Other Alternatives for WMC needed :(

[kam24]

Alas, I think I will finally have to release WMC. I was keeping an extra computer on Windows 7 just to keep recording with WMC, but with the guide data gone, I think I may have to face reality.

I know that there are other options, WinTV8 from Hauppage, Media Portal, Plex just to name I few I have seen mentioned.

HERE IS MY QUESTION:
Do any alternatives to WMC work with a cable box using IR controllers for changing the channels on the cable box?

I have a Hauppage USB OTA TV tuner, but I cannot get all my channels from OTA. So, I also have a cable box hooked up to an internal TV tuner to get the balance of the channels along with actual cable channels (that aren't OTA).

I thought I would start here and see if there are any recommendations on where I can start. WMC was so perfect that I could run both TV tuners and record 3 things at once: 2 OTA and one cable.

Do any other computer TV programs work with an IR blaster?

I realize that there are guide options to keep WMC going, but with the cost, effort, and the fact that I am keeping Windows 7 around just for this, I think maybe I should just put my effort into finding an alternative.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

[RedWMC]

For your specific question, I believe you might be able to do that with MediaPortal. I would recommend you hit up their fourms to confirm. If I understood your setup correctly.

It wasn’t clear to me how you are using your cable for WMC, I know some people tie a DTA/SetTop Box into a tuner on their computer into use a blaster to make channel changes to the DTA is that how you are doing it?

There is also EPG123 if you did want to stick around on Windows7 and keep WMC and you should only have to do some small setup to get that working and pay a yearly $25.

I rent a cable card from Comcast. I use the HDHomeRun prime.

I switched to Plex which gives me greater flexibility to stream TV to any of my devices and even remotely (iphone/iPad/android/Roku/and more). If you haven’t used Plex check out the free option it’s pretty awesome! I’ve used it with WMC and MCEBuddy for years with great success. Now that WMC and W7 are in the state they are in I’ve moved off to a Roku for my main TV interface and have been very happy. The wife also likes the setup better which is a big win!

Here are some additional posts that I started that might be of interest.


Windows7 EOL Poll - what’d you switch to?

viewtopic.php?t=12565

The Plex Switch:

viewtopic.php?t=12561


Good Luck!

[kam24]

I have an internal TV tuner card that my cable box is hooked up to. I had an IR blaster from something else (an old TiVo maybe) and I used that to connect the computer to the cable box. Since I got the TV tuner with the the computer it came with a WMC remote control and a thing to connect the IR blaster into. When I set up WMC, I chose cable box and it stepped through the IR blaster and all worked. Later on I added the USB TV tuner for OTA and that also integrated into WMC. So, I basically had 2 TV tuners going into WMC. It was perfect.

I have been thinking that I may have to change to a cable card, but would prefer that to be my last option (anything to avoid dealing with Comcast).

I hadn't thought of going over to the Media Portal boards - so thanks for that idea.

I was sticking with Windows 7 and WMC just because it was all set up and the least hassle. Since I now had to figure out the guide issue, I took it as a sign that maybe I just need to figure out how to do this without WMC. In the end I may end up figuring out the EPG123 setup, but might try to switch everything over to my Windows 10 machine (I am happy to see there is a section on Windows 10 here so I will have to read up).

I will be setting up manual recordings until I can figure this out - certainly brings me back to the days of the VCR!

Thank you for the links. I will read through everything tomorrow.

[kam24]

I have thought about it and the easiest thing for me right now would probably be to use EPG123 with $25 sub.

Now, before I do all of this, can anyone say whether Schedules Direct will support both cable lineup and OTA at the same time? Just knowing that most guides ask for one or the other.

I had tried to setup MediaPortal years ago (back when the first reports of WMC demise were rampant) and just didn't get very far. It was time consuming and I lost interest when I figured out that WMC would still be around for a while longer.

[grittree]

Yes, SD and EPG123 does multiple lineups easily.

