How to play and watch live TV in Windows Media Center under Windows Vista?

If your computer has no TV tuner, an optional analog or digital TV tuner is required to play and record TV in Windows Media Center.



You can use Windows Media Center to watch TV and movies. You can also choose to pause live TV so that you can do other things without missing parts of your favorite TV shows. When you pause live TV or a movie, the TV show or movie that is currently playing is temporarily recorded as a video file. You can then rewind or fast forward through the recorded TV show or movie until you catch up to the current part of the program.

The right image shows TV playing in Windows Media Center.

When watching live TV, one of the most popular ways to find the TV show that you are looking for is to use the Guide in Windows Media Center.

If you want to control Windows Media Center with a remote control, an optional Windows Media Center remote control is required.

To play and watch live TV

1. To begin watching live TV, do one of the following:

On the start screen, scroll to TV + Movies, and then click live tv.

Using the Windows Media Center remote control, press LIVE TV.

On the start screen, scroll to TV + Movies, click guide, locate the TV show that you want to watch in the Guide, and then click a show that is currently airing.

2. To display information about the TV program that you are watching, right-click the TV show while it is playing, and then click Program Info.

Click Watch to return to the TV show.

3. To change the channel, move the mouse, and then click or to go down one channel or up one channel, respectively.

4. (Optional) To go to the last channel you were watching, press the ENTER button on the remote control.

To search for movies on TV

1. On the start screen, scroll to TV + Movies, click the right arrow button to reach the end of the category, and then click search.

2. Depending on the search criteria that you want to use, click Title, Keyword, Categories, Movie Actor, or Movie Director.

3. Enter the search criteria.

4. In the results, click a movie to get more information about the movies and possible future showings.

To find and watch movies on TV

1. On the start screen, scroll to TV + Movies, and then click movies guide.

2. Depending on what time or type of movie you are looking for on TV, click top rated, on now, on next, or genres.

3. Click a movie that is currently airing on TV.

4. Click Watch.

5. To display information about the movie that you are watching, right-click the movie while it is playing, and then click Movie Details. Click Watch to return to the movie.