Introduction

LET’S FACE IT: Home entertainment is big business. The average American watches 28 hours of television every week; DVDs are sold by the millions so that consumers can watch movies in the comfort of their own homes; sales of video games average about $10 billion annually; and more than 417 million digital music tracks were downloaded in just the first half of 2007. Millions are also using the Internet to upload and share photos. It’s not surprising, really. People spend a lot of time commuting and working these days, so when they come home, they just want to relax.

Having a single source for all that digital media is a terrific advantage for busy households. That’s where Windows Media Center and Xbox 360 can make a big difference over other, more standard types of home entertainment systems that aren’t digitally based. By consolidating all your media into one place—your Media Center PC—you can access all your home entertainment media from anywhere in your home.

It’s not enough anymore to have a digital video recorder (DVR)—you’re still at the mercy of the cable or satellite company when you’re searching for a specific movie to record. In addition, no cable or satellite provider offers you the options to download specific song tracks or movies, listen to Internet radio stations, upload photos, or track your favorite fantasy-league players. There’s only one way to do all that from a central location: Media Center.

Even if you’re a novice with computers, you can take advantage of the latest technology from Microsoft so that you, too, can join the digital home entertainment revolution. Windows Vista: Home Entertainment with Windows Media Center and Xbox 360 is designed to help you reach that level of home entertainment ease.

The book explains some basic aspects of home entertainment, such as setting up surround sound, and then delves into specific aspects of Media Center that you’ll likely use the most, such as recording television programs, downloading movies, and listening to music online or offline. Plus, it gives you something no other book does: an extended primer on Xbox 360, currently the only approved media extender for Media Center. With media extenders, you can take Media Center into multiple locations in your home. A simple DVR just doesn’t compare to the broad reach of a Media Center PC.

Windows Vista: Home Entertainment with Windows Media Center and Xbox 360 is designed as an easy-to-read guide based on the real-life experiences of a family who uses both products daily. This isn’t a highly technical guru’s guide to Media Center—it’s a practical, straightforward book for anyone who wants to have access to and control over all their media from a single source in the comfort and security of their home.

You will be able to jump through chapters as needed, although if you’re just setting up a Media Center PC, it’s probably more helpful to read the book from beginning to end. The book is broken down into five parts that correspond to the types of activities you’ll typically perform when using Media Center:

Part I, “Technical Matters” Takes a look at what Media Center is, along with technical topics such as audio/visual formats and connectivity issues you might encounter, how to use Media Center on a network, how to get the best sound from your home entertainment system, and hardware basics every Media Center user should know. It also discusses how you can use Media Center throughout your home.

Part II, “Managing Your Home Entertainment System” Describes how to access and organize your media and addresses specific aspects of Media Center, such as setting up voice recognition, establishing controls and settings for optimum performance, and watching and recording television programs. It also delves into how you can access and use online media through Media Center’s Internet capabilities.

Part III, “Music and Memories” Explores how Media Center integrates with other programs in the Windows Vista operating system. You’ll discover how to use Windows Media Player to create playlists and refine your music library, and you’ll learn how to find and play music online through downloads and Internet radio stations. This part also digs into how to create photo slide shows and how to use Windows Movie Maker.

Part IV, “Get Your Game On” Covers all things related to healthy gaming—using Xbox 360 for family fun and other activities. You’ll learn about Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, games, parental controls, and much more. Gaming is a huge part of home entertainment these days and for good reason: It can be a thrilling experience that links people together through online competitions and events.

Part V, “Extras for Everyone” Examines the extras that are included in Windows Vista, such as the onscreen keyboard, screen readers, Windows Sidebar, and Windows CardSpace. That’s the beauty of Media Center—you’re not limited to one program; you have the entire resources of Windows Vista at your fingertips. This part also includes a troubleshooting chapter that can help you identify and fix issues that might be stumping you as you take this foray into digital home entertainment.

Chapters in the book describe specific tasks to perform and watch for when using Media Center. You’ll find practical advice from the authors based on their personal experiences using Media Center (look for “Our Recommendation” tips throughout the book). Many chapters include step-by-step instructions to help you easily set up and use the extensive features offered. In addition, this book includes several helpful reader aids:

Tips Highlight shortcuts and other simple but helpful techniques.

Sidebars Provide in-depth discussions of Media Center–related topics.

Our Recommendations Highlight the author’s personal observations.

Notes Provide additional information about topics in the text.