Support: Media Center Edition
- Apps/Drivers
- Manuals
- FAQ
Software for the WinTV-PVR's, WinTV-HVR's and the WinTV-NOVA-S-USB2 and WinTV-NOVA-T under Windows XP Media Center Edition and with Vista's Media Center application
Notes: The Media Center products from Hauppauge (for example, the WinTV-PVR-150 or the WinTV-PVR-150 MCE-Kit) do not include an MPEG video decoder. If you have a Windows XP Media Center PC or Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, they come with a Microsoft certified Media Center MPEG decoder pre-installed. If you are building a Windows XP Media Center Edition PC, please check with Microsoft for a list of certified MPEG decoders. YOU WILL NEED A MICROSOFT CERTIFIED MEDIA CENTER MPEG DECODER TO WATCH TV!
Any of the Hauppauge WinTV MCE-Kits also include a certified Media Center remote control.
The WinTV-PVR MCE products only include the board plus driver, and do not include the remote control.Media Center drivers in a zip form (complete Hauppauge WinTV for Windows Media Center CD-ROM)
WinTV-PVR Media Center driver CD version 3.2
With support for the MCE versions of the WinTV-PVR and WinTV-HVR series, WinTV-NOVA-S-USB2, WinTV-NOVA-T-Plus, WinTV-NOVA-T-USB2.
New: now supports the WinTV-HVR-1200, WinTV-HVR-1250, WinTV-HVR-1400, WinTV-HVR-1500, WinTV-HVR-1600, WinTV-HVR-1700, WinTV-HVR-1800 and WinTV-HVR-2200.
New: now includes an Autorun for easier installation of all drivers and SoftMCE (Hauppauge's MPEG-2 Media Center software encoder).
To install:
- Download this file.
- Unzip it to a directory which you will remember (suggestion: wintv).
- Run Setup.EXE from this CD.
- Click Install drivers. This will uninstall the old driver, and install the new drivers plus our SoftMCE encoder (used on those WinTV products which use software MPEG encoders).
Note: If this is a new installation, when you boot Windows, you will see the New Hardware Found message. Hit Cancel and then run SETUP.EXE from this CD.
Name: MCE_CD_32.ZIPSize: 20.1 Mbytes
Version: 3.2
Updates: The latest individual product updates for use with Media Center
DVB-T radio application for Media Center Edition
Here is a beta version of a Hauppauge digital radio application for Media Center. This application is for DVB-T radio in Europe (especially popular in the UK), and works with the Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-Plus, WinTV-NOVA-T-USB2 and the WinTV-HVR series.
Installation guides for the WinTV Media Center Kits
WinTV-HVR-1600 and WinTV-HVR-1800 Media Center Kit QuickInstall Guide- English
WinTV-HVR-1250 Media Center Kit Quick Install guide
Quick Install for the WinTV-HVR-900/950 MC-Kit
Quick Install for the WinTV-PVR-150/250/500MCE versions
Quick Install for the WinTV-PVR-USB2
Quick Install for the WinTV-PVR-150/500 Kit
A/V Adapter cable install guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What else will I need to get TV on my PC with Windows Media Center?
System requirements for a TV tuner card in Windows Media Center.
What other software can be used with the WinTV MCE models on MCE?
How many tuners are supported by MCE 2005?
How do I configure my TV tuner once the drivers are installed in Media Center?
How do I configure my Microsoft IR Blaster remote control?
How can I record video from my VCR or camcorder?
Can I use Movie Maker with the WinTV PVR products?
There is no Radio option appearing in Media Center?
"Access Denied" error when attempting to install the drivers?
"Decoder error - Decoder has malfunctioned or is not installed" error in MCE.
"Tuner Not Found" error after installing roll up 2 for MCE?
Pause/skip sync issues within MCE with AMD X2 Dual Core processor PC?
What Hauppauge products can be installed on Windows XP Media Center Edition and used with the Media Center appliction interface?
The following WinTV PVR and HVR models can be use with Windows Media Center:
All WinTV-HVR models are Media Center compatible, including the WinTV-HVR-900 and 950, the WinTV-HVR-1250, the WinTV-HVR-1400 and 1500, the WinTV-HVR-1600 and 1800, plus the WinTV-HVR-1950 and 2200 and 2250.
