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Windows 7 Media Center in Canada (ATSC, QAM, Logos)

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234K views 495 replies 95 participants last post by  Dr.Dave 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Knowing how many avid Media Center users there are here at Digital Home Canada, I wanted to let everyone know that the latest hacks for Windows 7 Media Center are now published. It's been a heck of a battle, one that has been fought on many fronts and I'm happy to announce that Canadian high definition in Media Center is working better than ever before!

The highlights:
- I've packaged and tested a new hack (easiest hack yet!) that enables ATSC and QAM in Canada with Windows 7 Media Center. This has been tested by myself and a handful of others on x86 and x64 versions of the RTM release. Thanks for your help!
- Included in the hack is a single-click batch file that add US OTA listings to your Media Center, providing subchannel support and enabling the HD preferences in Media Center recording logic.

-Pete

Edit by Dr.Dave March 9, 2014: The Microsoft links are no longer available. Here is a direct link to Peter Near's blog:

http://pnear.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/enabling-atsc-qam-in-canada-for-windows-7-rtm/

Download ZIP file:

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=3323acf37bd7b107#cid=3323ACF37BD7B107&id=3323ACF37BD7B107!236
 
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#114 ·
In Win7MC I've been using the Tasks > TV > TV Signal > Scan for More Channels. It finds the new channels but doesn't change the previous Guide data. After the transition I will delete the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome\mcepg2-0 folder and completely reinstall 7MC. For sure, the Guide will not have the new channel info so this is probably going to be a mess. Maybe, please, Microsoft will finally enable ATSC in Canada. Zap2It has the data so I don't know what the hold-up is.
 
#116 ·
I got CTV RF9 to work in Win7 by manually adding it & then editing the channel & pointing the guide listings to the "old" CTV channel on the other frequency that is no longer broadcasting. Dr Phil (unfortunately) coming in clear as a bell.

Still no luck w/ my MCE2005 machine though..full signal on RF9 but no picture.

For clarity, I use a Buffalo zip code - for others this may not be so easy. Curse Microsoft...
 
#118 ·
sorry to hear about more Win7Media issues.
here's the link for NPVR support forum and you could check the wiki in the top menu for info on the application.
But off the bat NPVR will see the channels that are being missed.
It's a small app and you can have it up and configured in about an hour.
It will get you by until you tweak your setups.
http://forums.gbpvr.com/forumdisplay.php?48-NPVR-Support

No, I don't work for Sub (app creator and forum administrator)
 
#122 ·
Hi guys, need help here.

I used to set up Win7MC under Paul's instructions and the two hacks to make Media Center compatible with ATSC. Today I found some channels are missing, due to the ana-dig transform, and some channels changed the digital channels.So I decided to make clean scan. Then, Media Center can't get any Channel at all! No matter I set up as Canada or US, it detected the ATSC tunner, but can't get any channel information. And in Setting/TV, there is no adding channels either. After setting TV and scan, Media center says it has met a vital problem, must restart. I tried reboot again and again, still can't fix it.

I have no cable or satellite TV, only watching OTA digital TV. Can anyone help me to fix it? Thanks a lot in advance. I appreciate if someone can help me fix it.
 
#124 ·
Thanks for instant reply. After reset, what should I do to add Canadian and US channels? I am in Toronto, BTW.

Update: I tried to reset Media Center by the command codes, and from control panel too, and then set it up from beginning, set it as Canada or US, scanning TV, but still get the same problem.
 
#125 ·
#126 ·
Finally, I Googled and found this solution that worked for me:

http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows_entertainment_and_connected_home/f/114/t/92097.aspx

Now I reinstalled Media Center, set up TV, and found the old schedules are still there. I deleted those Canadian Channels which changed the channel numbers, and rescanned it. I got those back!

The only problem is that still some channels missing schedule contents:

8.1 WROC
19.1 TVO
21.1 WXXI-HD
21.2 WXXI-W
21.3 WXXI-C

Paul, are you going to update the hack file to allow new channels, or Media Center will update them automatically sometime in the future?

Thanks.
 
#128 ·
It's Peter not Paul, but no worries so long as you know I'm replying to your question.

The hack uses OTA guides from Buffalo, which should be updated automatically once Zap2It updates their listings. Looks like TVO (CICA) is in there but not the digital listings yet. WXXI is not in those listings, as it is a Rochester channel. Where are you located again, I might not expect WXXI to be the primary PBS channel for most of us in the GTA, WNED probably a better choice.
 
