DVB - PC Cards Anyone got Vista MCE working with DVB-c and CAM yet?

[garlicbred]

I tried this a while back and couldn't get it working at all - I might try a Sunday afternoon project once the moto gp's finished
I'm using a firedtv with Zetablue flashed to Joker
Anyone got any tips for me to crack this one???

 

[razuraw]

dont think its possible. it would be great if it did work with Vista MCE.

 

[garlicbred]

it can be done, all the drivers etc are out there. I've got everything I need software / hardware wise, what I don't have is the know how to get it up and running!
Couldn't find my copy of vista on Sunday so it got postponed till this weekend.

Its a nice looking frontend on vista mce and wanted to see how it compares to mediaportal in terms of reliability & flexibility

Last time I got as far as scanning for channels and hit a brick wall so if anyones got any advice from about this stage I'd be very gratefull

cheers guys

 

[sideysid]

Howdy garlicbred,

I'll be doing this too (I'll race you ), now I've got my HTPC finally up and running. I was going to try and use the TT C-1500 MCE tools (as this is compatible still AFAIK) to intergrate my TT and CI + card into Vista MCE.

But however, after reading up (like I've said on other threads), I did come across a program called Sceneo VistaTV. This intergrates itself into VistaMCE but with HDTV and DVB-C support, and well as plugins (softcams etc) so sounds promising.

The only drawback however, is Im not 100% certain the plugin is recognised in extenders like an xbox 360.

 

[charlieram]

I would be interested to know how you both get on, I only have the twinhan so far but my cam is coming (Hopefully!) and hen depending on which one of you succeeds i'll get a new dvb-c card

 

[garlicbred]

Ok, you're on!
Got my copy of vista ready now so it should be all systems go ready for the weekend
I'll keep you up to speed on how I get on
I must admit, that Vista eye candy is rather pretty! If I can get mce up and running properly I'd make the switch from xp!!

 

[razuraw]

good luck both of you. i did some reading up this aswell and most are saying the biggest problems are the epg and recording of encrypted channels from the epg (guide).

 

[garlicbred]

Well I did it!
loaded everything up and (finally) got it to scan for channels, the trick is to run the setup program twice in the case of firedtv to select the transponder list (which needs setting up beforehand)
all the channels are working fine but i've not tried recording yet. The epg did play up a bit though
Its installed on a seperate hard drive at the minute so its now on hold till weekend when i can get the run of the tv
its a nice bit of kit, looks miles better than mediaportal

 

[charlieram]

Well done, just a few questions though
Is the epg downloaded or recieved through the tuner?
is there a way to select favourite channel groups, it doesn't really matter with freeview but on cable there are a lot more channels to surf through.
probably no HDTV and does it seem stable?

 

[razuraw]

Well I did it!
loaded everything up and (finally) got it to scan for channels, the trick is to run the setup program twice in the case of firedtv to select the transponder list (which needs setting up beforehand)
all the channels are working fine but i've not tried recording yet. The epg did play up a bit though
Its installed on a seperate hard drive at the minute so its now on hold till weekend when i can get the run of the tv
its a nice bit of kit, looks miles better than mediaportal

how did you get the epg to work and is the recoding working plz let us know.

 

[sideysid]

I'll still some way off getting mine up and running...

The TT MCE_Tools, just doesn't work in Vista after hours of trying (TT autodecoder in particular). Some people have had success on xp dual boot systems, but as VistaTV is replacing it, Im just going to have to wait until my copy arrives within two weeks.

Until then I have been configuring DVBviewer, which IMO is the best of the 3rd party DVB apps. A pleasent find was a 'post processor' plugin, that enables ffdshow for upscaling and post processing which is good.

Im now looking into getting Theatretek up and running in 'my movies' for vista, to take advantage of the codecs and processing etc (while waiting for my VistaTV) so hopefully everything will eventually be under the gf friendly green button for access.

The only thing will be HD-DVD/Bluray functionality, that is only really fully supported in PowerDVD at the mo, so won't come under the vistamce umbrella.

Heres quite a good site for the setting up of codecs etc, and I hope to write my own guide soon for setting up in for VistaMCE.

 

[garlicbred]

The epg seems to be downloaded
Not tried it much futher than that
HD channels confirmed working!
All this on firedtv tuner
Should be across the board on comatible tuners
not too impressed with the interface tho, looks nice but not as flexible as mediaportal

 

[sideysid]

That seems interesting that the EPG works fine, thanks garlicbred.
A lot of DVB-S users seem to have to change the EPG registry data, as quite a few channels are missing.

Its also good that BBCHD is working, which I was unsure, as on DVB-T/S it uses a H.264 MPEG4 stream that vista mce doesn't support, but as its MPEG2 on cable I thought it might.

Still all this is pretty much useless to me, as TT don't have any Vista MCE tools, and they don't look likely any time soon. So VistaTV it is for me at the mo.

The thing Im going to miss from DVBviewer however is the ability to use a post processor (ffdshow) for top notch PQ, I hope VistaTV incoperates this.

This plugin looks interesting, and its features will extend to the live TV part of Vista MCE in a future build, so may be worth keeping tabs on.

 

[razuraw]

garlicbred how about a simple guide and also what hardware you brought and where from.

p.s what cam did you buy and what card

 

[sideysid]

razuraw - all the information is already on these threads you just have to use the magic search button

To start you off garlicbred is using a floppydtv card that has native vista mce support, Im using Technotrend C-1500 +CI module but TT haven't pulled their finger out with vista media center support yet.

In the way of cams, the cheapest possible way to do things would be to use a black icecrypt from wizardsatellite for £14.95 at the mo (link in another recent thread), the upgrade the firmware to make it a Joker cam (also posted on this forum) so it supports Nagra encryption. You will need buy a CAS2/3 to do this, or if you request politely another forum member may be kind enough to do it for you.

You will then need a funcard (or equivilent) and a programmer (£10 cheapo from jabsplace) and then you can program an AU card to put in the cam. So now you have the basics and all the info you'll ever need is on the DVB section.

Alternativlely if your not bothered about using Vista/MCE media center, then you can use Mytheatre/DVBviewer or the suchlike and use Vplug/Yankse/Fenrir softcam plugin, so you don't need any of the before mentioned equipment for encrypted channels, which makes a much cheaper option.

Ye seek and ye shall find...

 

[garlicbred]

Cheers Sideysid and well said - sometimes I get a bit naffed off retyping the same stuff over again lol Its time to start stamping down on those that won't search first - certain other forums are keen as mustard on this and it does keep the dupe threads down
Mods - could you stick a few more threads in the sticky section please - ie the working cams list
I was offering to flash cams once over but I never got any takers so I sold the cas2 - if you dont have any kit then just get the cas3 which does cams and funcards
I've not been back to vista for a while but I think I might just have another crack at it over the weekend as long as the weather stays crap (shhhhhh, but I think it might just start getting better from tomorrow!!!)

 

[charlieram]

Whats this? The Garlicbred and SideySid mutual appreciation society?!!! :banana: :banana:

 

[sideysid]

Sorry charlieram, this is a 'appreciative comments only' thread dedicated to myself and garlicbred and as your comment does not herewith fall under this category, will be deleted....Mods please do the honors

 

[cafe.racer]

*bump*

How are you getting on? I'm very interested in this for my NTL/MCE2005 combo...

 

[showders]

Still no news on this guys??