Alienware Hangar18 User manual

ALIENWARE HANGAR 18: HD ENTERTAINMENT CENTER MANUAL
The contents herein are subject to change without notice. ©1996-2007 Alienware
Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of this manual in any manner without the prior written
permission of Alienware Corporation is strictly prohibited.
Trademarks used in this manual: Alienware, Alienlce, the AlienHead logo, and
AlienAutopsy are trademarks or registered trademarks of Alienware Corporation.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trade-marks of Microsoft Corporation. Other
trademarks and trade names may be used in this manual to refer to either the entities
claiming the marks and names or their products. Alienware Corporation disclaims any
proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
Rev 5.1 DECEMBER 2007

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CONTENTS
Introduction, 5
Chapter 1 System Preparation and Setup, 7
Overview, 8
When your HD Entertainment Center First Arrives, 9
Items Included in your Hangar18 Packaging, 10
Some Precautions for Initial Setup, 12
Location and Positioning of Your HD Entertainment Center, 12
Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your TV, 13
Connecting Your Hangar18 1080p or Blu-ray System to Your HDTV or SDTV, 14
HDMI or DVI-to-HDMI Connection, 14
S-Video and VGA Connections, 14
Connecting Your Hangar18 720p System To Your HDTV, 15
Connecting Your Hangar18 720p System To Your Standard Definition or
Analog TV, 16
Connecting Speakers, 17
Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your 5.1 Surround Speakers or Amplifier, 17
Powering Up Your Hangar18 and Using Your TV Remote and Keyboard for the
First Time, 18
Setting Up Your TV Remote Control, 19
Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your Cable or Satellite Box, 20
Connecting One Cable or Satellite Box to Your Hangar18, 21
Connecting Two Cable or Two Satellite Boxes to Your Hangar18, 22
Connecting Your Hangar18 to a Digital Over-the-Air Antenna, 23
Getting to Know Your HD Entertainment Center, 24
Front I/O Ports and Features, 24
Rear Panel I/O Ports and Features, 26
Chapter 2 Vista Media Center Features, 29
Overview, 30
Start Using Vista Media Center for the First Time, 30
Setting Up Your Wireless Internet Connection, 33
Setting Up Your TV Signal, 33
Setting Up Your TV Guide Data, 35
Setting Up Your TV Resolution and Speakers, 36
Playing Back and Burning Regular DVDs, 37
Playing Back and Burning Blu-ray DVDs, 38
Putting Your Hangar18 Into Away Mode, 39
Setting Up Your Hangar18 and Gyration TV Remote to Control Your Cable or
Satellite Box, 40

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WebGuide Application, 45
What It Does, 45
How It Works, 45
How to Set It Up, 46
What It Works With, 47
Log In from Any Internet Connected Device, 48
WebGuide on Your Mobile Device, 50
Chapter 3 System Recovery, 52
AlienRespawn 2.0, 53
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting, 55
Before Troubleshooting, 56
Things to Check Before Troubleshooting, 56
Software Diagnostics Tools, 57
Backup and general Maintenance, 57
Answers to Common Problems, 58
CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD±RW or Blu-ray Drive, 58
Website connection is slow, 59
Keyboard, 60
The keyboard is not responding, 60
A keyboard character is repeating, 60
Spills on the Keyboard, 60
Monitor, 60
There is no display on the screen, 60
The color is not uniform, 61
Displayed text is dim, blurry, or otherwise difficult to read, 61
Mouse, 61
The mouse is not working, 61
Power, 62
When the HD Entertainment Center is turned on, nothing happens, 62
Speakers, 62
There is no sound from the speakers (external), 62
Game Controllers, 62
The HD Entertainment Center does not recognize the game controller, 62
WebGuide FAQ, 63
Appendix A General And Electrical Safety Precautions, 66
HD Entertainment Center Setup, 66
HD Entertainment Center Use, 66
When You Should Contact Alienware, 67
Replacement Components or Accessories, 67

