To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
Here's what I found after struggling with the "No TV tuner installed" message
while setting up TV in Vista Home Premium Media Center:
1. Go to Computer Management...Services and Applications...Services
2. Find Windows Media Center Receiver Service (this is what keeps failing)
3. Look at the "Log On" setting (mine said Network Service)
4. Right-click this service, select Properties, select Log On tab.
5. Look at the "This account:" section (should list what login account is
running the service).
6. Change the username to the Administrator account setup within Vista
(usually your username) and enter the password for this account --Select
Browse...type the username...select "Check Names"...click OK.
7. Re-type the password for this account int the Password & Confirm
password fields (don't accept the password it auto-fills with).
8. Click Apply...OK.
9. Left-click the Windows Media Center Receiver Service (if not already
selected) and select the "Restart" button on the Toolbar (last icon with
green arrow).
10. Check service to make sure it's Status is Started.
11. Crank up Media Center and try your TV setup again...it worked for me
after this routine.
So, what this all means...Vista security is a beast (that's why you have to
select allow on everything you try to run). I'm an IT Network Administrator
and this problem just about brought me to my knees! Hell, even Microsoft
apparently hasn't figured this out even with all the forum posters having the
same problem with numerous different "Vista Compatible" TV cards. This isn't
the first time I've had to figure out Microsoft's problems for them.
Anyway, please post back if this helps or doesn't. I'm curious to know if
this resolution helps all or none.
BTW---I have an Angel Dual Tuner TV card, which offered Vista drivers on the
manufacturer's website
RE: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
Not a genius, just very persistant!! This beat me all weekend, then, I had an
epiphany all of a sudden. When checking the Services, I'd never seen a logon
account called Network Service (this is new to Vista, apparently). Since I'm
a seasoned IT professional, I've had experiences with having to run certain
networked applications using a specific login account (usually the Domain
Admin). So, I decided to try my local PC admin account (my login) to see what
happens. Luckily, this solved OUR problems. You'd think Microsoft would have
figured this out during testing of Vista, but, I've had to figure out their
problems before and report the solution to them...Go figure. Anyway, I'm glad
I could help another frustrated user. One man's pain is another's pleasure. :)
ASUS 7131 works everywhere but Vista x64 Media Center
I changed the service logon options with no luck. I checked the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility list - ASUS My Cinema P7131 is Vista x64 compatible. I have the right drivers installed. It works in VLC Player from which I can record video and audio just fine. ASUS's EZVCR program is buggy and BSOD'ed on me and caused problems with the driver, but after installing and uninstalling and rebooting about ten times I got it working again.
I tried DScaler 4. It plays video and audio but is too buggy in Vista x64 to be relied upon for something as critical as watching TV! And it didn't seem to help anyway.
I took a shot in the dark and installed XP Codec Pack 2.8.3. No help
This is a 2 day fresh installation of Vista x64 so I don't think that reinstalling the OS would help.
I do have User Account Control disabled though if that would make any difference.
I tried different options in the logon setting for the media center receiver service such as - Local System with Interact with Desktop, Administrator (no password yet - shame on me!) and etc.
Media center still says "No TV Tuner detected!"
Any other suggestions I could try?
RE: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
I followed your instructions and the problem is now solved, but not without
a final twist. Even after the changes in the Computer Mangements..., I still
got the "No TV tuner installed" in Media Center. However, I've checked with a
third party program, WinTV, and it worked fine with my TV tuners. Therefore,
I tried a final alternative in having this program working with my tuners,
while I tried to use Media Center TV. This time the error message from MC was
"... TV tuner is being used with another equipment...". Then, while still
with MC, I exited WinTV and retried MC TV, and this time I was successful.
From then on I haven't any problem with my Media Center TV.
Once again, many thanks for your help.
Re: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
Nope, it didn't work for me. Media center still says "No TV Tuner detected".
Sandy in FL
Re: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
Well, your post does not say "What" didn't workm but that problem can be
caused when your card ie PCIE (PCI Express) and your second PCIE slot is
not enabled. On my Gigabyte motherboard there are jumpers (And they are
a pain in the backside because the fall apart when disturbed)which have
to be set to enable the second slot as "Express). On a later MB this
could be done in the BIOS I think.
Check your MB maker's website.
Re: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
I have got a slightly different problem.
I am running Vista Home Premium 64 bit version.
And I use a Pinnacle USB HDTV stick.
Everything was working fine.
One a very sudden day last week, the Pinnacle TV Center Software replied that no PLAYER was available.
I did system restore function, reinstallations of drivers and TV Center SW, without success.
The issue is, that Windows Media Center is working again after system restore function, but Pinnacle SW is not.
I want Pinnacle SW to work again, because I can record video using the S-Video or Composite input, which Media Center is not supporting.
I have tried to install different media centers without success also, which makes me wonder if I have some problems with the windows services, or other windows configuration issues.
Changing the Media Center password does not fix the problem in this case.
Anyone a clue?
Re: To All With Vista TV Tuner Card Problems
I'm having same problem - WMC on Vista 64 does not recognize my USB tuner (pinnacle 800e). I tried the service logon approach, but not sure what logon to use - I have not set up any accounts on my PC, and I do not get the Windows logon prompt when I start up. My logon in the service is set to 'Local System' - should I change that?