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Media Center Quick Tip – Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time ProblemsThis tip comes to us from an Entertainment 2.0 listener, Jeff. It’s very important for the time on a Media Center PC to be accurate. If the time is wrong on your computer, then your recordings will likely start late or get cut off too early.

Many Windows Media Center users have complained that Microsoft’s time service against which Windows’ time gets synchronized is unreliable. Whether the time itself is accurate or not, one thing is certain—syncing against the default service fails a lot! You can improve the reliability of your time service updates by changing to one of a number of different services offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Instructions

Open the Date and Time control panel and select the Internet Time tab. One quick way to get to this is to click the clock in the notification area, and then click the Change date and time settings link.

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

 

Click Change Settings to open the Internet Time Settings window. Provide your administrator credentials, if prompted.

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

 

Open the Server list and select a NIST time server. If Synchronize with an Internet time server is not already selected, click it now.

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

 

Click Update Now. Wait for a response from the service.

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

 

Click OK to close any open windows.

Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

 

It’s worth noting that changing the service may not be enough to fix your problems. Windows doesn’t update the time often enough to keep some PCs on schedule. If your PC’s clock runs a little fast or slow, you may also need to explore creating a scheduled task on your computer to trigger the synchronization more frequently. Here’s a tutorial we found on how to make Windows 7 synchronize time more frequently.

Author

  • Media Center Quick Tip - Fix Record Start/Stop Time Problems

    Richard is a product experience consultant with a life-long interest in consumer electronics. He has been immersed in smart home tech for decades now and hosts The DMZ's home automation podcast, Home: On and co-hosts Entertainment 2.0 with Josh Pollard. Richard looks at products through an experience lens, always seeking the right mix of utility and delight.

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About the author

Richard Gunther

Richard is a product experience consultant with a life-long interest in consumer electronics. He has been immersed in smart home tech for decades now and hosts The DMZ's home automation podcast, Home: On and co-hosts Entertainment 2.0 with Josh Pollard. Richard looks at products through an experience lens, always seeking the right mix of utility and delight.

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