Hot to configure/set up dual tuner in Vista Media Center?

[Spring]

This is my very first post so please forgive my ignorance.

I've recieved my HP Pavillion Ultimate with Vista Ultimate 32 bit and when
following the quick start-up directions for the connections that came in the
box and following the auto config (recommended) to set up the tv, I get no
channels. I then manually configured to use the analog signal and inserted
my basic cable into the CATV insert. This way it works but I cannot get the
dual tuner capabilities. Only one tuner is being used so I cant record more
than one channel at a time or watch one channel while recording other(s).

The HP help support has been useless (laughable).

I have a TIVO with dual tuners in another room and that works fine.

BTW, I'm using the 24" monitor as the tv screen.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Spring]

dual atsc-ntsc tv tuner, pvr, 1fm tuner, rem

When I configure the tv set up in the Windows Media, these two options
display, both checked:

Hauppauge WinTV 418 Tuner
ViXS PureTV Analog TV Tuner

I have 2 tuner cards and used a splitter. Here is the configuration: wall >
cable > splitter > 2 cables > one cable attached to "CATV in" into one tv
card and the other attached to "ant in" or "tv in" into the other tuner card.

I'm only getting reception from the CATV. I dont get a signal from neither
"ant in" nor "tv in."

 

[David B.]

I see no Hauppauge Tuner with that model number, perhaps it is the
WinTV-HVR-1600? HP seems to like to use those. In order to use the digital
portion of that card with your cable connection, the card has to have a QAM
tuner, some of that model of card have it, some don't, you'll need to remove
the card from the computer and get the product code off it, only codes 74021
and 74041 support QAM, any other code does not, so you'll have to connect an
OTA antenna to it and use Hauppauge's software to view digital channels.
Downloads and manuals can be found here.
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/support_hvr1600.html#manuals

 

[Spring]

That makes sense. When I configure automatically (recommended) it via Media
Center I get very limited channels with the configuration of an antenna, but
when I configure it manually using both tuners (ViXS PureTV Analog TV Tuner ,
Hauppauge WinTV 418 Tuner), I get a normal signal from the Analog TV Tuner
and an interrupted (digital sounding) signal from the Hauppauge tuner.

I hope I can figure out how to connect the OTA antenna and find the software
to view the digital channels. I'm pretty computer illiterate.

How do I remove the card? Do I need to do something before I remove it so
that it comes out safely? such as bottom right of my moniitor there is a
"safely remove hardware" function.

 

[David B.]

Shut down and unplug the PC, remove the side cover, touch the metal PC
casing, find the card and remove it, you may need a screwdriver.

 

[Spring]

You have been so very helpful!! Thank you sooooo much!!!!

 

[David B.]

No problem, I would recommend if you have any future questions regarding
Media Center to post them to the windows.mediacenter group, it's dedicated
to the MC application.

 

[Spring]

Ok, now I'm really going to sound like an idiot! Where is that group? I've
been searching but I cant find it. Thanks again.

 

[David B.]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/....mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter

You may want to do yourself a favor and use Windows Mail, rather than the
horrible web interface to access the groups, add a new news account and use
the server msnews.microsoft.com, no username or password.

 

[Spring]

When I type msnews.microsoft.com in the address bar, all I get is the search
window. Please explain further. Thanx

 

[David B.]

Re read my post, set up a news account in the WINDOWS MAIL application, you
don't access it using Internet Explorer.