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Tv Tuner question m9700

post #1 of 20
10/17/06 at 3:27am
Thread Starter 
Hey, i'm posting for the first time here. I just ordered my m9700 but noticed that there isn't an option on the ordering and customizing that lets you choose to get the tuner. I looked at the screens about the comp, and it just says "we've included a tv tuner", and the specs say input: tv tuner (coax) optional....

so i'm confused if the comp is coming with the tuner or not now... i didn't see the option when i look at the config page again either
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post #2 of 20
10/17/06 at 4:15am
To get the tv tuner, you have to order the m9700 with Windows XP, Media Center Edition. Once you choose that OS, the option for the tuner shows up in the configurator.

You won't get the tuner without MCE, so if it's important to you, call and change the order.
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post #3 of 20
10/17/06 at 4:19am
Hammer, i know you have the tuner, how is the image quality?
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post #4 of 20
10/17/06 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
thanks for the reply... i don't know if i could stand the media center edition since i've been with xp pro so long... but i just realized that i was going to get a sling box anyway, so as long as i have a internet connection, i will be able to view my tv... i guess i will do that
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post #5 of 20
10/17/06 at 10:55am
i need one for my desktop if anyone wants to recommend me one...
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post #6 of 20
10/17/06 at 5:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nevercanregsite
Hammer, i know you have the tuner, how is the image quality?

It's pretty good actually compared to other computer cards I've seen. Watching tv live is quite good, only a slight graininess in some instances. Recording tv then playing back there is a slight degradation over watching live, but it's still quite good. I have a DVR on my satellite dish, but I can't transfer files off it's hard drive, so I'm transferring World Superbike and MotoGP races off the DVR by playing it back into the m9700, and recording it again. The quality on that, recording a recording playback is again slightly worse than the original playback, and I can see a minor frame rate issue in really fast shots, but overall it's good.

I got the tuner so I could transfer stuff to my hard drive from my DVR, then burn them to dvd. I wasn't expecting great quality due to other tv tuners showing fuzzy text and color bleeding, but it's actually better than I'd expected. I'm using digital satellite signal input though so my feed is pretty good also...

I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

It is cool though to have a device I can use as an extra tv or playback device that's so portable, and it only cost a bit more to include it.
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post #7 of 20
10/17/06 at 5:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dhasek00
thanks for the reply... i don't know if i could stand the media center edition since i've been with xp pro so long... but i just realized that i was going to get a sling box anyway, so as long as i have a internet connection, i will be able to view my tv... i guess i will do that

Well, I've had XP Pro on my three previous computers. I don't see a difference between MCE and Pro under normal use. The only time the MCE comes in is when you open it up, and it's basically just a big interface that controls entertainment functions from music, to tv, movies, vids...

There are some issues with drivers. I've added codec packs to the system for divx and other playback that I've used with xp pro, but it's messed up playback in WMP and quicktime. Sometimes I get vid playback with a pink tint to them and I'm having trouble finding codecs that won't screw up everything. I think Yang is having the same problem.
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post #8 of 20
10/17/06 at 5:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dukefrukem
i need one for my desktop if anyone wants to recommend me one...

For the desktop, I read a review/comparison, and the clear winner was the ATi tv wonder elite.

I'm going to get one for my desktop so I can set up my ALX speakers with a big lcd monitor for a home theater setup unless a new card comes out that's rated higher before I buy.
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post #9 of 20
10/17/06 at 5:56pm
yeah, watching live tv is tolerable...just like HH said

slightly grainy, but works great + w/ tivo capabilities...I'm a happy camper
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post #10 of 20
10/17/06 at 5:58pm
yeah as HH mentioned, I wasn't able to DL any codec or divx type players or else it will come into conflict w/ "Live TV"
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post #11 of 20
10/17/06 at 6:25pm
I've seen someone post here that got the m9700 with MCE and the tuner, then loaded his own copy of XP Pro. He then installed Nero 7, and it found and loaded the stand alone drivers for the tv tuner.

If you really want Pro and the tuner, this may be the way to go though you'll have an extra copy of MCE on hand.

I'm thinking of doing that myself actually, as I'm not able to get my satellite box to work with MCE directly anyway.
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post #12 of 20
10/27/06 at 11:10am
for desktops i have try an external USB from pinnacle and the internal from both pinnacle and ATI, all 3 of them are great, i specially like the USB since i can use it in any system it also has an FM tuner so i can hear radio in case i get tired of mp3
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post #13 of 20
11/5/06 at 8:15am
HH and Yang: I'm not sure what to tell you about exactly how to fix that and make it run the way you want it, but I can tell you what works for me and how I fixed my MCE related problems. My Live TV would crash randomly after a few minutes of play with the default software. It turns out that the MPEG2 decoder wasn't cutting it. The decoder was something packaged in with PowerDVD. When I figured it out I ditched PowerDVD as fast as I could and got the nVidia PureVideo decoder. As for Players and codecs I use Winamp, and anything that doesn't play with it I use the K-Lite Mega Codec pack and the Media Player Classic that comes packaged with it. That seems to work cleanly with everything and not clash.
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post #14 of 20
11/5/06 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pairadimesitty
HH and Yang: I'm not sure what to tell you about exactly how to fix that and make it run the way you want it, but I can tell you what works for me and how I fixed my MCE related problems. My Live TV would crash randomly after a few minutes of play with the default software. It turns out that the MPEG2 decoder wasn't cutting it. The decoder was something packaged in with PowerDVD. When I figured it out I ditched PowerDVD as fast as I could and got the nVidia PureVideo decoder. As for Players and codecs I use Winamp, and anything that doesn't play with it I use the K-Lite Mega Codec pack and the Media Player Classic that comes packaged with it. That seems to work cleanly with everything and not clash.

What default player are you talking about?
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post #15 of 20
11/5/06 at 8:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kazkek
What default player are you talking about?

Not "default player", default software. I mean that the Live TV feature was not working from the moment I got it with the factory default software setup. It wasn't something that broke because of any tinkering I did.
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post #16 of 20
11/6/06 at 6:47pm
so you just un-installed power dvd? hmm I'll test that out later =D (after I make a "restore" point just in case haha)
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post #17 of 20
11/6/06 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yang88She
so you just un-installed power dvd? hmm I'll test that out later =D (after I make a "restore" point just in case haha)

Well I got rid of PowerDVD because the mpeg 2 decoder that comes with it was crap. MCE relies on an mpeg2 decoder to use the Live TV feature. Uninstalling PowerDVD isn't the only step. After you uninstall PowerDVD the Live TV Feature will become COMPLETELY USELESS until you replace the decoder. You have to get nVidia's PureVideo decoder to replace it, and that will require a keygen (can I use the word keygen here? ). That may help your problem, but the issue could also lie with your codec pack, in which case I'd recommend reading the rest of my earlier post.
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post #18 of 20
11/6/06 at 8:29pm
ah i c, so the nvidia pure video decoder will work for those of us w/ ATI gpu's?
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post #19 of 20
11/6/06 at 11:11pm
I haven't tested it, but I see no reason why it shouldn't.
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post #20 of 20
11/7/06 at 12:50am
I'll let you know how it works haha
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