Recording mode

In this mode, you can play back TV or radio programs that have been recorded and stored in the configured recording folder. The display will be empty if there are no recordings in the folder. Note that the TerraTec Home Cinema is not a replacement for a general media player, as it can only play back recordings that have been created using this application.

Navigation functions

(TV and radio mode) Use the navigation buttons to select your station. Press OK to display a list of TV and radio favourites in the TV window. You can also select stations directly without navigating through the intermediate stations.

Navigation in OSD

Use the arrow buttons to navigate through the various OSD menus (main OSD menu, EPG, timer, recording, etc.). The menus are shown on the TV window. Press OK to select a menu item. The scroll wheel of the mouse can also be used to navigate list fields such as the EPG and EPG details.

Teletext

(TV mode only) Press the button once to display the teletext page of the current station in the TV window. Pressing the button again will display the page transparently over the current TV program. Pressing it once more ends the teletext display and returns you to normal TV display. For more information, see Teletext.

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Subtitle
(TV mode only) Clicking this button immediately adds subtitles (as long as the station offers them).

Display functions

(all modes) The TV button closes the TV window. Click the button again to reopen the window. The program will continue to be decoded if the TV window is closed. To completely switch off decoding, if you need to conserve system resources for example, disable the decoder using "Stop audio/video playback" in the context menu. (all modes) Full Screen Use the "Full Screen" button to change to full-screen mode and hide the user interface. Click the TV picture and the user interface will reappear, ready for your input. Press the button again to restore the window. (all modes) Change Format Use the "Change Format" button to force video format changes. Many stations broadcast programs with the familiar black bars above and below the picture. Naturally, these bars are extremely annoying on wide-screen displays, as a large part of the screen simply remains black. In some cases, the black bars are transmitted as part of the program signal. These are conventional 4:3 broadcasts, even though the important part of the picture is in wide-screen format. The software recognises genuine 16:9 broadcasts and adapts the picture automatically. While the software cannot automatically recognise wide-screen movies being broadcast in 4:3 format, you can nevertheless force it to display the correct format. (all modes) Screenshot Use the screenshot button to save a still image of the current TV picture. The images are saved to the configured recording folder. For detailed information, see Still images.

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To access EPG information for the current program, press the "i" key on your keyboard or the button again. This provides yousimilar to a TV magazinea short description and other key information about the program. Use the arrow keys or the "Before" and "Afterwards" to navigate through the schedule for this station. If you want to program a program, simply press the "R" key or the "Record" button in the upper-right corner of the image. To display the electronic program guide information for another station, press the up arrow or down arrow button to jump to the previous/next station in your list. Use the button or the "i" key to close the info bar again.
In the settings for the info bar, you can change the audio track, video track, subtitle track, aspect ratio and picture-in-picture (PiP). Audio track Some stations broadcast their TV programs in two or more languages (Arte in Germany, for example, broadcasts in German and French). Use this feature to select the language you want. Video track If there are more than one video track, you can use this to select the one you want to watch. Subtitles If subtitles are available for the current program, use this menu to select the one you want to see. Aspect ratio Here you can change the aspect ratio. PiP (picture-in-picture) Use this option to enable the picture-in-picture feature, which is described in more detail in the next chapter.

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Picture-in-Picture (PiP)
The picture-in-picture function allows you to follow the action on two different stations simultaneously. With it, you can keep an eye on the elections, for example, while watching sports on another channel.
There are various ways you can enable or disable the picture-in-picture function: Using the information bar in the OSD. Using the TV context menu. Using the CTRL + ALT + P key combination. You can toggle between screens using the Z key or by double-clicking the small TV picture. Use the CTRL + (1 9) keys to move the position of the small TV picture. Using the picture-in-picture feature usually requires two tuners; in any event, two are recommended. One of the features of digital television is that multiple channels are transmitted over one and the same frequency. This feature allows the picture-in-picture function to used these channels. While the picture-in-picture function is active, only the stations that can be watched simultaneously are available for selection in the station list.

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EPGthe electronic program guide

displays the electronic program guide, which provides an overview of the programming schedule of the current station. Note that EPG data are broadcast via digital television only. If you have a TV receiver that supports analogue TV, you can also receive EPG data via the tvtv service. For further information, see tvtv service. EPG offers several different viewing options: View EPG - Channel EPG - Current EPG - Favourites Description The program overview of the current channel. The current and upcoming programs in the selected Favourites list. The program overview of all channels in the selected Favourites list.
If you are in an EPG view, select
to switch between the options listed above.
In addition to the EPG views shown above which are common to digital home entertainment devices, TerraTec Home Cinema also offers an EPG search functiona powerful tool to help you find your way through the data jungle. To access the EPG search, use the TV/Radio context menu or press SHIFT + E. For a detailed description of the EPG search function, please see EPG Search. One of the most important functions is without a doubt programming via the EPG. For detailed information, see Timer-controlled recordingEPG-programmed.

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EPG - Channel
The header displays the channel name, day of the week and date; below that, it lists the programs according to time. You can navigate through the list by days using the cursor keys and. Using the "PgUp" and "PgDown" buttons, you can go to the EPG for another channel without having to switch. While program details are not always available, they frequently contain very useful information when they are present.

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EPG - Current
The left column of this view displays all channels in the selected Favourites list, the middle column shows the currently running program, and the right column shows the next program.

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EPG - Favourites
The "EPG - Favourites" view shows you a list of programming, sorted by time, of all channels of the selected Favourites list. Using the and cursor keys, you can navigate through the list by hour; you can navigate through it by day using the "PgUp" and "PgDown" buttons.

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Search
The EPG search function lets you search the available EPG data for specific keywords. Keyword search The keyword search lets you search for individual keywords and narrow your searches by using keyword groups and excluding individual words.

