"Red Button" on my HTPC (DVB-S only)

8kvscdpglqnyr4

Just posting as I'd like to share this with everyone. I hope it saves everyone here time and effort if they want to get the "Red Button" to work on their DVB-S enable HTPC.

The "Red Button" is a feature of digital television that I became used to with Sky. While watching BBC for example during the olympics, you could press the Red Button and select from a number of sports to watch ... all "behind" a single BBC channel.

Also, all snooker is available on BBC via the Red Button. Since the Welsh Open snooker is on this week, I decided I have to get the Red Button working on my HTPC. So typically, BBC1 will show an hour of snooker every evening from 7-8pm. At the end of the show, the commentators will say something like "to continue watching, press the Reb Button on your remote" ...

I had implemented the registery hack (changing fAllowDvbsMHEG) to get the red buttom working for DVB-S. The red button works fine for text based menues on BBC. However, when I want to look at the Sports Multiscreen (i.e. snooker) behind BBC1, I cannot select any other mini-screens, just the miniscreen that's launched initially. So I couldn't watch snooker:(

But after a lot of searching I found out that the channels named STREAM-0, STREAM-1 ... STREAM-7 on the EPG are actually the digital feeds behind BBC!!! So all the digital feeds are available as seperate channels. Happy days!!!!

This is even better than Sky because it allows you to pause/rewind/record these channels .... something you can't do with these digital feeds with Sky.

8kvscdpglqnyr4

And for F1 fans (like me) ... BBC will be brodcasting this year instead of ITV.

And here's the services that will be available via the red button:
- Four streams are expected on the Red Button for every session: 1) World Feed; 2) Onboard; 3) Data; 4) Highlights.
- There will be an option to change commentators via the Red Button from for instance TV commentary to Radio commentary.
- Rolling race repeat re-runs on the Red Button every two hours after the live broadcast.
- Practice will be live on the Red Button. Unknown yet about support races (GP2, Porsche Supercup), although Red Button coverage is expected.

rlogue

What software are you using to watch satellite TV on your HTPC to allow the changing fAllowDvbsMHEG registry change?

8kvscdpglqnyr4

Sorry - I should have specified. I'm using Vista MC with Tv Pack 2008.

rlogue

I did have the TV pack installed but after August it packed up. Is there a link where I can get a fresh copy?

8kvscdpglqnyr4

I can't remember where I got it TBH. I think it might have been a link from thegreenbutton.com
Sorry I can't be more specific.

HLF

Was just after putting links up for TV pack 2008 in Howto Replace Sky+ with a HTPC