Re: SIGNAL SET UP - CHANNEL CHANGE
- From: "Dale" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 15:35:46 -0500
In my experience at least, channel changing is just not one of the reliable things in MCE. Too bad Microsoft doesn't publish an interface standard for set top boxes and the makers of the boxes provide a USB interface to MCE. But that would be too simple.
In my experience, I have to use the MCE remote to change channels with MCE. It communicates to the IR transmitter (not receiver) that comes with the receiver and is attached over the IR detector of the set top box. To make it work, you have to spend some time playing with the signaling format options, the codes, and the transmission rates until it works. It took me an hour or so to get it working mostly reliably. Even then, the box sometimes gets out of sync with what MCE thinks it is on and I have to use MCE to enter a channel number manually until they are sync'd up again.
In the end, the result of this frustration was that I quit using MCE for watching TV. You'd think that in 2007 (or 2005 even) this technology would be available reliably. In fact, I think this sort of computer interface to the TV should have been working for about 20 years now. I was building computer interfaces for model railroads and radios in my garage 20 years ago that worked on serial and parallel ports. And that doesn't even count the microcontroller systems I worked on for automating industrial and municipal plants of all types. It's not rocket science. But, sadly, there is still no reliable and usable HTPC systems made today.
One of the big problems with having a TV tuner in the PC is that, in the US, almost all set top boxes transmit on channel 3 or channel 4. That means that you put in a TV tuner with full cable tuning capabilities but use a set top box that means the TV tuner in the PC always sits on one channel. It is just a case of the right people not yet deciding to work together to make something that works. And working together to make something these days almost always doesn't work because any standard that gets created is so over burdened with DRM and legal protections for special interests, the consumer always loses.
IMO
Dale
"Sneck" <Sneck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:51095DDB-1E5D-4780-A2BF-7852064BB922@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dale
Its the remote from the set top box which I would normally use.
My new computer came with an inbuilt tv tuner and windows remote. There is
also an infra red receiver which you have to link to the IR receiver on the
set top box. Not very pretty but seems to work.
I can pick up digital programmes during the set up procedure, also Windows
Media Center does recognise the set top remote.
My problem is right at the end of the set up where the channel will not
change. The next step in the set up takes you out and will not save what you
have already done (unless you lie).
I am quite happy not to use the remote and change channel by keyboard but
this doesn't seem to be an option.
"Dale" wrote:
Do you normally change your channel by the TV or by the set top box?
Dale
"Sneck" <Sneck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:A6453AAA-941A-472F-B94C-BCCC05D806AD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I'm trying to set up my new computer which has a tv tuner.
> I follow all of the set up instructions but I can't get the channel to
> change.
> I have tried all of the permutations and combinations but the thing > just
> won't work.
> Can anyone help me please?
> I am using Windows Vista and receiving the digital tv signal via a
> freeview
> (UK) de-coder (Roof top anntenna)
.
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