Error: Files needed to display video are not installed

[shumiron]

WMC on Windows 7 - HD Homerun HDHR3-US tuner. I receive the following error when trying to watch or record live TV - Files needed to display video are not installed or are not working properly. Restart WMC or restart the computer. I have an ATI 5450 video card in a Dell E521 Computer with AMD Athlon dual core 2.6 GHz, 4 GB memory. WMC seems to work properly in all aspects except watching or recording live TV. The demo recorded video included with WMC plays fine. I have tried restarting WMC and computer. I have reinstalled drivers for video card and homerun. Still same error. There are many posts about this error on Microsoft forums but when I searched on this forum I don't get any hits. There are also complaints on Microsoft forums that their solutions don't work. I did uninstall and reinstall WMC and still no luck. I connected the Homerun to my MacBook and live tv workes fine. Also, HDHomerun Quick TV app plays live TV properly. Are there any solutions to this error on Green Button?

[foxwood]

Have you installed any codec packs on the machine? The error you describe can happen temporarily under certain circumstances, but if it's persistent, it suggests something has messed up some of Windows default settings.

[blueiedgod]

Did you install Service Pack 1? It made my system display the same error. Removing SP1 fixed it.

[foxwood]

Did you install Windows on a Tuesday? I had that error on a machine that I installed on a Tuesday, and it worked OK when I reinstalled on a Friday.

The vast majority of 7MC users have SP1 installed. It doesn't break Media Center.

[richard1980]

Damn Patch Tuesday.

Seriously though, there are several reasons why that error can exist. Do a forum search for "files needed to display".

[Tracer]

Audio drivers can cause this issue, try using an updated version if you are using the most current release try an older version.

[foxwood]

WMC seems to work properly in all aspects except watching or recording live TV.

Can you clarify what you mean by this?

If you set up a recording, does it get recorded?

Can you play back the recording in Windows Media Player if it doesn't play back in Media center?

[blushrts]

You can try one of these two: turn off media center sounds or set your speakers in windows to stereo.

[shumiron]

Sorry for the delayed reply. Thanks for the suggestions.
1. i do have SP1 installed. I don't remember when i updated to SP1.
2. I uninstalled and reinstalled audio drivers - no effect.
3. When i try to record live TV I get a failure notice...will not record live TV.
4. I can play the short WMC recorded video sample.
5. Netflix videos work OK.
6. I have not installed any codecs as far as I know.
7. Where do I turn off MC sounds?
8. I have a MacBook with Win 8 and WMC on it and live TV works fine on that setup. But that is not my home theater computer.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I will report back soon.

[foxwood]

3. When i try to record live TV I get a failure notice...will not record live TV.

Is that a Pop-up error message? If you go into Recorded TV and click on "View Scheduled" and then History can you see what the details for the failed recording say?

If the recording isn't happening, then it sounds like a problem with the tuner setup (or network issues, but you'd expect different error messages).

[blushrts]

7. Where do I turn off MC sounds?

To turn off media center sounds:
1.On the Start Screen ,scroll to Tools>Settings>Click General>Click Visual and Sound Effects.
2.Clear the check box against Play sounds when navigating Windows Media Center.

You are connected via HDMI to your AMD card correct? I assumed that you are. If you aren't, the above probably won't help.

[foxwood]

MC Sounds won't prevent you from making a recording.

[blushrts]

MC Sounds won't prevent you from making a recording.

I'm thinking he has more than one issue. I've only seen the original error message when hooked up via HDMI and the windows sounds weren't set to stereo or the media center sounds were on.

[foxwood]

If he can't make any new recordings, and the sample recording plays OK, I think it's likely that problems with the Tuner are probably at the root of the Live TV problems. You can't get Live TV without a usable tuner, no matter what your Sound settings are.

[shumiron]

I get the error no matter if watching on my TV thru HDMI or on video monitor using D-Sub. My tuner (HD Homerun) works with my MacBook (Win 8 - WMC) - no error. So I think the tuner is not the problem. Something in WMC or Win 7. The error message appears in WMC screen - not a typical pop-up error message box...just the message text displayed on the blue background (fairly large font, too.)

[Crash2009]

I get the error no matter if watching on my TV thru HDMI or on video monitor using D-Sub.

Do you have 2 displays connected to your HTPC? Or, did you try these 2 displays separately?

[shumiron]

I use the displays separately, altho both the D-sub and the HDMI are connected to the display card. But I have only one monitor active. I will try unplugging the HDMI from display card and feed only the D-Sub to see if that works, and vice versa.

[Crash2009]

I will try unplugging the HDMI from display card and feed only the D-Sub to see if that works, and vice versa.

As someone said above, they suspect you have multiple problems going on. Time to simplify things a bit. If possible, just use 1 monitor for awhile, until you get things sorted out.

[newfiend]

Try this:
From windows desktop
Click Start
Open Control Panel
Open Sound
If using HDMI select your HDMI connection in the list click the Configure button
Set Windows sounds to 2.0 (stereo). Test, Save and Exit Sounds and Control Panel.

Open Media Center
Open Tasks/Settings on the MC main Menu
select General
select Windows Media Center Setup
select Setup your Speakers
Click Next, Select the HDMI connection, then next
Set up your desired speaker configuration here either 5.1 or 7.1 depending on your setup at home.. Test, Save and Exit back to the Media Center Main Menu
Exit Media Center
Reopen Media Center and try watching TV.
There is a weird bug in MC that if you have Windows sounds set to 5.1 and Media Center set to 5.1 you can sometimes get this error. Setting Windows to Stereo usually allows it to bypass the bug.
This error has been around for a long time even pre-SP1..

The other workaround is to disable navigation sounds for media center.
newfiend~

[shumiron]

Thanks - newfiend. That is the solution. Thanks for explaining the problem and process so clearly. I should call you newfriend. )