Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008

[Chrisoldinho]

Hosted for those of you who requested I upload my version of the Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008.

2 Things.

1) This file only contains the x86 version of all the required files. Anyone wanting x64 sorry I don't have it.
2) Use the instructions below, the instructions in the zip help file I found difficult to understand, so i've cleaned it up a bit and posted below

http://rapidshare.com/files/14262307...V08PK.zip.html

Installation Instructions:

Installation Instructions:

A). Prepare a machine with clean install of Windows Vista Service Pack 1.
1. The machine will need to meet or exceed the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Vista - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919183
2. The Windows Vista Service Pack 1 operating system must be Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate
B). Install Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008
1. Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 (x86)
C). Install the PlayReady PC Runtime
1. PlayReady PC Runtime (x86) - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en
D). Install the following patches from the Download Center (both of these are included in the ZIP file)
1. KB951685 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/951685) - The video playback application stops responding when you watch video or Live TV on a Windows Vista-based computer
2. KB950754 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950754) - Noticeable problems occur in the video when you use the DirectSound renderer on Windows Vista
E). Install any required or recommended Windows Updates
F). Launch Windows Media Center and go through Windows Media Center Setup

Enjoy!

Chris.

[Ron-ski]

Nice instructions, you've put Beta though, it's the RTM version now though isn't it?

I had downloaded the TV pack, but not the other items, so having them all together with clearer instruction is nice, thanks.

I'm going to hang on for a few days to see what Microsoft announce, then I may reinstall my machine.

Edit:You may want to add a link to your post to http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0#post14433490 as it contains both 64Bit and 32Bit files.

Edit:

This was posted on The Green Buttons by Charlas, he seems to have been involved with the original Beta testing.

Just so everyone has it, here is the install instructions for the Fiji/TV Pack.

Prepare a machine with clean install of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Please take note of this, the best way is to use a slipstreamed SP1 Vista disk, but you CAN install RTM and then install SP1, but DON'T do a Windows Update, Just SP1! other updates can cause issues.

The machine will need to meet or exceed the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Vista -http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919183

The Windows Vista Service Pack 1 operating system must be Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate (x86 or x64)

Following operating system install, do not launch Windows Media Center or go through Windows Media Center Setup, THIS IS IMPORTANT!

Make sure that if you use nVidia graphics to install the Drivers 7.15.11.7309 posted here, ATI cards 'should' work with the latest Catalyst drivers (except in x64)

Install Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008

Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 (x86) - MediaCenterTVPack_x86.exe

Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 (x64) - MediaCenterTVPack_x64.exe

Install the PlayReady PC Runtime (YES even if you don't think you will be using it!)

PlayReady PC Runtime (x86) - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

PlayReady PC Runtime (x64) - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

Install the following patches from the Download Center

KB951685 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/951685) - The video playback application stops responding when you watch video or Live TV on a Windows Vista-based computer

KB950754 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950754) - Noticeable problems occur in the video when you use the DirectSound renderer on Windows Vista

Install any required or recommended Windows Updates, I highly recommend installing windows search 4 at the very least.

Make sure you have installed the physical hardware and drivers for your DVB-x cards, Ultimate can have up to 4 of EACH type of tuner (i.e. 4xDVB-S and 4xDVB-T), I use 2xPinnacle 7010ix cards. Make sure the drivers are the Fiji ones (most major cards have at least beta drivers for Fiji). The biggest issue is with DVB-S drivers as they require a new feature incorporated to work correctly, most DVB-T (and DVB-T emulated) cards work ok with RTM/SP1 drivers.

Launch Windows Media Center and go through Windows Media Center Setup, DON'T use the 'quick setup' options, take the time and do it properly.

When and only When everything seems to be working without any hacks then install the patched DLL (download it from here). To do this run takeown /F c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.dll /r /d y then icacls c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.dll /grant yourusername:F /t (replace yourusername with yours)to take ownership of the file, then regsvr32 /u c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.dll then ren c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.dll c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.original, now copy the patched dll into the c:\windows\system32 then run regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\msdtvvdec.dll

Righty oh, you now have the h.264 codec installed. If you live in a territory that uses broadcast information that defines the channel as hi-def then you need to install the work around to re-define the channels as generic tv services. See this post for the information on that.

I hope that helps out some people. As a side note if this is a Media Center only machine I would not install any AV (just make sure you scan everything that you copy to it) and I would disable the Auto Updates, just for now at least until we know that MS are not going to break anything with updates that will come out for media center. After all they could stop this patch working, and the other 'real' world issue that there are now 2 flavors of VMC in production, and it's not likely, but far from impossible that an update for the SP1/RTM version of VMC could install by accident on the Fiji box and cause issues.

