Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

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Chapter 25: Mastering Windows Media Center

If you want to use Windows Media Center to watch TV, you must have a TV tuner

card. If you want to use Windows Media Center to manage recorded TV programs,

you need to install a video capture card. Listening to music with the music library or

watching a movie requires that you install a sound card. If you want to use Win-

dows Media Center to download album and additional online content, you need a

connection to the Internet. To make it easier to navigate the TV functions and movie

library features, you should purchase a programmable remote control. Table 25-1

summarizes Windows Media Center functionalities and their respective require-

ments for successful use.

Selecting the Correct Hardware for Windows Media

Center

As with all other operating systems, purchasing the correct hardware for use with

Windows Media Center can mean the difference between using something that

merely works and having a great experience while using it. Microsoft has gone to

great lengths to increase the reliability of video functions within Windows Vista.

Drivers for the video card work differently than they did in previous operating sys-

tems. The kernel mode drivers and their functions in previous operating systems do

not exist in Windows Vista.

Video Cards

Windows Vista uses a fully rendered 3D accelerated desktop called Windows Vista

Display Driver Model (WDDM), which offers greater flexibility than previous Win-

dows display models. WDDM moved most of the driver components out of the ker-

nel environment and into the user environment. This driver arrangement isolates the

graphics driver from the operating system and additional applications.

Table 25-1. Windows Media Center functionalities and requirements

Functionality Requirement

Watch TV TV tuner card

Record TV Video capture card

Listen to music or watch a movie Sound card

Download online content Internet connection

Access via remote control Windows Media Center IR remote control

Listen to radio stations Radio tuner card

Selecting the Correct Hardware for Windows Media Center

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You should take the time to look for the best hardware available for Windows Vista.

Spending the time upfront will improve your experience with Windows Vista as a

whole, as well as with Windows Media Center. Currently the two hardware manu-

facturers writing Windows Vista drivers and video capture drivers are ATI and

NVIDIA. These manufacturers are the largest in the industry, and while others cre-

ate video cards that work with Windows Vista, it is in your best interest to decide

between these two manufacturers. They have taken considerable time to develop new

drivers in conjunction with Microsoft to offer premium services to their customers.

Visit the manufacturers’ web sites and research the hardware they currently offer that

works with Windows Vista. Each offers tables that give you choices on price versus

performance on each card they deliver for different needs. The professional-level

cards will always cost considerably more than cards at the novice or enthusiast level.

So, research the available hardware when you are ready to move to Windows Vista.

It will pay dividends in the end. For a list of the video cards available for use in Win-

dows Vista at the time of this writing, see Tables 25-2 and 25-3.

Table 25-2. ATI video cards and chipsets

Types of card/chipset Card series

ATI cards ATI Radeon X1900 Series

ATI Radeon X1800 Series

ATI Radeon X1600 Series

ATI Radeon X1300 Series

ATI Radeon X850 Series

ATI Radeon X800 Series

ATI Radeon X700 Series

ATI Radeon X600 Series

ATI Radeon X550 Series

ATI Radeon X300 Series

ATI Radeon 9800 Series

ATI Radeon 9700 Series

ATI Radeon 9600 Series

ATI Radeon 9550 Series

ATI Radeon 9500 Series

ATI chipsets ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200

ATI Radeon Xpress 1150

ATI Radeon Xpress 200

ATI CrossFire Xpress 1600

ATI Radeon Xpress 200M

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Chapter 25: Mastering Windows Media Center

ATI mobile ATI Radeon Xpress 200M

ATI Mobility Radeon X1800 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X800 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X700 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X600 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon X300 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon 9800 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Series

ATI Mobility Radeon 9500 Series

ATI Mobility FireGL V5200

ATI Mobility FireGL V5000

ATI Mobility FireGL V3200

ATI Mobility FireGL V3100

ATI multimedia ATI All-in-Wonder X1900 Series

ATI All-in-Wonder X1800 Series

ATI All-in-Wonder 2006 Edition

ATI All-in-Wonder X800 Series

ATI All-in-Wonder X600 Series

ATI Theater 550 PRO

ATI TV Wonder Elite

ATI All-in-Wonder 9800 Series

ATI All-in-Wonder 9600 Series

Table 25-2. ATI video cards and chipsets (continued)

Types of card/chipset Card series