Just got my Windows 7 MCE Setup running

keithclancy

woo hoo

After arsing around with MythTV for a few weeks getting it to work and taking some time to setup my Dish and stuff I took the plunge and installed Windows 7 with MCE

I'm really impressed with it, best solution for PVR + Movies, Music, Pictures etc

Also have TunerFreeMCE so have iPlayer, Channel4 OD, ITV Player etc

Using a Hauppauge HVR-4000 Win TV

Comes with a remote + reciever, does DVB-S2, DVT-T, Analog and FM

+ Its G/F Friendly, turn on the PC, starts up in Windows Media Center, has a full EPG for the Freesat Channels.

Also does my standard Analog channels on UPC, so I can watch the Dutch stuff if i like (I live in Holland)

All in all it beats XBMC, MythTV, Boxee hands down .

Costs wise:
HP dx2100 = 40 euros from a company closing down sale
Hauppauge HVR-4000 = 90 Euros from Media Markt in Germany (was on special)
Triax Dish/LNB/Cable etc, 120 euros.
700GB Harddisk = 60 Euros

210 euros all in for a full on Satelite PVR + Media Center ain't bad !! (You may need to factor in Windows Home Premium in that cost if you don't have it)

Managed to align my Dish using dishpointer.com and an old Sky Digibox + Small portable TV.

mp31

keithclancy wrote: »

woo hoo

After arsing around with MythTV for a few weeks getting it to work and taking some time to setup my Dish and stuff I took the plunge and installed Windows 7 with MCE

I'm really impressed with it, best solution for PVR + Movies, Music, Pictures etc

Also have TunerFreeMCE so have iPlayer, Channel4 OD, ITV Player etc

Using a Hauppauge HVR-4000 Win TV

Comes with a remote + reciever, does DVB-S2, DVT-T, Analog and FM

+ Its G/F Friendly, turn on the PC, starts up in Windows Media Center, has a full EPG for the Freesat Channels.

Also does my standard Analog channels on UPC, so I can watch the Dutch stuff if i like (I live in Holland)

All in all it beats XBMC, MythTV, Boxee hands down .

Costs wise:
HP dx2100 = 40 euros from a company closing down sale
Hauppauge HVR-4000 = 90 Euros from Media Markt in Germany (was on special)
Triax Dish/LNB/Cable etc, 120 euros.
700GB Harddisk = 60 Euros

210 euros all in for a full on Satelite PVR + Media Center ain't bad !! (You may need to factor in Windows Home Premium in that cost if you don't have it)

Managed to align my Dish using dishpointer.com and an old Sky Digibox + Small portable TV.

Woo hoo indeed!

This is great news - many thanks for the post.

My PC has only PCI-e slots and can only take half height cards so I need to get the WinTV HVR 4400 card - I tried Media Markt online but was stumped by my inability to read German.

Did you buy the card online and was the cost inclusive of delivery?

keithclancy

mp31 wrote: »

Woo hoo indeed!

This is great news - many thanks for the post.

My PC has only PCI-e slots and can only take half height cards so I need to get the WinTV HVR 4400 card - I tried Media Markt online but was stumped by my inability to read German.

Did you buy the card online and was the cost inclusive of delivery?

Bought it in store in Duesseldorf (I commute there each day) its normally around 120 euros I think, snapped it up when i saw it

I don't think MediaMarkt do deliveries, I looked into it since the Dutch Media Markt didn't seem to sell any DVB-S cards at all, only a few DVB-T ones.

Have a search on idealeo:
http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/2164817I-1-30_-wintv-hvr-4400-hauppauge.html

And Tweakers.net
http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/unsorted/261211/hauppauge-tv-win-tv-pcie-hvr-4400-pvr-pci.html

Maybe one of them does delivery to Ireland

mp31

keithclancy wrote: »

Bought it in store in Duesseldorf (I commute there each day) its normally around 120 euros I think, snapped it up when i saw it

I don't think MediaMarkt do deliveries, I looked into it since the Dutch Media Markt didn't seem to sell any DVB-S cards at all, only a few DVB-T ones.

Have a search on idealeo:
http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/2164817I-1-30_-wintv-hvr-4400-hauppauge.html

And Tweakers.net
http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/unsorted/261211/hauppauge-tv-win-tv-pcie-hvr-4400-pvr-pci.html

Maybe one of them does delivery to Ireland

Many thanks for the quick reply.

I did a quick google and found some UK based suppliers who charge a similar amount.

BTW, one more question (which highlights my ignorance on these sort of things) - I presume that onboard graphics are sufficient i.e. I don't need a fancy graphics card to output the picture to a standard 19" monitor (via VGA cable) ?

dmck

"Also have TunerFreeMCE so have iPlayer, Channel4 OD, ITV Player etc" did you use proxy servers for this?

keithclancy

mp31 wrote: »

Many thanks for the quick reply.

I did a quick google and found some UK based suppliers who charge a similar amount.

BTW, one more question (which highlights my ignorance on these sort of things) - I presume that onboard graphics are sufficient i.e. I don't need a fancy graphics card to output the picture to a standard 19" monitor (via VGA cable) ?

I'm just using the builtin graphics card .. works fine

As long as your card supports directx your ok as video output isn't much hassle.

HD Content is a bit of a push on the CPU though !