WinTV-PVR-150, WinTV-PVR-150 L.P. and WinTV-PVR-150MCE
WinTV-PVR-250 and WinTV-PVR-250MCE
WinTV-PVR-350
WinTV-PVR-USB2
WinTV-PVR MCE Kits are also available and compatible. The Kits include the Microsoft IR Blaster remote control.
What Hauppauge products can be used with Vista's Media Center application, which comes with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate?
All WinTV-HVR models are Media Center compatible, including the WinTV-HVR-900 and 950, the WinTV-HVR-1250, the WinTV-HVR-1400 and 1500, the WinTV-HVR-1600 and 1800, plus the WinTV-HVR-1950 and 2200 and 2250.
Any model WinTV-PVR-150, WinTV-PVR-500 or WinTV-PVR-USB2
For Europe, any version of WinTV-HVR-900, WinTV-HVR-1100, WinTV-HVR-1200, WinTV-HVR-1300, WinTV-HVR-1400, WinTV-HVR-1700 and WinTV-HVR-2200.
What else will I need to get TV on my PC with Windows Media Center?
Your PC will need a software MPEG-2 decoder in order to watch TV or play DVD movies in Media Center. All new Media Center computers come with the correct MPEG decoder pre-installed. But if you are building a new PC, Microsoft requires an approved DVD decoder to be installed on any MCE system with a TV tuner in order to view TV.
A Microsoft approved VGA card with the latest VGA drivers is also required.
Here is a link to Microsoft's Designed for Media Center Master List.
If you will use a Cable Box or Satellite box with the Composite or Svideo inputs, you will need a Media Center remote control kit, otherwise it will not let you proceed.
System requirements for a TV tuner card in Windows Media Center.
MEMORY: 256 MB of PC133 Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) is recommended
HARD DISK: 4 gigabytes (GB) of available hard disk space required for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 operating system. Total hard disk capacity for non-mobile systems should be at least 60 GB. Total hard disk capacity for mobile systems should be at least 30 GB.
DRIVE: A DVD-compatible drive is required, and the Media Center computer must have built-in “Designed for Windows XP DVD playback" MPEG/DVD decoder. The DVD drive must read DVDs at 4x and CDs at 16x speed.
GRAPHICS CARD: 64MB graphics card using DDR with 4x AGP and Direct X 9 support (recommended to have "Designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition" logo).
DISPLAY: A minimum of 1024 x 768 pixels for a 4:3 aspect ratio and 1280 x 720 pixels for a widescreen aspect ratio is recommended.
What other software can be used with the WinTV MCE models on MCE?
You may use Sage TV, Beyond TV or any of the other excellent third party TV tuner applications with a WinTV Media Center product. These programs allow you to have similar Media Cemter functions.
If you simply want to watch TV, the Hauppauge WinTV software can also be used. This software is available on our web site in the Support section for the Personal Video Recorders.
How do I configure my TV tuner once the drivers are installed in Media Center?
From the main menu in the Media Center application, go to Settings. Then choose "TV", and "Set Up Your TV Signal". Choose yes to continue, and then choose Next to proceed. MCE should indicate your correct region/country. Select yes if it is correct, and next to continue. Choose no to select a different region and next to continue to choose your region from the list.
It is recommended to configure your signal automatically. Choose this and select next. MCE will then scan for your connected input and should indicate if you have a cable TV line, antenna, or set top box connected to your WinTV card.
Choose yes if the results found are correct, and you wish to use these results for your TV signal.
You may now either set up your local TV guide listings in MCE or return to your TV settings. TV Signal setup is complete. Click Finish.
Note: You must set up an analog tuner in Media Center before you can proceed to set up a digital tuner.
How do I configure my Microsoft IR Blaster remote control?
Connect the IR "beanbag" to an open USB port on your PC. The drivers should automatically load. Check your device manager for a "Human Interface Devices" listing, which should contain: HID-Compliant consumer control device, HID-Compliant device (3 instances), and Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver. If the device does not get detected or fails to install, try a different USB port(s) on the PC or refer directly to Microsoft. Also try installing Microsoft's "Rollup Update 2"
How can I record video from my VCR or camcorder?
Media Center does not offer you the ability to capture from the external inputs using a VCR or a camcorder unless you trick it by telling it that you are attaching a satellite receiver or a cable box to the external input at which point the tuner is then disabled. After capturing from your VCR you would then need to set up the tuner again in Media Center in order to use it.
