The Hauppauge support page is back to CD 4.2. What are they doing?????

I have been working on this a long time.  After many many restarts it looks like the 1600 still relies on the clear_qam plugin for tv pack.  The thing is the plugin will only work when tv pack is not installed.  The only way i have gotten it to work (somewhat) is to not have tvpack installed and get qam working that way and then install tvpack and the settings switch over.  If i try having tv pack first mce will not recognize there is a digital tuner until i reinstall the clear_qam plugin, but then the plugin won't work it gives me a hardware error that says can't find tuner "1" or something.  So until the new drivers are released it looks like the only to get it working with clear qam is to map the channels first in a non tv pack setup and then add tv pack.  Hope this helps anyone who is currently pulling their hair out.

finally here!!!

from hauppauge...  post your results.  im not trying until later tonight.

You can enable QAM by running the attached registry file.  Save the file and rename the extension from .txt to .reg.  Run the file by double clicking on it.  Answer “Yes” to adding the information to the registry and then reboot the computer.  A few caveats should be made clear to you before you enable QAM in Media Center.  Clear QAM tuning is not on by default in Media Center because Microsoft is still having issues with their tuning schemes.  Media Center appears to scan the correct QAM channels but seems to tune the wrong programs.  They also have issues with major minor tuning.  These are entirely Microsoft issues within Media Center and we do not have any workarounds for these problems, any fixes for these issues would have to come from Microsoft.  Also, if you run this registry patch you will break digital tuning (both QAM and ATSC) in the WinTV application and ATSC tuning in Media Center.    

... save to .reg file and run

REGEDIT4
;
; NOTE: this file should ONLY be used to enable Clear QAM support on Fiji
;  (ie, "Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008")
;
; Using this file WILL break applications that only support the legacy "ATSC Network Provider"
; Apps must be recompiled to use the newer "MS Network Provider" if this file is used
;
; These keys control exposing support of Fiji compatible QAM for various ATSC products
;  (of course, the HW products must be physically capable of supportting QAM!!!)
;
; You MUST restart you system after this file is installed for the changes to take effect
;
; HVR-1250, HVR-1290, HVR-1500q, HVR-1800, HVR-1850
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HCW85BDA\Parameters]
"AllowQAM_PowerToy"=dword:00000001
 
; HVR-1600 (only some models support QAM; should list them here)
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HCW18BDA\Parameters]
"AllowQAM_PowerToy"=dword:00000001
 
; HVR-USB2, HVR-1950
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HCW73BDA\Parameters]
"AllowQAM_PowerToy"=dword:00000001
 
; HVR-950q
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HCW72DTV\Parameters]
"AllowQAM_PowerToy"=dword:00000001
 
; HVR-2250 (not yet supporrted)

 

Thanks!

So we have had the driver all along and only need this reg fix? I don't like that it breaks ATSC

I will give it a shot now on my 1800

Update:

Just applied above reg entry and went thru tuner setup which took a lot longer this timeIt did not come back with with expected results It still lists the 1800 as ATSC while my A180 is listed as ClearQAM.

Update 2:

I just realized that I still have the Antenna plugged in during the scan and this may affect what VMC finds for a tuner. I am not home and working remotely on the box. I will plug in comcast when I get home.

Good news is it does not appear to break anything yet.

 

A Single Registry Key...

Seriously. I could have had qam all this time...

Also, if the key breaks ATSC, doesn't that really mean that all this is, is actually a manual switch from ATSC to qam?

I'm trying the patch and scan now.

UPDATE:

Didn't seem to work for me. I have some interesting registry keys in the same folder as the patch, for example "QAM_as_ATSC". Does anyone else have this? If the patch breaks ATSC, and this is telling it that QAM is ATSC, then it wouldn't work (logically that is). I'm wondering if this is from the qam plugin tool... I probably should uninstall that any way.

gtriamy:

A Single Registry Key... Seriously. I could have had qam all this time... Also, if the key breaks ATSC, doesn't that really mean that all this is, is actually a manual switch from ATSC to qam? I'm trying the patch and scan now.

It does not break ATSC within VMC with the reg edit my 1800 still works with ATSC

 

Does the beta QAM plugin still need to be installed or just the latest drivers?

TheOsburnFamil:

Does the beta QAM plugin still need to be installed or just the latest drivers?

Not sure but I do know the QAM plugin does not work installed on top of tvpack 2008 it fails to find the hardware

 

TheOsburnFamil:

Does the beta QAM plugin still need to be installed or just the latest drivers?

 

I dont think so.  This should let VMC see the tuner as QAM (assuming you have a QAM signal hooked up).  In fact, I would uninstall the QAM plugin before you do this.  Post results... 4 more hours until I try...

Tx.  Worth a shot.  Will try it tonight.  QAM was the primary reason for switching to Sage (though there were many others)... But I would entertain revisiting VMC if I could have QAM.

gtriamy:

UPDATE: Didn't seem to work for me. I have some interesting registry keys in the same folder as the patch, for example "QAM_as_ATSC". Does anyone else have this?.

I have this entry also with no QAM Plugin installed

TheOsburnFamil:

Tx.  Worth a shot.  Will try it tonight.  QAM was the primary reason for switching to Sage (though there were many others)... But I would entertain revisiting VMC if I could have QAM.

The Avermedia A180 work fantastic without jumping thru hoops!

Has anyone had any luck with this?  Also, do I use the drivers on the tuner CD or the 4.2 drivers on the Hauppuage website?  FYI, I still have my analog DualTV card installed and have not installed the Feature Pack. 

IT WORKS!

or at least it found the clearQAM tuner during the scan. Now i just have to wait for the guide to download data and then i'll start manually scanning through the found channels.

I did have to do a bit to get it to work. Here's what i did:

1. Uninstall the card. FULL uninstall which means i uninstalled through the hardware manager then I deleted the corresponding regestry key folder

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\hcw18bda

and restarted.

2. Installed the drivers via the 4.2 installer.

3. Installed the new registry key patch.

4. Restart

5. Setup via VMC

It's scanning for channels right now so i'll update if it finds anything (it should).

UPDATE:

Ok, so it didn't find any channels during the scan, which means something isn't working as the WinTV program could find channels. Is there a way to manually tune qam channels?

Well, I guess we are getting closer.  Now, VMC recognizes it as QAM tuner, but when it gets to final confirmation screen and you press finish, VMC crashes.