Media PC

daveg · 09-05-2005 1:09pm

Couple of questions for those who have setup a media pc:

Do you need to use your internet connection to use the EPG?

Has anyone sucessfully setup a working EPG for sky digital (with Microsoft media center)?

If you use say a PVR150/250 or 350 can you play games on the TV (say far cry etc). Can you use a seperate video card (say my 9700 pro) to play the game but can it be viewed on the tv?

Final question is I have 2 sky digiboxes (1 with a uk FTV card and 1 irish subscription). I also have an RTE & TV3 ariel. Will this work on a PVR150/250/350 or will I need 2 cards/twin tuner?

Thanks in advance.

Rew · 09-05-2005 2:28pm

The PVR150/250 is a video in card and tuner so you use your 9700 to output to the telly when ure watching the TV signal. Same goes for playing games the 9700 does the 3D and outputs to ure tell. The PVR X50 cards arnt graphics cards so there is no conflict between them and your graphics card/9700.

secret_squirrel · 09-05-2005 9:14pm

daveg wrote:

Final question is I have 2 sky digiboxes (1 with a uk FTV card and 1 irish subscription). I also have an RTE & TV3 ariel. Will this work on a PVR150/250/350 or will I need 2 cards/twin tuner?

What you want to do wont work with the current version of media center.
Media center doesnt let you use both the connections (s-vid from sky and analog aerial) on the PVR card at the same time. This means effectively you are limited to Sky or Terrestrial without running set up again.

Also I believe if you have twin tuners you have to have identical inputs (ie 2xS-vid or 2xAnalog). I also believe that both have to have the same signal i.e. Both Sky Ireland or both Freeview. Im about 90% sure of this due to all the complaints I have seen on various fora. Never tried it myself. ( I have twin tuners fed from a split Aerial.)

Also the Irish EPG hack seems to mess with the twin tuner setup sometimes and causes Media Center to forget about the 2nd tuner.

daveg · 10-05-2005 7:31am

secret_squirrel wrote:

Also I believe if you have twin tuners you have to have identical inputs (ie 2xS-vid or 2xAnalog). I also believe that both have to have the same signal i.e. Both Sky Ireland or both Freeview.

I'd be happy enough having both digiboxes connected to the PVR and leaving out the terrestrial. So to clarify a dual tuner card will take input from both boxes (albiet I'll have to live with media centre bug you mentioned)?

digiking · 11-05-2005 6:24pm

i build pc's for people frequently...Might build a media pc or to ...seems good...I was wonder which tv tuner cards can you get that come with the official media centre remote control...or does that come with the os package...

Thanks

Digiking

Graham · 13-05-2005 10:15pm

No tuner cards come with the OS, no remote either usually, you buy them all seperately.

It's quite handy the remote being supplied seperately as MCE is supposed to be an OEM product, ie only to be sold with hardware. Most suppliers class the remote control as qualifying hardware.

There's quite a few tuner cards supported, I'm sure there's a list on thegreenbutton.com

secret_squirrel · 15-05-2005 7:43pm

daveg wrote:

So to clarify a dual tuner card will take input from both boxes (albiet I'll have to live with media centre bug you mentioned)?

Be careful of Dual tuner cards - the only MCE one I know of is the PVR500 - which last time I looked (few months back) was attracting lots of complaints on the Green Button forums. Think it was mostly driver issues - might be sorted now.

Also I think you may come into problems since the channels will be different on each sky box...

daveg · 16-05-2005 7:35am

secret_squirrel wrote:

Be careful of Dual tuner cards - the only MCE one I know of is the PVR500 - which last time I looked (few months back) was attracting lots of complaints on the Green Button forums. Think it was mostly driver issues - might be sorted now.

Also I think you may come into problems since the channels will be different on each sky box...

I've just bought a PVR250 last week. So would you recommend using 2 cards (say 2 PVR250's) taking the output of each digibox to each card. I don't suppose I could take the output of the video (which has both decoder signals and terrestrial signal) to the PVR250?

Thanks in advance.

secret_squirrel · 16-05-2005 8:31pm

daveg wrote:

I don't suppose I could take the output of the video (which has both decoder signals and terrestrial signal) to the PVR250?

Sadly I dont think that will work, Presumably you have the video set up so that each decoder is on a scart channel? Unfortunately MCE 2005 needs to change the channel on the sky boxes using a little remote eyes that come with the MCE remote.

OhPinchy · 17-05-2005 6:21pm

Thought I'd add this link to this thread cos it gives a great overview of Windows Media Center 2005 and I for one was very confused when I first read the thread: http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/windowsxp_mce2005.asp

BTW - I can't seem to find anywhere outside the US selling Windows Media Center Extenders (xbox or set-top) - does anyone know where to get them?

