To set up the MSN Remote Record service, you must have:

A broadband Internet connection A Windows Live ID account (A Hotmail e-mail address is a Windows Live ID)

• You can create a Windows Live ID account by going to http://www.passport.net
  
  A Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PC that:
• includes a TV tuner
• set to your local TV listings provider

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To go to the Remote Record Setup Start page on your Media Center PC:

Click the Install Remote Record button on the MSN Remote Record Service pages in the Online Spotlight from a Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition PC. Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition based PC users should click here to set up Remote Record.

In order to schedule TV programs to be recorded from virtually any PC with an Internet connection, you must first download and install the MSN Remote Record service on your Media Center PC.

Install Now

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To set up your Program Guide on Windows Vista Home or Ultimate edition:

1. Go to Tasks.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select TV.
4. Select Guide.
5. Select Set Up guide Listings.

To set up your Program Guide on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select TV.
3. Select Guide.
4. Select Set Up Guide Listings.

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You can allow other members of your household to schedule shows to be recorded on your Media Center PC.

To be added to the MSN Remote Record service, the new user must:

1. Sign in with the Windows Live ID they wish to use.
2. Go to the Start Menu.
3. Select MSN Remote Record Service.
4. Select Add User.
5. Complete the registration steps.

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To use the MSN Remote Record service, you must first sign in with a valid Windows Live ID. Windows Live ID identifies you and makes sure that you are authorized to schedule shows to be recorded on your Media Center PC.

To get a Windows Live ID, click here.

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You can view the TV Listings Guide and program details from virtually any PC with an Internet connection. You can do so by going to http://tv.msn.com/tv/guide.

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Your Recordings lists single shows and series that have been recorded or are scheduled to record on your Media Center PC. Anyone in your household who is a registered MSN Remote Record user can use virtually any PC with an Internet connection to schedule recordings, or to view a list of scheduled recordings and recently recorded shows.

Scheduled Recordings are shows that are scheduled to record in the future.

Pending requests are shows that could not be scheduled at the time of the initial request. The Remote Record service will continue to resend requests every 15 minutes, for up to one day or until the show's end time (whichever comes first). You will not need to resubmit the Remote Record request.

Recently recorded lists all shows that were recorded on your Media Center PC.

Failed Shows
If a show could not be scheduled successfully, "Failed" will appear next to the show title. 

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To see a list of recordings scheduled on your Media Center PC, visit the Your Recordings page. You can get to Your Recordings from the TV Listings Guide page or from any Program Details page.

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To schedule a single show to be recorded, go to the Program Details page of the TV Listings Guide and select Record This Show. Or, from a TV Tag, select Record single show.

You'll see a confirmation if your show was scheduled successfully.

If there was a recording conflict, you'll have the option of choosing the recording you want scheduled (unless you selected the "Always cancel the last recording request" option in Settings).

If there is a delay sending your recording request, the show will be listed under "Pending" on the Your Recordings page. The Remote Record service will try to resend your request every 15 minutes, for up to one day or until the show's end time (whichever comes first). You will not need to resubmit the Remote Record request.

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To schedule a series to be recorded, go to the Program Details page of the TV Listings Guide and select Record Series. Or, from a TV Tag, select Record entire series.

You'll see a confirmation if your series was scheduled successfully.

If there was a recording conflict, you'll have the option of choosing the show you want scheduled (unless you selected the "Always cancel the last recording request" option in Settings).

If there is a delay sending your recording request, the show will be listed under "Pending" on the Your Recordings page. The Remote Record service will try to resend your request every 15 minutes, for up to one day or until the show's end time (whichever comes first). You will not need to resubmit the Remote Record request.

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The MSN Remote Record service allows you to schedule a TV show recording from virtually any PC with an Internet connection. Note that you'll need a Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PC in order to use the Remote Record service. Currently, there is no charge for the Remote Record service.

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The MSN Remote Record is supported on versions of Windows Vista that have Windows Media Center. These versions are Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions. To install the MSN Remote Record service, please be on your Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition PC and click here. To learn more about Windows Vista, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/experiences/tvandmovies/default.mspx

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You will need to install a new version of the MSN Remote Record software that will work with the Media Center that comes with Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition. The previous version of the MSN Remote Record software will not work on Windows Vista. You will need to uninstall the previous version of the software by going to the Windows desktop, select Start > Control Panel > Switch to Classic View > Programs and Features and find the "MSN Remote Record" program. Select it and click on "uninstall".

Once the previous version of the software has been uninstalled, please click here to install the new version of the software.

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Yes. If you are an existing user of the remote record service and upgraded your PC from Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition you can use the same Windows Live ID. Note that the previous version of the MSN Remote Record software will not work on Windows Vista. You will need to uninstall the previous version of the software by going to the Windows desktop, select Start > Control Panel > Switch to Classic View > Programs and Features and find the "MSN Remote Record" program. Select it and click on "uninstall".

When you install the new remote record software on your Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition PC, simply use your existing Windows Live ID when asked to sign in. Please click here to install the new software.

