disable "live tv pause buffer"?

Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to know if
it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's really
making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm watching but never
told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem to find
an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?

Thanks in advance.

"Ray" <Ray@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EBBCBE83-BC99-4BEE-948A-9BB38D93043D@microsoft.com...
> Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to know
> if
> it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's really
> making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm watching but
> never
> told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem to
> find
> an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

It can not be turned off.


--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

It can not be turned off.
However since you never use the time shift or record capabilities then I
suggest you use the TV application software that is available for your tuner
since you can watch Live TV with it without enabling time shift and you will
also get better Picture Quality since the program is not being compressed
and encoded before being received by Media Center if you do not have time
shift enabled.
"Ray" <Ray@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EBBCBE83-BC99-4BEE-948A-9BB38D93043D@microsoft.com...
> Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to know
> if
> it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's really
> making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm watching but
> never
> told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem to
> find
> an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

Ray wrote:
> Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to know if
> it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's really
> making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm watching but never
> told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem to find
> an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

If simply using your hard drive is making it heat up as you claim then you
have other and far more severe problems to think about. Reading / writing /
seeking 24X7 is the norm for a drive and if it is installed and cooled
properly the temperature will not vary noticeably -- or at least not enough
to matter in the real world.

John McGaw
http://johnmcgaw.com

Ray

Have you actually used a software program to read the temperatures of your
harddrive. Large.fast harddirves can get pretty hot I am sitting in front of
my computer and my HD temps average 43C which is normal for my computer.

Check the manufacture's website for operating tolerances. Make sure you
actually have a heat problem before you change things.

B.D.

"Ray" wrote:

> Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to know if
> it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's really
> making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm watching but never
> told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem to find
> an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

"CSM1" <nomoremail@nomail.com> wrote in
news:CeiVj.112$BL6.56@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com:

> "Ray" <Ray@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:EBBCBE83-BC99-4BEE-948A-9BB38D93043D@microsoft.com...
>> Hi I'm new to Media Center and I like it a lot, but I would like to
>> know if
>> it's possible to disable the "live tv pause buffer" because it's
>> really making my Hard Drive heat up while recording programs I'm
>> watching but never
>> told it to record. I don't really need this feature but I can't seem
>> to find
>> an option to turn it off.. is it in the registry or something?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>
> It can not be turned off.
>
>

But there is a way to decrease it if it's eating too much space.
It are indeed registry settings, and someone wrote a script to increase
it, but I suppose it can be used to decrease it too.

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/1/8...howThread.aspx

I've included the theory and the script downbelow, but I really suggest
you check out the original forum before you use it.
It has(/d) links to Exe versions too.
(I have NOT yet tested them myself, as I find the standard time enough
for now)



--

+0==)]::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

<MBB>-


--

Theory

kendawg RE: Increasing the pause buffer

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/1/8...howThread.aspx

GREAT find, skybert. It seems you are somewhat confused on what the
settings actually mean, so here's some more info on the topic for
everyone... What the DVR/BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds does is set
how long each buffer file is, in seconds. So when you set it to 600, that
means each buffer file is 10 minutes. The default is 300, or 5 minutes.

The DVR/BackingStoreMinNumBackingFiles determines the MINIMUM number of
files that will be kept for the buffer. The default value for this is 6
and IT WILL BE RESET TO 6 IF YOU TRY TO CHANGE IT. With the default file
time of 5 minutes, you get a 30-minute buffer (5x6=30). But with your
settings of 10 minutes per file (600 seconds) and a minimum of 6 files,
we now have a 1-hour buffer. 10 minutes/file x 6 files = 1 hour.

The DVR/BackingStoreMaxNumBackingFiles is the MAXIMUM number of files
that will be kept for the buffer. I don't think this matters much, but I
have mine set at the default of 8 files. That way, with 10 minutes per
file, I have a max buffer time of 80 minutes. You CAN change this value,
but Im not sure what it will actually do.


