Can I use my ATI card tuners with new build?

[Trantics]

I wasn't sure exactly which topic to put this under so please excuse me if I picked incorrectly. It seemed to fit under a few.

I have recently moved my HTPC to a different room but now I use it for all tasks and not just watching TV, listening to music, or watching videos. Unfortunatly the age of my setup is starting to show. If I start WMC and shrink the window to watch TV while doing other tasks (internet or anything,)the computer slows to a crawl. I've been wanting to rebuild for awhile now so its not that big of a deal. Here is the worry though.
The computer is an old Dell XPS 420 I bought brand new because it came with dual external ATI CableCard tuners. These were only available OEM with a system purchase as far as I know. Also when you setup WMC you have to enter a seperate Microsoft product key in order to use digital content.

If I build a new computer will I still be able to use the tuners and product key?

 

[dagamer34]

Windows 7 allows for almost any computer to use CableCard tuners without any hacks. The key comes pre-installed with the OS. You just have to run the Digital Cable Advisor, a WMC extra, before CableCard will be active.

As such, you should be able to build a 100% DIY system to satisfy your needs. There are also plenty of other CableCard tuners that exist now, like the Ceton InfiniTV 4, that will not put DRM on the .wtv file, allowing you to watch it in VLC on other operating systems (or more importantly, stream using programs like StreamToMe or AirVideo on iOS), assuming there aren't any copyright flags from the broadcaster or cable operator (don't expect to watch HBO like this).

 

[Trantics]

Thanks for the info on the keys. I remember reading about the Cetons but they were more expensive back then. For $200 it a good deal at 4 channels. Gonna start looking at processors and get a game plan together. Its been 5 years since I built a system. I notice performance is not all in the clock numbers now. Gotta get informed!

 

[Slugbait]

You say the computer slows to a crawl...but you don't say anything concerning what slows to a crawl.

Those 420s were no slouches. And especially if you went with the Extreme, you're cruzin. I'm guessing the problem is not that your machine is "showing its age".

A description of the problem and specs would be beneficial.

 

[Trantics]

Sorry. It slows when WMC is open and I try to do just about anything else. Internet browsing mainly. Mouse will pause, Windows Explorer constantly refreshes, basically just acts like its under heavy load. When I first purchased it, it never acted like this. Just started recently.

It came with a Q6600, 3Gb RAM, Radeon 3600 series(cant remember which one.) I've added two HDDs (1.5Tb for TV, 1Tb My Documents.) Upgraded to Win 7 a while back. Only other item I changed was the remote.

For about three years it sat in my den and was only used for WMC. Rebooted once a week and that was about it. Hope thats more help.

 

[sm625]

WMC is bloatware. Dont expect it to run correctly on anything except a fresh OS install with no actual media. Once you actually have a catalog of media that's been viewed and browsed dozens of times, the bloat will really show itself. That is why I repeatedly say that WMC and all programs like that are just not practical. Those who use them... dont really use them. Because if they did they would have seen the issues I and others have talked about. It's easy to just open something once, diddle around with it, and say "it works great!" It is quite another thing to watch a program's performance slowly degrade every time you use it.

 

[Ferzerp]

Ceton InfiniTV 4, that will not put DRM on the .wtv file, allowing you to watch it in VLC on other operating systems (or more importantly, stream using programs like StreamToMe or AirVideo on iOS), assuming there aren't any copyright flags from the broadcaster or cable operator (don't expect to watch HBO like this).

Any media center extender will still work. You can't share the recording, obviously, but if you have a WMC box do all the recording, *any* recordings it has made will still work on any MCE that is hooked up to it as it is doing the decoding.

Xboxes are pretty much the easiest way to do this. Every TV in my house has one.

 

[Slugbait]

Hope thats more help.

Yeah, the description of exactly what you do when perf tanks could be better, but I believe the specs tell the story.

IIRC, it's because of your video card: once you've windowed WMC, DirectX is forcibly disabled (someone correct me if I'm wrong, thx). This will tank your system responsiveness. Your card is very weak, you likely wouldn't have an issue with something like an 8600GTS/256 (I didn't have an issue with an 8600GTS on an X2 4200+ machine...your proc is a bit beefier).

