home
products
contribute
download
documentation
forum
Home
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
All posts
Latest activity
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Search titles only
By:
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Forums
General Forums
Newcomers Forum
Help with TV setup
Contact us
RSS
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="CyberSimian" data-source="post: 1276249" data-attributes="member: 141969"><p>If you are happy with the way that your current setup using Windows Media Center (WMC) has performed in the past, you should give some serious thought to <strong>not</strong> changing what works. Some points:</p><p></p><p>(1) Although Windows 7 is no longer supported by Microsoft, it will continue to work indefinitely with your existing equipment.</p><p></p><p>If your system is used only as a Home Theatre PC (HTPC), and you rarely access the internet using it, you don't need to do anything. If you are paranoid, you could install free or paid-for anti-virus and anti-malware software (there are many available).</p><p></p><p>If your system is a general-purpose system, I can understand that you might be reluctant to stay with Windows 7, and want the assurance of using Windows 10 that is fully supported by Microsoft with updates.</p><p></p><p>So this point may be the deciding factor whether to stay with Windows 7 or move to Windows 10. (I am continuing to use Windows 7 on my dedicated HTPC.)</p><p></p><p>(2) Although Microsoft are no longer providing an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) for WMC, there is an excellent internet EPG available from "Schedules Direct" for a modest annual fee (around $25 per year, I think). You need to combine this with a tool called "EPG123" that converts the downloaded EPG into the form that WMC needs, and then loads it into WMC. EPG123 may also do the downloading for you (I have not used it myself, so I am not sure about that). EPG123 is discussed in detail in the following forum:</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewforum.php?f=99[/URL]</p><p></p><p>I believe that EPG123 is freeware, but it is excellently supported by its author, so I would encourage you to make a donation to the author if you decide to use it.</p><p></p><p>(3) As far as I know, the USA is the only country in the world that uses cable-card tuners that support Digital Rights Management (DRM). If you receive content that is copy protected, WMC is the only system that will allow you to watch and record such content. MP cannot do this.</p><p></p><p>(4) The current MP team does not have anyone who resides in the USA, and so has no one with experience or knowledge of using cable-card tuners. So I regret that no specific advice is likely to be available regarding the setup of your system to use MP.</p><p></p><p>If you are lucky, an MP user who resides in the USA and uses a cable-card tuner may view this thread and offer some advice, but you might be in for a long wait. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /></p><p></p><p>(5) So overall my recommendation would be to stay with WMC. You might think that it is odd that an MP team member should suggest not using MP, but the objective for you is surely to obtain a system that will allow you to watch and record TV, with the minimum amount of setup, and I feel that WMC with Schedules Direct and EPG123 will offer you that.</p><p></p><p>-- from CyberSimian in the UK</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CyberSimian, post: 1276249, member: 141969"] If you are happy with the way that your current setup using Windows Media Center (WMC) has performed in the past, you should give some serious thought to [b]not[/b] changing what works. Some points: (1) Although Windows 7 is no longer supported by Microsoft, it will continue to work indefinitely with your existing equipment. If your system is used only as a Home Theatre PC (HTPC), and you rarely access the internet using it, you don't need to do anything. If you are paranoid, you could install free or paid-for anti-virus and anti-malware software (there are many available). If your system is a general-purpose system, I can understand that you might be reluctant to stay with Windows 7, and want the assurance of using Windows 10 that is fully supported by Microsoft with updates. So this point may be the deciding factor whether to stay with Windows 7 or move to Windows 10. (I am continuing to use Windows 7 on my dedicated HTPC.) (2) Although Microsoft are no longer providing an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) for WMC, there is an excellent internet EPG available from "Schedules Direct" for a modest annual fee (around $25 per year, I think). You need to combine this with a tool called "EPG123" that converts the downloaded EPG into the form that WMC needs, and then loads it into WMC. EPG123 may also do the downloading for you (I have not used it myself, so I am not sure about that). EPG123 is discussed in detail in the following forum: [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewforum.php?f=99[/URL] I believe that EPG123 is freeware, but it is excellently supported by its author, so I would encourage you to make a donation to the author if you decide to use it. (3) As far as I know, the USA is the only country in the world that uses cable-card tuners that support Digital Rights Management (DRM). If you receive content that is copy protected, WMC is the only system that will allow you to watch and record such content. MP cannot do this. (4) The current MP team does not have anyone who resides in the USA, and so has no one with experience or knowledge of using cable-card tuners. So I regret that no specific advice is likely to be available regarding the setup of your system to use MP. If you are lucky, an MP user who resides in the USA and uses a cable-card tuner may view this thread and offer some advice, but you might be in for a long wait. :( (5) So overall my recommendation would be to stay with WMC. You might think that it is odd that an MP team member should suggest not using MP, but the objective for you is surely to obtain a system that will allow you to watch and record TV, with the minimum amount of setup, and I feel that WMC with Schedules Direct and EPG123 will offer you that. -- from CyberSimian in the UK [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
General Forums
Newcomers Forum
Help with TV setup
Contact us
RSS
Top
Bottom