A method corrects channel change errors in a media center personal computer system. The media center personal computer system has a personal computer coupled to an infrared (IR) remote control device and a tuner card coupled to an output of an external tuner. The method determines when channel change instructions have been sent from the IR remote control device to the external tuner. It then determines whether an output from the external tuner is changing and if not, resends the channel change instructions from the IR remote control device to the external tuner upon determining that the output from the external tuner is not changing.