[tonywagner]

Now, before I do all of this, can anyone say whether Schedules Direct will support both cable lineup and OTA at the same time? Just knowing that most guides ask for one or the other.

Just to expand on the other answer, EPG123 and Schedules Direct support up to 4 simultaneously lineups per account:

http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/step3p1/

[kam24]

Just to expand on the other answer, EPG123 and Schedules Direct support up to 4 simultaneously lineups per account:

http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/step3p1/

Yes, SD and EPG123 does multiple lineups easily.

Thank you! I just started going through the documentation and did not see that!

[adam1991]

Alas, I think I will finally have to release WMC. I was keeping an extra computer on Windows 7 just to keep recording with WMC, but with the guide data gone, I think I may have to face reality.

I don't understand. Guide data are not gone.

????

[joelkirzner]

Alas, I think I will finally have to release WMC. I was keeping an extra computer on Windows 7 just to keep recording with WMC, but with the guide data gone, I think I may have to face reality.

I don't understand. Guide data are not gone.

????

I think he means the native Windows Media Center + free Rovi guide data are gone.
Seriously, just pay the $25/year for schedules direct and continue with WMC.

[kam24]

I think he means the native Windows Media Center + free Rovi guide data are gone.
Seriously, just pay the $25/year for schedules direct and continue with WMC.

I don't have a problem with the $25. It was the time and effort to do it. If I was going to take the time, I was thinking that maybe I just just invest the time in getting something else set up on my Win10 machine.

[adam1991]

"time and effort to do it"? To switch to EPG123?

Compared to starting fresh with something else?

There isn't any time and effort to speak of, and in the end you get...what you started with, only better. WMC.

[T00LF00L]

With a mere few hours left on my guide data, I finally attempted to install EPG123 on my WMC7 yesterday. I was extremely nervous about screwing up my system but figured there's not much to lose at this point. I signed up for SD and began the switch. Everything went PERFECT! It probably took me about an hour, I followed the guide and it worked exactly as it should. I am SO HAPPY with the new guide, I should have done it a long time ago. You gain much more than guide data, you get ACCURATE data, CORRECT thumbnails, and the ability to tweak the interface. So @kam24 I say go for it and continue to use your beloved WMC!

[kam24]

So, I ended up using EPG123 and SD. It took about 2-3 hours to set up. I have both a cable box and OTA, so waiting for Media Center to rescan OTA and set-up the cable box always takes a bit of time. It was more "waiting" time than "active" time.

The most annoying thing was that when scanning for my OTA channels, it did not find the strongest one in my area. I had to add it manually (after re-scanning several times before realizing it just wasn't going to add). Then I went to remove the duplicate local channels from the guide (that I don't get from the cable box) and some of my OTA disappeared.?? So, had to put those back on. Eventually, when I have more time, I will have to figure that one out.

Also, some of the logos were wrong. So, I could have fooled with those a bit, but just figured I would remove them all together (never had them before so I don't miss them). It would have been nice, but there were quite a few channels showing the CW logo and that just got confusing (probably sub-channels). I need to fine tune it a bit. Next weekend I may take time and just start over...maybe just do the OTA and add the cable afterward.

Overall, it works. I like that I can customize the look of the guide (size, row#, etc).

Thanks for the help, everyone!

[tonywagner]

The most annoying thing was that when scanning for my OTA channels, it did not find the strongest one in my area. I had to add it manually (after re-scanning several times before realizing it just wasn't going to add). Then I went to remove the duplicate local channels from the guide (that I don't get from the cable box) and some of my OTA disappeared.?? So, had to put those back on. Eventually, when I have more time, I will have to figure that one out.

The missing channels were likely VHF ones -- WMC doesn't scan VHF frequencies (it used to download them in its setup data based on your zip code).

[Space]

When you are using the EPG123 server tool, you are selecting the networks to include in the guide, not the channels, that is why you see multiple channels being unselected if you unselect one channel that is for the same network.