As for me - I'm off to install some cat53 cables in my house to support the Extenders. For those out there (like me until yesterday) who dont know what these will do - it will mean you can have a (specially built) PC in a bedroom running Windows Media Center which is connected to the TV signal. You can then use that PC to record live TV, watch photo albums, listen to mp3s stored on that machine and way, way more. By using Extenders I can then access this data through my TV in another room!

I'm glad I found this post before I plasterboarded the walls in my house so I'll run the cables for now and I'll be back for advice on what hardware to buy later - nice one.

secret_squirrel · 17-05-2005 9:31pm

It might also be worth bearing in mind that the new Xbox 360 will be an MCE extender too.

Any of the extender solutions seems fairly expense atm tho

Best bet I reckon is a few 2nd hand xboxes - but man are they ugly.

Rew · 17-05-2005 9:53pm

OhPinchy wrote:

As for me - I'm off to install some cat53 cables in my house to support the Extenders

I assume you mean CAT 5e?

Will externders let you watch the currently tuned channel on the MCE box?

OhPinchy · 17-05-2005 10:36pm

yeh i meant CAT 5e alright.

Xbox extenders are cheaper but reviews say the noise, slow bootup and response due to it being a software emulation of a hardware device, and the fact that it cant be turned off by the remote are big minuses.

Sorry just rereading that - I've not heard of the Xbox 360 and took it that you were referring to the extender which can be bought for the current xbox ($80) - is there a new xbox coming soon that will have an extender built in?

Yes I believe the extender will let you watch the currently tuned channel on the MCE - and using the remote you can also change the channel, record, view recordings, play mp3s, view photos - do pretty much everything you could do as if you were sitting at the actual MCE machine (except view DVDs from that machine or burn CDs or DVDs).

With regard to the network I will need to setup to connect my extender to the MCE machine - can I just run CAT 5e directly between the devices or is a hub needed (I intend having MCE in box bedroom and an extender in sitting room and another extender in main bedroom though the MCE might be moved from box bedroom to new room in extension so need to cater for this)? How much is the cable and what would the hub cost?

Rew · 17-05-2005 10:45pm

Yeah ne XBox (360) coming for Christmas and has the MCE Extender built in. Have a trawl through http://xbox360.ign.com/ not a huge amount of detail though...

As for the networking Q:

Yeah you can run the cable directly but it has to be a crossover cable (some newer devices will cross the cable automatically internally but you cannt relay on that). To make a crossover cable you just crimp one end slightly differantly (2 wires are swaped around). Switches are cheap and u could get a switch with a DHCP server for about €30 which would make life easier for you (no messing with static IP's on both machines).

OhPinchy · 18-05-2005 10:07am

Has anyone gotten a set-top extender working in Ireland yet?

I posted on thegreenbutton.com and people have indicated that the extenders only support NTSC format so I would need to have a TV that supports NTSC aswell as PAL. I haven't bought the TV yet so should it be possible to find something that will handle that (budget is around a grand for the TV)? Link to the post is: http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=58&MessageID=109755

With regard to the networking - I was advised to get a router and connect this to the WMC PC and then have the extenders connected to this via CAT 5e cable.

Some of the replies I received confused me - in order to have different people watching different channels in different rooms do I need to have two TV tuners (or a dual tuner)?

Do I need to have a separate NTL digital settop box feeding each tuner or could I have one tuner feed with the digital package and the other only connected to the standard cable package (and hence that tuner would have less channels)?

Graham · 18-05-2005 3:19pm

For people in different rooms 2 watch 2 live channels you would need 2 tuners. The tuners should ideally be the same package otherwise you'll run into problems with your TVGuide and recording.

You can only specify 1 TV guide so with NTL Analog on 1 tuner and NTL digital on the other you'd end up missing the guide for one.

If I remember correctly you can't specify which tuner to use for any operation (e.g. recording) so you'd be very likely to find in a mixed setup that MCE was trying to record an NTL Digital station from the NTL Analog source.

Has anyone got an extender yet?? We've been thinking abut it for a while.

PS if you're new to all this, you need Windows Media Centre to be able to use an extender. This may sound obvious but there's a review on Amazon from an upset customer who'd received his extender before he realised.

secret_squirrel · 18-05-2005 7:11pm

OhPinchy wrote:

I posted on thegreenbutton.com and people have indicated that the extenders only support NTSC format so I would need to have a TV that supports NTSC aswell as PAL.