And, like skybert said, for anyone who wants to try this, you can't edit
these keys directly or they will get over-written with the default
values. You have to make these in the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners" area
alongside the RecInfoVersion:

BackingFileCountHigh
BackingFileCountLow
BackingFileDuration

-----------------------------

here are my values, to get a 1-hour minimum and 80-minute maximum buffer:
BackingFileCountHigh 8
BackingFileCountLow 6
BackingFileDuration 600

----------------------------

say you want a 1.5-hour minimum buffer:
BackingFileCountHigh 8
BackingFileCountLow 6
BackingFileDuration 900

....you get the idea...

----------------------------


By the way, this does eat up a lot of hard drive space. I just checked
and ONE of these 10-minute files takes up 762MB. It's probably not always
exactly that, depending on the show, but close. At that rate, a 1-hour
buffer will eat 4.5 gigs...but I guess it doesn't matter because they are
always being deleted as new ones are made.

anyways, thanks again skybert


-------
skybert 01-12-2006, 11:26 AM 01-12-2006, 11:26 AM

It should be a DWORD.

You could also simply copy the following into a file a name it 1-
hour.reg, then double click the file to get a 1 hour buffer:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media
Center\Service\Video\Tuners]
"BackingFileDuration"=dword:00000258


=======================

the Script

Schmecky 01-17-2006, 12:51 PM 90784 in reply to 85967


I did a quick/ugly updater in vbscript/hta...

Simply paste this code into a text file and save as .hta It lets you
choose # of files and total size:

<html><head>
<HTA:APPLICATION
ID="Group Lister"
APPLICATION="YES"
APPLICATIONNAME="Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings"
SCROLL="no"
maximizeButton="no"
version="1.0"
SINGLEINSTANCE="yes"
WINDOWSTATE="normal">
<title>Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings</title>
<style>
BODY{background-color: buttonface;font-family: Helvetica;font-size:
8pt;margin-top: 10px;margin-left: 10px;
margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;}
..button{ font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8pt;}
..button_strings{ font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8pt; width: 75px;}
select{font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; width: 150px; margin-left:
0px;}
TABLE { xfont-family:"Arial"; xfont-size:8pt; font:menu; padding:0pt;
border:0pt; }
IFrame { height:expression(document.body.clientHeight-
MenuTable.clientHeight); width:100%; }
</style>
<script language="vbscript"></script>
</head>
<body>
<form id="inputform" name="inputform">
</table><Table border="0" Width="100%">
&nbsp;<input id=quit button class="button" type="button" value="Quit"
name="quit_button"
onClick="Window_Onclose()" title="Quit program">
<HR><div ID=Choosegroup></div>
<div ID=pausetime></div>
</td>
</form>
</body>
</html>
<script language="vbscript">
'========================================================================
==
'
' VBScript Source File -- Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings
'
'
' Copyright© 2006. TeleData Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved
' You are welcome to distribute this freely - use at your own risk!
'
' AUTHOR: Paul Drangeid, http://www.tdonline.com
' DATE : 1/16/06
'
'========================================================================
==
' *********** Declare Variables, and Set default values

dim objRegistry,strvalue
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
StrComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

Sub Window_OnClose()
Self.close()
End Sub

Sub Window_Onload
targetWidth = 300
targetHeight = 230
'self.ResizeTo 1,1
'self.MoveTo window.screen.availWidth - targetWidth, 0
'self.ResizeTo window.screen.availWidth - targetWidth, 0
self.ResizeTo targetWidth,targetHeight
self.Focus()
End Sub


strhtm=strhtm+"&nbsp;&nbspBackingFileDuration:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp
<select id="&qc&"chduration"&qc&" name="&qc&"chduration"&qc&"
Onchange="&qc&"Updatetime"&qc&">" '
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=300>"& "300k (default)"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=600>"& "600k"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=900>"& "900k"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=1200>"& "1200k"
strhtm=strhtm+"</select> <BR>"

