Vista MCE support for DVB-S card ??

 

现在的项目基本就是在VISTA MCE下开发一个支持DVB-S Card的plugin。项目伊始已经读了一部分MCE SDK，有部分内容不是很清楚，于是就到internet这个大学堂里吸收点营养。

Microsoft 对DVB-S tuner到底提供不提供官方的支持呢，我们从Windows Vista Media Center Expert Zone Chat (June 21, 2007)可以得知——不提供官方支持。

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Windows Vista Media Center Expert Zone Chat (June 21, 2007)

Chat Topic: Windows Vista Media Center Expert Zone Chat
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2007

Introductions

I'm Tyler Welch, and I'm the MVP Lead for Windows Vista Media Center Edition, and the moderator for this chat.

Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Hi; my name is Todd. I am a program manager working on Media Center Extender technology. Welcome to todays chat!

Bryan Socha (Expert):
Hi, I'm Bryan Socha, also known as accident on thegreenbutton.com. Media Center MVP (www.microsoft.com/mvp).Go ahead and begin sending us your questions, and we'll get the chat underway.

Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Where is the Urge plugin
A: Are referring to a MCE plug in for Urge?

Bryan Socha (Expert):
Q: i have a qpvision tv with computer embeded, using 2 tv cards, one is an hauppauge tv card the other one is pinnacle pctv dual sat pro 4000i installed all drivers plus support site software for wmce 2005
A: Are you trying to use dvb-s?

Bryan Socha (Expert):
Q: i have a qpvision tv with computer embeded, using 2 tv cards, one is an hauppauge tv card the other one is pinnacle pctv dual sat pro 4000i installed all drivers plus support site software for wmce 2005
A: Media center does not support dvb-s.

Bryan Socha (Expert):
Q: will vista media center support 2 tv cards? one dvb-t and one dvb-s ?
A: dvb-s is not supported at all.. that type of tuner will not work in media center.

Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: How do Vista MCE and XP MCE compare in terms of graphical UI performance? Does the change in video driver model still slow Vista vs. XP?
A: The main issue is around video drivers. Video card manufacturers obviously have more experience with developing drivers for XP and have more time to make them performant and robust. As they gain more experience on Vista you will see performance and robustness improve.

Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Where is the Urge plugin for Media Center?
A: Excellent suggestion...It's not something we're prepared to talk about today, but definitely worthy of consideration for future releases.

Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Which of your partners are currently working on plugins for Media Center?
A: There are probably too many to count or list here. ;-) And likely there are many partners that may not want to talk about their efforts publicly b/f launch. Is there a content partner you're particularly excited to see?

Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: [45] Do any of you use filters to improve video playback? Things like ffdshow... How does this work in Vista MCE?
A: I do not use any third-party filters on my Media Center PC. If you’d like to swap notes with folks regarding such software, I suggest checking out the public Media Center newsgroup (Microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter).

Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Can you tell your partners to write in MCML?
A: We do. Getting current partners to move from the old framework to MCML takes a while since they've already invested resources in their current app.

Bryan Socha (Expert):
Q: will media center ever be abble to support dvb-s tuner cards?
A: I have heard of third party developers creating dvb-s support in a separate product. you may want to check out a site likewww.thegreenbutton.com to see if there is a discussion about it or ask that community.

Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: will media center ever be abble to support dvb-s tuner cards?
A: Support for dvb-s and other formats is something that is evaluated on an ongoing basis. we do not have any announcements at this time.

 从这次会议可以看出大家关注的热点主要有三个方面：

1.MCE Plugin；

2.对DVB-S的支持；

3.从Framwork到MCML的转换。

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Lots missing in Vista's Media Center

22nd November 2006  Nathan Davis

now have my hands on an official RTM copy of Vista Ultimate -- the same code you'll be buying on your Vista PC in January. I've also been playing around with a swag of digital tuner cards.

I'm unimpressed with how the final version of Windows Media Center (WMC) on Vista has turned out.

It will only be available on the more wallet-walloping Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions and I'm still confused about to what exactly the incentive with MCE is here.

Two tuner hard-limit

I discovered that even if you use DTV card drivers that don't conflict with other brands of tuners, you can plug in as many tuners as you like. However, this has no bearing on WMC; it recognises the lot, but you are permitted to select for use only two at any one time.

So, if you're TV-batty and wish to record two shows while watching a third, you're fresh out of luck.

No PIP

Aside from being able to record multiple shows at once, another big reason for purchasing multiple tuners is picture-in-picture.

Well you can forget about it. Have a fancy new digital dual-tuner card that flaunts PiP support? Tough. There is no such thing in the WMC world.

If you really want it, you'll have to bring out the usually unstable and interface-unfriendly TV tuner application that was thrown in the box at the last minute.

Poking around online, this is one of the most requested features of a future Windows Media Center. This only makes this all seem rather odd.

There is no immediately obvious reason as to why such an ordinary feature on most half-decent home theatre suites isn't included.

No Australian tuning frequencies

 

In order to quicken setting up the system, tuning can be done away with on this new version, theoretically. In fact, the wizard asks to confirm not only your country but also your zip or postcode to deliver the precise set of frequencies available in your area.

Well, no. Down-under, reality takes a whiz on that neat concept, as this feature isn't even partially available in Australia.

It gets better, though. And by 'it gets better' I mean 'the franken-monster has mutilated offspring.'

No Australian program guide

The new WMC has the ability to download a program guide and use this in conjunction with the time-scheduled record function. Fantastic, but I haven't tried it, because that's also missing in Australia.

Sure, it's not Microsoft's fault, given the TV networks' wrangle over copyright on TV guides, but it's still no consolation for WMC users who miss out on a major piece of functionality. Meanwhile, users of Linux media centres and some dedicated PVRs are happily sucking down TV guides from a variety of unofficial sources.

Just to rub salt in our eyes, if a certain Wikipedia stub is to be believed, Australia was among the first countries in the world that had an online telly guide. This was back in 1994 on this scorched rock -- you know, when electricity was still in its infancy and the 80's thing wouldn't die fast-enough?

A quick look over at the UK Media Center discussion forums and it appears our monarchy siblings are equally miffed.

No captions

To top off the pudding, we have closed-captions, or rather, we don't. Neither teletext nor DVB subtitle services are supported.

What's going on here? Considering the premium coinage it demands from Aussies, Microsoft ought to make the new Media Center worthwhile. Its representatives were unable to provide comment for this story, but we'll keep you posted.

Sure, competing with free must be difficult, but at least match the damn features before charging.

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