Brent's dashboard

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Robert,
In Media Center, if you have a Pace DTA, try to select the cable box as Comcast (not Pace!) and then select the specific cable box as C1982. Also, make sure that your PC's IR blaster cable is connected to the front of the DTA. – Brent, on December 21, 2009 02:59

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Robert,
In Media Center, if you have a Pace DTA, try to select the cable box as Comcast (not Pace!) and then select the specific cable box as C1982. Also, make sure that your PC's IR blaster cable is connected to the front of the DTA. – Brent, on December 21, 2009 02:58

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Jon,
From http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wi...
"QAM. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) is the digital cable standard in the United States. Windows Media Center supports QAM signals with a Digital Cable Tuner in the United States.

If your computer is running the Windows Media Center TV Pack, other types of QAM-compatible tuners are supported as well. (To learn more about the TV pack, or to find out if you have the TV pack installed, see the Windows Media Center TV Pack Help and Support article.)"

So sounds like Windows Media Center TV Pack may not be required as an add on in some cases for Windows Vista to be able to use a QAM tuner. – Brent, on December 19, 2009 08:49

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Jon,
Also, Windows 7 should support a QAM tuner if you purchase a QAM tuner. I think that only certain special versions of Windows Vista (and not Windows XP) supported QAM tuners, but not positive. The version of Windows Vista I have believe does not natively support QAM tuners. However, just like for your Monitor/TV, if Concast turns on encryption in the future, the QAM tuner for the PC is useless. If channels change from time to time, you may have issues if you use Windows Media Guide to record the shows using a QAM tuner and mark the shows to record days in advance. – Brent, on December 19, 2009 07:48

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Jon,
The Pinnacle tuner card may be for over the air digital and not a cable card tuner (which would be required if you don't want to use a cable box or DTA). A cable card tuner also requires a cable card from Comcast. Unless your PC is upgraded to Windows 7 first or the cable card tuner was purchased at the same time as your PC, you cannot add a cable card tuner to your existing PC. 101-35 and 85-1 are to be expected with QAM tuner on your Monitor/TV. The issue there is the channel numbers can change at times and if Comcast in the future turns on encryption, you will no longer be able to directly connect your monitor/TV to the cable. Comcast cannot turn on encryption yet on channels since the DTA's method of encryption is a violation of the FCC rules. If Comcast were to get an exception from the FCC, they propably would turn on encryption instantly. With Windows 7 or a new PC, a cable card tuner, and a cable card from Comcast for the cable card tuner, then the computer could get the digital channels now and even if encryption was turned on in the future. Note that Comcast charges a monthly fee for cable cards unless you do not have a non-DTA cable box. A cable card will not allow you to use the Comcast Guide (not really needed since you can use the version in Windows Media Center) or to watch on demand shows. – Brent, on December 19, 2009 06:30

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

I did a search on the web and found pages talking about Windows 7 allowing cable card tuners to be added to an existing PC. Being that many people in this discussion may have Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system, that doesn't do any good for cable card support if we didn't buy the PC with a cable card tuner. So that leaves people who want to add a cable card tuner now to their PC if the PC is not from late 2009 or didn't come with Windows 7 the requirement to either upgrade the operating system to Windows 7 (the cheaper solution) or to buy a new PC (which is what I put above). – Brent, on December 15, 2009 07:36

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

You do not have to buy a new PC or upgrade to Windows 7 if you use your PC's IR output (if it has one) or add a IR blaster to your existing Windows Vista or Windows XP Media Center PC. – Brent, on December 14, 2009 23:40

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Then, Microsoft must have changed it for Windows 7. On Windows Vista and Windows XP, Microsoft did not let you add the Cable Card support after the fact. However, many people may not have Windows 7 on their PCs. I see people in this discussion that even have Windows XP Media Center version. – Brent, on December 14, 2009 23:11

A comment on the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Comcast does support cable cards (at a monthly fee unless you don't have a big non-DTA cable box already). However, you cannot add hardware to an existing PC that will take a cable card. To get hardware on a Windows Media Center PC that supports a cable card, you have to buy a new PC and get the digital card (cable card) support at the same time. Then, you call Comcast to order the cable card. Comcast also supports analog (for now, likely will change in future years) if you only want the local channels and not cable channels. – Brent, on December 14, 2009 22:43

Brent made a comment on "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box", but it was removed. see the change log

Brent replied on November 03, 2009 02:40 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Tom,
You also need the PC IR out cable which connects to the PC and goes on the front glass of the DTA. My PC IR out cable connects to a circular headphone style jack on the back of my HP PC, while others may connect to a USB connector.