strhtm=strhtm+"&nbsp;&nbspBackingFileCountHigh:&nbsp&nbsp<select
id="&qc&"chcount"&qc&" name="&qc&"chcount"&qc&"
Onchange="&qc&"Updatetime"&qc&">" '
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=6>"& "6 (default)"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=8>"& "8"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=10>"& "10"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=12>"& "12"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=14>"& "14"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=16>"& "16"
strhtm=strhtm+"</select> <BR>"
strhtm=strhtm+"<input value='Save' type="&qc&"button"&qc&" id='GO'
onclick="&qc&"setpause"&qc&">"
choosegroup.innerhtml=strhtm

if not isKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Media Center") then
msgbox "This utility is only for Windows XP: Media Center
Edition",0,"Media Center Edition not found."
self.close
end if

if isvalue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileDuration")
then
set objtmp=document.all("chduration")
objtmp.value=strvalue
'msgbox strvalue,0,"BackingFileDuration"
end if

if isvalue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video
\Tuners","BackingFileCountHigh") then
set objtmp=document.all("chcount")
objtmp.value=strvalue
'msgbox strvalue,0,"BackingFileCountHigh"
end if

call updatetime

Sub Updatetime()
strsize=document.all("chduration").value
strcount=document.all("chcount").value
strtotal=strsize*strcount
strhtm="Pause Buffer Time: "&strtotal/60&"min ("&int((strtotal/60)/60)
&"hrs "

strhtm=strhtm& ((strtotal/60) - (int((strtotal/60)/60))*60) &" mins)"
pausetime.innerhtml=strhtm
End Sub

Function Iskey(strhive,strkeypath)
strhive=ucase(strhive)
if strhive<>"HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and strhive <> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then
IsKey="False":exit function
IsKey="False"
intx=InstrRev(strkeypath,"\")
if intx=0 then exit function
strkey=mid(strkeypath,intx+1,len(strkeypath)-intx)
strrootkey=left(strkeypath,intx-1)
if strhive="HKEY_CURRENT_USER" then objRegistry.EnumKey
HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strrootKey, arrSubKeys
if strhive="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then objRegistry.EnumKey
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strrootKey, arrSubKeys
if isarray(arrSubkeys) then
for x =lbound(arrSubkeys) to ubound(arrSubkeys)
if ucase(arrSubKeys(x))=ucase(strkey) then IsKey="True"
next 'x
else
if instr(ucase(arrSubkeys),ucase(strkey))<>0 then IsKey="True"
end if
end function

Function IsValue(strhive,key,valname)
strvalue=""
strhive=ucase(strhive)
if strhive<>"HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and strhive <> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then
Isvalue="False":exit function
if strhive="HKEY_CURRENT_USER" then objRegistry.GetdwordValue
HKEY_CURRENT_USER,Key,ValName,strValue
if strhive="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then objRegistry.GetdwordValue
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,Key,ValName,strValue
'msgbox "Get HKLM "&","&key&","&valname&","&strvalue
If IsNull(strValue) Then IsValue=False Else IsValue=True
End Function

Sub CreateRegKeys(strKeyPath,strvaluename,strvalue)
objRegistry.CreateKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath
if err.number <> 0 then
msgbox "Error Write: " & cstr(err.number) & "(" & err.Description & ")"
end if

if strvaluename<>"" and strvalue<>"" then
if instr(strValue,"dword:")=0 then
objRegistry.SetStringValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, strValueName,
strValue
else
strvalue=right(strvalue,len(strvalue)-6)
'msgbox strvaluename&"="&strvalue
objRegistry.SetdwordValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, strValueName,
strValue
end if
end if
End Sub

sub SetPause
strsize=document.all("chduration").value
strcount=document.all("chcount").value
call CreateRegKeys("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media
Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileDuration","dword:"&strsize)
call CreateRegKeys("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media
Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileCountHigh","dword:"&strcount)
msgbox "Pause Buffer Updated"&vbcrlf& "You must reboot for Changes to
take affect.",0,"Success!"
end sub

</script>