It's hard to believe this hasn't been dealt with here, but I've searched reasonably extensively and can't find a thread about it. Apologies if I missed one.
I've just upgraded from xp to Windows 7, and am using the Windows Media Centre for live TV. I much prefer the interface to Winfast PVR, which was the program I was previously using. However, I just discovered that the volume control is just the main speaker volume in disguise, PowerDVD style. I don't know why anyone would want this, or what the programmers could have possibly been thinking when they designed it this way.
I use my computer for almost everything, and I often wish to listen to someone, watch a youtube video, play a sound, or whatever, without having to close the TV tuner program and reopen it when I'm done. With Winfast PVR, I just make sure it's in focus and press 'm' on the keyboard, which mutes only the program and allows me to watch a youtube video or whatever.
It is annoying no end to have the volume linked to the main volume. I either have to try to filter out the TV sound in my head while listening to something else, or I have to close the TV. Sometimes I like to have TV image with no sound and listen to music or something. I can't do that either.
Is there a way to overcome this? If not, then I think this is a deal breaker for me. There aren't many options when it comes to TV tuner software, and in most respects, WMC seems to be the best there is, but volume is a pretty important function, and essentially there is no volume control on WMC.
Most of the problems that I've had with 7 have been covered in threads here or elsewhere, such as the Windows Live Messenger taskbar button, and the administrator permission crap, but I haven't seen anything about this.
Thanks in advance for your help.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and the "mouse gets stuck on second monitor" 'feature' is pretty mental. Why on Earth would anyone design a program that way. The must have been sitting there thinking, "You know what consumers are really missing out on...the inability to use their mouse while there watching a movie full screen on their tv or second monitor." I can't see ANY benefit from it. But, at least I can just stretch it to almost full screen and watch it like that. But I can't find a similar workaround for the volume problem.
I've just upgraded from xp to Windows 7, and am using the Windows Media Centre for live TV. I much prefer the interface to Winfast PVR, which was the program I was previously using. However, I just discovered that the volume control is just the main speaker volume in disguise, PowerDVD style. I don't know why anyone would want this, or what the programmers could have possibly been thinking when they designed it this way.
I use my computer for almost everything, and I often wish to listen to someone, watch a youtube video, play a sound, or whatever, without having to close the TV tuner program and reopen it when I'm done. With Winfast PVR, I just make sure it's in focus and press 'm' on the keyboard, which mutes only the program and allows me to watch a youtube video or whatever.
It is annoying no end to have the volume linked to the main volume. I either have to try to filter out the TV sound in my head while listening to something else, or I have to close the TV. Sometimes I like to have TV image with no sound and listen to music or something. I can't do that either.
Is there a way to overcome this? If not, then I think this is a deal breaker for me. There aren't many options when it comes to TV tuner software, and in most respects, WMC seems to be the best there is, but volume is a pretty important function, and essentially there is no volume control on WMC.
Most of the problems that I've had with 7 have been covered in threads here or elsewhere, such as the Windows Live Messenger taskbar button, and the administrator permission crap, but I haven't seen anything about this.
Thanks in advance for your help.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and the "mouse gets stuck on second monitor" 'feature' is pretty mental. Why on Earth would anyone design a program that way. The must have been sitting there thinking, "You know what consumers are really missing out on...the inability to use their mouse while there watching a movie full screen on their tv or second monitor." I can't see ANY benefit from it. But, at least I can just stretch it to almost full screen and watch it like that. But I can't find a similar workaround for the volume problem.
