Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center [Paperback]

Michael Miller (Author), Michael The Green Button (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0789735423 | ISBN-13: 978-0789735423 | Edition: 1

Even though the Windows Media Center interface is simple to operate, not all activities are intuitive or easy to implement. You may need help determining which type of Media Center PC to buy, or with connecting and configuring the Media Center PC in your home theater system. Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center book brings the experience and expertise of The Green Button (the premiere Media Center website) and author Michael Miller to help you plan, use, and troubleshoot your new Media Center PCs and get the most out of Windows Media Center Edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Miller has written more than 60 popular how-to books, including Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, How Home Theater and HDTV Work, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Theater Systems, and Microsoft Windows XP for Home Users. He is known for his ability to create best-selling book products, and to explain complex topics in easy-to-understand language.

 

The Green Button (www.thegreenbutton.com) is the premiere website for Windows Media Center Edition, offering users a place to ask questions, get information and discuss features.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Que; 1 edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789735423
• ISBN-13: 978-0789735423
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Miller is the best-selling writer of more than 100 non-fiction books. He writes about a variety of topics, including computers, online selling, business, consumer electronics, and music. From his first book (Ventura Publisher Techniques and Applications, published in 1988) to his latest title, he has established a reputation for practical advice, technical accuracy, and an unerring empathy for the needs of his readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wizards Beware, August 22, 2006

By 

W. David McGuinn Jr. (Columbia, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center (Paperback)

It is obvious from other reviews that this book struggles to find its identity through the confusion of expectations. If you are a computer newbie you will probably find it far preferable to any book that has the word "idiot's" in the title, but if you have been taking the cover off computers for years you are destined for disappointment. But, that appears to be Mr. Miller's intension. Those who can already cast spells with a screwdriver can find the detailed answers they need elsewhere. This is for the Tookish Hobbit, not Gandalf.

Michael Miller is the former editor of PC Magazine. He has moved on to become Chief Content Officer for Ziff Davis Media. Uber Geek. I have read his stuff for years, it is solid but I was not expecting a tome that would soon be added to Mortimer Adler's "Great Books of the Western World". It is what it should be - good clear technical instruction. Most of the technospeak is well defined. It is reasonably well organized if somewhat repetitive. Only the first five chapters address the vagaries of media hardware and this is the complaint of other reviews. If you expect anything more than basic descriptions, you will be disappointed. That is because Mr. Miller has another book that addresses that subject, "How Home Theater and HDTV Work" M Miller and M Troller, Ziff-Davis/Que, 2006. I have not read it yet so I cannot say how well it addresses hardware issues. The next 13 chapters describe the features and use of the Microsoft Media Center (hmmmm - check out the title). Experienced mouse pilots will find this detailed description of operating system features about as interesting as watching Windows boot; I breezed through it in the time it took my wife to swim 40 laps and she is a triathloner. But, the GUI challenged will find it useful and instructive; there will be lots of "Oh it can do that!" moments. The book is well (if inexpensively) illustrated but there are a few editing mistakes.

If you just built your own Core 2 Duo screamer and now, you want to know how to set it up with a new 42-inch screen and a 7.1 surround sound system you might want to look elsewhere. But if you don't know the difference between a DVD-burner and a Coleman stove this books for you. Make your decision fast though, this thing will be out of date faster than your anti-virus program.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a MUST if you are planning to acquire a Windows Media Center System, June 27, 2006

By 

Miguel A. Andrade (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center (Paperback)

Hello, i just loved this book. I spent easily like 3 months figuring out what i needed to buy to build my custom media center, after that i found this book, and before the 4th chapter i had all that information. If i only knew this book existed before i would have saved a lot of time and money.

If you just purchased or are planning to buy a windows media center system this book is a must in your library, very easy to read, and not boring at all. And its even cheaper than your windows media remote. :)

It's definetely not very technical but a lot of good advice on using your system.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners, August 1, 2006

By 

Cam_Man595 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating a Digital Home Entertainment System with Windows Media Center (Paperback)

This book is great for beginners. Unfortunately, I needed something more in-depth that dealt more with tweaking a system than setting up a system for the first time. If you are setting up a Media Center PC and don't know where to start, this is the book for you. If you have a system that is up and running but you want it to perform a little bit better, this book won't help you.