If you want to disable individual channels, you do that in the EPG123 client tool (or in WMC itself), not the server tool.

[garyan2]

For the logos, your experience doesnt sound quite right. Do you have MCL XL also installed?

[kam24]

The most annoying thing was that when scanning for my OTA channels, it did not find the strongest one in my area. I had to add it manually (after re-scanning several times before realizing it just wasn't going to add). Then I went to remove the duplicate local channels from the guide (that I don't get from the cable box) and some of my OTA disappeared.?? So, had to put those back on. Eventually, when I have more time, I will have to figure that one out.

The missing channels were likely VHF ones -- WMC doesn't scan VHF frequencies (it used to download them in its setup data based on your zip code).

The channel was my standard OTA NBC channel. It always scanned prior. The signal was strong (it is my strongest channel signal-wise). I really only get NBC, FOX, CBS, CW and PBS plus their sub-channels. The only time I would be missing channels during the scan would be if the signal was too weak. So, it was weird.

If I have time next weekend, I may just start over from scratch - since I am now familiar with how the install works and the whole mapping thing.

For the logos, your experience doesnt sound quite right. Do you have MCL XL also installed?

I don't have MCL XL. Have never done anything with logos.I suspect it had to do with sub-channels. For example, the COMET channel is showing the CW logo. I haven't had a chance to determine if COMET is in the family with CW channels here. Or maybe I just need to re-map in the EPG client. It isn't a deal-breaker here.


But, overall, it is a very nice guide and appears to be working very well. I love the fact that I was able to choose to put the season and ep# in the description.

[Vistaar]

The missing channels were likely VHF ones -- WMC doesn't scan VHF frequencies (it used to download them in its setup data based on your zip code).

Yeah, that's a pretty big deficiency of WMC now that Microsoft setup data is no longer available. How do you guys find the correct frequencies and SIDs: TV station websites or what? In addition to WMC, i have also used NextPVR for years. When I switched from cable to OTA a few years ago, I found myself consulting NextPVR (which can of course scan all frequencies) to obtain the frequencies and SIDs so that I could add missing channels in WMC.(Now that the free EPG data is gone, I'm using NextPVR exclusively - but I wouldn't recommend that for OP kam24 because cable channels are often "copy once.")

[tonywagner]

The channel was my standard OTA NBC channel. It always scanned prior. The signal was strong (it is my strongest channel signal-wise). I really only get NBC, FOX, CBS, CW and PBS plus their sub-channels. The only time I would be missing channels during the scan would be if the signal was too weak. So, it was weird.

What's the NBC affiliate? My local NBC (KARE) is on a VHF frequency, so I had to add it manually in WMC too.

If you enter your location here, it should show your local channels -- and if the "RF Channel" underneath a callsign is 13 or lower, then it's VHF:
https://www.antennaweb.org/

WMC only ever really "scanned" the UHF frequencies. It downloaded any VHF frequencies in its setup data, based on your zip code, and included them in your scan results -- but it didn't technically scan them. Now that the online setup data is gone, along with the guide data, WMC will only show UHF channels after a scan. Signal strength has nothing to do with it.

[tonywagner]

Yeah, that's a pretty big deficiency of WMC now that Microsoft setup data is no longer available. How do you guys find the correct frequencies and SIDs: TV station websites or what? In addition to WMC, i have also used NextPVR for years. When I switched from cable to OTA a few years ago, I found myself consulting NextPVR (which can of course scan all frequencies) to obtain the frequencies and SIDs so that I could add missing channels in WMC.(Now that the free EPG data is gone, I'm using NextPVR exclusively - but I wouldn't recommend that for OP kam24 because cable channels are often "copy once.")

For me, it's pretty easy with HDHomeRun tuners, since the HDHomeRun setup app has its own scan that shows you all of that info.

Although all you really need to add an OTA channel in WMC is the physical RF channel number, plus the virtual channel number -- you can get that from antennaweb.org and other sources too.