Weather Conditions in Windows 7 Media Center

Enhancing Windows 7 Media Center with Heatwave

If you enjoy utilizing Windows 7 Media Center for your entertainment, you may find it beneficial to have convenient access to current weather information. This article explores Heatwave, a straightforward plugin designed to deliver global weather updates directly within your WMC environment.

Heatwave Installation and Initial Setup

The installation process for Heatwave is remarkably simple, guided by an intuitive install wizard. Accepting the default settings is generally recommended for a hassle-free experience. Following installation, the Heatwave icon will become accessible within the Extras Library of your Media Center.

Upon launching Heatwave, you will be presented with weather data for a selection of major cities worldwide.

To tailor the forecasts to your specific locations, navigate to the Settings menu.

Customizing Your Weather Locations

Within the Settings section, you have the ability to manage the locations for which you wish to receive weather updates. This includes reordering their display on the main page, as well as the option to edit or remove existing locations.

Adding a new location is easily accomplished by entering either a zip code or the name of the desired city.

The General Settings allow you to configure preferences such as language, unit system (metric or standard), and automatic update frequency.

Appearance and Access Options

Under the Appearance settings, you can choose to display the Heatwave icon on the Start Menu for quick access.

From the Start Menu, you can directly access weather information for a specific location or return to the settings to make adjustments.

Once configured, Heatwave provides a rapid means of obtaining weather conditions for your chosen areas.

At the bottom of the screen, you can scroll through additional weather-related information, including pollen reports, airport conditions, gardening weather, and traffic updates.

Selecting a specific piece of information will open the corresponding report on The Weather Channel website, allowing you to view detailed data for your city or zip code.

Heatwave is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions and represents a useful addition for those who prioritize staying informed about the weather while using Windows 7 Media Center. You can download the Heatwave plugin from The Windows Club.