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You cannot use the same Windows Live ID to schedule your remote recordings on separate Windows Media Center PCs. If you are already using remote record on your Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition PC, you will not be able to use the same Windows Live ID for another Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition PC or a Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition PC. If you do so, the most current Media Center PC you installed the remote record service is where your remote recordings will be scheduled to.
The previous Media Center PC you had remote record installed will no longer be receiving remote recordings.

Note: Re-registering a Media Center PC after reinstalling your operating system will delete all information associated with the original Media Center PC, including Remote Record settings .

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You cannot install the version of the remote record software intended for the Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition PC on your Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition PC. Please click here to install the correct version of the remote record software. (Please note that this will open up an Internet Explorer browser).

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If you are a brand new user to the remote record service, simply click here on your Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition PC to install the software.

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On Windows Vista, go to the desktop and select Start > All Programs. Make sure Windows Media Center appears in the list of programs.

On Windows XP, go to the desktop and select Start > All Programs. Make sure Media Center appears in the list of programs. Run Media Center and select Settings > General > About Media Center > Software Version. Make sure it says "Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005."

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On Windows Vista, go to the desktop and select Start > All Programs. Make sure Windows Media Center appears in the list of programs.

On Windows XP, go to the desktop and select Start > All Programs. Make sure Media Center appears in the list of programs. Run Media Center and select Settings > General > About Media Center > Software Version. Make sure it says "Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005."

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The MSN Remote Record service works only with Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Earlier Media Center versions are not supported.

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The TV tuner hardware must be installed or connected to the PC before you can configure the TV tuner in Windows Media Center.
To configure the TV tuner in Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition:

1. Go to Tasks.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select TV.
4. Select Set Up TV Signal.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select TV.
3. Select Setup TV Signal.

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At this time, the MSN Remote Record service is available only on Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PCs.

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No. A Windows Live ID user can access only one Media Center PC at a time. However, additional Remote Record users can have access to the same Media Center PC.

Note: Re-registering a Media Center PC after reinstalling your operating system will delete all information associated with the original Media Center PC, including Remote Record settings.

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Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PCs supports playback, pause, and recording of free, over-the-air high-definition television (HDTV). You can connect a Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 that has HDTV support to an antenna or through a CableCARD that can receive a high-definition TV signal, and get up to six times the image quality of standard TV. Media Center PCs with HDTV support are available through various manufacturers and retailers.

Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions support HD in the United States. Along with over-the-air HD support, Windows Vista now supports digital cable service, including premium high-definition content when you have a supported CableCARD from your local cable provider.

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PCs do not support HDTV over cable or satellite.

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When you set up your Program Guide on your Media Center PC, select your antenna-based TV service provider. When you register for Remote Record, you'll be asked to verify your TV service provider.

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To use the MSN Remote Record service, you must have the following:

• A Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 based PC with a TV tuner, set to your local listings provider
• A broadband Internet connection
• A Windows Live ID

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You will need to use the Internet Explorer browser (6.0 or higher) to install Remote Record.

To install the MSN Remote Record service, click here.

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To turn on the Remote Record service on Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Start Menu.
2. Select Tasks.
3. Select Settings.
4. Select General.
5. Select Program Library Options.
6. Make sure the "Control the media experience in Media Center" option is checked, and select Save.

1. Go to Start Menu.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select General.
4. Select More Program Options.
5. Make sure the "Control the media experience in Media Center" option is checked, and select Save.

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To test your MSN Remote Record service, go to the Remote Record Test Page and follow the instructions there.

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Make sure your Media Center PC is connecting to the Internet.
Try restarting the Remote Record Service running on your Media Center PC.

• On the Windows desktop, select Start > Control Panel > Switch to Classic View > Administrative Tools > Services.
• Select Remote Record Service.
• Select Action > Stop.
• Select Action > Start.

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The Remote Record service offers several ways to let you know a show will be recorded.

• You can see a list of scheduled recordings and recently recorded shows by going to the Your Recordings page. To get to Your Recordings, go to http://tv.msn.com/tv/guide and then select the Your Recordings link on the left navigation bar.
• When you schedule a recording, you'll see a confirmation message that lets you know your request has gone through.
• If a program doesn't record, you can check the recording history on your Media Center PC
  • On Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, go to TV + Movies > Recorded TV > view scheduled > History.
  • On Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, go to My TV > Recorded TV > Scheduled > History.

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If a Remote Record request doesn't go through, it will be listed on the Your Recordings page as "Pending." The Remote Record service will try to resend your request every 15 minutes, for up to one day or until the show's end time (whichever comes first). You do not need to resubmit the recording request. If the show is not successfully scheduled, "Failed" will appear next to the show title on the Your Recordings page. This means the show is not scheduled to be recorded.

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If a show wasn't recorded:

1. Check the Your Recordings page to make sure the recording was scheduled.
2. Check the History page on your Media Center PC to see if the request appears there.

