Using ATi Software in MCE

[Bearzerker]

I'm sorta sick of windows media player and all the US DRM issues that M$ deploys
so I rebuilt my system without installing WMP or their web browser...
I know they are installed but I don't use either of these products [if I could uninstall these I would]
an WMP register screen pops up when I try to use WMP... [IE... well thats another issue]

Now down to the issue I'm havin

I went and purchased an Hauppenguage PVR500 last Feb... to replace my old ATi Wonder PCI
and purchased a license for this product shortly there after...

I took out my ATi wonder card installed the new Hauppenguage card and 2 gigs of ram and rebuilt my system...
In early December I got tired of all the DRM issues that kept popping up with MCE and emminating from US based programming that was interfering with my recordings [I'm not a resident or citizen of the US]

in Dec I decided to rebuild my system and put my old ATi Wonder card back into the system [just so I can load the ATi software] along with the main card i use [Hauppenguage] all works now with the added bonus of having a real user friendly software experience... records nicely, and I now don't have any problems with regards to US based programming WRT DRM issues
so now... I'm a pretty happy camper...[using the MMC 9.06 software]

But... the only problem I'm having now is that the commercial skip features that this product has is no longer working... well it is working as I'm getting the XML and other files being created and the commericalxlm folder is full of files... It's just that it doesn't want to skip commericals while I'm watching MCE...

My question to the forum users and to the makers of this product is...
How do i make the commercial skip, DRMtoolbox and show analyzer work without having to load all the redundant M$ crappy software.

any help on configuring the software to run without my having to load any M$ software will be much appreciated

[CraziFuzzy]

Well, I'm not sure what you've accomplished by hacking up our install, but you seem upset about not being able to use an MS piece of software (MCE) without MS software installed... Expect problems. If you don't like the DRM, don't purchase DRM loaded media. Media Player does not force you to use DRM, it just limits you to only playing DRM media you have the rights to play.

As for commercial skip, obviously, the problem lies in the way the Toolbox enables the skip, and not with showanalyser, since you say yourself that showanalyser is working properly, and creating the XML file.

If you are so Anti-MS, why not switch to a media center that doesn't depend on MS software? There are plenty out there, and I have been happy using SageTV for many many years now. No DRM issues there, unless I try to play DRM files... which I just don't do.

[Bearzerker]

Well I guess i wasn't clear on my post will try to be a little more clear...

Originally Posted by CraziFuzzy

Well, I'm not sure what you've accomplished by hacking up our install, but you seem upset about not being able to use an MS piece of software (MCE) without MS software installed... Expect problems. If you don't like the DRM, don't purchase DRM loaded media. Media Player does not force you to use DRM, it just limits you to only playing DRM media you have the rights to play.

1st off, it isn't a hack install... if you've ever had an ATi tuner you would notice that MCE automatically picks it up... MMC replaces WMP with imho a superior product that matches hardware with a nicely supported software package

Originally Posted by CraziFuzzy

As for commercial skip, obviously, the problem lies in the way the Toolbox enables the skip, and not with showanalyser, since you say yourself that showanalyser is working properly, and creating the XML file.

this is my concern... I may not have this configured properly and this is why I'm making this thread... or it could be something else.

Originally Posted by CraziFuzzy

If you are so Anti-MS, why not switch to a media center that doesn't depend on MS software? There are plenty out there, and I have been happy using SageTV for many many years now. No DRM issues there, unless I try to play DRM files... which I just don't do.

Let me be clear... I am not Anti M$... I am however extremely distressed over M$'s forceful and illegal use of the bundled WMP when other leaner and better products are available...I have sage TV as well, but again... I purchased the Huappenguage PVR500 and I just cant seem to get the remote to work properly so i will just use my old MCE 2005 which is stable enough for what i want to use it for...

My problem is with M$ DRM refusing to record programs while my old VCR works just fine, or my old satellite PVR... the the intention is that I'm trying to get away from inferior broadcaster set top boxes and build a better box... TiVo isn't available where I live or I would get this!

I'm trying to be constructive here... I want to keep this thread friendly and constructive
M$ DRM is an ongoing issue with limitations that are specific only to their resource intensive player while there are other adaptable options available ATi is only one option of many... SageTV is a stand alone product and the pros and cons of SageTV over M$ isn't what this thread is about...
If you [CraziFuzzy] have the bundled SageTV hardware and software package, good for you but your post isn't helping this thread at all

[wsbsteven]

You post is more of a rant than a call for help Bearzerker. You start it off by saying, "I'm sorta sick of windows media player and all the US DRM issues that M$ deploys so I rebuilt my system without installing WMP or their web browser... " which to me says you're here to complain instead of requesting assistance.

You also state that you aren't anti-Microsoft yet you refer to them in all of your posts as M$ which in itself is derogatory. Plus you accuse them of unethical and illegal practices without cause. That definately sounds like the voice of someone that is anti-Microsoft. You want to keep it constructive yet you do nothing but make it unconstructive.

We have to deal with things from other countries , you get DRM from the US, I get expensive oil from the middle east.

[CraziFuzzy]

I'm sorry it came off as not being helpful, or constructive, but it seems your problem is not with ShowAnalyzer, but with your playback mechanism. It sounds like something the ATI software is doing is causing DVRMSToolbox to not be able to use the SA files to skip. If this is the case, you ought to be looking into the DVRMSToolbox forums for help. ShowAnalyzer does not skip the commercials, it simply analyzes the show, and writes down where the breaks are.

You also do not mention what issues you are actually having with DRM, or the PVR-500 card.

[Jere_Jones]

As I understand it, the question comes down to: Is there anyway for MMC to use the output ShowAnalyzer generates or can SA make something that MMC can use to skip commercials?

Unfortunately, I don't know.

Of course, if I misunderstood the question, let me know.

Jere