Hey Everyone,

First of all, if you don't care how this works and just want to do it, read the bold parts.

For a while now I've been searching, wishing, praying there was a simple way to be able to switch your tuner's input from the TV signal to the composite or s-video input so you could play xbox, a VHS tape, or what have you from within the media center program. Why Microsoft didn't build in this simple functionality is beyond me.

From my tests, this method does not create a time delay in the capture, so it should be suitable for playing video games. Let me know how it works for you.

Anyways, here's the process I discovered on how to do so quite elegantly. First, set up the capture program:

1. Download Dscaler. This is the program that will actually capture your video feed. Install it with all the default options. I'm using version 4.1.11. Also works with version 4.1.16.
2. In Dscaler, click "Sources", then choosing your tuner.
3. Click "Dshow > Video Input" and choose your input.
4. Click "Sources > Define as initial source".
5. Double click the image to put it in full screen.
6. Right click and hit exit.

Great, now we have a program that can capture the audio/video feed. Now we need to find a way so we can start and stop this program using the remote control. To do this, I created two batch files, the first one, when launched, closes media center and opens Dscaler. The second one, when launched, closes Dscaler. Because media center wont launch batch files directly from the "More Programs" folder, I just created two shortcuts to the files in the same folder.

1. All you have to do is take the six files located in this zip and place them in "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Media Center\Media Center Programs".

Now you're all done the set up. How does it work? Easy:

1. To start the video input, click "More Programs", then "Video Input On". Media center will close and Dscaler will open, in full screen if thats how you left it last.
2. To stop the video input, click the green button to launch media center again. Media center will come up but Dscaler is still running in the background. Go to "More Programs" and click "Video Input Off". You will get a message that says "Unable to Display Page". Ignore this and click "OK". This closes Dscaler and leaves you in Media Center. Sweet!

The beauty of this set up in my scenario is this: I have two analog coaxial inputs coming into my two tuners. That leaves available one svideo and one composite input on my first tuner, and two svideos and two composites on my second tuner, for a total of six available inputs. When in dscaler, there is no easy way to swap between these inputs with the remote, you have to use your keyboard.

I hope this helps a lot of people as I know there are folks out there that have been itching for a way to easily switch between video inputs.

Any comments, questions, suggestions, please reply below, no PM's. I hope this inspires you all to find even easier and more integrated ways to accomplish this task. I still feel this solution is slightly rudimentary as its not seamless. It would be nice if someone was able to actually hard-code a plug-in for media center to do this (hint hint).

This is awesome! 

Will this cause a conflict if a tv program is being recorded? 

I'm glad you reminded me. I was running media center when I opened up Dscaler and switched tuner cards, then media center went all black. I'm assuming this is because the tuner can only run one of its inputs on that card at once. So if you have dual tuners, try to use the input on the second tuner so its less likely media center is using it to record.

Thinking outside that narrow MS box, I love it!   WTG, I am sure a lot of people will find this useful as I have seen many ask if they could do this over the last year or 2.  I have lots of inputs on my set, so I will not really need this at this time, but may need it on another system I am setting up, so thanks for your efforts!

Awesome, just one question. does DScaler buffer the feed any, causing a delay? i.e. how real time is this?

There is no delay -- when using my interactive guide on my digital cable terminal it works instantly. When in the menus, I click up, it goes up, its instant. I'd like to hear some feedback though from anyone who is using a console through it. It also might depend on your tuner card. Give it a try!

I am getting an error message when I try to select Angel USB as my source... it says "failed to connect video capture device to renderer." what should I do?

http://www.dscaler.org/card-support/index.htm - looks like your USB card was untested. Please let the DScaler team know, you might even get a fix.

I would also try a cpl things:
1) verify you have the latest driver - http://www.lumanate.com/Htm/LumaMenu.htm?_tg=http://www.lumanate.com/angel.htm
2) check to see if your tuner comes with a similar program to DScaler that allows you to select input outside of MCE.

Can anyone post a link to these batch files. I thought I had them but can't find them.

Thanks in advance.

Can you let me know where the FOUR attached files are?

 

Thanks

I think the admins are working on the attachment issue.

I took a look at Dscaler today and I think there might be a better approach. NOTE: either way, if you are doing this with a capture card you use to record TV, you may have problems (MCE cannot record with a tuner in use by another application, a no brainer).

I noticed the following on the release notes for Dscaler at http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?group_id=7420&release_id=402620

Release Name: 4.1.15

Notes:

Improved stability, lots of bug fixes

Card definitions stored in ini files

Lots of new cx2388x and saa713a cards

XMLTV EPG support

Fixes some XP2 issues with bt8x8

Basic support for MCE remotes

Note the last line; "Basic support for MCE remotes". Hmm, wonder what that means, no additional documentation.

In the source file Dscaler.cpp I found this...

#ifdef WM_APPCOMMAND
// Cope with new media commands
// MCE remote sends these for the basic keys
LONG OnAppCommand(HWND hWnd, UINT wParam, LONG lParam)
{
    LONG RetVal = TRUE;

    switch(GET_APPCOMMAND_LPARAM(lParam))
    {
    case APPCOMMAND_BROWSER_BACKWARD:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_CLOSE, 0, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_MEDIA_CHANNEL_DOWN:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_CHANNELMINUS, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_MEDIA_CHANNEL_UP:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_CHANNELPLUS, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_MEDIA_NEXTTRACK:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_PLAYLIST_NEXT, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_MEDIA_PREVIOUSTRACK:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_PLAYLIST_PREVIOUS, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_CAPTURE_PAUSE, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_VOLUME_DOWN:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_VOLUMEMINUS, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_VOLUME_UP:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_VOLUMEPLUS, 0);
        break;
    case APPCOMMAND_VOLUME_MUTE:
        PostMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, IDM_MUTE, 0);
        break;
    default:
        RetVal = FALSE;
        break;
    }
    return RetVal;
}
#endif

 

Now if you look at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnxpmce/html/devgameswinmc.asp we can lineup our MCE commands. Off the top of my head, the one I care the most about is APPCOMMAND_BROWSER_BACKWARD which allows me to close Dscaler! This means that if we use the first half of nickgailloux’s guide combined with GameLoader (http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/community/plugins-addons/4854-launching-games-mce.html) should work nicely. I’ll check my findings and post back later tonight.

 

Nick,

Looks like it might be a while (if ever) before we get access to you original attachments.
Is there some place on the web you can post them?

Many thanks.

--Milt--

---

Cellar Cinemas HTPC-595, Panny AE900U

milt:

Nick,

Looks like it might be a while (if ever) before we get access to you original attachments.
Is there some place on the web you can post them?

Many thanks.

--Milt--

I've updated the post with a link to the required files. Enjoy!

moved to http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/116474.aspx

Ah, what a great idea, unfortunately DScaler fails to work on my computer.  After installation I run it and choose my tuner from the source menu (ATI AVStream Analog Capture(DShow)) and voila, crash time for DScaler.  I really have no idea what is causing this, as media center works flawlessly with my tuner and always has.  It's a little disturbing that DScaler is the only free program with which one can make use of their tuner's video input, does anyone happen to know of another program as this one is failing to work?  Or is there a possible way to fix this?  Any help would be appreciated.