Simple search In the simple search, enter the words to be found or ignored as you would in an Internet search machine. Example: Let's say you want to watch Saturday Night Live, but don't particularly care for Maya Rudolph. Simply tick the Title and Description checkboxes and enter Saturday Maya or "Saturday Night Live" "Maya Rudolph". If the search returns too many hits, narrow it down further by adding more words preceded by a dash to exclude them. The search might then look like this:

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Advanced search The advanced search view is designed for users that might not be so familiar with Google or other search engines. Switching to the advanced view shows the keywords in their respective categories. The search in the previous example would then look like this:
Title This setting restricts searches to within titles. Description The detailed EPG information is also searched for the keywords. Persons Expands the search to include persons such as actors or directors. << or >> - Toggles between the simple and advanced views. Save Saves the current search string in a list for future use. Start search Starts the search and saves the string in a list for future use. Limit search These options for limiting the search are only available when using tvtv data for the EPG. Format Specifies a formatsuch as movies, documentaries or newsto which the search will be limited. Genre Specifies the genresuch as science fiction, crime or dramawithin the selected format. Station Restricts the search to TV, radio, or a Favourites list.

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Hitlist
A preview image is available in the detailed information for programs marked with a *. Record (selected) Adds all of the selected hitlist entries to the list of scheduled recordings. Do not record (selected) Clears your selections. Record all Adds all of the hitlist entries to your list of scheduled recordings. Record none Removes all of the hitlist entries from the list of scheduled recordings, if present. Detailed information
Detailed information on the selected hitlist entry is available here. Some information in the EPG search function such as images or cast information will only be available when using tvtv EPG data.

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Recordings
TerraTec Home Cinema lets you archive TV and radio programs for posterity. The following recording options are available: Direct recording Timer-controlled recording: EPG-programmed Timer-controlled recording: manually programmed Timer-controlled recording: programming via tvtv If conflicts occur when programming recordings, they are indicated immediately via direct OSD display and by a flashing timer icon on the user interface.
For further information, see Timer conflicts. Suppose it's time to hang up the washing, and you quickly started a recording first. Now you've fulfilled your domestic duties and would like to watch the program from the beginning, although it hasn't finished recording. No problem! It's possible to adjust the playback position while a recording is in progress. For an overview of the possibilities, see Navigation functions.

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Timeshifting
Timeshifting is a truly remarkable function. It lets you interrupt programs whenever you like and continue watching them later from where you left off. The program is cached on the hard drive in the mean time. Timeshifting starts as soon as the TV program begins. If you have disabled constant timeshifting for performance reasons, you can, of course, always enable it again manually. Manual timeshifting is described below: To pause a program, simply click the pause button frozen. Click the playback button of the user interface and the TV picture will be
to continue watching at the point you left off.
The timeshift symbol appears on the control panel whenever timeshifting is active.
It is also possible to navigate within the timeshift recording while it is active. For timeshifting settings, see Recording.

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Playback
Naturally, you can also watch your recorded TV programs in TerraTec Home Cinema. The easiest way to get to the Recordings mode is via the on-screen display.
Select the menu item Recordings. The following page contains a list of the recorded programs in the Record folder you defined.

Start playback with

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You can also delete recordings (cautionyou will not be prompted whether you really want to delete them!) or edit them using Cut!. The "Export" option appears at the bottom of the window
whenever you select an MPEG-TS recording. The recording will be converted into MPEG-PS format when you export it. For more information on navigating within recordings, see Navigation functions.

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Modern media technology like the Internet made a widespread service offered by TV broadcasting establishments somewhat forgotten in recent years: teletext. Press the Teletext button once to display the teletext page of the current station in the TV window. Pressing the button again will display the page transparently over the current TV program. Pressing it once more ends the teletext display and returns you to normal TV display.

Normal

Transparent
The remote control, mouse and keyboard can be used to navigate teletext pages. When using the numerical keypad, please ensure that the NumLock is active.
Entering the page number directly
To enter a page number directly, use the keypad of the remote control or keyboard. The page will be opened immediately after the last digit has been entered.
Using the mouse to select pages
Teletext pages can also be opened by clicking on their numbers, as you would click a link in a web browser.

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Regional settings
Program language Select the language for the program's user interface here. Preferred language Select the default language for TV playback and subtitles here. Alternative language Select a second choice for TV playback and subtitles for cases in which the preferred language is not available.
Video window with border A border will be drawn around the TV window when this option is enabled. Monitor aspect ratio Enter the aspect ratio of your monitor to optimise the display for the TV picture. Please note that most TFT displays have an aspect ratio of 5:4, while wide-screen TFTs have aspect ratios of 16:10 or 14:9. For more information, see the documentation of your display.

On-Screen display (OSD)

Transparency (with VMR-7 or VMR-9 only) If you have activated the VMR-7 or VMR-9 options in your audio/video configuration, use this slider to adjust the transparency of the OSD. Quality Adjust the display quality of the OSD here. If you experience consistently choppy video, your system may be too slow to render digital TV correctly. If this is the case, set the quality of the OSD to a lower value. Display duration: TV info Here, you can define how long the information is to be displayed at the bottom of the screen.

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Display duration: status messages Define how long the status messages are to be displayed at the top of the screen. Display duration: status list Define how long the station list is to be displayed on the right of the screen. Mouse sensitive OSD With this option, the OSD can be displayed automatically if you move the mouse pointer to the bottom edge (Information) or the right edge (Station list) of the TV window.

PiP (Picture in Picture)

Position Here, you can define the position where the second TV picture is to appear. You can also define the position using the context menu or the key combination (CTRL + 1 - 9).

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Record

General

Store recordings in The files created by the various recording functions are stored in the Record folder. Pre/post recording time Set the time by which recordings start before and stop after the programmed times. The programmed times are based on the system time of your computer. You may therefore be in for an unpleasant surprise if your system time is not reasonably close to the actual time. This option lets you create additional recording time before and after the actual times to help avoid this problem.

