Media Center (May 19, 2005)

Published: May 20, 2005

Related Links

•	Discuss this in the Windows XP Expert Zone Newsgroups

Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity

Introduction

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Media Center chat!

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Today we are answering your questions about Media Center.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
PLEASE NOTE: we will be changing the time for these chats starting next month, on June 16th.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Instead of taking place from 3pm-4pm PDT (as this one is today), starting on June 16th, the Media Center web chats will be at 11am-12pm PDT.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
You might want to note it down now to be sure not to miss any chats moving forward!

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Now, I'll have our hosts for the chat today introduce themselves:

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
I'm Andrew Brown, and I'm the MVP Lead for Media Center and the moderator for this chat.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Hey everybody! I'm Andy Vanosdale, an MVP with Media Center. XBOX 360 will be awesome, especially for Media Center!

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Hi, I'm Barb Bowman and I'm a Windows XP MVP

Todd_MS (Expert):
Hi, my name is Todd; I’m a program manager in Windows eHome working on Media Center Extender technologies.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Hi, I'm Robert Schlabbach, MCE MVP from Berlin, Germany, ready to take your questions.

Nick_MS (Expert):
Hello, everyone, I'm Nick, a developer on Media Center Extender.

Start of Chat

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: I'm delighted with Windows XP Media Center 2005- I've heard about a Microsoft powertoy so you can play Freecel or Solitaire (can't remember which) with the remote - is this true and are there any similar addons
A:http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/mcepowertoys.mspx has all the cool power toys for MCE. Enjoy!

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: I have had to reinstall MCE and it now cannot find the NVidia decoder. It is the same one that was working before and is installed according to DECCheck. It is also the default. The Sonic decoder is found when I have it installed but it seizes up after 60s
A: The NVIDIA decoder is not part of MCE itself. It has to be installed separately. If you don't have a backup copy of it, contact the maker of your MCE PC and ask if they can provide you with it.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: Robert. I have the decoder installed. It is not finding it, but it does find the Sonic one which doesn't work. I have built the PC myself
A: If the NVIDIA decoder doesn't show in the Decoder Checkup Utility, it is not properly installed. Try reinstalling the decoder.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: Robert. The decoder does show up in the decoder check up facilty. I have reinstalled about 20 times!
A: It _does_ show up? What is not working then? Sorry, you got me confused now...

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: Robert The NVidia decoder shows up in the check up but MCE says that it can't find or it is malfunctioning
A: Ah, ok, I misunderstood you and thought it wasn't showing up. The NVIDIA decoder is known to look properly installed but not to actually work if it considers its license invalid (e.g. trial period expired). Your issue is not with MCE, but rather with NVIDIA's decoder. You should contact NVIDIA's support about this.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: How can I schedule a FM recording in MCE 2005?
A: This is currently not possible; you can of course time-shift radio through use of stop/pause.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: How do I see what my I.P. address is?
A: You can use the command line (cmd.exe) and run ipconfig to see your IP address.

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: *-) How can I add a link to the TV Program Guide on the MCE 2005 main menu?
A: I do not know of any way you can do this, but there is a GUIDE button on the remote that will take you directly to the Guide.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: Will next MCE implement FM radio recording? There are some programming that I really want to save.
A: We can't comment on future product features.

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: I am looking for a way to add a secondary drive to increase the capacity for recording tv. I know that usb drives are not supported for storing TV. Which are the options that I have?
A: You can add an internal drive (a fast 7200 RPM one would be best) and change the storage location from within MCE.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: Recording a show that is an hour in length in good quality would take up about how much memory on my hard drive? Thanks
A: It takes up about 3 GB of hard drive space for 1 hour of show.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: I just started to receive OTA HDTV programming with MCE 2005. 720p + closed caption content playback is smooth but 1080i + closed caption playback is stuttering. Cyberlink, NVidia and InterVideo's decoders all have same behavior. Is this a known problem?
A: Your graphics card may not be powerful enough to do 1080i decoding in real time. What is the make and model of your graphics card?