#129 ·
Thank you Paul.

I have problem to get OMNI 2 in Windows 7 Media Center. It changed to 69.1, digital 51, right? MC shows Dolby Digital, but no sound, no picture. Only dark screen. But my TV can get this channel without problem. I wonder what is wrong with OMNI 2?
 
#131 ·
I had trouble with this at first too.. I forget the exact virtual channel, but create a new channel in 7MC using whatever your tv is detecting (69.1, 51.1, 44.1, whatever it says) for the virtual channel and 51 for the actual channel and it should work. I think at first I just tried modifying an existing channel and it wouldn't work but once I created it from scratch it worked fine. Hope that helps!
 
#132 ·
69.1 (freq 51) CJMT-DT has an issue with Windows Media Center due to some misconfiguration in their video stream, Silicon Dust analyzed the stream from my HDHomerun tuner, and recognized the issue. WMC is a stickler for some things, and will not play the stream, though VLC does play it.

They have contacted CJMT about this, but so far, no response that I am aware of. Perhaps we need to call and bug their engineering staff to fix it.
:)
 
#133 ·
Right. I am using HDHomeRun too. I tried to add OMNI2 mannually as Tczernec said, but still could not get it work.

And I found most Canadian TV stations are too lazy to add schedules to their digital signals. Only CTV and CBC have schedules on my TV. Others (Global, CITYTV, SUNTV, OMNI 1&2, etc.) have nothing, but something like "HD event". While all US Channels I get have TV guides on my TV.

I am using EYETV on my Macbook Pro too. EYETV gets the TV guides from digital signals. So for most Canadian TVs, it gets nothing. We were already one year behind the ana-dig switch compared than US, I don't know how long it takes for Canadian TVs to add guides to their signals.
 
#134 ·
I tried to add OMNI2 mannually as Tczernec said, but still could not get it work.
That's strange.. Checked again this morning and it's working fine on mine. Let me know if you want to look at any config files that I can provide - I'm not an expert on what those look like or even what the filenames are, but can provide if someone else wants to have a look as to why it works for me and not for you..

ps. I'm using 69.1 virtual, 51 actual.

most Canadian TV stations are too lazy to add schedules to their digital signals
I like that about 7MC - it downloads the guide data; the only channel I can't get guide info for from all the Toronto/Buffalo channels is ION/Qubo, so I end up not watching them at all - but then again, the reception of those is flaky for me anyways, so no biggie. With the transition over, I think it's time to get someone on the roof to point the antenna closer to Buffalo; all my Toronto channels except SunTV (which I don't care about) are 100% (well, 30 SNR..) so I should have some margin to point away from downtown a bit more and finally pick up NBC!
 
#135 ·
Hello all;

I had the same problem as most here in that I lost CFTO and CHCH after the switch. Thanks to your tips I manually added 11.1 (11) and 9.1 (9) and they are both working fine. OMNI 69 appeared in an automatic scan so no difficulties there.

Now if only there were guide data for everything...
 
#137 ·
You can report guide data issues directly to Microsoft at:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/Feedback

Note: You have to sign in with a Windows Live ID before the feedback link appears in the left hand navigation column.

Feedback for Canadain DTV transition:

EPG need updating due to Canadian HDTV switchover that happened Aug 31, 2011. - by bellamr

Here are a list of the changes for zip code 14172;

CFTO-DT 9-1 is now broadcasting on VHF Channel 9
CHCH-DT 11-1 is now broadcasting on VHF Channel 11
CICA-DT 19-1 is now on the air and broadcasting on UHF Channel 19
CBLFT-DT 25-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 25
CITS-DT 36-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 36
CIII-DT 41-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 41
CJMT-DT 69-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 51
CITY-DT 57-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 44
CFMT-DT 47-1 is now broadcasting on UHF Channel 47
 
#138 ·
I used listings@zap2it.com . They took action on my first 2 emails. Usually I receive an automated reply, then another email mentioning they are forwarding the request to their database team.
Then it takes a while but some work gets done. Almost everything I asked for, they changed. (for Ottawa when using Massena zip 13662)

I haven't received the database forward email for my 3rd request yet - sept 2nd 2011. They must be busy or it fell in a crack.
 
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