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Default action after timer recordings Select one of the following actions to be performed after a timer recording: No action Close application Standby Hibernate Power off After recording has finished, TerraTec Home Cinema continues normally. Exits the application after the recording. Puts the computer in standby mode. Hibernates the computer. Powers off the computer.

Please note that the "Power off" option will power down your PC, and that scheduled recordings can then no longer be performed. If you have planned further recordings, we recommend selecting the options Hibernate or Standby. A warning message will be displayed before any action (other than the "No action" option) is executed.

Timeshift

Timeshift buffer size The maximum amount of hard drive space that may be used for timeshifting. Please note that timeshift files are always recorded in TS format for technical reasons. Automatically activate timeshift for DVB This function is enabled by default. This allows you to skip back during a TV program and watch the previous portion again. The ranges of minutes, depending on the transmission standard currently used, that can be buffered are listed below the specified buffer size.

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Still image
Still-image settings Naturally, TV software is designed for viewing moving pictures, but you may nevertheless have reason to save a still image from time to time. You may wish to take a screenshot and use it as a background image for DVD authoring, for example. Teletext can also be saved this way.
Store screenshots in The files created by the screenshot functions are stored in the folder.

File format

TV / Movies Choose between saving your images as Windows bitmaps (.bmp) or the space-saving but lossy JPEG (.jpg) format. Teletext In addition to the "Windows Bitmap (.bmp)" and "JPEG (.jpg)" options, you may also save teletext as a text file (.txt), making it suitable for use in any text editor. The settings made here apply globally for the entire software and are not stored individually for each station.

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Audio/Video

Audio/Video settings

Video Renderer Windows offers a number of options for conjuring a TV picture onto your monitor. The so-called Overlay Mixer, in which the picture is written directly to the memory of the graphics card, is generally suitable for this task. The graphics card drivers must play along for this to work correctly, however. An alternative is the VMR-7 or VMR-9 (video mixing renderer) provided by recent DirectX versions. If you experience difficulties with the TV picture, we recommend activating the "Video Mixing Render 7" or "Video Mixing Renderer 9" option. Under Windows XP, we recommend using the "Overlay Mixer" wherever possible. Under Windows Vista, we suggest the "Video Mixing Renderer 9" option. Not all decoders support VMR-7 or VMR-9 mode. At times, a number of attempts may be necessary to find the best combination for audio/video playback. Audio renderer Select the default device or a special audio driver for your audio playback here. The following options let you select specific decoders for the various audio and video standards. If the gear button behind the option is active, additional configuration options are available for that decoder. Video decoder Here, you should select the CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (TerraTec).

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Stations
Station management The left side of the station management tab contains a list of all of the stations found during one or more scans. The list can be filtered according to reception types, filters (whether the stations are free or encrypted) or whether they are TV or radio broadcasts. Use the button to add selected stations to the Favourites list, or the button to add all stations.

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To sort stations according to your preferences, select them and move them up or down the list with the and buttons. Use the and buttons to remove one or more stations from the Favourites list.

Special Favourites lists

In addition to the standard radio and TV Favourites lists, you may also create special Favourites lists. These Favourites lists can perform a variety of functions, for example sorting stations according to DVB-T coverage areas, transmission standards (e.g. analogue/DVB-T/DVB-S) or genres such as sports, movies or news. To add a station to a special Favourites list, select the station and click one of the coloured buttons. Individual stations may be added to more than one list.
to name the special Favourites list.

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Network
On the Online media tab of the OSD, you can, among other things, access the "myNoxon" portal. To use this service, you can register free of charge at http://my-noxon.de. Then, once you enter your user data here, you have immediate access to a great variety of online content.

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tvtv service
tvtv is a program information service similar to the EPG that allows you to program recordings via the Internet or a WAP-enabled cellular phone. In addition, this service offers much more extensive EPG data for digital and analogue television. The tvtv options include: Use tvtv If you do not want to use the tvtv service, disable it by clearing this checkbox.

User account

Your username, password, tvtv server and the validity of your subscription are all set when configuring the tvtv service and are shown here for your information. You can also set up tvtv access at a later date if you did not do so when installing the application. Note that your username must be at least 5 characters in length so that you can use the service in the TerraTec Home Cinema software.

Proxy settings

The proxy settings are only required if you connect to the Internet via a proxy server. For the correct settings, either check your default web browser or contact your system administrator.

Downloads

The automatic job query option is important here. Use it to define how often the application should download your programming from the tvtv server. In the option Automatic EPG Download, define when tvtv EPG data are to be downloaded. tvtv offers the EPG data for 3 weeks. Website Opens the selected tvtv website in your web browser.

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Jobs Use this button to search manually for new recording jobs. An entry just made may not be visible under certain circumstances. If you do not see it, click add now in your job list on the tvtv website. EPG Starts a manual download of the tvtv EPG data. Stations Compares the list of stations found by TerraTec Home Cinema with those of tvtv. It may inform you that stations cannot be associated correctly. To correct the problem, use the Channel Editor located under the Tools menu of the TerraTec Home Cinema.
If the tvtv service is activated, the function will be executed automatically after each scan of the TerraTec Home Cinema. The TerraTec Home Cinema will also automatically search for new recording jobs every time it launches.

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Advanced
The advanced settings give you the ability to change additional preferences. Please note, however, that the preset default values for advanced settings generally function perfectly well. We recommend making changes only if you are sure of their results, or if our technical support suggests doing so.
User interface Show control window only in info area (not in the taskbar) Minimise control window in the info area If set to "Yes" (default), the control window is not displayed as a separate task in the taskbar. If set to "Yes" (default), the control window disappears from the info area when the task is minimised. If set to "Yes" (default), the video window automatically docks along the screen edge if you move it to the edge.
Dock video window along screen edge
User input Number input delay Fast switching delay Specifies the delay for number input. Specifies the delay for switching.