[Chrisoldinho]

Originally Posted by Ron-ski

Nice instructions, you've put Beta though, it's the RTM version now though isn't it?

Ammended

[Naaktgeboren]

Just for the record, you do not need a clean install to get this running, I installed the update over my x86 installation and it works perfectly without issue.

[smic717394]

Anybody had any problems with the TV Pack 2008? I installed it few days ago and it works fine except for the recordings. Every recording failed. It starts but then it stops after few min, i looked up in the Recordings, view scheduled and history all are Partial and the error is "Recording of XXXX began as scheduled on xxxx and stopped early on xxxx when a conflict recording was scheduled"
I dont have any other recording scheduled and its the same on manual or scheduled recordings. It use to be fine in Vista SP1 before I installed the TV Pack

[smic717394]

I think I might have found the cause. Its the Guide. I changed some channels listing from "Use data from Broadcaster" and now those channels are OK. Settings>>TV>>Guide>>Select the channel and Edit>> Change Data from "Use from Broadcaster" to a channel name. Can someone find a sollution to use the data from the brodcaster.

[Ron-ski]

Originally Posted by DogZillaNL

Just for the record, you do not need a clean install to get this running, I installed the update over my x86 installation and it works perfectly without issue.

From what I've been reading on various forums sometimes it works fine when installed on an old installation, other times people have problems. After a fresh install they no longer had problems.

[smic717394]

Originally Posted by Ron-ski

From what I've been reading on various forums sometimes it works fine when installed on an old installation, other times people have problems. After a fresh install they no longer had problems.

I have a fresh install and i had this problem, its a problem with the guide and more specific with how the guide handles the listings directly from the broadcaster. On the channels left to receive the guide directly from the broadcaster i cannot complete the recordings, if i edit the listing and choose the channel then its fine.

[Ron-ski]

Here's a couple of download locations for the H264 DLL

[moderator comment: links removed pending verification]

[smic717394]

Originally Posted by Ron-ski

Here's a couple of download locations for the H264 DLL

[moderator comment: links removed pending verification]

Stupid question. What is this H264 DLL? and What it does? and last Where to drop it?

Thank you.

[Valley]

Originally Posted by smic717394

Stupid question. What is this H264 DLL? and What it does? and last Where to drop it?

It's what you need to receive BBC HD.

M$ originally released a beta DLL which included h264 decoding but then they removed it so some clever bods have reverse engineered the DLL to re-enable it.

No idea where you have to drop it though.

[Ron-ski]

Originally Posted by Valley

It's what you need to receive BBC HD.

M$ originally released a beta DLL which included h264 decoding but then they removed it so some clever bods have reverse engineered the DLL to re-enable it.

No idea where you have to drop it though.

Posted on The Green Button by ASM495

To install the DLL you just need to copy it over the existing DLL in C:\Windows\system32. If you are getting security errors then you need to take ownership of the file (File -> Properties -> Advanced -> Owner -> Edit then select yourself. Once this has been done you can give yourself full control over the file so you can replace it). I suggest you make a backup of the original DLL first though

.

[DarkKnight]

I've just read that thread on TGB. Those developers have done an amazing job in cracking that timebombed DLL.

Could anyone confirm which other channels above and beyond BBC HD I will now be able to see ? (Sitting at work so unable to try it at the mo..)

Channel 4 HD ?
ITV HD ?
Luxe TV HD ?
FX HD ?
Any other subscription based HD channels ?

Cheers

[mwallan]

Originally Posted by DarkKnight

I've just read that thread on TGB. Those developers have done an amazing job in cracking that timebombed DLL.

Could anyone confirm which other channels above and beyond BBC HD I will now be able to see ? (Sitting at work so unable to try it at the mo..)

Channel 4 HD ?
ITV HD ?
Luxe TV HD ?
FX HD ?
Any other subscription based HD channels ?

Cheers

Channel 4 HD ? not in vmc no
ITV HD ? not in vmc no
Luxe TV HD ? yes
FX HD ? dont know

if the hd chanel is dvbs2 then its not supported in VMC

[DarkKnight]

Oh yes...

Should've figured.

It's only BBC HD and Luxe TV that are broadcast on DVB-S. Everything else I beleive is on DVB-S2.

Still I'm not complaining!