Resolution plays a huge role: the higher your rez = the slower your machine. And their 5000 series and lower struggle (or fail) to do 1080p.

Another possibility is the videocard driver. ATi have been known to screw up Media Center on a fairly regular basis (a good example is underscanning), and there are regular complaints with slowness or jitters while using MCE/WMC.

Your problems could probably be solved with a GT430, which costs about $35-45 after rebate/shipping. Otherwise, you've got a really good proc with more than enough RAM to handle what you want to do.

That is why I repeatedly say that WMC and all programs like that are just not practical. Those who use them... dont really use them.

The Win7 machine in my HT room was built two years ago, mostly from recycled parts of a much older machine (C2D/EE on a Bad Axe II, 4G of RAM, 80G Raptor, 250G IDE drive, Hauppauge 1250), and it's still running its initial OS install. Depending on the sports season and particular day, it's pushing 1080p for three to 10 hours every day. Constantly enters and resumes from S3. And after two years, the bloat hasn't even hinted that it's there, much less shown itself. There has been no degradation of performance whatsoever. And I'm certainly not one of those who just diddled around with it once or twice.

I don't think your problem is WMC.

 

[ussfletcher]

WMC is bloatware. Dont expect it to run correctly on anything except a fresh OS install with no actual media. Once you actually have a catalog of media that's been viewed and browsed dozens of times, the bloat will really show itself. That is why I repeatedly say that WMC and all programs like that are just not practical. Those who use them... dont really use them. Because if they did they would have seen the issues I and others have talked about. It's easy to just open something once, diddle around with it, and say "it works great!" It is quite another thing to watch a program's performance slowly degrade every time you use it.

That hasn't been true, at least not in my case. I've been using my HTPC with Windows 7 Media Center since 2009, same windows install too. I use it every day (all day) it records all of the shows I watch, it is in my bedroom, I'm using it right now. It works perfectly fine.

 

[mfenn]

WMC is bloatware. Dont expect it to run correctly on anything except a fresh OS install with no actual media. Once you actually have a catalog of media that's been viewed and browsed dozens of times, the bloat will really show itself. That is why I repeatedly say that WMC and all programs like that are just not practical. Those who use them... dont really use them. Because if they did they would have seen the issues I and others have talked about. It's easy to just open something once, diddle around with it, and say "it works great!" It is quite another thing to watch a program's performance slowly degrade every time you use it.

Wat? I've been using Vista WMC and then the Windows 7 version nearly day with lots of recorded shows since 2006. Never had the issues you're describing.

 

[Trantics]

Informative stuff. Thank you. Guess I'll start looking into video cards. Resolution is running 1080. I dont plan on sharing or streaming recorded TV so the tuners are fine, I can get by with 2 channels. Case is getting a little tight but with Dell's MB design, changing it isnt real practical. PS shouldn't be an issue, I had to change it back when I added the two extra HDDs, and put in a Corsair 530.

Hell, if I can work out the issue by changing out the video card, I can just use some of the money I was setting aside for system rebuild, lets say go up to $200. Might as well get something that will perform well a few years down the road too. Will the NVidia cards pass the audio through the HDMI port as well?

 

[vailr]

Newer AMD cards have mini-Display Ports, but nVidia cards include no Display Ports, except for only their very latest GTX680 card, which has a (regular/non-mini) Display Port.
120 Hz monitors require Display Port to work properly.
Check Dell or HP's web sites, and see what video cards are included in their current Media/HTPC systems.

 

[Slugbait]

Will the NVidia cards pass the audio through the HDMI port as well?

Yes.

 

[mfenn]

120 Hz monitors require Display Port to work properly.

Dual-link DVI works great with 120Hz monitors.

 

[Trantics]

I want to thank everyone for their help solving the issue. I ended up at a CompUSA near my house yesterday and went in to look around. I left with a MSI R6770 they had on sale for $115. It worked.

 

[mfenn]

Glad you got it working!