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OSD Area for mouse-sensitive OSD Portion of the video window (as a percentage) in which the mouse pointer triggers the mousesensitive OSD (such as Favourites lists in TV mode). Indicates the delay before the mouse-sensitive OSD is displayed. Indicates the delay before the mouse-sensitive OSD is hidden. If set to "Yes" (default), the mouse-sensitive OSD disappears into the TV picture in an animated fashion. Indicates how long the signal information is shown. Enable this option if you have an NVIDIA graphics board and the OSD does not function properly.

Antenna location:

Avoid setting the antenna up near sources of electromagnetic radiation. These include computers, TVs, microwave ovens and similar devices. Avoid the proximity of steel or reinforcing rods. Position the antenna near a window and as high as possible. To enhance the performance of a rod antenna with a magnetic foot, attach it to a metallic surface.

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Glossary
Advanced Audio Coding is an audio compression format that was specified as a further development of the MPEG-2 standard.
This is a designation for a multichannel audio system better known as Dolby Digital. AC-3 stands for Audio Codec 3, the compression method used.

Bitrate

The bitrate is the volume of data transferred in a given interval. A low audio or video bitrate will result in low quality. High bitrates, on the other hand, require more storage space for recordings.
A codec is a program that digitally encodes or decodes data or signals. All codecs have specific advantages and disadvantages which must be taken into account when choosing one for a specific purpose.

Device ID

A device ID is a unique identifier for a piece of hardware.

DiSEqC

Digital Satellite Equipment Control refers to a data communications technology used between satellite receivers and switches or satellite dishes. It is used to send control commands to the satellite dish when selecting a different satellite.

Dolby Digital

This is the designation for a multichannel audio standard used in movie theatres, DVDs and TV. The audio tracks are sent as data packets together with the video data.
DVB stands for Digital Video Broadcast, a new digital TV format. DVB provides better audio and video quality than the traditional analogue TV standard.
DVB-T is the digital video standard for terrestrial broadcasting. (Terrestrial)
DVB-S is the digital video standard for satellite broadcasting. (satellite)

DVB-C is the digital video standard for cable broadcasting. (Cable)
EPG is the electronic program guide transmitted together with DVB signals. EPG provides program listings and supports convenient programming of recordings.

H.264/AVC

Advanced Video Coding is a video codec also known as MPEG 4 Part 10. It provides better quality at higher compression rates (smaller files). It requires greater processor performance when decoding, however.

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High-definition television. The higher resolution results in better picture quality.
The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is responsible for the standardisation of audio and video compression, as well as related areas such as container formats. A variety of formats are available that can serve as recording formats with the appropriate codec. MPEG-1/2 are common formats, as is MPEG-4 (DivX is based on MPEG-4, for example). The differences mainly lie in the quality and size of the output file.
OSD stands for on-screen display, a menu which is superimposed on the TV picture. OSDs are a convenient configuration option.
A skin is a customisable user interface layout that can be applied to an application.

Symbol rate

The symbol rate (or baud rate) is the number of steps per second, i.e. the number of times per second the signal changes. The symbol rate must be known to the receiver to ensure a correct data transfer.
Timeshift is a function that caches the TV signal, permitting live TV to be paused and resumed at a later time.

Transponder

A transponder is a transmission medium on which multiple stations are transmitted to the receiver. The number of stations on a transponder can vary depending on the available bandwidth and utilisation.
TS stands for transport stream. DVB is broadcast as a transport stream containing all of the information transmitted by the station.

VMR-7 or VMR-9

Video Mixing Renderer 7 or 9 are Windows display components optimised for DirectX.

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Editing recordings using Cut!
Cut! is an editing tool that lets you remove unnecessary ballast from your video recordings. The files are not re-encoded, but simply cut to avoid quality losses. Cut! can be found in the TerraTec Home Cinema program folder. For a detailed description of Cut!, please see the program itself.

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Link-O-Rama
The following is a number of interesting links to programs that can simplify your day-to-day handling of TV programs and recorded material. A popular MPEG-4 codec DivX http://www.divx.com/

Dr. DivX

A tool that converts your recordings into DivX format
An open-source equivalent of the DivX codec
An editing tool for your recordings (demultiplexer) Project X http://sourceforge.net/projects/project-x

Cuttermaran

An editing tool especially for DVB recordings.

PVAStrumento

A further editing tool for your recordings. (demultiplexer)

http://www.lyngsat.com

Visit this site for current digital satellite TV station lists.

http://www.videolan.org

VLC, a popular open source media player, can be found here.
The following table contains links to vendors of MPEG-2 video and audio decoders: http://www.mainconcept.de
http://www.gocyberlink.com
http://www.intervideo.com

http://www.nvidia.com

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TerraTec Home Cinema User Manual

Version 6

Introducing: The TerraTec Home Cinema... 2 Installation..... 3 Launching the software for the first time... 5 Design and controls....15 The on-screen display....21 The info bar.... 22 Picture-in-Picture (PiP).... 24 EPGthe electronic program guide... 25 Recordings.... 32 Timeshifting.... 44 Playback.... 45 Teletext.... 47 The settings.... 49 Context menus.... 73 Key assignments..... 75 General.... 75 Annex..... 78
Legend: This symbol indicates useful information or instructions for the functions of the TerraTec Home Cinema. This symbol indicates functions that are included with the TerraTec Home Cinema, but not with the TerraTec Home Cinema Basic. You can enable these functions with a serial number, which you can purchase at our Webshop on our website.

