I am trying to setup my first HTPC and am having problems getting XP MCE 2005 to work with the remote.

The volume button does not control the volume to the SPDIF output nor does the mute button work. I am using the on-board realtek HD sound card.

When playing DVD's there is no way to navigate the menu to select play or setup etc. I think this is a DVD decoder problem. I am using an old version of WinDVD 4. Also I get only stereo out when playing a DVD. Yes I did the speaker setup in MC. When I get out of MC and play the DVD with WinDVD I get the 5.1 Dolby like I should. Does anyone know of a decoder that actually works that does not cost $80?

Perry

 

nVidia Pure Platinum. You can't find a better one out there. If you complain about the price, then you're in the wrong hobby :P.

Thanks I will try that one. Hopefully it will work since I have an Invidia Graphics card.

Perry

Ok, the link you sent me for the decoder has a patch that works for all decoders and seems to be a MCE problem not a decoder problem. The patch fixed the no surround sound problem. I tried to load the decoder but I did not have the codes. I will try again tonight since I just printed the codes. The Surround sound issue sounds like a pretty big screw up on MS's behalf. I don't think that MC is a very well supported platform. The computer locks up when I try to setup the speakers in MC. In fact, I have to reboot about twice a day for some reason or the other. I am not getting the warm fuzzys here. MC is about as unstable as Win95.

http://download.nvidia.com/Windows/dvd_decoder/PureVideo_Decoder_5.1_audio_patch_111505.exe

Ok I got the NVIDIA decoder installed and it seems most of the problems are fixed now. The whole system seems more stable. I have 5.1 and Menu Navigation now. Sound controls still don't work but its not a big deal. I have the volume button controlling my surround amp. I will probably program all the MCE remote functions to my Entertainment center universal remote and it will mute the amp and not windows. I read somewhere that the MC sound controls don't work with SPDIF. Maybe someone can confirm or deny that? If that is the case, then they could make the mute button programable.

Perry

 

 

Yeah, dude, it can be pretty nasty. Which is why a lot of us are switching to SageTV :D. I'll be one of 'em here in a few months.