Re: MCE 2005 doesn't really support HDTV yet

From: marko (marko_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 11/18/04 

Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 16:36:01 -0800

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the quick response. Unfortunately it didn't really address my
problem, and I don't understand your statement "if the analog card gets you
both SD and HD tv its hardly worthless.".

My point was that my OTA digital tuner card will "get me both SD and HD TV",
and it works fine with the OEM-supplied software.

However MCE doesn't even recognize the card at all, as an analog card OR as
a HDTV card. I am under the impression that it can't recognize it as analog
because it doesn't have a built-in MPEG2 decoder, and it doesn't recognize it
as HDTV because my PC doesn't have another analog tuner.

In my opinion, that's not what I would call "really supporting HDTV". I
don't think I'm bashing MS; I'm stating a fact! Of course I'm glad MCE 2005
has some HDTV support, but their advertising is a bit misleading. And in my
case I can't use it at all even though I have a very capable tuner card that
tunes both HDTV and analog channels. Does anyone here know if MCE will
support a single HDTV tuner in the near future?

I agree that cable and satellite HDTV is currently a big (and greedy) mess
and probably will be for a while.

-Tim

"Phil Taylor" wrote:

> there are 3 "flavors" of HD today:
> 1)OTA HD, unencrypted
> 2)cable HD, encrypted
> 3)satellite HD, encrypted.
>
> so by definition MCE does support HD as it supports one of the flavors.
>
> its true this is unsatisfying for many, but going as far as your statement -
> thats just plain wrong.
>
> as far as the architecture of MCE requiring an analog tuner - as I posted in
> another thread, the guide and the analog tuner are coupled today in the
> architecture. look at how the HD channels are added to the guide and you can
> see the issue with having no analog tuner today. thats not a simple fix.
>
> the issue with the hybrid cards that support both analog and digital in a
> single device is, given the ATSC OTA feature add occurred late - MS had to
> make hard choices to bring it to market at all.
>
> would you rather no HD support at all?
>
> cable is likely to come first given that the CableLabs spec has stopped
> changing and the CableLabs certification process is well understood.
>
> as I understand it, satellite MSOs are not obligated to support the
> CableLabs standard and can continue with their proprietary networks.
>
> maybe once the cable MSOs get success with MCE and CableLabs support the
> satellite folk will take notice. without their help, its impossible to
> enable satellite support for MCE unless they support a well defined standard
> like DVB-S or CableLabs.
>
> as far as when MCE will add cable HD support, thats the 1m dollar question.
>
> obviously MS knows and understands the limitations, and understands the
> communities' desire for cable and satellite HD. but MS typically has played
> new MCE features close to the vest and thus I would not hold my breath for a
> feature pre-announce.
>
> finally, if the analog card gets you both SD and HD tv its hardly worthless.
> an extra expense over the theoretical yes. but how often in life do we see
> the theoretical minimum or maximum? really?
>
> I know it "feels good" to bash MS, but at least do it for something
> realistic.
>
> "marko" <marko@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:02A9E2BA-99D0-45C0-B9E4-36B286D17014@microsoft.com...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I am wondering if, or when, MCE will ever support using a single HDTV
> > tuner?
> >
> > Although the current HDTV article by Katrina Schwieterman doesn't mention
> > it, there is currenty no way to use HDTV unless you ALSO buy, and install,
> > ANOTHER (analog) tuner card, and IMO that sucks.
> >
> > My HDTV card (a DVICO FusionHDTV G3) is fully capable of tuning any analog
> > or digital signal, but MCE won't even recognize it unless I also install
> > another analog tuner card. I don't want to buy ANOTHER (useless for me)
> > tuner card just so I can use my current HDTV card!
> >
> > Please let me know if, or when, this strange limitation will be fixed. If
> > it won't be, is there ANY kind of hack that will let me use my HDTV card
> > without buying another tuner?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Mark
>
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: MCE 2005 doesnt really support HDTV yet
    ... and I don't understand your statement "if the analog card gets ... > My point was that my OTA digital tuner card will "get me both SD and HD ... in practice with MCE, no. it requires a driver from the card vendor. ... why did you buy a card without MCE support? ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Can MCE2005 record Cable-Originated HDTV Broadcasts?
    ... The problem why microsoft does not support HD content has to do with Copy ... This should be supported in Longhorn with a new graphic card that have ... >> I understand that the ATI HDTV WONDER will only receive OTA ... Annoyingly MCE doesn't support these either - just OTA digital ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Cheap set-top device as extender??
    ... from the cable company, but a MCE system ... like the fact that I can just pop the memory card from my camera into the ... 2005 does not support cable HDTV. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: HDTV advice
    ... I connect the DVI out of the PC card to my ... >> I have a hdtv monitor. ... I have a cable receiver that is hooked up to my ... There's no difference between an analog TV antenna ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)
  • Re: HDTV
    ... I found that is for sale in the US is ATI Wonder HDTV card model ... The authorities here have conceded they will have to delay the analog shutdown because the digital take up is less than anticipated. ...
    (comp.os.os2.multimedia)