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: I have ATI Radeon 9550 AGP8x. Is it limitation of GPU or CPU with decoder?
A: It _may_ be the graphics card. I have an ATI 9700 here and it is barely powerful enough to do 1080i @50Hz decoding in realtime, so the 9550 may just not have the horsepower. You may want to put this question in the newsgroup and see if maybe anyone there has had any better experiences using the 9550 for HDTV.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: 1080i + CC stutter issue is solved when NVidia decoder de-interlace option is turned off. Anybody know about performance issue about de-interlace?
A: I think that proves that your graphics card is not powerful enough. If you disable deinterlacing, it'll be relieved of that task and that might just make it barely meet the required performance bar.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: With the Broadcast Flag ruling recently greatly reducing any legal threat to Microsoft, when can we expect an update for MCE 2005 disabling the CGMS-A protection?
A: The Broadcast Flag is distinct from CGMS-A; the recent court ruling has no direct impact on CGMS-A.

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: Is there a list of caller ID modems that are supported in MCE2005?
A: I'm not aware of any such list - if you have questions about whether a specific modem will work with your Media Center, try posting a question to the newsgroup about that modem and see if anybody else has tried it.

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: I have the HP DIGITAL ENTERTAINEMENT SYSTEMS that they are very difficult to open. Is there any other way other than adding an internal drive? Thanks.
A: You can purchase external hard drives for this purpose as well - any that use a sufficiently fast interface (USB 2.0, FireWire) should be fast enough for recording and playing back TV content.

Ryean Vergara [MVP] (Expert):
Q: What is a Media Center Extender and how can I use it?
A: Media Center Extender is a device which extends the experience of MCE to any TV in your house - you may find out more information at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/devices/default.mspx

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: Does MCE have a TV Guide style program list that is downloadable from within the program?
A: Yes, if you live in a country where this is supported. Where do you live?

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: Which decoder would the Media Center Edition team would suggest for best image quality?
A: There are trial downloads for these. Why don't you try those that are available and make the decision on which one works best with your system ?

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: I have recently purchased an ATI TV Wonder capture card and have a computer that is able to accept MCE, Is there a way to purchase it separately?
A: For one, your TV tuner card is not a supported card. There is a list of supported TV tuner cards on the Media Center website. Second, you would need to purchase MCE 2005 through a qualified System Builder with a qualifying hardware purchase.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: I tried to post 1080i + closed caption to TGB forum but no good answers. I want to know Microsoft's statement about minimum requirement of smooth 1080i + closed caption (very important factor) on GPU and CPU speed.
A: You may want to look at the "Designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition" product list at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/partners/dfw/partnerlisting.mspx . Note that the ATI cards it lists start with the 9800, so you card probably does not meet the requirements.

Barb__MVP (Expert):
Q: I bought a refurbished Gateway 510XL with MCE 2004. It did not come with the remote or IR receiver. Will the Microsoft A90-00007 Win XP MC Inrared Remote Control work with this computer? Some say it only works with the 2005 edition.
A: Yes. It will work fine. You can get one from Newegg.com http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16880100851

