Microsoft KB Archive/830899

= Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 frequently asked questions =

Article ID: 830899

Article Last Modified on 3/2/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004

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SUMMARY
This article answers some of the more frequently asked questions about Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2004.



MORE INFORMATION
Q1: Why do some movies still play even after I program the rating that is listed on the DVD box in my Parental Controls?

A1: When you use Parental Controls, remember the rating that is encoded on the DVD may not match what appears on the DVD box. Media Center uses the rating that is encoded on the DVD to enforce Parental Control rules.

Q2: When I close the DVD drive after I remove a DVD, why does Media Center close?

A2: Media Center may close when you press a button on certain HP keyboards that opens and closes your CD or DVD drive. HP has a workaround for this isse. To see the workaround, visit the following HP Web site:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00007650&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&dlc=en&lang=en

'''Q3: I cannot listen to the radio while I am recording. Why not?'''

A3: The radio will stop playing if a scheduled recording begins. This is currently a limitation of the hardware.

'''Q4: Media Center does not retrieve the album information for my music CD. Why not?'''

A4: When you use Media Center behind a firewall, the album art for a newly-inserted CD may not be retrieved in the My Music experience. Check the firewall settings to make sure that all appropriate http ports are open.

Q5: When I unplug my Universal Serial Bus (USB) tuner and then plug it back in, why does My TV not work?

A5: With Media Center running, the My TV experience may not work after you unplug and then plug in the USB tuner. To correct this problem, close Media Center and restart the computer.

'''Q6: I cannot run Media Center on my home server. Why not?'''

A6: A home server that has an underscore (_) in its name cannot be used by Media Center. Rename the server without an underscore to resolve this issue.

'''Q7: I cannot connect to download the Guide in Media Center. Why not?'''

A7: Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that use their own custom dialers may not work with Media Center for auto dialing to download the Guide and other information. If Media Center cannot initialize your dial-up connection when you require it to do so, change the download method option to Download when connected.

Q8: Why do my recordings now show as On Time when I had them set at Start When Possible?

A8: During an upgrade from Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, the recorder keep the correct start times but may incorrectly display them. For example, when a show was set to record at Start When Possible, it is now set to On Time, but it still begins recording 30 minutes in advance. If you set it to On Time and then click Save, nothing will occur and Media Center will continue to record 30 minutes in advance. To work around this issue, select an option other than On Time, and then click Save. After you do so, you can set the start time back to On Time, and then click Save.

Note After you change the Start When Possible time, you can never go back to recording anything greater than four minutes before the start of the show.

'''Q9: I have reattached my IR remote control unit. Why does it not work?'''

A9: If an infrared (IR) emitter is not attached, the set-top box configuration defaults back to a coax/radio frequency (RF) connection. See your manufacturer's hardware setup instructions for details on how to attach an IR emitter.

Q10: How do I reset my password for parental controls?

A10: To reset the numeric password for parental controls, press the Parental Control button, and then press CTRL+ALT+ENTER. The information in the help topic is incorrect.

Multimedia Feature Pack
Q1: Why does the game music play over my music in Otto?

A1: Game music may overlap custom music in Otto for up to one second when coming out of pause mode or when advancing tracks on a playlist or on a CD.

'''Q2: My music does play in Gem Master. Why not?'''

A2: Custom music support is enabled in Otto, but not in Gem Master.

International
'''Q1: When I turn on the subtitles, it my screen appears to become darker. Is this typical?'''

A1: Yes, turning on the subtitles causes the screen to become 30% darker.

Q2: Why is the time on the Teletext pages wrong?

A2: Time that appears on Teletext pages is not kept updated, particularly on pages that have lots of subpages. This may cause time to be minutes or even tens of minutes out of date.

Q3: Why do some of the remote control buttons not work in Teletext?

A3: Some remote controls cannot use the colored buttons in Teletext. Ask your manufacturer about the availability of a remote that supports this functionality.

Q4: Why are my Teletext pages mixed together with ones from other channels?

A4: Teletext pages from multiple channels may be mixed together, particularly on set-top boxes.

Q5: When I try to preset my channels, why does the scan miss some channels?

A5: DVB-T radio is not supported. When you scan for Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting Services (DVB-T) channels, you see that some channels are missed. These are the radio stations.

'''Q6: I cannot make my preset numbers and my Guide listings work correctly. Why not?'''

A6: The Personalize preset numbers and Edit Guide listing functions do not work if you have not downloaded Guide data. If you have downloaded Guide data, you may have to press the Restore Defaults button from the Personalize Preset Numbers page and the Edit Guide page.

Q7: What services are not supported in Media Center?

A7: The following services are not supported in Media Center:
 * Digital radio services
 * Interactive services
 * Digital data services

'''Q8: I am close to another country, but I cannot receive the stations in that country. Why not?'''

A8: Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 has been designed to match the broadcasting standard of a particular country. Therefore, even if you live near the border of a country, you cannot receive TV stations from the foreign country if the foreign country uses a different standard.

France
Q1: What issues should I know about when I run Media Center in France?

A1: When you run Media Center in France, be aware of the following issues:
 * S-Video is the only input method supported for set-top boxes.
 * Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 will not work with the analog descrambler Canal+ SYSTER. Therefore, you cannot access the free-to-air content of Canal+ when you are using an analog TV signal.
 * You may experience problems with Teletext on some channels.
 * Auto configuration is not supported.
 * When a set-top box is connected, &quot;le canal a préréglé&quot; (channel preset) does not appear. Use &quot;changez les canaux&quot; (change channels) instead.

United Kingdom (UK)
Q1: What issues should I know about when I run Media Center in the United Kingdom?

A1: When you run Media Center in the United Kingdom, be aware of the following issues:
 * Program Delay Control (PDC) is not supported. Delayed scheduling is not handled by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.
 * Auto configuration is not supported.
 * When a set-top box is connected, &quot;Channel Preset&quot; does not appear. Use &quot;Change channels&quot; instead.

Germany
Q1: What issues should I know about when I run Media Center in the Germany?

A1: When you run Media Center in Germany, be aware of the following issues:
 * Cable channel numbers have to be converted manually into International Telecommunications Union (ITU) channel numbers. A conversion table is available in the online help.
 * DVB-T services on very high frequency (VHF) channels will not be detected.
 * When a set-top box is connected, &quot;Persönliche Programmbelegung&quot; (channel preset) does not appear. Use &quot;Programmlisten bearbeiten&quot; (change channels) instead. This also applies to France and UK.
 * Auto configuration is not supported.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Technical support for Media Center
Because Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition was included with your hardware device or system, the hardware manufacturer provides technical support and assistance for this software. Your manufacturer may have customized the installation with unique components such as specific device drivers and optional settings to maximize the performance of that manufacturer's hardware. If you require technical help with Windows XP Media Center Edition, contact your manufacturer directly because the manufacturer is best qualified to support the software that the manufacturer has installed on the hardware.

You can also visit the Windows XP Media Center Edition product information Web site at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/

Keywords: kbinfo KB830899

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