Re: Computer Issue

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Ok, I'm not 100% familiar with how the cards with 2 tuners on board work (I'd assume they'd be treated as 2 separate tuners), plus I never bothered to install catalyst media center So I guess I'm not much help on this one. All I know is that vista media center will not do QAM with 99% of the cards. Supposedly it's on the list of things to add to vista, but who knows for sure

So do you only use Windows Media Center then? I found I liked Windows Media Center better but I just can't do certain things with it. Hopefully you are right and it is on to be fixed up.

I can't remember the exact message offhand but when I tried to set-up in media center it says it found and set-up one tuner (the analog one) and found another tuner but couldn't set it up. If I think of it when I get home I'll go through the set-up again and find the exact message. Anyway, it looks like it is finding both tuners but it only knows what to do with one of them right now.

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Issue

Yeah I only use vista media center. The missing QAM support thing isn't a big deal for me because I can pick up local HD channels over the air.

If I remember right, you have to setup your analog tuner first, then go back and re-run set up for the digital tuner. If it's 2 separate tuners, vista media center should combine the 2 into one single guide. Oh, also make sure you both coax inputs connected.

Again I'm not 100% sure on this or how it works because I've never had to do it with a dual tuner card. Seems like it should work because with my single hybrid analog/digital tuner with a reg tweak I've essentially tricked vista into thinking I have 2 tuners and I get one guide with all analog/digital channels and I can freely switch between them.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Ok it says:

1 tuner detected and configured. Additional tuners were detected but will not be configured because either they do not have matching TV signal or any TV signal at all.

I have a cable in each coax connector. Looks like I'm SOL on getting the local HD through my cable to work on Media Center for now.

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Issue

Yeah, unencrypted QAM is the only way you can get HD locals from the cable company without an external cable co. tuner or cable card system. Plus not all cable companies broadcast the unencrypted HD signals. Actually there are 2 other options, an external HDHomerun or a beta driver for an Avermedia tuner card.

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/permalink/160819/216045/ShowThread.aspx#216045

- some discussion on the avermedia card and beta driver

You could give OTA a shot. You never know what you'll pick up until you try. You could try the fm tuner antenna that came with the card. Just plug that into the digital tuner and try moving it around the room and up high while searching for stations in media center. I'm about 10 miles away from the towers and pick up all the locals with the fm tuner just strung up to a shelf high on a wall. If that doesn't work, you could try an old pair of rabbit ears if you have some(or add an actual OTA hd antenna if you really are far away and want the channels).

http://antennaweb.org

- can enter your zip to see how far you are from towers.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Yeah, unencrypted QAM is the only way you can get HD locals from the cable company without an external cable co. tuner or cable card system. Plus not all cable companies broadcast the unencrypted HD signals. Actually there are 2 other options, an external HDHomerun or a beta driver for an Avermedia tuner card.

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/permalink/160819/216045/ShowThread.aspx#216045

- some discussion on the avermedia card and beta driver

You could give OTA a shot. You never know what you'll pick up until you try. You could try the fm tuner antenna that came with the card. Just plug that into the digital tuner and try moving it around the room and up high while searching for stations in media center. I'm about 10 miles away from the towers and pick up all the locals with the fm tuner just strung up to a shelf high on a wall. If that doesn't work, you could try an old pair of rabbit ears if you have some(or add an actual OTA hd antenna if you really are far away and want the channels).

http://antennaweb.org

- can enter your zip to see how far you are from towers.

Thanks. I'll check that out and see what I can come up with.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Dumb question but what does the FM antenna look like? I didn't notice anything that looked like one with the tuner card so I don't know if I might be missing it.

Also, is it necessary to change RAM timings or can I leave them as is if everything is working just fine? Is there any advantage to changing them?

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Issue

Dumb question but what does the FM antenna look like? I didn't notice anything that looked like one with the tuner card so I don't know if I might be missing it.

Also, is it necessary to change RAM timings or can I leave them as is if everything is working just fine? Is there any advantage to changing them?

FM tuner that came with the 650 pci version is just a brownish wire with a coax plug on one end and splits off to two ends on the other.

Messing with RAM timings necessary? No. I'd say at least make sure they are running at 800mhz though. Get a free program called cpu-z and run it. Look at the memory tab and see if it says dram frequency 400mhz (400 because it's double data rate, so 400 is 800). If it's not running at 800, you'll want to go into the bios (if you need help with that, ask away) to change it.

You could also check out the timings in the spd tab for 400 mhz to see what they should be capable of running at, then check out the memory tab again to see what they actually are running at (lower is better for timings). Not really a huge deal here as the speed increases from messing with RAM timings is usually small. If you want to overclock and squeeze every last ounce out of the computer, then mess with timings.

Just be aware that messing with ram timings and speed and going too far can stop you from booting and cause instability (if you aren't overclocking, instability shouldn't be an issue). If that happens, just restart again and the board should give you an option to get into the bios and back the timings down.

BUT you should at least get your RAM running at what it's rated for speed and timing wise. Sometimes RAM will show up in the bios slower than what it's rated as to ensure compatibility and that first boot up.

One thing about cpu-z that can catch you off guard, it will tell you your processor is running quite a bit slower than you think it should be. This is because the bios has speed step enabled where the processor will throttle down to save energy/heat when it isn't doing anything.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread here but I've got something I need to ask about. Things have been going well with the new computer. One thing I have noticed though is that when I control-alt-delete and look at CPU Usage it never goes below 50%....even when I turn things off. Is this normal of dual core processors? If not what I can do to remedy this?

Thanks again!

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Ok it seems that a service named X10 Device Network Service was stuck in status of 'Start Pending'. When I disabled it through msconfig my CPU Usage dropped like a rock. My new questions are what is this service and am I hurting the computer by having this service off?

[mudtiger]

Re: Computer Issue

X10 is a service for an ATI remote control. Don't need it, but your remote may not work with out it, don't know.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

X10 is a service for an ATI remote control. Don't need it, but your remote may not work with out it, don't know.

Thanks for the reply. I'll leave it off and try the remote control. Hopefully it still works.

[Unoriginal Name]

Re: Computer Issue

Doesn't look like that service has affected my remote so I'm going to leave it off.