Windows 7 Media Center: Increase Live TV Pause Buffer

Extending the Live TV Pause Buffer in Windows Media Center

Interruptions happen when you're enjoying live television. It can be frustrating to return from a pause only to find the program has resumed playing. This guide details how to adjust the default pause buffer within Windows Media Center, ensuring you don’t miss key events.

Understanding the Default Pause Buffer

Have you ever paused Live TV in Windows Media Center, only to have it start playing again unexpectedly? Windows Media Center includes a built-in pause buffer, initially set to 40 minutes. If this duration proves insufficient for your needs, modifying the registry allows you to increase the Live TV pause buffer.

Accessing the Registry Editor

To begin, open the Registry Editor. Click the Start button, then type "regedit" into the search field. Press "Enter." If User Account Control prompts for permission to make changes, confirm by clicking "Yes."

Navigate to the following Registry Key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners\DVR

Modifying the BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds Value

Select the DVR key to display its associated values in the right-hand panel. Locate the BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds value.

Double-click BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds to open the "Edit DWORD Value" window. Ensure the Decimal radio button is selected. This guarantees you are editing the value in decimal format, rather than hexadecimal.

Calculating the Desired Buffer Length

Determining the appropriate value requires a simple calculation. The default buffer time is 40 minutes, equivalent to 2400 seconds. This is derived by multiplying the BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds value (initially 300 seconds) by the values of BackingStoreMaxExistingBackingFiles and BackingStoreMaxNumBackingFiles (both set to 8).

Here’s a conversion chart for quick reference:

BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds	Buffer Time (Minutes)
300 (default)	40 minutes
450	60 minutes
600	80 minutes
750	100 minutes
900	120 minutes

For example, to set the pause buffer to 120 minutes, change the decimal Value Data of BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds to 900. Click "OK" to save the changes and exit the Registry Editor.

Finalizing the Changes

A system reboot is necessary for these modifications to take effect. Restart your computer to apply the new settings.

You can now pause Live TV with an extended buffer, providing ample time to address urgent matters without missing crucial program content. Consider exploring our article on adjusting skip and replay intervals in Windows 7 Media Center for further customization.