[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]
The reminder for recording in Microsoft WebTV for Windows checks for a helper application in the registry to start your applications for recording shows. If you do not create and set in the registry this helper application, the record reminder uses the Tvwakeup.exe application, a component of Broadcast Architecture. The Tvwakeup.exe application checks for your recording applications in the StartRecordingApp and EndRecordingApp values in the registry. These values should appear under the following registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TV Services\Explorer\
Your applications must set these registry values with strings that contain the paths and filenames to your applications. If these registry values do not already exist, your applications also create them. If you only write one application that both starts and stops recording a show, your single application must set these registry values with the same string that contains the path and filename to your single application.
Your application can create and set values in the Explorer key by using functions that are part of the Microsoft® Win32® application programming interface (API) to write data to the registry. To do so, your application should open the Explorer key and associate the StartRecordingApp and EndRecordingApp values and their string data with this key.
To locate more information on the registry and writing data to it, see Further Information on Development Tasks in Broadcast Architecture.