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: Are you familiar with Bunger Software? They have a program which adds weather information to the MCE 2005 menu. If other buttons on the remote have corresponding menu items, why is there no menu item for 'Guide'? Seems like someone forgot.
A: There's not a direct correlation between remote control buttons and buttons on the main menu. You'll find access to the Guide in the menu under My TV, since it is only a TV-related feature. We can't put direct access to every feature on the main menu without making that menu long and cumbersome to navigate, however we realize that there are more pages you might want to navigate with a single action than can fit on the main menu, so the remote control buttons help keep the menu uncluttered and provide direct access at the same time.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: do the online spotlight websites have to meet certain security requirements. e.g. using SSL for signing in and such? if there are requirements, where is that list?
A: If you've built a cool Media Center application or service and you have a great UI, solid code, and a compelling offering, please send e-mail to mcespot@microsoft.com with a description of your product or service and your intention to work with the Media Center platform. Please include your company's location (city/state/country) in your e-mail.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: my media center remote does nothing when i hit any of the buttons
A: Did you go through TV Signal Setup? Can you re-run it? For in depth help with this issue, I recommend posting this question to the Media Center Newsgroup.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: i did go through tv setup, but there were no options relative to the remote. where is the Media Center Newsgroup?
A: More information about Microsoft's public newsgroups can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups.mspx. Media Center's newsgroup listing is at the bottom of the page.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: With the understanding that CGMS-A is distinct from the Broadcast Flag, is there an actual legal reason for MCE 2005 to honor the content producer's request to limit recordings?
A: Not being a lawyer, I’m not the right person to interpret specific legal/licensing requirements surrounding the usage of CGMS-A. This point aside, here’s something to consider - as content owners feel more comfortable providing their content in digital form (which copy-protection technology enables), they are more likely to make more content available to consumers digitally. This is a step towards the nirvana where content owners have the confidence to offer any/all content to consumers and customers have the flexibility/features they want. Thinking into the future, wouldn't it be cool to be able to screen first run 4k (i.e. 4096 pixel wide - way better than 1080i or 720p) Hollywood movies in your home theater at the same time they are being shown at the local cinema?

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: I am a developer trying to install MCE 2005 in a Virtual PC. The install finishes without error, but Media Center is nowhere to be found. The eHome directory is on the file system and only contains one DLL. Am I missing something during the install?
A: It seems you may have used a Windows XP Professional SP1 product key, especially if it never prompted for CD2. You need to go back to MSDN and ensure you used the correct key.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: Other then Nvidia Codec, are there any other Codecs that are compatible with the MCE?
A: The list of compatible codecs can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/partners/dfw/partnerlisting.mspx

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: I have had a lot of troubles trying to work with the Orb service. If you are not familiar with it, it basically allows you to stream your media center content remotely. For some reason, the orb guys are telling me that MC 2005, unlike MC 2004 does not release the tuner for other software to use it. or when it is release for another program to use it. I will not check it back. The result is that every time that you stream live content thru orb, MC 2005 does not record anymore until rebooting. Is there a fix to this issue?
A: MCE 2005 actually had advanced handling of third party applications which want to user the tuner, but the third party application has to be written properly. From your description, either the third party application (Orb), or your tuner card's driver is not working according to Microsoft's specifications. Note that what you are seeing is _not_ a design issue with Media Center itself, but rather a bug in third party code. You should contact the makers of Orb and/or the makers of your TV card about it.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Professionally and logically, why are notebook computers now windows media center built? Is there a specific advantage to it?
A: Well, consider that a MCE notebook has all the features of Windows XP and you can travel with it and when you are home you can plug it in and use it with Live TV. It isn't a notebook for Enterprise use, though.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: I converted a DVD in a mpeg, and I was able to get it to play on the MCE Box, but received a error on the extender. the error said Cannot Play video .....the file type is not recognized and cannot be played.
A: MCX supports playback of MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 content, so the most likely cause is that the audio encoding is not supported. A full list of supported audio/video formats is contained in the MCX FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/devices/faq.mspx)

