Windows 7 Media Center in Canada (ATSC, QAM, Logos) - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

pnear · 2009-08-10, 10:12 PM

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.

Links below...

Enabling ATSC and QAM with MC7:
http://experts.windows.com/w/experts...ia-center.aspx

Adding Multiple Listings to MC7:
http://experts.windows.com/w/experts...ia-center.aspx

-Pete

TorontoColin · 2009-08-10, 10:20 PM

This is fantastic. When I upgrade to Win 7 I'll be all over this. Thanks so much for your time and dedication.

Wayne · 2009-08-11, 05:23 PM

I assume this works with the RC version of Win7? Do we know if it still works in the RTM version?

pnear · 2009-08-11, 05:25 PM

I have tested with RTM x86 and x64.

SatRadFan · 2009-08-19, 01:19 PM

Peter - are you still using an HD Homerun for your ATSC via QAM as you posted in the beta hacks? Or are you straight into a PC card?

I'm looking to upgrade my Vista MCE for a few things:

New analog tuner (have a Hauppauge PVR-500 that makes me limit ram to < 4GB) - I'm considering the Hauppauge 2250
Attic antenna: I live in central Toronto, but only get the local stations. I can either wire coax down to my media centre or do it via HDHomerun with a shorter coax run. This could replace my ATI HDTVWonder that is working ok
Upgraded OS of course

Can you post some specs of what you're doing now. Ideally, I'd like to keep dual analog and get dual ATSC, including the US channels OTA.

pnear · 2009-08-19, 02:14 PM

I'm using both actually, Windows 7 can use multiple tuners. I have the HDHomerun with two ATSC tuners, and a VBox Cats Eye 164e with two ATSC tuners (the VBox has a bug where only 1 tuner shows up in Windows 7 though).

Pete

SatRadFan · 2009-08-20, 07:50 AM

So your HDHomeRun is showing up now as an ATSC tuner rather than as QAM as you had described earlier? Any catches?

pnear · 2009-08-20, 08:31 AM

Yes, the hack listed above enables ATSC (and QAM) tuners in Media Center.

In the RTM version of Media Center, QAM is not officially supported so the old beta hack doesn't work.

lunear · 2009-08-28, 10:30 AM

Yes, I used it and it works great. It is much simplier compared to crack MCE in Vista.

However, there is a bug. I am in Toronto, and the MCE scanned digital channels and allocate channel 9.1 to CITYTV. But it is supposed to be CTV-HD. CITYTV is at 57.1

Also 11.1 and 51.1 are missing too.

TorontoColin · 2009-08-28, 11:14 AM

I have the exact same problem using the QAM to OTA hack with an HDHomeRun in VMC with TV Pack. The HDHomeRun software scan shows City HD on 57.1 and CTV HD on 9.1, but Media Center shows City on 9.1 and CTV is nowhere to be found.

lunear · 2009-08-28, 01:41 PM

You have to change the channel mannually.

Delete the 9.1 first, then add 57.1 and 9.1 mannually.

TorontoColin · 2009-08-28, 01:50 PM

That didn't work for me. 9.1 still popped up as City and 57.1 came up as no signal. It's possible that it's a glitch that has been semi-fixed in Windows 7. Or it's possible I'm just doing something wrong.

lunear · 2009-08-28, 07:16 PM

Delete 9.1 first.

Then from Setting/TV/Guide/Add missing channels/Add DTV channels

add new one, 57.1, then enter digital channel number 53, and name "CITYTV", save.

Then add 9.1, channel number 40, CTV. Save.

Then go to add guide to channels, match each of them with the guide you have.

See here for channel list:

http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/

lunear · 2009-09-11, 09:18 PM

I tried it, and it worked. However, all guides are gone after a couple of weeks. And what I can do is to log in as admin, and do all those steps from beginning again. Then guides are back. After a while ,they're gone again....

I am wondering if there is something wrong.

See my post here:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=112127

pnear · 2009-09-21, 11:23 AM

Just to connect dots, Lunear's issue was resolved in the other thread.

