Do You Watch TV Through Windows Media Centre? Check Out These Mods.

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Do You Watch TV Through Windows Media Centre? Check Out These Mods.

steve181

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#106005 16-Jul-2012 18:32

I've been doing a lot of modifications lately to improve my Freeview WMC experience. I love the changes so I'll explain the things I've done.

1: Automatically Start Windows 7 Media Center in Live TV Mode: http://www.howtogeek.com/?post_type=post&p=10854
2: Increase Live TV Pause Buffer in Windows 7 Media Center: http://www.howtogeek.com/?post_type=post&p=12256
3: Increase Skip and Replay Intervals in Windows 7 Media Center: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/10762/increase-skip-and-replay-intervals-in-windows-7-media-center/

The first mod is self explanatory, the second one is handy for me because I used to pause a show & go & do other things, before long it would play by itself & I'd miss at least the start of the program. I've increased the buffer to around 1hr 30 minutes which makes a huge difference. The final mod I changed the skip interval so when adds come on I can hit the skip button (provided I've paused the program to get a buffer) & it will 8/10 times skip the block of adds perfectly.

I also downloaded 'remote mouse' for my ipod touch so I can control WMC & the PC in general from my bed if I'm watching TV from there, saves me getting up to skip adds, adjust volume etc.

I used to have an DSE indoor UHF aerial like this; http://dicksmith.co.nz/media/DSNZ/Product/300x300/L4042_0_v1_m56577569835169036.JPG I always had a hard time getting channel 3 & a few others. The other day I played around with the aerial that came with my USB TV stick, it looks like this; http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21a6IYzhviL._SL500_AA300_.jpg I wasn't picking up any signal & was about to give up when all of a sudden I was getting all channels perfectly. I was like WTF, what makes this aerial location so special, then next thing it sticks to my metal closet door hinge. So to me it was like all my Christmas's came at once, getting perfect reception, the aerial sticking to the 'reception holy grail' by itself (magnetized). I think the magnetic field enhanced the signal so magnetic fields might be something to try for those who have reception problems.

freitasm

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#656602 16-Jul-2012 18:43

You want a good Freeview|HD experience, get an external aerial ;)

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freitasm

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#656610 16-Jul-2012 19:02

Actually, if you use Media Center, check Hacking Windows 7 Media Center for tips, hacks, and utilities in general...

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rvangelder

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#656613 16-Jul-2012 19:28

I've done some mods. The best one was to make the entire computer's boot and shutdown sequence silent. That way when critical updates at 3am come around, I don't get woken up! haha

GamerOC

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#656778 17-Jul-2012 00:18

I have done the first two mods and i fixed my poor reception with a 91-EL UHF monster aerial sitting ontop my roof and wow no more bad reception.

JonnyCam

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#656854 17-Jul-2012 09:09

The other day I played around with the aerial that came with my USB TV stick, it looks like this; http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21a6IYzhviL._SL500_AA300_.jpg I wasn't picking up any signal & was about to give up when all of a sudden I was getting all channels perfectly.

It's funny, the cheap antenna which came with my USB tuner works better than the 3 different internal aerials I paid up to $120 for. (in my apartment complex the reception was terrible through the wall socket, but the body corp recently got that sorted)

The aerial was a 4cm x 4cm square thing.

steve181

130 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 16

#656976 17-Jul-2012 12:23

JonnyCam:

The other day I played around with the aerial that came with my USB TV stick, it looks like this; http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21a6IYzhviL._SL500_AA300_.jpg I wasn't picking up any signal & was about to give up when all of a sudden I was getting all channels perfectly.

It's funny, the cheap antenna which came with my USB tuner works better than the 3 different internal aerials I paid up to $120 for. (in my apartment complex the reception was terrible through the wall socket, but the body corp recently got that sorted)

The aerial was a 4cm x 4cm square thing.

Seems counter intuitive eh. The big DSE aerial I use to use needed mains power, was huge comparatively taking up quite a bit of space.

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Asmodeus

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#656996 17-Jul-2012 13:01

Another thing I'd recommend to improve watching TV on 7MC is My Channel Logos

http://www.mychannellogos.com/Pages/default.aspx

It's worth th NZ$5 it costs IMO. They are working on getting it to run in Win8

Nety

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#657097 17-Jul-2012 15:38

Asmodeus: Another thing I'd recommend to improve watching TV on 7MC is My Channel Logos

http://www.mychannellogos.com/Pages/default.aspx

It's worth th NZ$5 it costs IMO. They are working on getting it to run in Win8

Or you can use EPG collector which will download the logos from the MHEG 5 stream and use them.

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

steve181

130 posts

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#657115 17-Jul-2012 16:19

Nety:
Asmodeus: Another thing I'd recommend to improve watching TV on 7MC is My Channel Logos

http://www.mychannellogos.com/Pages/default.aspx

It's worth th NZ$5 it costs IMO. They are working on getting it to run in Win8

Or you can use EPG collector which will download the logos from the MHEG 5 stream and use them.

What are the steps to get logos mate? I have EPG collector installed.

freitasm

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#657117 17-Jul-2012 16:20

Change collection parameters, Output tab, "Extract channel logos from broadcast data".

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Asmodeus

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#657135 17-Jul-2012 17:29

Nety:
Asmodeus: Another thing I'd recommend to improve watching TV on 7MC is My Channel Logos

http://www.mychannellogos.com/Pages/default.aspx

It's worth th NZ$5 it costs IMO. They are working on getting it to run in Win8

Or you can use EPG collector which will download the logos from the MHEG 5 stream and use them.

Yeah I don't just use it for logos though. You can easily increase epg to up to 11 rows, change number of rows in the mini-guide, change the width and orientation of of the guide cells, hide channel numbers and other stuff too