My manual on howto install a XPSP2 standalone TVserver

[limpwhizkid]

To make it somewhat easier for some people.. here is how I setup my TVServer (as standalone machine) on XP SP2 (NON MCE VERSION)
It differs from the manual present in the wiki from mediaportal .. (with the patch/hotfix install that is needed to get a stable system)

This is how to setup a server for MULTISEAT deployment. you need to setup a client on another hardware to use it!

This setup is proven technology with RC1 and still running (for the moment)

it worked with the last 16 tvserver builds, bugs only related to tvserver and my hardware not OS

1) Install windows XP with integrated SP2 (english version) (It should work for other languages aswell)
2) (optional) Remove your networkcable , as Internet access during install is unwanted.

3) During install use default network TCPIP settings or you might miss out on a component you need.

4) When finished and need to enter a username do NOT enter a password for this user , or you need to enter it everytime when booting.

5) Now update your videodrivers, audiodrivers, storage controller drivers, i.e. bring the system up to date.

6) (optional) go to add/remove in control panel and remove windows components you do not need like:
MSN explorer
Outlook express
Windows Messenger

7) (optional) Right click mouse on " my computer" and choose Properties
7a) go to the SYSTEM restore tab, and disable monitoring of drives that are NOT your system drive! its useless anyway for drives not containing the system and take up lots of space (and irri background stuff)

7b) go to the remote tab and remove "allow remote assistance invitations to be sent from this computer" and click ok

7c) Now go to the advanced tab and click " error reporting"
Choose DISABLE Error reporting but notify me if an error occurs and click OK. (no need to give Bill gates info about mediaportal if there goes anything wrong )

7d) On the same advanced tab choose " startup and recovery settings button" under write debugging information choose NONE and click ok..

7e) on the same advanced tab choose " performance settings button" go to the advanced tab and set the
Adjust for best performance of : Background services
Memory usage choice to System cache
The system wants to reboot now..
8) Just reboot

9) Plug in your networkcable and use access with internet (usally nothing needs to be changed if you have a router supporting DHCP)

10) If needed ACTIVATE your windows XP license
11) Now its time to update windows
11a) optional (wsus users on networks run gpedit.msc and change location of update server, only with prof version)
12) click start and in the Runbox .. type CMD and hit enter.
in the dosbox.. type
wuauclt /detectnow and hit enter
go get some coffee and wait for a yellow shield to pop up next to the clock ..
13) you need to doubleclick the yellowshield.. but this is impossible if the patches are still being downloaded..
and the first run will bring up around 99 patches so it could take a while
If you hover with the mouse over the shield it will tell you howfar the patchdownload is completed in %

14) after installing this batch of patches you need to reboot..
make it so ..
15) when the system has rebooted..
install framework 2.NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs

16) start CMD again ..
and use
wuauclt /detectnow again!
now there will be some servicepacks for xml dot.net etc. etc..
around 6 of them .. go for a coffeerefill
18) click the shield again and install the patches
when done.. there is usually no reboot needed! if in your case it does.. just reboot..

and we go on to the important stuff to have a stable OS for TVServer.
Install the following patches in the same order below or it will fail!
19) ONLY needed when you using a FIREWIRE tunercard like floppydtv
Firewire hotfix Performance of 1394 devices may decrease after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
20) (Do NOT install tuner hotfix and dvbfix on XP MCE edition, you need to install the mediacenter rolluppackage 2!)
Tuner hotfix Windows XP TV tuner program stops responding or displays corrupted video
21) After that.. unpack this link to c:\dvbfix http://www.users.on.net/~nperin/Mediaportal/dvbfix.rar
and run the batchfile included (do not remove the folder!)
it will give you 4 popups.. 2 of unregistering and 2 of registering psisdecd.dll

22) (optional) If everything went as planned rightclick mouse on my computer.. go to system restore tab..
and disable monitoring and click apply.. (all restore settings will be deleted, cleaning up your disk).. then enable it again ..

23) (optional) Go to C:\windows .. change the default view and allow hidden files and system files to be shown ..
delete all blue temp patch uninstall files (around 105!).. and shift-delete those folders (shift delete removes it instantly instead of moving it to the recycle bin..)

24) Install your BDA drivers now for your tvcard (I use 2 Floppydtv dvb-c with alphacrypt cams)

25) (optional) If you want to make it perfect.. defrag your disk ..

26) (optional) NOW is the time to make a Ghost image(or other vendor) from your system.. which you could easily load up incase you want to try out a new tvserver version

27) Now install RC1
Use "advanced" install to choose tvserver standalone version and not the "one click" option.

Note:
When using alphacryptcam with DVB-C after installing TVserver edit floppydtvdevice in tvserver config and set cam limit to 4

Tvserver note:
I didnt need this with RC1 ! but someone could.. so I leave it in the manual
After build 20-03-2008 I have used newer builds, but to get them running I actually needed to replace streamingserver.dll with an older version otherwise it would not work
If you also cant get streaming to work do this:
( download & replace StreamingServer.dll in "Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server" Folder(remember to stop/kill TVServer first.)