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Appendix B Terms And Conditions Agreement, 69
Appendix C Limited Product Warranty; Disclaimer Of Warranties;
And Limitation Of Liability, 71
Limited Product Warranty, 71
Obtaining Warranty Service, 71
Systems Returned to Alienware for Repair, 72
Replacing a Defective Component, 73
Return First, 73
Replace First, 73
Keep in mind, 74
30-day Money Back Guarantee, 75
Appendix D Contacting Alienware, 77
Sales, 77
Customer Service, 77
Technical Support, 78
Corporate Headquarters, 78
Appendix E Important Information, 80

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INTRODUCTION
Dear Valued Alienware Customer,
Welcome to the Alienware family. We are thrilled to include you among the growing
number of savvy HD Entertainment Center users.
The Alienware technicians who have crafted your machine have made certain that
your Hangar18: HD Entertainment Center is properly optimized and performs to its
fullest potential. We build machines with one single unwavering purpose: Build It
As If It Were Your Own. The technicians will not rest until your new machine meets
or exceeds our very demanding criteria!
We have tested your machine extensively in order to ensure that you enjoy the
highest levels of performance. In addition to a standard burn-in period, your
system has been evaluated using real-world tools such as synthetic performance
benchmarks.
We invite you to share your experience with your new HD Entertainment Center
with us, so please do not hesitate to either e-mail or call Alienware with any
questions or concerns. The entire staff shares your enthusiasm for new technology
and we hope that you enjoy using your new HD Entertainment Center as much as
Alienware enjoyed building it for you.
Sincerely,
Alienware Staff

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CHAPTER 1: SYSTEM PREPARATION AND SETUP

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CHAPTER 1: SYSTEM PREPARATION AND SETUP
Overview
Congratulations on the purchase of your Alienware Hangar18: HD Entertainment
Center! The Alienware HD Entertainment Center is the best Media Center solution
available for the living room environment.
From the comfort of your couch you can enjoy all your digital content (TV recordings,
movies, pictures and music) on your main living room HDTV. The HD Entertainment
Center enhances your digital entertainment in your living room by combining all of the
following components into one box:
• High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (DVR) for recording and playing back your
HD content
• Up to 4 TV tuners (two analog and two HD/digital TV tuners):
1. Base platform – (1 analog and 1 digital tuner) allows you to record 1 analog
and 1 digital/High Definition Over-the-Air (OTA) channel at the same time.
2. Optional platform – (2 analog and 2 digital tuners) allows you to record 2
analog and 2 digital/High Definition Over-the-Air (OTA) channels at the same
time.
• Digital amplifier for 5.1 speakers and subwoofer (5 channels- each delivering
200W at peak power)
• Wireless 802.11 b/g
• Gigabit Ethernet connection for downloading movies and other content
from the internet
• AMD Live!TM software applications running with Microsoft Vista OS
• Slim slot loading DVD/CD player/burner
• Bluetooth receiver for use with Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, TV remotes
and headphones
• Accessing your Hangar18 content from any internet connected device.
Chapter 1 explains how to connect your Hangar18 to your:
• TV
• speakers
• amplifier/ receiver
• digital antenna
• cable/satellite box
• TV remote control and wireless keyboard that was included with your
Hangar18

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Chapter 2 guides you through the features of Windows Vista Media Center and how to
setup the following:
• Wireless Internet connection
• TV signal (Over-the-Air, cable, satellite, digital and analog)
• Speakers
• Optimizing your TV or monitor display for the maximum resolution supported
by both your Hangar18 and TV (720p or 1080p)
• Setting up your WebGuide application to access and control your Hangar18
from any internet connection.
Chapter 3 explains system recovery.
Chapter 4 explains system troubleshooting.
When Your HD Entertainment Center First Arrives
Before setting up your HD Entertainment Center or components, please inspect all
items for any physical damage that may have occurred during shipment. Report any
damaged items to customer service within 5 days of receiving the shipment. Shipping
damage reported after the first 5 days of receiving the shipment will not be honored.

