Windows Media Center Connections?

[tyler electric]

Hi,

I will soon have a new server with Vista Media Center. The server does not have a tuner. What are my options with this? The server can sit near my TV and that location also has my incoming digital cable box. It appear i will need a tuner at the server and this tuner can be either internal or external. I'm guessing I will need to run the output of the cable box to the server tuner, then from the server to the TV? If so, does the server tuner just get set to something like chanel 3? Any advice, suggestions, advice will be appreciated. This is a personal use system and the first time I have installed media center. I want to use media center for the services it provides as well as the option to integrate my UDI ISY 26 controller to the media center display. Thanks in advance.

 

[Michael McSharry]

You are essentially correct on your input connectivity with the cable box first and its output to the tuner. This output could be RF coax with channel 3 or it could be component/svideo/composite cable. Just find a connection that is the same for both the cable box and the tuner.

The output side to the TV will be from your video card and not from your tuner card. With Vista you do not have too many options for video cards that have dual heads and TV support. It is just a driver problem now so it will be available soon if not already. You could also add a second video card. In my case a run a dual head NVidia with DVI output to the TV's HDMI input. For standard definiiton TV you can also run sVideo output to the TV. Again get something that matches.

With a cable box you will not be able to route HDTV via Media Center. If you have over the air available then Media Center can support it. It will be a different tuner than you use for standard definition.

Even if you only run standard definition video you will use DVI for your TV connection if the TV supports it. The text from Media Center is dramatically sharper over this connection than sVideo. Composite is the last choice. Component is somewhere in the middle, but I dont recall if most PC video outputs will support it.

Hi,

I will soon have a new server with Vista Media Center. The server does not have a tuner. What are my options with this? The server can sit near my TV and that location also has my incoming digital cable box. It appear i will need a tuner at the server and this tuner can be either internal or external. I'm guessing I will need to run the output of the cable box to the server tuner, then from the server to the TV? If so, does the server tuner just get set to something like chanel 3? Any advice, suggestions, advice will be appreciated. This is a personal use system and the first time I have installed media center. I want to use media center for the services it provides as well as the option to integrate my UDI ISY 26 controller to the media center display. Thanks in advance.

 

[CalypsoCowboy]

I'd highly recommend checking out http://www.thegreenbutton.com It is a Media center specific website, tons of good info there.

-Josh

 

[twilo123]

links on some reading for vista mce and also regarding HD use

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/buyer.s-guide/t...-dvr-262943.php

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/battlemodo/cabl...es-3-262359.php

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/...p/recordtv.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/.../cablecard.mspx

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/11/06/okoro...equipped-htpcs/

a little older but...

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/21/vista-c...u-want-to-know/

other posts
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/10/26/hps-m...ecard-for-1250/

read the fine print and the posts half way down on this one.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/25/sony-se...-by-its-loneso/

 

[tyler electric]

links on some reading for vista mce and also regarding HD use

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/buyer.s-guide/t...-dvr-262943.php

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/battlemodo/cabl...es-3-262359.php

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/...p/recordtv.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/.../cablecard.mspx

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/11/06/okoro...equipped-htpcs/

a little older but...

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/21/vista-c...u-want-to-know/

other posts
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/10/26/hps-m...ecard-for-1250/

read the fine print and the posts half way down on this one.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/25/sony-se...-by-its-loneso/

Thanks for the info. I will review these links. I do have the center up and running but not the way it should be. I seem to be having the a problemwith the nvidia geforce 6150le card. When I go into the nvidia control panel it only shows a standard tv and does not give me options to use anything but a composite cable.