Many of the technical hurdles of getting Windows Media Center up and running have been removed in Windows Vista, but that doesn’t mean to say it’s full proof. Here’s some answers to some of the more common questions we’ve been recieving.
Q) Can I connect a games console directly to my Media Center PC and play it through live TV?
A) To allow time shifting of live TV, there is a delay of around four seconds, which makes gaming out of the question to those of us without a sixth sense. The best route to take for gaming is to use third party software in Windows to get real time video input, or directly connect to the TV.
Windows Media Center high contrast option (click to enlarge)
Q) I have visual problems. Can I tone down Media Center?
A) Yes. High contrast black and white menus are included for easier reading. These remove all transparencies and other visual effects associated with Windows Vista. Go to www.microsoft.com for help for visually impaired users.
Q) Is Media Center comparable to my set top box for digital TV?
A) For now at least, Media Center is very focused on only the video portion of the signal. So, for example, ‘red button’ interactive services and subtitles are not available with a Media Center.
Q) Does Windows Vista Ultimate contain more Media Center features than Home Premium?
A) No. However, Home Premium is missing some features outside of Media Center which were part of Windows XP Media Center Edition. If you are upgrading, you should take a look at the feature list and check it against your current use.
Q) Is it possible to add television recordings remotely?
The US only MSN Remote Record service (click to enlarge)
A) Not unless you live in the States. Microsoft allows this in the USA through the MSN Remote Record service (tv.msn.com). Elsewhere, you need a third-party product such as TVOnTime or WebGuide (asciiexpress.com/webguide).
Q) Can I mix TV services such as cable and over-the-air on the same machine?
A) This is possible in the US, but in the UK you can only have one type of source for your TV signal. You can’t have a signal coming in from your Sky box and a separate one from a Freeview box – you would have to choose one or the other.
Q) Would Media Center be a good way of backing up some of my favourite VHS tape recordings?
A) While it can be done with an analogue tuner for non-commercial tapes, using separate capture software such as Windows Movie Maker will give you greater control.
Q) What if I come up with more Media Center questions?
A) Microsoft hosts a monthly chat along with the Media Center MVPs on the third Thursday of each month. Each chat is one hour in length and offers you the opportunity to ask questions, provide answers and generally chat with other Windows Vista fans. Why not pop along to www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/chats and ask your question there?
Q) I’m experiencing audio problems on some DVDs.
A) Microsoft’s DVD support in Windows Vista does not include Digital Theatre Systems (DTS) decoding. You can use an optical connection to your speakers if they feature DTS decoding, otherwise you would need another DVD decoder which supports it.
Mark is a software engineering student at De Montfort University, currently taking time out working as a developer and tester. Mark has been named MVP five times since 2002. He runs advice sites for Windows XP and Media Center. His web site can be found at www.salloway.org.uk.
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Installing any piece of software can be a painful experience, but an entirely new operating system is so complex that it’s bound to cause more than a few headaches for some. Fortunately, Nick Peers is on hand to answer your questions about installing Windows Vista. If you have a problem that you’d like us to look into, feel free to ask us on our community boards.
Fix problems when activating Windows
System Kickstart – Discover what to do when Windows Vista refuses to activate (Click to enlarge)
Alan Frost had to reinstall Windows Vista after his attempt to install drivers from Canon resulted in his machine locking up. Alan’s problem with the Canon drivers was probably linked to drivers left over from his previous version of Windows conflicting with the new software. When you come to install new USB devices like scanners, don’t plug them in until you’ve installed the software or drivers first.
Alan had another hangover from his forced reinstallation: he keeps getting messages to activate Windows, which then tell him the product is already activated. Get around this by clicking Next instead of Activate online now when the message appears.
Other activation problems can be dealt with by referring to the Microsoft Knowledge Base – failed activations generate an error code, and a number of resolutions are described here.
If this doesn’t help, download the WGA Diagnostics Tool from Microsoft – this generates a report about your system, which you should post to the Microsoft forums along with details of your activation-related issue for further advice and, hopefully, a solution.
Solving the Mapfile1 error message
John Smith’s problem stemmed from a “mapfile1: access is denied” message each time he started Internet Explorer or Windows Mail. Mapfi le1 is linked to software for ATI graphics cards, and the error is found on PCs that have been upgraded to Windows Vista from an earlier version of Windows.
The best solution is to locate new drivers and software from your graphics card manufacturer. Make sure it’s compatible with Windows Vista. If none is available, download the latest drivers from ATI instead, uninstall your existing graphics card software from the Add or Remove Programs control panel and then install this in its place.
Get device drivers for older hardware
Ronnie Lowe’s plea is typical of many we’ve received: can we get his wireless adapter working? Sadly, not all devices are compatible with Windows Vista – manufacturers may never produce Windows Vista ready drivers, while Windows XP drivers may not necessarily work (the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor tool should provide essential advice here).
Driving Ambition – Check with your PC or hardware manufacturer’s web site for compatible drivers (Click to enlarge)
The best thing to do is check to see whether Windows Vista drivers have been developed – if the component is part of your computer, check your PC manufacturer’s web site first for a driver update (if you bought your PC through the PC World chain of superstores, visit PC Service Call). If you purchased the hardware separately from the rest of your PC, you should visit its manufacturer’s web site for Windows Vista compatible drivers and support.
Getting AOL and other software working
AOL 9.0 VR (Windows Vista Ready) has been released and is available for download at AOL Help – but it’s been causing problems for some AOL users, including Audrey Verringer. She’s been unable to log on to AOL using the software – she can connect to the web through Internet Explorer, but she misses her favourites, buddies and so on.
New Version – AOL’s own software should now be compatible with Windows Vista (Click to enlarge)
We tested the software and had no problem logging in – it could be that early bugs have been ironed out (Audrey’s query came in a day before a major update to the software), so if you’ve been struggling to get AOL to work on your PC, download the latest version and see if it now behaves itself. If you’re having problems with other software, the advice is the same – check for a new version that’s been modified to work with Windows Vista. As with hardware, though, there are some older programs that just won’t be updated; you should be able to trick these into working by selecting Use an older program with this version of Windows from the Control Panel.
Use old Microsoft Outlook contacts in Windows Mail
Keep in contact – Export your Microsoft Outlook contacts for use in Windows Mail (Click to enlarge)
We heard from Tony Waters about the possibility of importing his Microsoft Outlook contacts list into Windows Mail – it is possible, Tony, but you must first open your contacts in Outlook itself, then export them to a file using File > Import and Export. Choose to export a file before selecting Comma Separated File(DOS). You can then import this into Windows Mail using File > Import > Windows Contacts. Select CSV (Command Separated Values) and locate the file you exported.
Fixing shutdown problems
A few of you have encountered shutdown problems after upgrading from Windows XP. This is probably linked to an incompatible program, file or driver that wasn’t removed. Run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor tool before upgrading so you can deal with incompatibilities before they cause problems.
If you’ve upgraded to Windows Vista already, you can still use the Upgrade Advisor to track down incompatibilities – visit Microsoft Buyorupgrade to download the latest version. Once installed, it scans your system and alerts you to any incompatibilities, enabling you to either look for an update or remove the offending item from your PC.
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