Hint: How to get 10 rows in Win7 Mediacenter EPG

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Hint: How to get 10 rows in Win7 Mediacenter EPG

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#86980 16-Jul-2011 15:05

This may be old news. But I just did it and thought it may be useful for some to know how.

Go here and follow instructions
http://www.thehtpc.net/htpc-tips-and-tweaks/more-channel-rows-in-the-media-center-guide/

Ignore stages 2 & 3. It didn't work for me. Had to manually grant full permissions to c:\windows\ehome\Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll

The Takeownership registry hack didn't work. I manually changed security permissions for the dll.

Enjoy.

Trunks2

223 posts

Master Geek

#494110 16-Jul-2011 19:57

Thanks for this, will give it a go.

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rvangelder

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494166 16-Jul-2011 23:08

nice tip. i might give this a go!

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494205 17-Jul-2011 08:04

AllenG: This may be old news. But I just did it and thought it may be useful for some to know how.

Go here and follow instructions
http://www.thehtpc.net/htpc-tips-and-tweaks/more-channel-rows-in-the-media-center-guide/

Ignore stages 2 & 3. It didn't work for me. Had to manually grant full permissions to c:\windows\ehome\Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll

The Takeownership registry hack didn't work. I manually changed security permissions for the dll.

Enjoy.

Hi AllenG

It looks like now you have cracked the 10 row EPG, that another nice addition might be channel logos.

I've just moved over to MediaPortal, however I thought that the white logos referred to in this thread looked really good:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=84&topicid=30483

Actually, on that note, I have to say that I still like the look of the Windows MC guide. I wonder what font it is they use? Perhaps I could replicate this in MediaPortal?

My HTPC - Case Antec Fusion Remote, MOBO Intel DH67BLB3, CPU Intel Core i5-2400S 2.5 GHz, RAM 8GB DDR3 1333, HDD 120Gig Corsair Force Series 3 SSD system | WD Caviar Black 2TB data, Tuners Black Gold BGT3595 dual DVB-S/S2, dual DVB-T, Video nVIDIA GeForce GT 520, 1024MB, Sound Intel® High Definition Audio (onboard), OS Windows 7 x64

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494218 17-Jul-2011 09:47

blur:
I've just moved over to MediaPortal,

I might have to try Media Portal. I'm having video stutter issues with media centre and my HVR4400 on DVB-T.

How do you find it? Does it have a good EPG and some way of scheduling recordings based on keyword matches?

Regards Allen.

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494235 17-Jul-2011 10:41

I just updated to win7 Service pack 1 and the 10 line EPG patched DLL has been overwritten.

The patcher complains that the new DLL is "Not the right File or wrong version" Bummer.

Files are exactly the same size so I'm not sure whether the DLL is different, or just an updated version number. Might have to do some more research on that one. Will try copying the old patched DLL back after Ive tested SP1 for video stutter

Heres hoping SP1 cures the video stutter. Fingers crossed.

Allen.

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494296 17-Jul-2011 14:21

Finally found a way to get this working with Win7 SP1.
Original post won't work after installing Win7 SP1

http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/12/increasing-the-default-number-of-rows-in-the-epg.html

Follow instructions on the above link to install media centre studio. Create and apply a Theme. Don't have to change anything just Apply your newly created theme.
I'm not sure what this does, but without it the next step won't work.

Because the EPG Patcher won't work with the SP1 update of this DLL, I edited the DLL manually and changed the strings as per the above page with Resource Hacker (link is on above page).

This worked, but when displaying the EPG, the word "Guide" or whatever your favourite channels list is called over-wrote the top channel row. I fixed this by creating a new favourites list called " " ie just a space character.

If you want 10 channels in your EPG badly enough and can be bothered with this long winded process, then enjoy.

The DLL has all sorts of setting you could tweek (and break) backup the DLL first

BTW SP1 did not cure the video stutter on DVB-T
Looks like its a Catalyst video driver problem with repeatedly checking for HDCP on non HDCP displays. Supposed to be addressed in next version 1.7 odf driver.

Regards Allen.

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494309 17-Jul-2011 15:10

Just found this link to a pre-patched DLL for SP1.
Resource Hacker & manual edit no longer required.

http://www.mediafire.com/?itix4dl88vb42u9

Already patched for 10 line EPG and the Favourite group name doesn't overwrite top row,

So three steps

Grant full permisions to the DLL windows/ehome/microsoft.mediacentre.shell.dll
Run media centre Studio and create and activate a profile.
Replace DLL

Not 100% sure if step 2 is still required.

Forum post describing this patch
http://www.pcmediacenter.com.au/forum/topic/43816-win7-sp1-on-windows-update/page__view__findpost__p__314455

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494366 17-Jul-2011 19:59

Something else that seems to have changed either with the SP1 update or the patched DLL:

The Mouse pointer is no longer locked to media centre when full screen on dual screen setup. Used to have to use "windows" key to get focus back to desktop. not any more it seems.

Focus still needs to be on media centre screen for remote control to work media centre functions.

Allen.

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494420 17-Jul-2011 23:07

AllenG:
The Mouse pointer is no longer locked to media centre when full screen on dual screen setup. Used to have to use "windows" key to get focus back to desktop. not any more it seems.

Focus still needs to be on media centre screen for remote control to work media centre functions.

Allen.

Must have been a glitch. After a reboot its locking focus on media centre again. Oh well.