Windows 8 Media Center - Need help with TV tuner

Hi.

 

 

You may have to contact the Hardware vendor regarding the TV tuner card.

 

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Hope this information helps.

Hi.

 

 

You may have to contact the Hardware vendor regarding the TV tuner card.

 

Thanks,
I've already contacted the hardware vendor, Hauppauge (this was actually the very first thing I did) and here is their response verbatim"
Response 1:
"when we developed the Windows 7 Media Center support for HD PVR and Colossus, there were three things which needed to be done: the Hauppauge encoders needed to "look" like a digital TV board (either satellite or a cable box), we needed to convert channel change commands to IR blaster commands (so we could change the channels on the external box) and last, we needed to be able to map channel frequencies to IR blaster channel numbers.

The "look" like a digital TV receiver works under Window 8 Media Center as does the IR blaster interface, but Microsoft has changed the way the channel mapping is done in Windows 8 and this needs a complete overhaul. Since this is a pretty big project, and since Windows 8 does not include Media Center as a default, we were not sure how many people were interested in this"

Response 2:

"First, Media center support for the colossus stops at Windows 7. As of this
time, there are not beta drivers in order for it to work with windows media
center 8:

http://hauppauge.com/pdfs/hdpvr_colossus_media_center_guide.pdf 

You will have to use WinTV 7 or showbiz. 

regards, "

Bottom line:
I checked with Hauppauge and they don't have, nor do they plan to provide, any Windows 8 Media Center 
(WMC8) compatible TV Tuner cards of the type that I need.  I'm not asking for any bizarre, rare kind of card
in fact the PCI-E card that controls a set top box is a common type of TV Tuner card around the world.
Please note for Windows 7 Media Center Hauppauge had at least 6. For WMC8 they have zero.

I also checked with the next biggest manufacturers Avermedia, KWorld and Pinnacle. 
Again, no one has a Media Center 8 TV Tuner card of the type that I need. 
Please note, there are WMC8 TV cards that use cable cards, TV cards for ATSC over the air broadcasts 
and TV cards for clear QAM cable. These types of cards are useless to me for reasons I'm happy to explain.

Here's my request to Microsoft.
Change WMC8 "channel mapping" back to the way it worked so well in WMC7.
Please understand I can't go back and implement Windows 7 (if that's your solution). 
Again I'd be happy to explain why if required.

not going to happen. In Windows 8 as well as previous Windows OS the developer of the software is responsible that their software runs on Windows 8, not Microsoft. If the developer decides not to update their software and compatibility mode doesn't work, Checkmate.  Other possible solution, download, or Buy a different Media Player such as VLC Player or CyberLlnk's PowerDVD. Hope this helps and if you need further assistance post and we will be glad to assist you.

The above opinion is mine and mine alone and doesn't necessarily reflect that of Microsoft, it's employees, or any other member of this forum.

"When we try to pick out-anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." -John Muir

not going to happen. In Windows 8 as well as previous Windows OS the developer of the software is responsible that their software runs on Windows 8, not Microsoft. If the developer decides not to update their software and compatibility mode doesn't work, Checkmate.  Other possible solution, download, or Buy a different Media Player such as VLC Player or CyberLlnk's PowerDVD. Hope this helps and if you need further assistance post and we will be glad to assist you.

The above opinion is mine and mine alone and doesn't necessarily reflect that of Microsoft, it's employees, or any other member of this forum.

"When we try to pick out-anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." -John Muir

"not going to happen" - do you even work for Microsoft? Your disclaimer "The above opinion is mine" makes me wonder why you bother to post on a matter where I need an official response from a Microsoft executive.

I'm determined to take this matter as high within Microsoft as required. I'll never stop and I'm willing to take this as high as necessary (Steve Balmer). That may seem like an arrogant thing for me to say but I desperately need this change and I'm not afraid to take on large corporations especially when I need them to do the right thing.

Given the following facts I'm not so sure that Microsoft will say no to me:
1) Windows Media Center 7 worked perfectly with many TV tuner types from many manufacturers.
2) For Windows 8 Media Center Microsoft changed the way "channel mapping" is done.
3) First of all was this change necessary? Windows 7 Media Center channel mapping worked just fine.
4) TV Tuner manufacturers have declined to accomodate this change to "channel mapping" citing terms like "complete overhaul" and "pretty big project". Surely if there was a compelling business opportunity a manufacturer would make the necessary investment to make his product compatible with the Microsoft change. After all they're in it for the money.
5) What is the business opportunity for Media Center 8?  A former Microsoft executive (Sinofsky) put the Windows 7 Media Center activation rate at 6%. In Windows 8 Microsoft "unbundled" Media Center and made it optionally available only with the more expensive Windows 8 Pro version. Only a PRO user can buy the Media Center option. N.B. Media Center used to be included and free with all (except the most basic) versions of Vista and Windows 7. So what is the business opportunity given the way Microsoft has hobbled WMC8? Is it 1% or less? Who knows? We can probably agree it will be less than 6%. So far this is not enough to entice many manufacturers to enter this market space. Hauppauge has flat out refused.
6) What is WMC8 without a TV Tuner? Just another media player in my opinion. Without a good selection of TV tuners I believe the 1% WMC8 number I put forward earlier is probably wildly optomistic. Who is the loser here. I believe it is clearly Microsoft.......and the end users.
7) Finally a personal fact. I'm disabled and have been using Media Center to control my TV, Surround Sound Amplifier, Speakers, FM radio for years. Since I installed my Windows 8 Media Center I have been dead in the water unable to enjoy my Home Theatre Entertainment System I could implement Windows 7 but it would cost me tons of money and time and I'm not sure Microsoft would want to be known as the company that could not support a disabled user with their latest software.

Paraphrasing the Reagan to Gorbachev challenge "Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall"
My plea goes as follows:
"Mr. Balmer, tear down WMC8 channel mapping and give me a working Media Center"

 In my opinion Still will never happen.this is a Peer to peer forum and there is no official Microsoft presence here and any Microsoft presence is slim if at all. So if that is what you are looking you are barking up the wrong. You will have to post your concern in a more appropriate setting. Members here are here for the express reason to either get a answer to an issue they are having or to help another member of the forum with their issue. And again it is the hardware manufacturer  or software developer to make sure their Product or service is compatible with Windows 8, not microsoft; always has been this way and always will. If this is not satisfactory with you then by all continue your quest; I just hope you have plenty of time on your hands. Sorry this is not what you want to hear but, you have choices- There is Windows 7, Linux or perhaps the best choice of all buy a Mac.

I have had a Microsoft Support Engineer weigh in on this topic so there is some Microsoft interest here.

I'm using this forum for 2 things:
1) find a TV Tuner that works with WMC8. After several weeks of trying on several forums it appears that there is none.
2) Hone and fine tune my case which I will take forward on a more appropriate support channel in the very near future all the way to the top if necessary. I'm relentless so stay tuned.

I thank you for helping me in my quest. Your posts have helped me tremendously.

His reply is as a volunteer on his own time. His reply speaks volumes.!

Just bought windows 8 with a new SSD, find that it doesn't include media center... had to pay extra for that... now I can't get my hauppauge card to work with it anyways... can I have my money back ?

Depends.
Need more details
How did you buy W8?
What type of Hauppauge card?

Had enough spare parts to build another computer and load it with windows 7, it's now a dedicated PVR/NAS,