3. Check the Settings on your Media Center PC to make sure "Control the media experience in Media Center" is checked

• On Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, go to Start Menu > Tasks > Settings > General > Program Library Options
• On Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, go to Start Menu > Settings > General > More Program Options

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If you recently upgraded your existing Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition PC to Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, you will need to install the correct remote record software. Before installing the new software, you'll need to remove the previous version of the MSN Remote Record software as it will not work on your Windows Vista PC. You will need to uninstall the previous version of the software by going to the Windows desktop, select Start > Control Panel > Switch to Classic View > Programs and Features and find the "MSN Remote Record" program. Select it and click on "uninstall".

Once you have the previous version of the software uninstalled, click here to install the new software.

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When you schedule a TV recording remotely, the Remote Record service needs to make sure the TV listings provider on the remote computer matches the TV listings provider you've set up on your Media Center PC. If the providers don't match, the Remote Record service will synchronize the two TV listings so that the listings you see on the remote computer match what's on your Media Center PC. That way, you can successfully record the show that's offered by the provider you subscribe to on your Media Center PC.

After the listings have been synchronized, you should go back to TV Listings Guide on the remote computer (which now match the listings on your Media Center PC) to make sure the show you wanted to record is available, and then reschedule the recording.

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You can use a PC with an Internet connection to go to the Your Recordings page and see what's about to be recorded on your Media Center PC, as well as what was previously recorded on your Media Center PC. You can see your list of scheduled recordings from a remote computer by going to http://tv.msn.com/tv/guide/ > Your Recordings.

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The Your Recordings page lets you use a computer with an Internet connection to see a list of recorded shows and scheduled recordings on your Media Center PC. On this page, "online" means your Media Center PC is turned on, connected to a broadband Internet connection, has a TV tuner installed and set up, and has a program guide that's set to your local listings. "Offline" means your Media Center PC is turned off, does not have a broadband Internet connection, is not connected to a working TV tuner, or lacks a program guide that's set to your local listings. Your Media Center PC is also considered "offline" if it's hibernating or idle.

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While you can access the Your Recordings page (a list of scheduled recordings and recorded shows) from a remote computer, you must use your Media Center PC to see your recording history (a list of successful recordings, unsuccessful recording attempts, deleted recordings, and so on). To see your recording history, use your Media Center PC to go to TV + Movies > Recorded TV > view scheduled > History on Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, or go to My TV > Recorded TV > Scheduled > History on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

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You can use the Remote Record service to remotely schedule recordings to your Media Center PC using the TV listings found on MSN.com (http://tv.msn.com/tv/guide). However, you should be aware that the TV Listings Guide may display program information for shows that are broadcast on channels you do not subscribe to. For example, programs that air on HBO will be displayed in the TV Listings Guide even if you don't subscribe to HBO.

Before you schedule a recording remotely, make sure it's on a channel you receive.

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No. Purchasing a Pay-Per-View event usually requires an additional request or phone call to your TV service provider. You can record the Pay-Per-View event directly on your Media Center PC, but cannot record it remotely using the MSN Remote Record service.

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Your Choices
If there's a recording conflict, you can either cancel your current recording request and keep the originally scheduled recording, or override the previously scheduled recording and record the show you just requested.

Conflict settings
Remote Record's initial conflict setting lets you choose what to do whenever there's a recording conflict. However, you can change your Settings page so that new recording requests are always canceled when there's a conflict. To adjust conflict settings, go to http://tv.msn.com/tv/guide/ and then select MSN Remote Record Settings from the left navigation window.

Multiple tuners
If you have more than one tuner on your Media Center PC, you can schedule shows to be recorded on a tuner where space is available. If all tuners are in use, you can send your request and override one of the previously scheduled recordings. However, in this case you will not be able to choose which recording request is canceled.

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You can decide how recording conflicts are handled. On the Settings page, select either "Let me choose which show to record" or "Always cancel the last recording request."

If you're having trouble scheduling recordings, make sure your Media Center PC is set to work with Remote Record.

• From your Media Center PC Settings page, select General.
• Select More Program Options.
• Make sure "Control the media experience in Media Center" is checked.

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To improve the handling of conflicting recordings, download and install this Windows XP Media Center Edition update.

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Make sure the new user has set up a Windows Live ID account, and that the account is active. If the new user's Windows Live ID account is set up correctly, then the Remote Record service might be temporarily unavailable. Try again later.

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You will need to contact Customer Support to remove a user from the Remote Record service.

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If a newer version of the Remote Record service becomes available, you will be asked to install an update the next time you turn on your Media Center PC.

You can also go to the Start Menu's MSN Remote Record Update Center link to check for and install updates. To go to the Update Center, go to the Start Menu and choose All Programs > MSN Remote Record > Update MSN Remote Record.

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• To install the latest version of Remote Record, go to the Update Center, which is available from the Start Menu after you install Remote Record. You will not have to re-register for Remote Record, and your scheduled recordings will be saved.
• To reinstall Remote Record after removing it with Add/Remove Programs, click here. You will not have to re-register for Remote Record, and your scheduled recordings will be saved.
• To reinstall Remote Record after reinstalling your operating system, click here. You will have to re-register for Remote Record, and will lose your previously scheduled recordings.

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