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Items Included with your Hangar18 Packaging
The standard components that should be included in your packaging are:
• Gyration RF Wireless Keyboard
• Gyration RF Universal TV remote
• Gyration RF transceiver dongle
• Cables:
S/PDIF Coaxial for connecting your Hangar18 to your amplifier.
S/PDIF Optical (Toslink) for connecting your Hangar18 to your amplifier.
Component (YPrPb) – Red, Green, Blue cables
for supporting SDTVs and HDTVs.
HDMI - cable that sends both HD video and digital audio
to your HDTV, supporting up to 1080p.
S-Video cable that sends analog video.
Composite – red, white, and yellow cables for sending analog
audio and video into your Hangar18.

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Ethernet – for wired connection to Internet or router.
2 IR Blaster cables – for sending IR commands
(such as channel change, and volume up/down to your cable
box or satellite box.)
If you ordered the 1080p or Blu-Ray Hangar18, the DVI-HDMI
adapter should also be included.
• Black Leather binder contains:
User’s Manual
AMD Live! CD - includes applications that you can install to enhance your
Media Center experience.
Alien ReSpawn 2.0 system recovery CD
Gyration Universal TV remote and keyboard manual - detailed instructions on
how to program your remote to control numerous audio/video devices.

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Some Precautions for Initial Setup
Location and Positioning of Your HD Entertainment Center
When positioning your HD Entertainment Center, be sure that:
• It is placed on an surface that is both level and stable
• Power and other cable connectors are not jammed between the
HD Entertainment Center and a wall – or any other object
• Nothing obstructs airflow in front of, on side of, behind, or below the
HD Entertainment Center
To avoid the risk of electrical shock, do not remove the top panel of your
HD Entertainment Center.
Do not place the HD Entertainment Center near or over a radiator or
heating vent. If all or parts of your HD Entertainment Center are placed
in a cabinet, ensure that adequate ventilation is provided. Do not
place the HD Entertainment Center in a humid location or in any area
the HD Entertainment Center may be exposed to rain or water. Be
careful not to spill liquid of any kind on or into the HD Entertainment
Center.
Your HD Entertainment Center was designed to operate in an upright
position. Never power on or operate the system when not in an upright
position.
Do not block the ventilation holes on both the top panel and side
panels of your HD Entertainment Center, or overheating may occur.

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Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your TV
The TV connection options for your Hangar18 depend on which Hangar18 model
you ordered (1080p/Blu-ray, or the 720p model) and what type of TV you have (High
Definition or Standard Definition). Both Hangar18 models and both TV types are
explained next.

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Connecting Your Hangar18 1080p or Blu-ray System to Your HDTV or SDTV
HDMI or DVI-to-HDMI Connection
For the optimal Home Entertainment experience, Alienware recommends connecting
the Hangar18 1080p or Blu-ray model with an HDMI or DVI cable to a 16:9 HDTV that
supports High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). If your HDTV or monitor
does not support HDCP, you will not be able to view encrypted HD video through the
HDMI or DVI connections.
A DVI-HDMI dongle (shown in the diagram below) should be included in your
packaging. The HDMI cable is recommended because the HD video and digital audio
is sent over the same HDMI cable. Using the DVI cable requires you to use the built-in
amplifier or S/PDIF connector to supply the audio.
S-Video and VGA Connections
Use the S-Video or VGA output on the Hangar18 1080p graphics card (shown in the
diagram below) to provide Standard Definition video to your TV. To supply the audio,
you will need to use either the built-in amplifier or S/PDIF digital audio (similarly as if
you were using the DVI connection for your video).
1080p HD Connection and Blu-ray Disc™
HDTV must be HDCP compliant DVI to HDMI adapter
NOTE: The video outputs shaded below (HDMI,
VGA and Component) will not be functional if
your system has the HDMI 1080p graphics card
installed.

