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Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

Okay, the Verizon installers came out and set things up today.  They ran a short coax cable from the outside box (where my fiber terminates) into a splitter, then disconnected my DirecTV lines and connected the cables they used to get to the STB's.  Kind of interesting - they had to use special splitters that actually have circuit boards.  This is not simply a video signal, it's IPTV.  Every connection got tested and retested, and the signal was so strong they had to put an inline widget to reduce it by 3db.  Too strong a signal could give the STB's a meltdown.

We had a little issue getting the STB's going.  Evidently, the "server" that they connect to had a failure, and the whole country was down.  One server?  Kind of scary, that.

After it was connected, I went ahead and set up my TV signal in Media Center, and selected Cable this time (used to be satellite).  I saw two FIOS selections - one with (Digital) at the end, and one without.  Digital gives you all the available stations, and not picking digital just gives you channels 1-49 (local stations).  Except for some sound issues, everything went fine.  It turned out that the moving around of the Vista box loosened a wire from the sound card, and after I shut down and opened the box I found it, fixed it, and restarted.

One cool thing I found was that all the scheduled recordings were reset to point to the correct channels.  That was a nice surprise.  So now I've got fiber for phone, TV, and Internet service, and I won't lose my TV signal every time we have a storm.  Sweet.

Print | posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 8:40 PM | Filed Under [ Cool Stuff Vista ]

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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

What does your Vista MCE PC consist of? What type of tuner card do you have? Is it HD?

Thanks,
-_Eric
2/8/2007 6:10 PM | Eric
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I have a Hauppauge PVR-500 dual tuner. Not HD. Because of space limitations, I need a dual HD tuner, and haven't looked hard enough to find one. I don't even know if they exist.
2/12/2007 10:06 AM | Stan Spotts
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

You just run an IR blaster to the FIOS STB from the Media Center. I had to train MC to understand the remote, but that wasn't tough.
2/14/2007 8:44 PM | Stan Spotts
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I would imagine so, since it'll work if you have an HD off-the-air card (antenna). I have no way to test.
3/5/2007 12:46 PM | Stan Spotts
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

Have you thought about putting a guide together? In a couple of weeks I am going to be starting this same project.

If you do. Thanks.
3/15/2007 1:54 PM | Jester
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

Does anyone have a TRUE HD FIOS MCE setup, and if so what are you using for hardware?

Thanks
4/24/2007 7:51 PM | Brian
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

When I get to the point of upgrading my service to HD, I'll put together a guide. Because of the slot limitations in my MC box, I need an HD dual tuner card, so I'm waiting to see what shakes out as a solid, working card for Vista.
4/27/2007 8:55 AM | Stan Spotts
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

Thank you very much!

The more details the better, I think there is a lot of us that is reluctant to pay for a TV provider with the current issues of getting it to work (well) in MCE. If there is a good solution, I am so signing up today. I hate top set boxes ... I just want my windows machine to controll it all!
5/15/2007 1:17 PM | Martin
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

HD will not work in this setup!!

STBs push out HD content as encrypted signals using QAM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM), which most HD PC tuners do not support.

Currently, over the air HD is the only supported mechanism in Vista without cable card (an STB inside a dedicated card in your PC).

As far as I am aware, the oly true HD tuner for Vista is the ATI TV Wonder HD (about $200+). The catch is that it'll only work with a Cablelabs certified PC - Dell, HP, Vidabox supply this units for little uner $2K.
10/3/2007 11:52 AM | Rob Garrett
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I recently had FiOS TV installed. I have an IR Blaster (I think) that came with my Media Center PC. I currently connect the main part of the blaster via USB to my PC and a little 1/8 inch jack to a small IR reciever into the back of the main blaster. How should integrate the Blaster into my Motorola QIP2500-3?
10/10/2007 5:34 PM | Jenn
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

"How do you change channels on the FIOS box using Media Center?"

"You just run an IR blaster to the FIOS STB from the Media Center. I had to train MC to understand the remote, but that wasn't tough"

- Can you tell me exactly how you did it? Thanks.
11/14/2007 10:43 AM | Digz
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I just got my media center and think i am using the same equipment you are, but i cant get my chanel control to work with the MC remote any suggestions, or details on how you got it to work, any help appreciated
12/27/2007 12:17 AM | dave
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I tried a WinTV 1600 PVR & only got some bad OTA stations in digital. 2-49 is Analog. This card will not read QAM from Fios as Fios encrypts the signal.

So I Need the get Vista MCE. I need to do ssome reading.
Thanks
1/24/2008 11:52 AM | George G
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

Jenn: The emitter gets stuck over the IR receiver on the desktop box.

Digz: When you set up the connection, and pick cable, and FIOS, it won't recognize the remote. You just pick the option to do it manually and it tells you what to press on the remote. Once it's done, your remote works with it.

Dave: Similar issue - the remote isn't recognized, you have to train it.

George G: There's another option, but it's very dependent on hardware. I was thinking of replacing my Dell XPS 410 with the 420 because of this. The PC has to be CableCard ready, and the 420 is. Verizon can lease you cablecards, and you can get external tuners (USB) that plug into your PC that use them. I think I saw that ATI has them. There are some limitations, but this gives you the ability to watch and record HDTV.
1/24/2008 12:14 PM | Stan Spotts
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

"One cool thing I found was that all the scheduled recordings were reset to point to the correct channels."

By this, do you mean that Media Center changed to the appropriate channel on the STB when it starts a scheduled recording?

Thanks
7/25/2008 10:28 AM | Rob
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

The tv plays great throughg fios but i have no guide in vista MC does anyone know how to get the channel guide in mce?
8/19/2008 9:00 PM | Firedup
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I just got an HP PVILLION Elite m9340f, and I am trying to set up my cable. I have it all done right, but it will not read the remote, nor set it up manually. It also does not have my box listed under the selections for motorola.....I have Fios, does anyone know if there is a conflict with Fios and MC?
9/15/2008 4:31 PM | will
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# re: Vista MCE running FIOS-TV!

I am new to FIOS and IR Blaster. I have run IR Blaster Config and it appreas to be working properly. The final screen of the IR Blaster Config has 2 check-boxes. Which did you check?

I am running VIsta Ultimate and MCE tells me it cannot detect the IR Hardware. I am not sure how to get MCE and the IR Blaster connected.

All help appreciated.

PS. VZ supplied a Moto 1600 STB and it has no channel display though it does work with IR BLaster.
5/31/2009 4:04 PM | Mark Ryan
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