HP Media Center PC Getting Started Guide

Setting Up the PC

Follow the steps in the setup poster to set up the PC and then read the topics in this section to find out more about the location of components and connectors on your PC, and to find out about some setup alternatives.

Most of the hardware devices such as the monitor, keyboard, printer, and mouse can be connected at the back of the PC. Some peripheral devices, such as a digital video camera, can be plugged into the connectors on the back or the front of the PC.

Front-Panel PC Connectors

Connector Icon/label

S-video 2

Composite video 2

L audio 2

Description and function

S-video connector to connect your VCR, video camera, or other analog source to the PC

Composite video connector to connect VCR, video camera, or other analog source to the PC

Left audio input connector

R audio 2

Right audio input connector

Headphones Out

Microphone In

Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0) for mouse, keyboard, digital cameras, or other devices with USB connectors

FireWire

®

(IEEE 1394) connector for video cameras and other high-speed devices

1394

Setting Up the PC

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Location, availability, and number of connectors may vary.

Back-Panel PC Connectors

Connector Icon/label Description and function

Power connector

Mouse

Keyboard

SERIAL

Serial port for digital cameras or other serial devices

(Select models only)

Printer (parallel)

1394

Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0) for mouse, keyboard, digital cameras, or other devices with USB connectors

FireWire (IEEE 1394) connector for video cameras and other high-speed devices

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HP Media Center PC Getting Started Guide

Connector Icon/label

ETHERNET

Description and function

Ethernet LAN connector

The network interface adapter (also called a network interface card, or NIC) connects to an Ethernet (10BaseT) or Fast

Ethernet (100BaseT) network hub. Connect this adapter in your PC to your local area network (LAN) hub or any broadband connection.

Plug a network cable into the Ethernet (RJ-45) port on the back of the PC. Plug the other end of the network cable into a 10BaseT or 100BaseT port on the network hub.

The green LED indicates a valid connection.

Digital video output connector for TV/monitor

See the documentation that came with your display device.

Microphone In (pink connector)

Audio Line Out (powered speakers, green connector)

OUT

Audio Line In (blue connector)

IN

Center

Rear

Side

S-Video

Center/Subwoofer audio (gold)

L – R rear audio (black)

L – R side audio (gray)

S-video In from set-top box output connector

Setting Up the PC

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Connector Icon/label

Composite Video

Description and function

Composite Video In from set-top box connector

L audio

Left audio input from set-top box connector

R audio

Right audio input from set-top box connector

TV/Cable Ant

FM Ant

LINE

Analog Video

VGA

TV In (TV antenna or cable input from wall outlet with no set-top box)

FM In (radio antenna input)

Plug the FM radio antenna cable into the FM In port on the back of the PC. The FM connector is found on the TV tuner card. You may want to extend the ends of the cable to improve your FM radio signal reception.

Modem (Line In RJ-11)

Plug the modem cable (provided in the PC box) into the computer modem connector on the back of the PC. Plug the other end to your telephone line wall jack connector.

Analog Video Out, S-video, composite video, or component video (select models only)

VGA display output

Digital audio

In and Out

Digital audio input

Digital audio output

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HP Media Center PC Getting Started Guide

Connecting a Digital Video Camera to the PC

When connecting an analog camera to the PC, use the Video and Audio In connectors on the front of the PC. The following instructions only apply to digital cameras.

See the documentation that came with your digital video camera.

1

Turn on the PC, and wait for Windows XP to start.

2

Connect the video camera transfer cable into the camera and then into an open port on the front or back of the PC. Most digital video cameras use either the FireWire (IEEE 1394) or the USB port.

3

A Found New Hardware message appears.

Wait 2 or 3 minutes for Windows to make the necessary settings for the new device. When installation is complete, a message appears telling you the camera is ready to use.

.

If the PC doesn’t recognize your digital video camera:

1

Click Start on the taskbar, and then click

Control Panel.

2

Click Performance and Maintenance, if available, and then double-click the

System icon.

3

Click the Hardware tab, and then click the

Device Manager button.

4

Click the plus sign (+) next to imaging devices. If the name of the camera appears under imaging devices the device is ready. If the name is not there, try the following:

■

Click Action, and then Scan for

hardware changes. Look in Device

Manager for a new addition under imaging devices.

■

Unplug the video camera’s transfer cable from the PC, and plug it into a different port. Look in Device Manager for a new addition under imaging devices.

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If a Digital Video

Device Auto Play window appears when you connect your camera, click

Cancel.

Setting Up the PC

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Some peripheral devices are not included with the PC.

Connecting to Other Devices

Other peripheral devices can be connected to the front or back of your HP Media Center PC by using

USB or FireWire ports. You can connect peripheral devices such as a printer, scanner, video camera, digital camera, memory card reader, and PDA

(personal digital assistant) or handheld computer to the PC. See the documentation that came with your device.

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HP Media Center PC Getting Started Guide