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Introducing: The TerraTec Home Cinema
The TerraTec Home Cinema is your analogue and digital TV control centre. The full range of functions and features of your new TV hardwarestation selection, timeshifting, recording and teletextare united in the TerraTec Home Cinema.

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Installation
Before installing the TerraTec Home Cinema software, first connect your TV tuner to the USB port or plug your TV card into an available PCI slot on your computer and install the drivers.
You can select your location as soon as you launch the installation of the TerraTec Home Cinema software. The installation wizard shows you what devices are already installed. Then, click "Finish" to start the installation process.
If you are using the Basic version, and wish to use the advanced features of the TerraTec Home Cinema software, you will have to enter or confirm a serial number. To do so, tick the option for "I want to add or review serial numbers".

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In the next step, enter your serial number and then click "Add". Here, in the list of installed packages, the data for your package are displayed. When finished, click "Finish". You can expand the range of features of the TerraTec Home Cinema Basic with upgrades that can be purchased at the TerraTec Webshop.

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Launching the software for the first time
The TerraTec Home Cinema configuration menu will open automatically when launching the software for the first time. The basic settings, which are described in detail below, can be configured here. First, you should carry out the following steps: 1. Start the channel scan! 2. Create a Favourites list! 3. Define the storage location for recordings!
1. Start the channel scan!
Device Select the device for which to perform a station scan. This is only necessary once for each standard (e.g. DVB-T). If you have installed multiple devices that use the same standard, the found stations will be available for all of those devices, of course. Filter Restrict the scan to free, encrypted, or all available stations (no filter). Scan mode Depending on the TV standard, a variety of options are available here. For more information, please see the Scan sections for the relevant TV standard. Click "Scan" to start the scan.

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DVB-T scan
Scan mode: Scan by region
Region Select your reception region from the list. If you cannot find it, simply select "All". Scan intensity Some countries, such as France, broadcast stations slightly off of the standardised frequencies. This option lets you customise the scan in cases in which it does not find all stations while in "Normal" mode.
Scan mode: Scan by frequency band or single frequency

Scan one frequency band

Scan single frequency
Frequency (kHz) Specialists will appreciate the ability to select an individual frequency or frequency band and its step size for scanning. Bandwidth DVB-T can be broadcast at varying bandwidths. 7 or 8 MHz are common in Europe, while 6 MHz is used in Taiwan, for example. Scan intensity see "Scan mode: Scan by region"

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DVB-S scan
Scan mode: Scan by satellite
Satellite Select the satellite to which you have set your dish. DiSEqC 1.0 DiSEqC is used to control satellite systems that receive data (TV) from more than one satellite. Configure this setting to match those on your satellite system. DiSEqC 1.0 allows you to receive up to four different satellites. Example: Your satellite system is pointed towards Astra and Eutelsat. In this case, configure the DiSEqC options as follows: Option A / Position A during the scan on Astra Option B / Position B during the scan on Eutelsat Since, unfortunately, no standardised settings exist for satellite systems, often the only option is trial and error if no information about the satellite system is available. For the same reason, we hope you understand that our support team may not always have the answers regarding your settings.

You will only be able to select stations that are in a Favourites list. Analogue video inputs are indicated by the symbols for composite and the favourites list just like "regular" channels. for S-Video, and can be added to

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Setting up Favourites lists
To sort stations based on your interests, select them and drag them up or down the list using the and buttons. and buttons to remove one or more stations from the Favourites list.

Use the

Special Favourites lists (only with TerraTec Home Cinema)
In addition to the standard Favourites lists for radio and TV, you can also create your own special Favourites lists.

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These Favourites lists can perform a variety of functions, for example sorting stations according to DVB-T coverage areas, transmission standards (e.g. analogue/DVB-T/DVB-S) or genres such as sports, movies or news. To add a station to a special Favourites list, select the station and then click one of the coloured buttons Click. Individual stations may be added to more than one list. to name the special Favourites list.
Where do I find the Favourites lists?
You can access your Favourites lists by "right-clicking" the TV picture and then opening "TV favourites".

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How can switch stations?
There are several ways to navigate and jump through the station list. To switch to the next station in the list, press the key on your keyboard. To return to the previous station, press the key. To confirm, simply press the Enter key. Or: Right-click within the TV window and select "Station +" from the context menu to go to the next station, or "Station " to return to the previous. Or: Using the left mouse button, click the "arrow up" button in the control window to go to the next station, or the "arrow down" button to return to the previous, and then confirm with OK.
3. Define the storage location for recordings!
In the Settings of the TerraTec Home Cinema, you have the option of changing the default storage location for your recordings. To do so, click the button with the small file symbol next to the "Store recordings in" field. Now you can browse to the directory of your choosing and select it by clicking the "OK" button.

to continue watching at the point you left off.
The timeshift symbol appears on the control panel whenever timeshifting is active.
It is also possible to navigate within the timeshift recording while it is active. For timeshifting settings, see Recording.

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Playback
Naturally, you can also watch your recorded TV programs in TerraTec Home Cinema. The easiest way to get to the Recordings mode is via the on-screen display.
Select the menu item Recordings. The following page contains a list of the recorded programs in the Record folder you defined.

Start playback with

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You can also delete recordings (cautionyou will not be prompted whether you really want to delete them!) or edit them using Cut!. The "Export" option appears at the bottom of the window
whenever you select an MPEG-TS recording. The recording will be converted into MPEG-PS format when you export it. For more information on navigating within recordings, see Navigation functions.

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Modern media technology like the Internet made a widespread service offered by TV broadcasting establishments somewhat forgotten in recent years: teletext. Press the Teletext button once to display the teletext page of the current station in the TV window. Pressing the button again will display the page transparently over the current TV program. Pressing it once more ends the teletext display and returns you to normal TV display.

