For any other Hong Kong users out there, I can confirm Windows 7 build 6801 works well with Hong Kong's DMB-T/H digital TV broadcasts. It's possible to tune and view all ATV and TVB H.264 and MPEG-2 encoded HD and SD channels.

Even better, STBs can be connected to the same media center. So for the first time it's possible to view broadcast TV and NOW/iCable cable TV in one media center without running GB-PVR, MediaPortal etc.

There are around 12-15 different tv tuners available in the ShamShuiPo shops, and so far I have confirmed the following work okay in Windows 7 MC; I can't comment on the rest:

• Compro "Vista TH850e" PCI-e card
• Hauppauge WinTV DMB-T USB Stick
• AverMedia A855 USB Stick

Of these the Compro PCI-e card has given me the most stable results, AverMedia the least (Perhaps the AverMedia device copes less well with mid-levels signal reflections? I really don't know however.)

For drivers:

Hauppauge PVR-500 (for STB s-video input): drivers download and update automatically with Windows Update

Compro TH850e : drivers provided on the compro CD appear to be the most current at this moment.

Hauppauge DMB-T Stick : The most up-to-date drivers I could find were at the shooting.com.hk distributors : ftp://ftp.shooting.com.hk/Hauppauge/WinTV%20DMB-T/11-10-2008/ - these worked okay on Windows 7 - build 6801

AverMedia - the most recent drivers I could find were on the AverMedia site dated April 2008.

The EIT EPG data works well for the ATV channels and most of the time for TVB channels 81 through 85. The Guide will sometimes show "No data available" for up to 12 hour periods for some of the TVB channels - TVB Pearl in particular - then the data will resume 1-2 days further forward in the schedule. Scheduled recordings will sometimes vanish from the guide and reappear on programs at a different day/time and unrelated program title. (Seems like an outstanding guide issue in TV Pack 2008.)

The EPG language defaults to English (unlike GBPVR which only displayed Traditional Chinese EPG and I never found a way to switch to English.) However, I haven't found a  way in Windows 7 MC to switch the EPG language to Chinese (perhaps happens automatically based on Locale setup?)

Overall Windows 7 media center is looking very promising for HK users given it supports both broadcast TV and NOW/iCable pay tv. Some of the new look and feel to the interface is outstanding. The new Music "wall of music animation" is beautiful graphical design -could be straight out of Apple (lol). The screensaver picture slide show is a popular feature in this household. On the otherhand the recorded tv "I"/"More" option/control screens are a long way from finished (I hope).

Windows 7 is stable enough I have been using it 24/7 for several weeks. I only reboot back into Vista to watch Blu-Rays.

I love to see to see this sort of post - it's great to see MS develop this great product for regions outside of the US.

I never got as much tv viewing time out of media center before the tvpack was released (dvb-s + dvb-t in the UK).

Lets hope the final version of windows 7 delivers more great features for all of us and all of the minor problems are sorted out before the big release!

Have you try the latest Win7 beta 7000? And is the hardware decode working or not.

Public beta 7000 works with Compro Vista TH850i/e TV Tuners. Windows update recognises the card as a "VideoMate TV SAA7133/35, Hybrid Capture Device". I haven't tested the other USB tuners on build 7000.

Both the Digital TV tuner and S-Video (STB) inputs work without having to use any software encoders (unlike TVPack where a software encoder such as MainConcept MCE Encoder was the only way I could get the S-Video input working.) You can only use one source at a time - either Digital TV, or STB video - using a single tuner card.

The only problem I have found so far: although the guide is almost immediately fully populated with a week of EIT data after running TV Setup, after a day or two "holes" start to appear in the schedule and the guide is only updated sparodically from then on. Sometimes the guide will be blank up to a day ahead ("no data available"). The guide data will only load for a show when the show is actually screening. This seems to affect the TVB channels more than ATV chnanels for some reason.

I have Fotocom USB tuner and and analog hauggage tv tuner in my system. Windows can find them and setup TV smoothly. However, after everything is done, it just not show up. In the blank screen, it says "no tv signal......etc". Maybe I have to buy your tv card and try again.

Hong Kong provides 13 Digital channels
9 - H.264 format for all digital broadcasting only channels.
4 - MPEG2 video format for simulcasting channels (TVB Jade & Pearl, ATV Home & World),

Windows 7:
---------------
Build 7000:  I get all  13 Digital channels:  
                   Scan is at near 0% and immediately finds the 4 main (MPEG 2) channels.    

Build 7068, 7077, 7100: Fresh build
                    I only ever get 9 digital channels. Never the 4 main public channels.

RC 7100
-------------
Th850e  only : Setup for Digital tuner only       on RC 7100:         9 Digital channels found
Th850e  only : Setup Digital + Analog tuner     on RC 7100         9 Digital channels found  + 18 analog
Th850e  only : Setup Digital tuner + Cable/S-video on RC7100   9 Digital channels found

Win 7 version RC 7100  no longer allows me to upgrade over a build 7000. ( Not supported)

Has anybody been able to get the four MPEG2 channels to work on Windows 7?
Latest builds like RC 7100?

I haven't tried every combination yet but only build 7000 finds all 13 Digital channels.

Hardware:
Th850e- Videomate &
Th350i - Videomate are supported after Windows Update completes.
X8506   MyGica - I use the Vista drivers from the CD.   Needs to be removed for a new install.
System:  nVidia 9400 on-board on a Gigabye E7AUM-DS2H motherboard via HDMI, 2 GB.

WIN RC7100 needs only 1 vendor driver for the motherboard. (Nvidia SM) Windows Update gets the rest.  

Other issues:
-------------
- Only 2 of 3 tuners per card can be setup.WIN RC 7100 assumes all tuners have been used up.
- With multi tuners, the 2nd tuner to install is on the second tuner card.
- Lately play ready install fails.

 

Does anyone try Mygica x8558 for Win7 MCE in Hong Kong? It is the only dual digital tuner available at the moment.

It seems that everything up to and including Windows 7048 gets all 13 channels. Versions after 7048 do not pick up the MPEG2 channels.

Has anybody found a work around to this?

I am curious as to whether you ever found a solution to this. I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure out what would cause the missing four channels'''phenomenon - Until I read your post.

Can we get the final 4 stations back, or do we just dump VMC/W7MC and stick with PowerCinema or similar? They have no problem detecting all 13 channels with the same tuner hardware and OS (the only problem I have with PowerCinema is its default to Chinese language EPG and no apparent way to change to English).

TIA,
Rob

I tried Windows 7264 - it finds 11 channels including the missing 4 channels (TVB Jade & Pearl, ATV Home & World). I'm not sure which 2 it no longer detects. The problem now is that program guide data is not picked up for the 4 channels. It is picked up for the rest.

That's great news. I'm going to upgrade my parents' HTPC when I get back to HK. Can the little remote that comes with the A855 be put to use with 7MC?

Hi,

I have installed the Hauppauge Win Vista 64bit driver (same as your version).

But "TV card not found" is displayed when I start the application.

When I checked the Windows update, it said my driver version is up-to-date.

And the computer could detect the USB stick.

Are you running 32-bit or 64-bit ?