times more picture detail on displays that support HDTV.
Another difference between digital TV and standard TV is what happens when you have little-to-no signal reception. If you are receiving weak or no signal for standard TV broadcast, you will likely experience static, image ghosting, or a fuzzy image. In contrast, digital TV either displays a clear image or nothing at all. For more information about HDTV, see Howstuffworks: How HDTV Works.
How Digital TV Ties in with Media Center
Digital TV in Media Center allows you to watch and record high definition TV signals that might be available in your region. Media Center support for digital TV is only available in the United States and only for digital TV that is broadcast over-the-air (OTA). You must also have a working antenna that is capable of receiving digital TV signal. An antenna that is capable of receiving digital TV signals might be labeled as HDTV-ready or DTV-ready. However, most of the HDTV OTA channels that are broadcast today are in the UHF band so if you have a UHF antenna, you're probably covered. In addition, a small number of channels in some regions broadcast on the VHF band and more could be added in the future, so you might want to consider getting an antenna with both UHF and VHF.
Some Media Center PCs are beginning to be sold with hardware support for Digital TV in Media Center. However, if you already have a Media Center PC (like me), make sure it has or supports the following:
| • | Internal or external tuner hardware that supports Digital TV (ATSC) and has BDA-compliant drivers. NTSC/ATSC hybrid tuners are not supported. Some newer Media Center PCs might already be configured with the appropriate tuner, so be sure to check with your hardware manufacturer before going out and buying new tuner hardware. Also, the hardware manufacturer is often your best resource for recommending which tuner hardware to purchase, if any. |
| • | Video adapter with 128-MB DDR video memory with 128-bit interface; an AGP8x interface or PCI express; video memory bandwidth of 10 GB per second or greater; support for MPEG-2 iDCT acceleration. You might not find all of this information included in the hardware specification for the video adapter. If that is the case, try calling the manufacturer directly to inquire or contact your PC hardware manufacturer for video adapter recommendations. |
| • | 2.4-Ghz CPU or greater. |
| • | 512-MB DDR system memory (optional). |
| • | 200-GB hard disk or greater to accommodate larger file size of Digital TV recordings (optional). |
Other electronics that enhance the digital TV experience:
| • | 5.1 surround sound speakers. |
| • | A/V receiver with digital audio input capability. |
| • | A display that supports HDTV to take full advantage of the increased image detail of digital TV. In most cases, computer monitors are capable of displaying the desirable level of detail for HDTV. However, most TVs are not unless they have been manufactured specifically with HDTV compatibility. Also, if you have a television that supports HDTV, you might get better HDTV image quality if you use either component or DVI cables to connect the TV to the Media Center PC. |
Is Digital TV for Me?
Before you get any additional equipment for digital TV in Media Center, you should do some preliminary research to make sure that over-the-air digital TV channels are offered in your region and that you are capable of receiving over-the-air digital TV signals at your house. To check which over-the-air digital TV channels are available in your region, go to AntennaWeb or Titan TV. Both Web sites provide tools that identify what digital TV channels are available in your region for over-the-air broadcasts.
Additionally, tools are provided for selecting the appropriate antenna for your needs and optimum antenna position to receive the most channels possible. Similar to any other TV or radio over-the-air signal reception, the signal strength for digital TV can be affected by the type of antenna, its position relevant to the broadcast antenna, and overall location. For example, you might not be able to receive all channels broadcast in your area if the antenna does not receive the appropriate range of signal on the MHz scale for digital TV channels or if it is located near any tall buildings or hills that obstruct the line of sight to the broadcasting antenna.
How to Install the Tuner
Make sure you've covered the checklist for getting digital TV. Follow these procedures first:
| • | Check that you receive over-the-air digital TV channels. |
| • | Purchase a digital TV antenna. |
| • | Acquire the hardware for the Media Center PC that supports Digital TV. |
For more detailed instructions on installing the tuner or connecting or positioning the antenna, refer to the hardware documentation that comes with each hardware item. Here are some tips I found helpful when I installed the tuner:
| • | If possible, you should install the internal tuner hardware for Digital TV (ATSC) one or two slots away from the tuner hardware for standard TV (NTSC). In some cases, the standard TV (NTSC) tuner hardware and Digital TV (ATSC) hardware interfere with each other if installed side by side. |
| • | Make sure you install all necessary drivers for the tuner hardware for the Media Center PC and enable the tuner hardware in Device Manager, if necessary. |
Here are tips on connecting and positioning the Digital TV antenna to the tuner hardware:
| • | Make sure you connect the coaxial cable for the antenna to the Digital TV input connector on the tuner hardware. In some cases, there is more than one connector on the tuner hardware, so be sure to connect to the appropriate one. |
| • | Reference either AntennaWeb or Titan TV to get more information about antenna position for best signal reception. |
| • | In some cases a signal amplifier can be paired with the antenna to increase signal strength. |
After you've installed the tuner and connected and positioned the antenna, all that's left is to download the update and set up Digital TV in Media Center. After you've completed these final steps you can enjoy the increased image detail and surround sound audio of your over-the-air digital TV channels in Media Center.
For information on the update that enables Digital TV or instructions on how to set up and use Digital TV in Media Center, go to the Update Rollup 1 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with HDTV Support (KB873369).
 | Katrina Schwieterman graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in English literature, which basically qualified her to "read and write real good" as she likes to tell her friends and family. The pursuit of a career where she could do some more of that reading and writing stuff has led her to the technical writer role she's played for the past year and a half of her 3.5 year stint at Microsoft. When she's not tracking down developers, testers, or program managers to confirm how the software works so she can better write about it in Help, Katrina is out biking, hiking, or generally enjoying the sun when it comes out. And when the sun is nowhere to be found, she happily plops down on her couch at home to enjoy the loads and loads of TV shows that have been recorded on her Media Center PC.
|
