How to connect windows media center to my tv

Note: When Media Center appears finished scanning for more channels, it might still be working in the background. If you didn't see the channels you were expecting during this scan, it's best to wait about 15 minutes before trying the scan again.

Many cable or satellite subscribers have a cable box sometimes referred to as a set-top box or satellite receiver. Cable boxes and satellite receivers can include channels that are either standard or high definition.

In Media Center, a digital high-definition signal that is transmitted through one of these boxes will be converted to an analog standard-definition signal. Connect the cable from the cable source wall jack to the cable input jack on the cable box or satellite receiver.

If you have two cable boxes or two satellite receivers that you want to use with Media Center, you can use a splitter to divide the TV signal from the wall jack to the boxes.

Each cable box or satellite receiver must have a TV signal connected to the cable input jack. Connect an IR blaster to your computer and your set-top box. For more information, see the documentation that came with your IR blaster. Follow the steps to connect a TV signal, depending on the type of tuner or tuners that the cable is connected to, as well as the type of programming to which you subscribe. If you have a digital cable service from your local cable provider, and you own a specially certified PC known as a Digital Cable Ready computer, you may be able to watch and record digital cable TV in Media Center.

To do this you'll need a couple things: a digital cable tuner , which is a device that comes with most Digital Cable Ready computers, and a CableCARD , which is a device that must be inserted into your digital cable tuner to allow it to receive digital cable. A CableCARD serves as a replacement for a digital set-top box, and can only be obtained from a participating digital cable provider. With the proper CableCARD inserted into a compatible digital cable tuner, you can watch digital cable channels both standard and high definition that are available by subscription from your cable provider.

It's recommended that you work with a cable technician from your service provider to set up a digital cable tuner and signal. Many of the steps below should be performed by them. If you have a Digital Cable Ready computer, follow the instructions from your computer manufacturer to set up your digital cable tuner. You'll need these numbers for the activation process in step 7.

This step is usually performed by a technician from your digital cable provider. Connect the cable from the cable source wall jack to the TV-IN jack on the digital cable tuner. Contact your service provider to pair your CableCARD with the digital cable tuner—this will activate both so you can receive digital cable content. You will be required to provide the following information to your service provider:. This number will be reported in Windows Media Center on the Call your cable company page.

Example: Host ID. Data ID. Example: NGTA Note: If you have a digital cable tuner or another type of digital tuner but no digital cable service, you might be able to use an antenna to watch and record over-the-air high-definition television HDTV sometimes referred to as ATSC , standard TV, and digital cable channels that are not encrypted such as "clear QAM" channels.

Some premium digital cable channels might contain protected content that can't be recorded. If you upgraded your computer to Windows 7 from Windows Vista, you might be able to preserve your TV signal settings from before the upgrade. If Media Center detects previous TV signal settings, you'll see a welcome message asking if you want to set up the TV with the same settings.

Note: If you see a message saying that TV setup was not successful, make sure that you have the latest driver installed for your TV tuner. For information about how to download and install the latest driver, see Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly.

If you have the latest drivers installed for your TV tuner and Media Center still can't set up the signal using this method, try setting up the TV signal without preserving your settings from Windows Vista.

If you're having trouble setting up your TV signal, try using the Set up TV tuner troubleshooter to automatically find and fix some common problems.

In the search box, enter troubleshooter , and then select Troubleshooting. In the left pane, select View all , and then select Set up TV tuner. Note: During the setup process, you might be asked to install a program called PlayReady. PlayReady allows you to play protected, premium TV content from your service provider in Media Center. If you receive an error while setting up your TV tuner—for example, a download error, or an error during PlayReady installation—you might need to go through the entire setup process again in order for your TV signal to work properly.

Windows 7 More Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, We recommend you move to a Windows 11 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft. Select Finish. To scan for additional channels or check the signal strength for a digital TV tuner.

To set up a TV signal from a set-top box using an IR blaster. To set up a digital cable TV signal with a digital cable tuner United States only.

Example: Host ID. Example: Data ID. Example: UnitAddress. It will also save your folder selections for the next time you start the program. Media Center automatically scans selected folders for compatible media files. If you want to import files from a shared folder on another computer, the process is similar: select On another computer and Media Center will search for shared folders rather than local ones.

You can return to Media Library any time:. A TV tuner is a hardware device that you can connect to your computer through an internal expansion slot or an external expansion port, such as a USB port. All of your digital music, photos, and home movies—as well as a variety of online media—will be only a few clicks away. Windows 7 More Tips: You can also use a mouse to open Media Center. Need more help? Join the discussion.

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