Anyone using MCE TV Pack 2008?

[dkennedy]

I just installed Windows Vista Media Center TV Pack 2008 for 64-bit systems without any issues, although, MS stated this update was for OEM only. The only issue was that I had to choose between digital or analog for the tuner assignment even thou the visiontek is dual tuner digital and analog. I guess I need another tuner for the analogs.

Anyways, I pick up the following 14 TWC channels using the Visiontek TV Wonder 650 HD PCI card.

4.23 VTV
5.54 WTENWX
5.56 WNYT-DT
9.1 WRNN
18.6 WRGB-HD
18.8 WXXA-HD
18.10 WTEN-HD
18.11 WMHT-HD
18.13 WNYT-DT
18.15 WCWN-HD
18.96 WCSN
18.97 RETRO
104.18 WMHT2
104.19 WMHT3

Since MCE can support 2 tuners, I have a free PCIe slot and I am thinking of the Visiontek TV Wonder 650 HD PCIe card for the analog or does anyone know of a cheaper card for analog only?

[hurnik]

Try a Happauge card. I don't think they make a PCIe though (I can't remember if PCI will work in a PCIe slot). I've still got one shrinkwrapped if you want it cheap.
Win-TV PVR-150

[dkennedy]

Thanks for the offer hurnik but I returned the visiontek 650 PCI and exchanged it for the PCIe version which offered true dual tuner in vista mce. That worked.

FYI: Just experimenting before I purchase a tivo.

[dkennedy]

By the way, while on the subject of tivo...

I am torn between purchasing the Tivo HD or the Tivo HD Series 3 with the OLED display. I have compared both but I am still undecided. I will purchase with Tivo Lifetime. Anyone have preferences and why?

FYI: I have eliminated the Tivo HD XL because with lifetime service it is above $900

[hurnik]

TivoHD because it will work with M-cards in "multi-stream" mode.

The Tivo Series 3 will work with M-cards, but only in single stream mode, so you'd have to use TWO cable cards (two S-cards or two M-cards) for dual channel support.

TivoHD, one M-card will let you use both channels. OF course, you'll have to call that # that Skaggs listed to get the guy to get you an M-card because the morons on the phone will tell you they don't have them.

[dkennedy]

Well...I finally sold my last Sony DHG-HDD500 on ebay. I was suprised the demand is still out there for these units. Each sold for $599.

Anyways, now I set my sights on TIVO and waiting to see if TWC gets the SDV tuning adapter. Also, looking at Directv & Dish Turbo HD with the VIPS722 selling on ebay for less than $300 I might take the plunge to the satellite world again. But this time with no commitments. I just hate the "no signal" message during snow & rain showers...but of course...that was years ago...they may have improved by now...

At least the funds are there now

[ebo]

The only thing the satellite providers could do to improve your reception is to pump out more power, and I haven't heard that they're doing that. They're already at much higher power than traditional big-dish satellite uses; that's why you can usually get away with using a tiny receive dish.

However, you can greatly reduce the effects of rain fade by using a larger dish. You can go up to 1 meter without getting special permission. That was easy when you were just trying to receive from one orbital location. The newer systems are designed to receive from multiple satellites at once and you might need a dish intended for that purpose.

Of course you still have to sweep the snow off.

[xzi]

As long as you don't mind losing TW3 (Siena games) or MOJO, and don't mind getting CWHD over the air (then MyTV HD OTA in Feb.) then nothing else should keep you from leaving TW in my opinion.

Rain fade definitely still exists, especially since the new Ka stuff is so much less power in the Northeast, but it's still just minutes at a time a few times a year, and with a DVR you'll never care anyway (at lease USUALLY not).

I don't think either company lets you get away without using their equipment anymore. For example if you own your own DIRECTV box, they'll charge you a 4.99 extra receiver fee. If you rent it, they'll wavie that, but charge you a 4.99 mirroring fee. 6 of 1....

[Skaggs]

Sept 13, 2008 5:24:58 GMT -5 dkennedy said:

Well...I finally sold my last Sony DHG-HDD500 on ebay. I was suprised the demand is still out there for these units. Each sold for $599.

Wow!

I still have one.

[MasterFX1]

Sept 13, 2008 5:24:58 GMT -5 dkennedy said:

Well...I finally sold my last Sony DHG-HDD500 on ebay. I was suprised the demand is still out there for these units. Each sold for $599.

I still have one going strong too. I'm concerned that the TV Guide data will no longer work after the Feb09 transition. Anyone have info on that?

[ebo]

From what I've read in various threads on AVSForum, it appears that the Sony HD DVRs are able to extract TVGOS guides from the digital feeds that CBS stations are or will be providing, although they will select an analog feed instead if one is available. WRGB has two TVGOS streams, labeled TVG1 and TVG2, and I've seen active data at times on TVG1. No way for me to decode or use it, though. I don't have a Sony DVR.

I do have an LG LST-3410A HD DVR. Although it has both digital and analog tuners, it can get its TVGOS data only from an analog station. Owners of these boxes and various analog-only devices that use TVGOS are hopeful that Gemstar will feed analog-compatible data, probably on TVG2, and that one of the cheap digital converter boxes will provide it in the vertical interval of its analog output when tuned to the local CBS digital channel. The Echostar DTVPal/TR-40 is rumored to have that capability but nobody has reported success with it yet. It's likely that Gemstar is not feeding the analog version(s) over digital yet. I haven't seen activity on TVG2 even when both TVG1 and the TVGOS data line on WRGB analog were both active.

To test the Sony's capabilities in the Albany area right now you'd have to filter out analog channels 6 and 17 (6 and 11 on cable), both of which carry TVGOS, and see if the Sony can still find its guide data.