Normal

Transparent
The remote control, mouse and keyboard can be used to navigate teletext pages. When using the numerical keypad, please ensure that the NumLock is active.
Entering the page number directly
To enter a page number directly, use the keypad of the remote control or keyboard. The page will be opened immediately after the last digit has been entered.
Using the mouse to select pages
Teletext pages can also be opened by clicking on their numbers, as you would click a link in a web browser.
a) Page memory and subpage display
In addition to the normal teletext navigation, the teletext also indicates whether additional pages with the same page number are present in the page memory. The availability of additional pages is indicated by arrows before or after the selected page number. Select the subpages with the left and right arrow buttons.

b) Page references navigating with colour fields
Teletext itself offers simple navigation options with a method known as FLOF or TOP teletext. Colour fields or coloured text is often visible at the bottom of a teletext page. These markings are comparable to links on websites, leading directly to the relevant links. You may also find the same colours on your remote control buttons.

Example 1

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Example 2

c) Teletext in a dedicated window
Teletext can also be displayed in its own window.
This can be controlled using the context menu or the CTRL+T key combination. For those who are especially interested in Videotext, here is a little tip: You can also select interesting lines of text by pressing the mouse button. Use the CTRL+C key combination to copy the highlighted text to the clipboard; then, use the CTRL+V key to copy it to another location, such as a new text document.

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The settings
calls up the settings window.
The advanced configuration options of the TerraTec Home Cinema can be found here: Options User interface Record Still image Audio/Video Scan Stations Select the TerraTec TV card you would like to use here. Select the language of the user interface and control the appearance of the OSD here. Configure the settings for your recordings here. Define how and where to save your still images here. You can change the audio and video settings here. Start the scan here. Use this tab to arrange the stations in the order you prefer, create Favourites lists, and much more. You can configure the network streaming options of the TerraTec Home Cinema here. Configure the settings for the online EPG, tvtv, here. This tab gives advanced users the ability to change additional preferences. This provides useful information about the software and the devices used.
Network tvtv service Advanced About

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Options

Installed devices

A broad range of TerraTec TV products are supported. Select your devices here. If you do not want to use a device, simply untick its list entry.

Miscellaneous

Priority - Set here the priority Windows should give the application. By setting a lower value here, Windows will give more CPU resources to other applications. This may lead to choppy video playback, however.

Update

Check for new version on startup If you enable this option, TerraTec Home Cinema checks for a new version each time it is started. If a new version is available, you can download and install it using the dialogue that appears. Check now This button starts a manual check for updates. Beta versions usually contain bug fixes, which correct faults in the application. However, please install a beta version only if you experience serious issues with TerraTec Home Cinema or if TerraTec Support recommends this version to you. You can enable this function on the "Advanced" tab. Beta versions frequently have not yet been tested exhaustively; as a result, we cannot always provide support for these versions.

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Regional settings
Program language Select the language for the program's user interface here. Preferred language Select the default language for TV playback and subtitles here. Alternative language Select a second choice for TV playback and subtitles for cases in which the preferred language is not available.
Video window with border A border will be drawn around the TV window when this option is enabled. Monitor aspect ratio Enter the aspect ratio of your monitor to optimise the display for the TV picture. Please note that most TFT displays have an aspect ratio of 5:4, while wide-screen TFTs have aspect ratios of 16:10 or 14:9. For more information, see the documentation of your display.

On-Screen display (OSD)

Transparency (with VMR-7 or VMR-9 only) If you have activated the VMR-7 or VMR-9 options in your audio/video configuration, use this slider to adjust the transparency of the OSD. Quality Adjust the display quality of the OSD here. If you experience consistently choppy video, your system may be too slow to render digital TV correctly. If this is the case, set the quality of the OSD to a lower value. Display duration: TV info Here, you can define how long the information is to be displayed at the bottom of the screen.

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Display duration: status messages Define how long the status messages are to be displayed at the top of the screen. Display duration: status list Define how long the station list is to be displayed on the right of the screen. Mouse sensitive OSD With this option, the OSD can be displayed automatically if you move the mouse pointer to the bottom edge (Information) or the right edge (Station list) of the TV window.

PiP (Picture in Picture)

Position Here, you can define the position where the second TV picture is to appear. You can also define the position using the context menu or the key combination (CTRL + 1 - 9).

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Record

General

Store recordings in The files created by the various recording functions are stored in the Record folder. Pre/post recording time Set the time by which recordings start before and stop after the programmed times. The programmed times are based on the system time of your computer. You may therefore be in for an unpleasant surprise if your system time is not reasonably close to the actual time. This option lets you create additional recording time before and after the actual times to help avoid this problem.

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Default action after timer recordings Select one of the following actions to be performed after a timer recording: No action Close application Standby Hibernate Power off After recording has finished, TerraTec Home Cinema continues normally. Exits the application after the recording. Puts the computer in standby mode. Hibernates the computer. Powers off the computer.
Please note that the "Power off" option will power down your PC, and that scheduled recordings can then no longer be performed. If you have planned further recordings, we recommend selecting the options Hibernate or Standby. A warning message will be displayed before any action (other than the "No action" option) is executed.

Timeshift

Timeshift buffer size The maximum amount of hard drive space that may be used for timeshifting. Please note that timeshift files are always recorded in TS format for technical reasons. Automatically activate timeshift for DVB This function is enabled by default. This allows you to skip back during a TV program and watch the previous portion again. The ranges of minutes, depending on the transmission standard currently used, that can be buffered are listed below the specified buffer size.

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Still image
Still-image settings Naturally, TV software is designed for viewing moving pictures, but you may nevertheless have reason to save a still image from time to time. You may wish to take a screenshot and use it as a background image for DVD authoring, for example. Teletext can also be saved this way.
Store screenshots in The files created by the screenshot functions are stored in the folder.