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Using TweakMCE, I've set my MCE2005 system to listen to my remote on a specific IR channel. However, sometimes my remote stops responding. Upon loading TweakMCE, I can see that the IR channel it is listening on has incremented. Anyone else seen this?
A: I have used Tweak for this, but so far, I've not seen this here and I've had it configured for a long time.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: When I resume from standby, why don't it return to Live TV automatically? I wan to treat MCE 2005 as a appliance but its user interface is not there yet?
A: The tuner is set to a stopped state when you place the computer in Standby. Media Center assumes you wanted to stop playback and does not reinitialize it until you tell it to do so. I will, however, make sure the product team knows about your concern.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: "Enterprise use" made me think of another question: MCE 2005: Is it composed of XP Home + Media Center or are there other advantages/features?
A: Media Center contains some features found in XP Pro that are not in XP Home; it also contains some feature not found in either; a short list in both categories - Remote Desktop support, Windows Party Mode, Windows Audio Converter, etc.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: after adding xbox extender the MCE system requires logon. how can i disable logon for MCE?
A: I'd advice getting TewakUI and setting it up for autologon. You can find it at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: How can I custermize remote control * and # to turn on/off closed caption, or send custom IR code to my TV to change signal source from TV to line-in ? Is there any API for this?
A: You could look into the SDK to see about the Closed Captioning. However, there is not a way to change the signal source without going through TV setup.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: Question for Nick. You said there is a menu item for 'Guide' under 'My TV'. On my MCE 2005 system the only items under 'My TV' are 'Recorded TV', 'Live TV' and 'Movies'. Where is the 'Guide' item'?
A: Select "My TV" from the main menu and you'll get to a new screen with a menu on the lefthand side. "Guide" is the third button from top.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: When MCE is showing and recording a program, can you add an option "Standby after Recording" ?
A: I'll let the product team know about your request. However, you can set your system to Standby after a period of inactivity through the Power Management applet in the Control Panel. This would be the preferred way.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Is there a way to reset the My Music because I have triple songs in each album folder?
A: Close Media Center and open Windows Media Player 10 and have it search for media files, both old and new (slow). See if that straightens things out for you.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: For some reason my MCE2005 seems to be locked into the aquarium screen saver. The selector on the Screen Saver page of the of the Display Properties form is dimmed out. If I change it in the registry it changes back next boot?
A: We're not aware of this being a known issue - you may want to try more extended troubleshooting in the Media Center newsgroup. A list of all Microsoft newsgroups can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/default.asp

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: the last 4 months i have asked how to have a tv station run with the alarm clock, the respose is we'll check. what's up?
A: As far as I am aware, it is not possible to have the Alarm Clock power toy control playback of live TV

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: Is there a way to customize the look of the start page? Meaning changing the blue color?
A: There's currently no way to change the color of the Start page.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: Where can I sign up for next MCE 2006 beta?
A: To sign up for Microsoft Betas, you can visit http://beta.microsoft.com/ for more information.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: My Program has the wrong channels, is there a way to correct this?
A: If your Guide is showing incorrect stations and listings, you would need to run through Guide Setup again and choose a different provider.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: In the South East of England, a common cable TV supplier ships a Samsung SMT-2100C set top box. None of the pre-defined MCE codes work for changing channels via an IR blaster, but I know the actual codes requried. Can a define a custom set?
A: I don't believe this functionality exists as a standard feature of Media Center. You may wish to post your question to the Media Center newsgroup to see if there is an unsupported workaround. A list of the Microsoft newsgroups is here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/default.asp

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: So how/where are the existing libraries of RC5 codes stored? Might it be possible to 'hack' an exisiting remote control configuration and modify the requried digits (i.e. 0..9 for channel changing).
A: As I suggested, you may be able to find assistance with an unsupported workaround to the issue you're experiencing if you post your question in the Media Center newsgroup. Thanks!

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: Hello ... is there a list of digital Set-Top Boxes that are compatible with MCE 2005 ? My Set-Top Box is a Scientific Atlantis Explorer 3200 and is only allowing me to get one channel !
A: There is no list of compatible set-top boxes. I would choose a different code set to resolve your issue.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Is there a PC based IR blaster compatible with MCE to control a cable box or satelite receiver?
A: I'm not sure I understand your question. You can buy these cables at several places. I've found them at Radio Shack and mail ordered from Smart Home.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Is there a way to listen to music bought from Itunes thru MCE 2005?
A: MCE (and WMP10) cannot play the proprietary Apple formats.

