I searched and searched the forums and the internet and couldn't find any reference to how to get around this MCE crash. The crash was completely repeatable on both computers, even tried a second fresh install on one of them (before I had anything setup - just the OS). I also tried to get this working when I first got the system with the eMachines install - Same problem.
For anyone trying to get this working here is how I did it (our systems are all fully updated MCE 2005 systems, including Rollup 2, latest drivers and all Windows updates - as of Nov 15, 2005):
On the Primary Media Center PC (with the tuner):
- Share the Recorded TV folder as "Recorded TV" (or other preference) with wide open permissions, including Everybody having full control. Note you have to change both the folder permissions and the shared permissions (you may have to turn off simple file sharing in "folder options", "view" within any file explorer window).
- Edit the group policies by running gpedit.msc and make the following changes:
- find "Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\Network access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users". Turn it on (enabled).
- find "Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\Network access: Shares that can be accessed anonymously". Add "Recorded TV" (or whatever you shared the recorded TV as to the list of shares.
- Shut down the primary Media Center PC and pull the TV tuner out of it as well as the MCE remote and IR blaster (if you're using one)
On the client Media Center PCs
- Install the TV tuner card, remote and IR blaster in one of the client machines
- Install the tuner driver (ideally manually through the manage hardware or the automatic "found new hardware" popup so you don't end up with any unused tuner applications)
- Boot the PC up, start MCE and start and complete the TV setup wizard as you did on the primary Media Center PC (once upon a time...). Fake your way through the control STB settings (if you're using a set top box on your your primary HTPC - otherwise just configure the tuner normally) by using "manual configuration" and selecting s-video, and "pretending" that it is controlling the STB.
- Go into the TV settings and set everything exactly the way you want (parental controls, guide listing - including editing channels, etc.). You will not be able to return to these settings without re-installing a TV tuner (or tweaking through registry settings, etc.).
- Exit MCE and add the primary HTPC's recorded TV link to the watched folders by running "regedit", clicking on "My Computer" at the top, searching (F3) for "WatchedFolders". Double click on the registry setting and add the path for the shared folder below the existing local folder (for example \\HTPC\Recorded TV).
- Shut the PC down, and go back to the "Install the tuner" step for the other Media Center PC's in your house.
- Return the TV Tuner, remote and IR blaster to the primary Media Center PC and turn on all of the PC's (you don't need to uninstall the TV tuner drivers from the client PCs, XP will deal with them automatically)
Now you should have everything working smoothly and reliably on all of the PCs.
On the client PCs without a TV tuner, if you now click on "Live TV" a nice blue screen warning pops up stating the TV tuner is missing (instead of crashing). Also scrolling through the watched folder works perfectly. As an additional bonus you will have a fully functional guide on every machine. Scheduling recordings will do nothing (no TV tuner) so you still have to use the primary Media Center PC for all recordings (you can remote log on from any PC).
I spent many hours trying to get this to work without moving the tuner card over and none of the other suggestions I found on the web (and I found many) were able to make the client PCs stable (I did get them working, but clicking on "Live TV" a couple times crashed MCE as well as the PCs simply crashed every now and then while scrolling through "Recorded TV". I also had many problems with guide download errors, etc. until I did this.).
I hope this helps the next person searching for how to get this working...
STB w/R5000HD USB I/O, Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4, Quad Q6600, 4.0 GB RAM, ATI HD 3870 512MB, Ultra XVS 600W PSU, 3x SATA 500GB, 2x SATA 300GB, LG GGC-H20L, PVR-250, Toshiba 51H83 (51" HDTV), Yamaha RX-V2400 Amp, 5x Energy Speakers, SVS Sub, Harmony 880 Remote