Im sure that PAL compatible extenders are due this year. I wouldnt count NTSC as anything more than a nice to have.

As regards buying a tv make sure it has a HDMI connector and supports at least the HDTV resolution of 720p. You will need both to futureproof your tv

secret_squirrel · 29-05-2005 12:32pm

You also need a HDMI or DVI socket that supports HDCP to get sky's HD broadcasts next year.

slayer92 · 29-05-2005 11:01pm

TCP/IP

How are you getting on with your HTPC, Can y post a connection diagram of all the components, particularly the audio side of things

Regards

slayer92

ladgie353 · 07-06-2005 11:41am

Has anybody built a media PC using a Digital Tuner card with NTL Digital (bypassing the box)?
If yes, which card?
Thanks

Ciaran500 · 07-06-2005 12:00pm

AFAIK it is impossible to bypass the box for NTL digital or Sky digital.

Tom Dunne · 07-06-2005 6:22pm

ladgie353 wrote:

Has anybody built a media PC using a Digital Tuner card with NTL Digital (bypassing the box)?

Think about it - Sky (and I presume NTL) have encryption on thier digital channels. How could a generic Digital Tuner card decode these signals? If they could, it would be illegal.

How many if these digital tuner cards have slots for the likes of Sky viewing cards? You can't view Sky subscription channels without a viewing card. How could you access the interactive stuff? On demand programmes? The EPG?

The only channels that would be available are the free to air (such as the BBC channels) and all those wonderful God channels.

Alan_leamy · 08-06-2005 8:58am

Sorry if this not the place but where do I start to get a Media Centre system up and running.

What PC
What spec
Where to buy
How to set up
Does it work
Are there any specialists who can advise me and do installation

Cheers,

Alan

secret_squirrel · 08-06-2005 7:12pm

There are a few UK based companies selling media center pc's. Evesham Micros springs to mind.

Complexity of the system depends on surrounding components too. Will you be connecting it to an AV Amp/Reciever?

Installation is fairly simple - there is a set up wizard.

2 Major issues you will come across

1. Set up for a crt TV. Can be a pig to get a good picture. If possible use a set with VGA or DVI input eg: Plasma or LCD.

2. No official EPG for Ireland. Well covered on how to get it working on this thread - however needs a bit of PC know-how. Official EPG coming before the end of the year.

PowerHouseDan · 09-06-2005 1:23am

Media Center Interface, is there a browser addon ie My pictures,Tv, My Music is there anyway of viewing Web pages in the Media Center?

Jammer · 09-06-2005 1:35am

I've got a 32" LCD and a shuttle PC at the moment, and im wondering if i should bother with MCE.

I currently have a DVD/AMP 5.1, and sky+ also hooked up to the TV. I use the shuttle mainly to grab vids and music from my PCs around the house. I don't really see the need to buy a card for MCE, as it would only serve the same job as the sky+ box, and i'd still have to have the box there anyway.

Are there any other use's that im missing?

secret_squirrel · 09-06-2005 8:46pm

Jammer wrote:

I've got a 32" LCD and a shuttle PC at the moment, and im wondering if i should bother with MCE.

I currently have a DVD/AMP 5.1, and sky+ also hooked up to the TV. I use the shuttle mainly to grab vids and music from my PCs around the house. I don't really see the need to buy a card for MCE, as it would only serve the same job as the sky+ box, and i'd still have to have the box there anyway.

Makes a good photo album and mp3 jukebox - buts is main use is as a PVR. You could use it as a 2nd record other than your sky box if you wanted to record terrestrial channels. Depends if you have an Aerial or not obviously.

Personally if I had already invested in sky+ I wouldnt bother. Especially with HD starting next year.

PowerHouseDan · 09-06-2005 10:14pm

Right Just install a copy of Mce on my computer:
2800+xp Bartion
1 Gig Ram
300 Gig Hard
Dvd Rw
Radeon 9200se(Crap i no)

I was thinking of getting a Pvr 150 Winfast.....?Is this the best choice baring in mind i want to keep the cost down, I also have the Mce remote, any other recommendations?

secret_squirrel · 10-06-2005 9:47pm

powerhousedan wrote:

Right Just install a copy of Mce on my computer:
2800+xp Bartion
1 Gig Ram
300 Gig Hard
Dvd Rw
Radeon 9200se(Crap i no)

9200se is fine along as long as you dont intend to play any major games at high res.

I have a pvr150 - Not sure if the Winfast cards are MCE certified.

PowerHouseDan · 10-06-2005 10:25pm

Sorry its a Pvr 150, Can this be used with normal mutichannel and can the epg be setup with it?Where did you buy your card?

Media PC

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