RobertSchlabbach-MVP (Expert):
Q: If I can find a dual processor dual core motherboard and build a MCSE system will MCSE recognize and utilize all four virtual processors?
A: Microsoft licensing is per physical socket, not per core nor per (hyper)thread. So in the scenario you describe, you should get four CPUs displayed. You could also get a Pentium 840 Extreme Edition and have 4 virtual CPUs (two hyperthreaded cores) this way.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: Is there any way that I can set 1280x768 for showing piactures in MCE and 1024x768 for seeing TV. At the moment I either get fat people or large black lines down the side of my TV . I have a widescreen monitor.
A: If you set your PC video resolution to 1280x768 (widescreen), you can use the zoom options during video playback (press More Info, select Zoom) to control whether/how the content is stretched/not stretched.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: How can I use MCE remote to change MCE's volume instead of external device's volume?
A: There is no way to do this.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: JoeD: One last question, unrelated to DRM...is it at all possible to get MCE 2005 to tune digitial cable QAM256, as I've seen people attempting to do in various forums, without rewritten drivers? (i.e. Fusion 3)
A: Tuning QAM within the Media Center interface would require new (Media Center compliant) drivers for the tuner card.

Ryean Vergara [MVP] (Expert):
Q: Can you suggest what might be wrong here? My MCE system works perfectly except for playing DVD's. I can play them with Media player but when I try to play via the MCE interface all I get is a black screen.
A: What MPEG2 Decoder do you currently have installed?

Ryean Vergara [MVP] (Expert):
Q: Ryean, I am using WinDVD.
A: I'd suggest uninstalling/reinstalling WinDVD and/or trying a different Decoder.

Ryean Vergara [MVP] (Expert):
Q: Ryean, Thanks I'll try that. I recently received a licensed copy of Power DVD. Can I install both or only one?
A: You can install both - but I'd recommend only having one installed at a time.

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: is there a client for Win2K and MCE?
A: If you're asking if Media Center can be run on Windows 2000, no. Media Center is available only on versions of Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: To rephrase my question, can a MCE PC control a cable to change channels, etc.?
A: Yes, that is what MCE is designed to do.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Q: I have a dream. Current MCE remote can only customize TV,colume up/down. I want MCE to receive # key on MCE and use IR blaster to send IR to other device. Is it possible?
A: This is not possible, sorry.

Nick_MS (Expert):
Q: One last DRM question -why does MCE allow you to simply insert an audio CD and then convert and store that content...yet the same exact process with a DVD won't even be considered? Assuming of course, the DVD is not a CSS encoded DVD, just some home movies
A: Unfortunately, we aren't going to be able to answer legal questions of this nature because none of the experts here today are lawyers. That said, I can tell you that a lot of effort has gone into balancing the intellectual property rights of the content producers, legal requirements, and user functionality. The protections that are in place in MCE reflect those efforts.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: If I want to create content like training videos that will play on MCE but will be limited to one unit and a fixed number of plays or a limited number of days what tools are available for preparing the media and assigning the rights?
A: I recommend looking at the Windows Media Rights Management SDK

Barb_MVP (Expert):
Q: Will it control the cable box to change to premium channels, i.e. showtime, HBO?
A: MCE doesn't discriminate. If you are subscribed, you can control it.

Todd_MS (Expert):
Q: how can I tell what version my extender is on .. I applied the HP Extender upgrade but when I hit the extender system menu it says "version 0"
A: When you turn your MCX on, look at the lower left corner of the screen; if the date string starts with 2004.08, it's v1; if it starts with 2004.12, it's v1.01

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
This concludes our Media Center chat for today. Thanks for coming, everyone!

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Please feel free to stay and continue to chat about Media Center or other Windows topics.

AndyV_MVP (Expert):
Thanks everyone! XBOX 360 will be very, very cool!

Todd_MS (Expert):
Thanks everyone for joining in today. If you still have questions, I recommend visiting the Media Center newsgroup (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)

Nick_MS (Expert):
Thanks for coming, everyone. See you all next month at the new time.

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