Video problems may occur after you use the Media Center Zoom feature when you are watching video in widescreen format in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (890629)

SYMPTOMS

You are watching video in widescreen format in Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Widescreen format has a 16:9 ratio. After you use the Media Center Zoom feature, you may experience one of the following symptoms:

The third mode of zoom may not appear as expected. Instead, the vertical dimension of the third mode appears to be the same as the vertical dimension of the default mode, the first mode of zoom.
Widescreen video content may be displayed with excessive scaling artifacts. Additionally, green bars may appear around the video.
When you resize the Media Center window, the video output may unexpectedly switch between the third mode of zoom and the first mode. When this behavior occurs, the window size becomes smaller than the video.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

Install the update that is described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
873369 Update 1 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Install the hotfix that is described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
896178 Closed Captioning text may not appear correctly in Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Install the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Zoom Update that is described in the following "Update information" section.

Update information

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the 890629 package now.

Release Date: February 28, 2005

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

File information

The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   23-Feb-2005  00:54  5.1.2700.2615     234,496  Ehplayer.dll

MORE INFORMATION

To access the Zoom feature, press the MORE INFO button on the remote while you watch video in widescreen format.

Note The MORE INFO button may be labeled as the DETAILS button on some remotes.

The Zoom feature is available in Media Center when you watch video in widescreen format. For example, Zoom is available when you watch a DVD or when you watch an ATSC signal that is broadcast in widescreen format.

If you select the second mode of zoom, Media Center crops the sides and stretches the widescreen image vertically and horizontally to a 4:3 ratio. If you select the third mode of zoom, Media Center stretches the image only vertically to fill the screen. If you select the first mode of zoom, the regular widescreen display mode is used.

Technical support for Media Center

Because Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition was included with your hardware device or system, the hardware manufacturer provides technical support and assistance for this software. Your manufacturer may have customized the installation with unique components such as specific device drivers and optional settings to maximize the performance of that manufacturer's hardware. If you require technical help with Windows XP Media Center Edition, contact your manufacturer directly because the manufacturer is best qualified to support the software that the manufacturer has installed on the hardware.

You can also visit the Windows XP Media Center Edition product information Web site at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates