There appears to be a lot of confusion over getting BBC HD and ITV HD to work in Media Center using DVB-S/Freesat. The idea of this FAQ is to answer all the questions surrounding it. Please post with any new information.
Q. Why doesn't Vista Media Center support BBC HD and ITV HD out-the-box?
A. Firstly by default Vista Media Center does not support DVB-S. Secondly the decoder for Media Center TV (MSDTVVDEC.DLL) does not support the H.264 codec used by BBC and ITV HD.
Q. How is it possible then to get BBC HD and ITV HD in Vista Media Center?
A. Microsoft have released a TV Pack update which supports DVB-S but does not support H.264. However, a version of MSDTVVDEC.DLL has been modified by users of TheGreenButton to enable H.264. By combining these two features it is possible to use BBC HD and ITV HD.
Q. Will this enabled me to watch BBC HD and ITV HD on my extenders?
A. Unfortunately not, all extenders so far have not worked using this method.
Q. What tuners do I need to get BBC HD and ITV HD over DVB-S?
A. Most tuners that support DVB-S will work. Here is a list of confirmed tuners that work: Blackgold BGT3540, Compro VideoMate S-350, Hauppauge Nova-HD-S2, Pinnacle PCTV4000i, Pinnacle 7010i (please post any tuners that you've got to work)
Q. What other hardware do I need to get BBC HD and ITV HD?
A. The software to do this makes use of DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) and therefore it really helps if your graphics card supports this. Most ATI 3000 and NVidia 8000 series cards or above should support this with the latest drivers. However, as of early August 2009 the BBC made some changes to the encoder they use reducing the bit-rate on BBC HD transmissions which as a result causes considerable "blocking". It is recommended to get a clear picture that you use a NVidia 8000 or 9000 series graphics card.
Q. What software do I need to get BBC HD and ITV HD?
A. Obviously Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate which have Media Center. Home Premium will allow 2 DVB-S tuners whereas Ultimate will allow 4. In addition you will need the TV Pack and a modified version of MSDTVVDEC.DLL that supports H.264.
Q. Can I get BBC HD and ITV HD on 64 bit Windows Vista?
A. No, as the modified MSDTVVDEC.DLL is only currently available in a 32 bit version. This may change in the future but don't hold your breath.
Q. Do I need to do a fresh install of Vista?
A. For the TV pack you officially need to reinstall Vista. However, a number of people have done upgrades on their systems without any problems. It is still recommended you do a clean install however.
Q. How do I get the TV Pack?
A. This is an OEM-only release from Microsoft and is not generally available for download. You can still find this if you look hard enough. Google may help...
Q. How do I get the MSDTVVDEC.DLL that supports H.264?
A. You can download this from here: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/288601.aspx
Q. My AV software is telling me that MSDTVVDEC.DLL is a virus, what's going on?
A. The modified DLL uses some tricks that make it look similar to a virus. It is not a virus. If you still don't believe this, then please read the entire thread here (long read): http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/288601.aspx
Q. How do I install the TV Pack?
A. Follow the instructions here: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/283511.aspx
Q. How do I install the MSDTVVDEC.DLL that supports H.264?
A. Take ownership of the existing file MSDTVVDEC.DLL in Windows/System32 (File -> Properties -> Security -> Advanced -> Owner -> Edit) then select yourself. Give yourself full control over the file (File -> Properties -> Security -> Edit) then select Users and check the box for Full Control. Run Command Prompt as administrator. Then type "regsvr32 -u msdtvvdec.dll" and hit Enter. Rename MSDTVVDEC.DLL to MSDTVVDEC.DLL.BAK. Copy Beta DLL to the system32 folder and type "regsvr32 msdtvvdec.dll" in Command Prompt and hit Enter.
Q. What else do I need to do to get BBC HD and ITV HD working?
A. BBC HD will work now but if you want ITV HD then you need to do more. This is because ITV HD is normally accessed via the red button but we are going to set it up as a separate channel. However, Vista will not see it when doing a channel scan unless we enable MHEG (red button) on DVB-S. To do this, run regedit and browse to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\TVConfig. Then change the value of "fAllowDvbsMHEG" from 0 to 1.
Q. I've set up my tuners and can find BBC HD but ITV HD is not listed, how do I get it?
A. You need to do a manual satellite scan. This is under TV Settings. Enter these values: 11428, 27500, H. A few new channels should be found including 10510 which is ITV HD. If you don't find these try 11426 and 11427 instead of 11428.
Q. How do I rename channel 10510 to ITV HD?
A. Go to the guide and highlight the 10510 channel name before using "More Info" to edit the channel. You can then use the rename channel option to set it to be ITV HD.
Q. I've been watching ITV HD and have switched to BBC HD and the screen fades to black after a second, what's going on?
A. No one is quite sure. However, this is easy to fix by pressing Stop and then Live TV again. If this does not work then close the Media Center application before re-opening it.
Q. I have everything working but I seem to lose some scheduled recordings - how can I fix this?
A. Microsoft have released a fix for TV Pack which you can get more information about here: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/permalink/318570/314300/ShowThread.aspx#314300