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Connecting Your Hangar18 720p System To Your HDTV
If you purchased a 720p Hangar18 system, use either the HDMI, Component or VGA
cables shown below. The HDMI cable is recommended because the HD video and
digital audio are sent on the same cable. When using the Component or VGA cables
you need to use either the built-in amplifier or S/PDIF digital audio ports to provide
the audio to your HDTV.
HDTV must be HDCP compliant
720p HD Connection
COMPONENT

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COMPONENT
Connecting Your Hangar18 720p System To Your Standard Definition or
Analog TV
You can use your Component or VGA connectors (shown below) to connect your
Hangar18 to your SDTV, analog TV, or monitor. With both of these video connectors you
need to use either the built-in amplifier or S/PDIF digital audio ports to provide the
audio.

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RRCFL FR RL
FL FR RL RR C
Connecting Speakers
Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your 5.1 Surround Speakers or Amplifier
You can connect your HD Entertainment Center directly to your speakers using the
built-in amplifier, or to your own amplifier with the S/PDIF digital out.
On the built-in amplifier each connector is labeled with one of the following, “FL, FR, C,
RL, RR”. There is also a SUB connector for connecting your subwoofer.
S/PDIF
OUT
SUB
5.1 Surround Sound speakers
(FL) Front Left
(FR) Front Right
(RL) Rear Left
(RR) Rear Right
(C) Center
SUBWOOFER
Connection

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Powering Up Your Hangar18 and Using Your TV Remote and Keyboard
for the First Time
Make sure the power cord is securely plugged into the Hangar18 rear panel and the
Power Switch is set to the ON position as shown below. Then press the POWER button
on the front panel of the Hangar18.
Insert the dongle that came with your Hangar18 into one of the rear USB ports, then
synch your Gyration TV remote control and keyboard to the Hangar18 as shown below.
ON OFF
CONNECT
Press the CONNECT button on
the USB receiver, then press the
CONNECT button on the TV remote
and keyboard to synch them together.
Press the POWER button

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Setting Up Your TV Remote Control
The Gyration TV remote control that comes standard with your HD Entertainment Center
is a universal remote that will control your HD Entertainment Center, TV, and Cable/
Satellite set top box (if you have them connected to your HD Entertainment Center).
The Gyration remote sends both RF and IR commands. RF is used to control your Vista
Media Center features, and IR is used to control your other devices (including TV and
Cable/Satellite set tops).
Note: IR Blaster cables must be used to send the IR commands from the rear panel of
the HD Entertainment Center to your cable or satellite boxes. Refer to the next section
for details on how to connect the IR blaster cables.
For the RF commands to work, you must plug in the USB RF transceiver that came with
your system. For more information please refer to the Gyration User Manual that came
with your system inside the black leather binder.
This remote also has a special feature that allows you to control a mouse-like cursor
on your TV screen. This feature allows you to navigate any screen that would typically
require a keyboard or mouse to enter information. Now you are free to sit back on your
couch with a TV remote, instead of using a keyboard and mouse.
For more detailed information on how to program and use the Gyration TV remote and
keyboard, refer to the Gyration instructions inside the black leather binder.
Gyration mouse pointer:
• press and hold the
center, and move your hand
to move the mouse cursor
on your TV screen
• Release the center
button to “park” the cursor
where you want it
• Right and left buttons
function like standard
mouse buttons
• Refer to the manual
that came with the
remote for more detailed
instructions
Green button displays
Media Center main menu

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Connecting Your Hangar18 to Your Cable or Satellite Box
You can setup your Hangar18 to control and access your Standard Definition content
on your cable or satellite set-top box. You will be able to control your cable or satellite
box with your Hangar18 Gyration remote control if you setup the connections as shown
in the next section.
Chapter 2 explains how to use the Vista Media Center “Set Up TV Signal” wizard to
enable your Hangar18 TV remote to control your cable or satellite box.
You can connect up to 2 cable or 2 satellite boxes to your Hangar18 (not one of each).
However, if you have the Hangar18 1080p or Blu-ray model, then you can only connect
one cable or one satellite box.