File format

TV / Movies Choose between saving your images as Windows bitmaps (.bmp) or the space-saving but lossy JPEG (.jpg) format. Teletext In addition to the "Windows Bitmap (.bmp)" and "JPEG (.jpg)" options, you may also save teletext as a text file (.txt), making it suitable for use in any text editor. The settings made here apply globally for the entire software and are not stored individually for each station.

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Audio/Video

Audio/Video settings

Video Renderer Windows offers a number of options for conjuring a TV picture onto your monitor. The so-called Overlay Mixer, in which the picture is written directly to the memory of the graphics card, is generally suitable for this task. The graphics card drivers must play along for this to work correctly, however. An alternative is the VMR-7 or VMR-9 (video mixing renderer) provided by recent DirectX versions. If you experience difficulties with the TV picture, we recommend activating the "Video Mixing Render 7" or "Video Mixing Renderer 9" option. Under Windows XP, we recommend using the "Overlay Mixer" wherever possible. Under Windows Vista, we suggest the "Video Mixing Renderer 9" option. Not all decoders support VMR-7 or VMR-9 mode. At times, a number of attempts may be necessary to find the best combination for audio/video playback. Audio renderer Select the default device or a special audio driver for your audio playback here. The following options let you select specific decoders for the various audio and video standards. If the gear button behind the option is active, additional configuration options are available for that decoder. Video decoder Here, you should select the CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (TerraTec).

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Frequency (kHz) Specialists will appreciate the ability to select an individual frequency or frequency band and its step size for scanning. Symbol rate (KS) The symbol rate is the specified data transmission speed. It must be specified when scanning a frequency band or individual frequency. Polarisation A frequency can be polarised horizontally or vertically. Select the correct polarisation here. FEC (forward error correction) This option specifies the error protection of the signal. Information on satellite programs and their parameters can be found at a number of sources, including: http://www.lyngsat.com

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Frequency (kHz) Specialists will appreciate the ability to select an individual frequency or frequency band and its step size for scanning. If your TV solution has analogue inputs, then they are treated like channels. The names for the analogue inputs are automatically assigned and depend on the type of connection -> S-Video / composite. If you connect external devices here, it is best to name the connection after the device, such as "Satellite receiver" or "Playstation".

FM scan

To receive radio using your FM-capable TV card, you first have to run a scan. To do so, select the analogue tuner on your TV card (if available), then "Scan by region" and then the "FM only" region in the drop-down menu.

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Furthermore, you have two options for importing existing station lists. To access these, click the following in the selection menu for the scan mode: Import stations from file This allows you to import a station list from a previous channel scan. This is recommended if you have to reinstall TerraTec Home Cinema. It also allows you to use a sender list created by someone you know in our neighbourhood, sparing you the time it takes to run a scan. Import stations from Internet Here, first select your transmission standard, then the file that you want to import. The lists are named according to the region or satellite. Then click "Apply" to save your station database An Internet import is particularly recommended for the DVB-S transmission standard, because the satellite scan can take about an hour. With an import, the stations are presorted and can be added to your station database with just a click. This method has you up and running fast.

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Stations
Station management The left side of the station management tab contains a list of all of the stations found during one or more scans. The list can be filtered according to reception types, filters (whether the stations are free or encrypted) or whether they are TV or radio broadcasts. Use the button to add selected stations to the Favourites list, or the button to add all stations.

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To sort stations according to your preferences, select them and move them up or down the list with the and buttons. Use the and buttons to remove one or more stations from the Favourites list.

Special Favourites lists

In addition to the standard radio and TV Favourites lists, you may also create special Favourites lists. These Favourites lists can perform a variety of functions, for example sorting stations according to DVB-T coverage areas, transmission standards (e.g. analogue/DVB-T/DVB-S) or genres such as sports, movies or news. To add a station to a special Favourites list, select the station and click one of the coloured buttons. Individual stations may be added to more than one list.
to name the special Favourites list.

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Network
On the Online media tab of the OSD, you can, among other things, access the "myNoxon" portal. To use this service, you can register free of charge at http://my-noxon.de. Then, once you enter your user data here, you have immediate access to a great variety of online content.

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tvtv service
tvtv is a program information service similar to the EPG that allows you to program recordings via the Internet or a WAP-enabled cellular phone. In addition, this service offers much more extensive EPG data for digital and analogue television. The tvtv options include: Use tvtv If you do not want to use the tvtv service, disable it by clearing this checkbox.

User account

Your username, password, tvtv server and the validity of your subscription are all set when configuring the tvtv service and are shown here for your information. You can also set up tvtv access at a later date if you did not do so when installing the application. Note that your username must be at least 5 characters in length so that you can use the service in the TerraTec Home Cinema software.

Proxy settings

The proxy settings are only required if you connect to the Internet via a proxy server. For the correct settings, either check your default web browser or contact your system administrator.

Downloads

The automatic job query option is important here. Use it to define how often the application should download your programming from the tvtv server. In the option Automatic EPG Download, define when tvtv EPG data are to be downloaded. tvtv offers the EPG data for 3 weeks. Website Opens the selected tvtv website in your web browser.

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Jobs Use this button to search manually for new recording jobs. An entry just made may not be visible under certain circumstances. If you do not see it, click add now in your job list on the tvtv website. EPG Starts a manual download of the tvtv EPG data. Stations Compares the list of stations found by TerraTec Home Cinema with those of tvtv. It may inform you that stations cannot be associated correctly. To correct the problem, use the Channel Editor located under the Tools menu of the TerraTec Home Cinema.