A different PVR program such as BeyondTV or SageTV does not have this limitation built into them. You can also load up the WinTV software intended for the retail PVR-150 which you can find HERE.
NOTE: If you have a PVR-500, you would use the same software (the PVR-500 is essentially two PVR-150s on the same card)
After you have loaded this software you will be able to run the WinTV2000 application which will allow you to capture from either the tuner or the composite and S-Video inputs.
The two other benefits to this arrangement, you can still use Media Center when you wish and when you capture using the WinTV2000 application the files will be in MPEG format so they can be easily imported to other applications rather than the DVR-MS format that Media Center uses which cannot be used anywhere else unless it is converted.
Can I use Movie Maker with the WinTV PVR products?
The PVR devices are not properly recognized by Windows Movie Maker. Movie Maker is looking to attach to an AVI capture device. The PVR products do not do AVI capture; it is an MPEG capture device only.
There is no Radio option appearing in Media Center?
This is apparently an issue within Media Center, which you should be able to solve by going to start/set program access and defaults. Choose custom, and go to the ‘default media player’ section.
In here it will have Media center radio listed. If it is not checked for “enable access to this program”, put a checkmark here, and click OK. Start Media Center and see if radio has been added.
If “enable access to this program” was already checked, uncheck it, click OK, and go into Media Center. Then close Media Center, go back to these settings, and check it, click OK, and return to Media Center again, and you should now have the radio option.
How many tuners are supported by MCE 2005?
Two tuners total can be installed and configured for use in Media Center. If you are using a set top box, then you would need two set top boxes connected to two separate WinTV cards (or the dual tuner PVR 500MCE with the A/V connector) to configure them in MCE.
"Access Denied" error when attempting to install the drivers?
Run the HCWCLEAR utility and choose the "removal all WinTV files and registry entries" as well as the "search INF files" option. Click ok and wait for the screen to disappear. Next go to start/search/for files and folders. Choose all files and folders. For the file name enter: *.INF for a word or phrase in the file enter: Hauppauge Be sure the look in directory is your C:\ drive and in the advanced options that Search System Folders, Search hidden files and folders, and Search Sub Folders are all selected. Delete any of the .INF files (with Hauppauge text) that are found, and reboot the PC. The drivers should now install correctly.
"Decoder error - Decoder has malfunctioned or is not installed" error in MCE.
These errors are not related to the TV tuner, but either to the DVD Decoder application installed on the system (be sure you have one of the Microsoft approved DVD decoder programs installed), or a VGA driver issue. Try reinstalling updated VGA drivers for the graphics card in the system.
Here is a link to Microsoft's Designed for Media Center Master List.
"Tuner Not Found" error after installing roll up 2 for MCE?
"Tuner Not Found" error after installing roll up 2 for MCE?
Microsoft has addressed this issue, which can be found here.
Pause/skip sync issues within MCE with AMD X2 Dual Core processor PC?
AMD X2 Dual Core processors only. AMD has a Dual Core CPU Driver which can be found here.
The May 2005 version driver is known to correct this.
Can I use the Microsoft MCE remote control included in my WinTV MCE Kit on Windows XP without Media Center?
The Microsoft MCE remote control is designed for Media Center operating systems. However, it can be installed and will support most of the functions in the WinTV application by following these steps:
- Download "Update Rollup 2 for eHome Infrared Receiver for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (KB912024)" from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=B39D53F1-0AC9-433B-B488-4CAB82F31DC8&displaylang=en
- Run the update but when the installer appears on the screen do nothing, do not continue the install.
- Open the file called kb912024.log which should be in the C:\Windows directory.
- The fourth line of log will give you the path to the update installer. (example: C:\a322f65d95b36cee5249db67\\update\update.exe).
- Navigate to root of that directory (example: C:\a322f65d95b36cee5249db67).
- Go into the SP2QFE directory and you will find the irbus.sys file.
- Go into the IP directory and you find the irbus.inf file.
- Copy these two files to a temp directory.
- After copying the files you can then click on cancel on the rollup installer. This will remove the directories listed above so it is important that the files be copied properly.
- You can then plug in the MCE receiver and point the wizard to the temp directory to which you copied the two files.
- The wizard goes through five or six devices, simply point them all to that same directory,
The remote will not be able to launch the WinTV application, so the WinTV application must be running, and then most of the remote control buttons will now control the WinTV.