Tips and tricks:
1a) If you have entered a password on option 4 and regret it now
Download and install this Microsoft TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe
And under the option Logon enter your username and password and enable autologon feature
1b) If you want to have it logon (in order to run programs in startup folder) but lock the screen afterwards.
Make a new shortcut to this setting (warning case SeNSiTiVe)
rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation
and place the shortcut in Start -> Programs -> Startup

[ThaClown]

Whow great Job!

Will try when I have time to do my setup again...

[Gixxer]

Great work limpwhizkid !!!

I am going to setup tv server soon so this will be useful.

client setup guide would be also great !!

[pegial]

Hi, Gixxer.

Your new hauppauge NOVA-TD-500 is very good for TVSERVER....

Best regards.

[Spragleknas]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. Looking forward to reading feedback.

Btw: Removing Windows messenger (for real): Start -> Run -> RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\inf\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

[Lil_Pete]

Thanks for this, I tried following the guides on the website for installing TVServer but it just kept crashing when it found a channel whilst scanning I'm presuming it's something to do with the KB896626 (or something like that) update and despite running the dvbfix patch as instructed it just didn't seem to take before, so crossing fingers it'll work this time!

If not then I'll be back shortly

I'm now at the "Ghost" phase of this, so hopefully I'll know soon either way....

Peter

edit: Nope, still crashes whilst trying to scan for channels. Going to try installing MediaPortal and see if it has any more luck...

[limpwhizkid]

Originally Posted by Lil_Pete

Thanks for this, I tried following the guides on the website for installing TVServer but it just kept crashing when it found a channel whilst scanning I'm presuming it's something to do with the KB896626 (or something like that) update and despite running the dvbfix patch as instructed it just didn't seem to take before, so crossing fingers it'll work this time!

If not then I'll be back shortly

I'm now at the "Ghost" phase of this, so hopefully I'll know soon either way....

Peter

edit: Nope, still crashes whilst trying to scan for channels. Going to try installing MediaPortal and see if it has any more luck...

I am sorry to hear that..? maybe I can assist you a bit.. ?

is it the latest build you have used ? (ive seen some people reporting a crash when scanning)
please go to tvserver config and disable 1 of your digital tuners and see if the crash still happens with one tuner ??

if still not working, could you please reload the ghost image and try build from 19 or 20-03-08 ?

did you have your setup working with any other media center ? or is it a new system ?

[Lil_Pete]

I used to have the system running Nebula's DigiTV software for managing the TV side of things, and MediaPortal for playing back films and such.

I have just installed MediaPortal 0.2.3 which finds the channels (and plays them) fine, although I can't remember how to make it grab the EPG data from the signal.

Just tried disabling one card, TV Server's configuration program still crashes. Looking at the log file this bit seems relevant, but i'm not sure how;
"Exception rethrown at [0]:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleRe turnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateI nvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
at TvControl.IController.Scan(Int32 cardId, IChannel channel)
at SetupTv.Sections.CardDvbT.DoScan()"

edit, there's another error that's somewhat chunkier above this one, should I post the log files in the Snapshot's thread?
edit 2: According to the TV log file (rather than the error log file) it is managing to lock onto a signal, Signal level = 100, signal quality = 48. But then file just stops

[limpwhizkid]

Originally Posted by Lil_Pete

I used to have the system running Nebula's DigiTV software for managing the TV side of things, and MediaPortal for playing back films and such.

I have just installed MediaPortal 0.2.3 which finds the channels (and plays them) fine, although I can't remember how to make it grab the EPG data from the signal.

Just tried disabling one card, TV Server's configuration program still crashes. Looking at the log file this bit seems relevant, but i'm not sure how;
"Exception rethrown at [0]:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleRe turnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateI nvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
at TvControl.IController.Scan(Int32 cardId, IChannel channel)
at SetupTv.Sections.CardDvbT.DoScan()"

edit, there's another error that's somewhat chunkier above this one, should I post the log files in the Snapshot's thread?
edit 2: According to the TV log file (rather than the error log file) it is managing to lock onto a signal, Signal level = 100, signal quality = 48. But then file just stops

yes please attach them to the snapshot thread ...(do not copy paste them)..

also another question .. from your systemspecs .. I found you used a nebula pci card..
I assume you used these drivers ? If you want the best, you've come to the right place ??

they look a bit outdated.. (2006)

[Lil_Pete]

Yep, sadly I am using those drivers. It's because Nebula seem to have folded/stopped producing software that's my main driving force for switching fully away from them!

Thanks for your help, I shall upload the log files and then I'm going to try build 18080 as people seem to be saying it worked!

Edit: Build 18080 seems to work! Well it doesn't crash at least and finds the channels !
Edit2: Poo, but then I can't get MediaPortal to work.