Brent replied on October 30, 2009 01:54 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Kevin,
I do not have Windows XP Media Center Edition and have Windows Vista instead. Windows XP does not have support unless it is the Media Center Edition is my understanding. But Windows XP Media Center Edition should have screens just like Windows Vista to select first select the brand of cable box (ie Comcast) and then another screen to select the the specific cable box (ie C1982). Windows Vista makes you select the C1982 from a menu and will not let you manually type in the C1982.

Brent replied on October 18, 2009 18:32 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Kevin,
Go to http://digitalmediaphile.com/index.ph...
If that doesn't work for you then try Comcast C1982 IR code (which is what I am using) instead of having Windows Media Center learn the remote. I am able to to use the Windows Vista remote to change the channels and can record on any channel via selecting a show to record from the Guide.

Brent replied on October 08, 2009 04:59 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

alanfederman, Sounds like you are missing the set top box or DTA for your Windows Media Center PC. Once Comcast only has local channels in your area on analog, a DTA or set top box is needed for your Media Center PC to get the upper channels. A HDTV connected directly to cable without a set top box or DTA will use QAM and it is known that the channels can change on a daily basis. Also, if Comcast turns on encryption in the near future you will loose most of the channels that your HDTV is currently getting if you don't have a set top box, DTA, or cable card. However, a DTA cannot get a HDTV 720P, 1080P, or 1080i signal.

Brent replied on September 15, 2009 02:22 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

If any of the above did not work, see the following web site, however I was not able to get Windows Media Center for Vista to learn the remote according to this web site and used the Comcast C1982 IR code instead. I also put the PC IR out on the glass of the Comcast DTA box, put clear tape on the PC IR out and the Comcast DTA, and put the IR out from the Comcast DTA box in front of the Comcast DTA box a short distance away. That worked better for me instead of putting the PC IR blaster directly to the Comcast DTA IR out (as listed by Jim above). Again this worked for most of the time, but not every time. The WMC remote is changing the channel for me using this method, but sometimes it gets the channel wrong (ie 63 might become 3 at times). http://digitalmediaphile.com/index.ph...

Brent replied on June 02, 2009 06:05 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

No, I am using the Pace Comcast DTA box.

Brent replied on May 31, 2009 19:56 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

I have been using the don't use enter for selecting the channel. Right now I changed to using 2 digits instead of 3 and it works much better. The test for channel 5 and 6 is working now. I am using the Comcast C1982 IR code. However, sometimes it still doesn't get the channel correct.

Brent replied on May 31, 2009 17:43 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

I moved the location of the Comcast DTA farther away from the PC's remote sensor and had some luck, but still have some issues. I still cannot get Media Center to learn the remote. When it is trying to learn "1", it will get through learning "1" on the first screen, then when it gets to the second screen it usually gets stuck on release the button to continue. Then, it does not allow you to click on next and does not go on to the next screen. So, I hit cancel. This time I selected that the DTA uses up to 3 digit channels and then picked Comcast as the STB. I used C1982 as the IR code, the only option listed for Comcast. Then, used "slow" as the IR speed since slow worked better than "fast" or "medium". In the Guide part, I selected Comcast Digital and my city. I also added channel 11 and channel 66 to the Guide since they are missing. I now can use the Windows Vista MCE remote or regular keyboard and the Guide to change the channel. However, it gets the channel correct sometimes and sometimes gets the channel wrong. With a test of digits 0-9, it gets the 5 and 6 wrong the most. I got it to change the channel to 111, meaning supporting 3 digits, but that does not work every time.

Brent replied on May 28, 2009 04:56 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

I have already found that web site and have had no luck. Every time this step fails: 13. A message will display when the remote has been identified and the codes established. Use your Media Center remote to complete TV setup. I get set top box not recognized using the Comcast DTA just after doing step 12: 12. Press and hold the 0 key. You may be prompted to do this more than once and prompted to select different keys on your DTA remote. Follow the instructions until completed.

Brent replied on May 25, 2009 01:01 to the problem "Using PC TV card and Windows media center with Comcast digital tv converter box" in Comcast:

Windows Media Center has the option to select the set top box and use the IR out from the computer to change the channels. However, in Windows Vista, Windows Media Center does not have the option to select the new Comcast or Pace DTA. Trying to get Windows Media Center to learn the DTA remote does not work. When is Comcast going to work with Microsoft to fix this????