Vista Media Center -> I want to use Composite input

[Aaron Kelley]

I have a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-USB2 that works with Vista Media Center, but
there's something I can't figure out, that should be TV tuner independent.

I want to use the composite inputs on my TV tuner (to connect a Nintendo Wii
and be able to see it on the screen). I can't figure out how to get Media
Center to use the composite input. If you go to the TV setup, it's possible
to get it to look at the composite input for a set top box (you can even SEE
THE VIDEO coming in in the little preview box) but it won't let me select
and display it because it can't find an infrared device to use to control
the set top box.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897090
There apparently is a workaround in MCE 2005, but it doesn't work here, when
I get to step 8 in part 2 it just complains that no IR hardware is detected
and does not give me the option to go on.

It'd be nice if MCE had the option to just turn to composite as one of the
channels or something, there are lots of things people might hook up that
they'd like to use.

Anyone know another way...? Am I missing something?

Thanks,
- Aaron

 

[Gary Tsang]

You aren't missing anything.

Unfortunately, it is sort of folly to even bother trying to play any video
game console system through tv of Media Center, as the image is buffered by
about 2 seconds (i.e. what you see on the screen will have been from two
seconds ago). This makes playing games very difficult.

If you want to play your video game consoles through your tv tuner input
card, your best bet is to see if there is third party software that will let
you do this.

--
Gary Tsang
http://www.gtsang.com

Microsoft MVP - Windows Media Center
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp

 

[JW]

Use the Hauppauge WinTV application instead of MC. This also solves the
problem with MC having a delay due to time shifting.

 

[Sven]

The delay issue is a problem here, but it has always irritated me that the
video inputs are essentially disregarded by the MCE team. Virtually every
MCE based machine I have had, has extra video inputs, some on the back, and
some on the front. It is not a stretch that someone with an MCE box as the
basis for their entertainment system might want to hook up a VCR or laser
disc (remember those) to the back permanently, or a video camera or portable
video player (like a Zune) to the front. It is ridiculous that you have to
drop out of the MCE interface and find another piece of software, just to
access these ubiquitous video inputs. There really needs to be some way to
do that from the MCE GUI, other than it being a one or the other option in
the setup.

 

[rlbgator]

I concur!