2009-08-10, 10:12 PM	#1
pnear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 664	Windows 7 Media Center in Canada (ATSC, QAM, Logos) 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. Links below... Enabling ATSC and QAM with MC7: http://experts.windows.com/w/experts...ia-center.aspx Adding Multiple Listings to MC7: http://experts.windows.com/w/experts...ia-center.aspx -Pete Last edited by hugh; 2011-07-04 at 03:33 PM. Reason: edited July 4, 2011 to update links since since Microsoft shut down TheGreenButton.com

2009-08-19, 01:19 PM	#5
SatRadFan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 8	Peter - are you still using an HD Homerun for your ATSC via QAM as you posted in the beta hacks? Or are you straight into a PC card? I'm looking to upgrade my Vista MCE for a few things: New analog tuner (have a Hauppauge PVR-500 that makes me limit ram to < 4GB) - I'm considering the Hauppauge 2250 Attic antenna: I live in central Toronto, but only get the local stations. I can either wire coax down to my media centre or do it via HDHomerun with a shorter coax run. This could replace my ATI HDTVWonder that is working ok Upgraded OS of course Can you post some specs of what you're doing now. Ideally, I'd like to keep dual analog and get dual ATSC, including the US channels OTA.

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2009-08-10, 10:20 PM	#2
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,255	This is fantastic. When I upgrade to Win 7 I'll be all over this. Thanks so much for your time and dedication.

2009-08-11, 05:23 PM	#3
Wayne Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Scarboro Posts: 5,578	I assume this works with the RC version of Win7? Do we know if it still works in the RTM version?

2009-08-11, 05:25 PM	#4
pnear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 664	I have tested with RTM x86 and x64.

2009-08-19, 02:14 PM	#6
pnear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 664	I'm using both actually, Windows 7 can use multiple tuners. I have the HDHomerun with two ATSC tuners, and a VBox Cats Eye 164e with two ATSC tuners (the VBox has a bug where only 1 tuner shows up in Windows 7 though). Pete

2009-08-20, 07:50 AM	#7
SatRadFan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 8	So your HDHomeRun is showing up now as an ATSC tuner rather than as QAM as you had described earlier? Any catches?

2009-08-20, 08:31 AM	#8
pnear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 664	Yes, the hack listed above enables ATSC (and QAM) tuners in Media Center. In the RTM version of Media Center, QAM is not officially supported so the old beta hack doesn't work.

2009-08-28, 10:30 AM	#9
lunear Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 128	Yes, I used it and it works great. It is much simplier compared to crack MCE in Vista. However, there is a bug. I am in Toronto, and the MCE scanned digital channels and allocate channel 9.1 to CITYTV. But it is supposed to be CTV-HD. CITYTV is at 57.1 Also 11.1 and 51.1 are missing too.

2009-08-28, 11:14 AM	#10
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,255	I have the exact same problem using the QAM to OTA hack with an HDHomeRun in VMC with TV Pack. The HDHomeRun software scan shows City HD on 57.1 and CTV HD on 9.1, but Media Center shows City on 9.1 and CTV is nowhere to be found.

2009-08-28, 01:41 PM	#11
lunear Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 128	You have to change the channel mannually. Delete the 9.1 first, then add 57.1 and 9.1 mannually.

2009-08-28, 01:50 PM	#12
TorontoColin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Wind Mobile, Rogers Cable, Teksavvy Extreme Cable Posts: 3,255	That didn't work for me. 9.1 still popped up as City and 57.1 came up as no signal. It's possible that it's a glitch that has been semi-fixed in Windows 7. Or it's possible I'm just doing something wrong.

2009-08-28, 07:16 PM	#13
lunear Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 128	Delete 9.1 first. Then from Setting/TV/Guide/Add missing channels/Add DTV channels add new one, 57.1, then enter digital channel number 53, and name "CITYTV", save. Then add 9.1, channel number 40, CTV. Save. Then go to add guide to channels, match each of them with the guide you have. See here for channel list: http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/

2009-09-11, 09:18 PM	#14
lunear Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 128	I tried it, and it worked. However, all guides are gone after a couple of weeks. And what I can do is to log in as admin, and do all those steps from beginning again. Then guides are back. After a while ,they're gone again.... I am wondering if there is something wrong. See my post here: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=112127

2009-09-21, 11:23 AM	#15
pnear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, ON Posts: 664	Just to connect dots, Lunear's issue was resolved in the other thread.