OSD key assignments Key E I O S F5 F6 F7 F8 PgUp PgDn / / Esc Backspace Function EPG on/off Program information on/off Shows/hides OSD Opens/closes scheduler (timer) Soft key: red Soft key: green Soft key: yellow Soft key: blue One page up in OSD lists One page down in OSD lists Navigation in OSD lists Previous/next day in EPG lists Closes the OSD Moves cursor back one place when entering information, e.g. timer settings

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Navigation function key assignments Key Space X PAUSE R L N Shift + L Shift + N

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Setting up the antenna
TerraTec Home Cinema can display the quality and current strength of the signal. This is especially useful if your video and audio reception is choppy, making it necessary to adjust the antenna. Press CTRL+I to open an OSD information window showing the current signal strength and quality. The quality of the signal is decisive in this case. Press the green button to enable beeping sounds, which can assist you with positioning the antenna. There are four different settings: signal strength, signal quality, packets and off. The more frequent the beeps are, the better the corresponding signal is.
Positioning a terrestrial antenna
Under most circumstances you will be using a rod antenna or roof antenna. You may also use an active antenna, provided it draws its power from a separate power supply. Unfortunately, a rod antenna is often not sufficient to receive digital TV signals. It is therefore frequently necessary to use a roof antenna or an active antenna, especially at the edges of coverage areas. In case you can't find stations or the picture appears fragmented, start by changing the location of your antenna. If the situation does not improve, you may need to use an active antenna instead. It is generally helpful to keep experimenting, as minimal changes in the position of the antenna can have a major effect on reception quality.

Antenna location:

Avoid setting the antenna up near sources of electromagnetic radiation. These include computers, TVs, microwave ovens and similar devices. Avoid the proximity of steel or reinforcing rods. Position the antenna near a window and as high as possible. To enhance the performance of a rod antenna with a magnetic foot, attach it to a metallic surface.

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Glossary
Advanced Audio Coding is an audio compression format that was specified as a further development of the MPEG-2 standard.
This is a designation for a multichannel audio system better known as Dolby Digital. AC-3 stands for Audio Codec 3, the compression method used.

Bitrate

The bitrate is the volume of data transferred in a given interval. A low audio or video bitrate will result in low quality. High bitrates, on the other hand, require more storage space for recordings.
A codec is a program that digitally encodes or decodes data or signals. All codecs have specific advantages and disadvantages which must be taken into account when choosing one for a specific purpose.

Device ID

A device ID is a unique identifier for a piece of hardware.

DiSEqC

Digital Satellite Equipment Control refers to a data communications technology used between satellite receivers and switches or satellite dishes. It is used to send control commands to the satellite dish when selecting a different satellite.

Dolby Digital

This is the designation for a multichannel audio standard used in movie theatres, DVDs and TV. The audio tracks are sent as data packets together with the video data.
DVB stands for Digital Video Broadcast, a new digital TV format. DVB provides better audio and video quality than the traditional analogue TV standard.
DVB-T is the digital video standard for terrestrial broadcasting. (Terrestrial)
DVB-S is the digital video standard for satellite broadcasting. (satellite)
DVB-C is the digital video standard for cable broadcasting. (Cable)
EPG is the electronic program guide transmitted together with DVB signals. EPG provides program listings and supports convenient programming of recordings.

H.264/AVC

Advanced Video Coding is a video codec also known as MPEG 4 Part 10. It provides better quality at higher compression rates (smaller files). It requires greater processor performance when decoding, however.

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High-definition television. The higher resolution results in better picture quality.
The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is responsible for the standardisation of audio and video compression, as well as related areas such as container formats. A variety of formats are available that can serve as recording formats with the appropriate codec. MPEG-1/2 are common formats, as is MPEG-4 (DivX is based on MPEG-4, for example). The differences mainly lie in the quality and size of the output file.

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Power optionsstandby, hibernate
Windows lets you save energy by putting your PC into standby mode or hibernation. THC can still perform programmed recordings even when your PC is in a power-saving mode. We recommend hibernation mode, as it uses the least power. Although Windows reloads more quickly from standby mode, the computer's RAM remains powered up in standby. Ensure that Windows does not prompt for a password when waking up, as that would interfere with recording. To open the Power Options applet, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel and double-click Power Options. Click the Advanced tab.
Untick the "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby" option, if available. More information on power options, see the Windows XP "Help and Support Centre".

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Questions and Answers
Question: Why aren't programmed recordings being added to the timer list of TerraTec Home Cinema, even though my tvtv account is activated? Answer: Check whether the automatic job query option is set to "Manual update only", and change it to suit your preferences. Question: I have not programmed any recordings to start while the computer is in standby or hibernation mode. Why does the system still wake up? Answer: The computer not only wakes up from standby or hibernation to record programs, but also for automatic job queries configured in the tvtv options. Question: Why is the "Jobs" button in the tvtv options greyed out and disabled? Answer: Please note that the tvtv and TerraTec Home Cinema station tables must be matched prior to job queries. For further information, see tvtv configuration. Question: I have several TV tuners in my system. Can I set up TerraTec Home Cinema to use a specific one? Answer: You can set up TerraTec Home Cinema not to use a certain TV tuner. For further information, see Options.

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Link-O-Rama
The following is a number of interesting links to programs that can simplify your day-to-day handling of TV programs and recorded material. A popular MPEG-4 codec DivX http://www.divx.com/

Dr. DivX

A tool that converts your recordings into DivX format
An open-source equivalent of the DivX codec
An editing tool for your recordings (demultiplexer) Project X http://sourceforge.net/projects/project-x

Cuttermaran

An editing tool especially for DVB recordings.

PVAStrumento

A further editing tool for your recordings. (demultiplexer)

http://www.lyngsat.com

Visit this site for current digital satellite TV station lists.

http://www.videolan.org

VLC, a popular open source media player, can be found here.
The following table contains links to vendors of MPEG-2 video and audio decoders: http://www.mainconcept.de
http://www.gocyberlink.com
http://www.intervideo.com

http://www.nvidia.com

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