# Windows media center 7 (directtv hd receiver)



## MateuMan (Aug 13, 2009)

I plan on having DirectTV installed in a few months when my cable contract expires. I would appreciate help on the following to make sure I am correct in my steps before proceding. 
Any comments, opinions and suggestions will be most appreciated. 
I presently have a new 47" LG90 HD TV in my family room.
I have a 19" standard TV in my bedroom. I am planning on a future purchase of a HD TV for the bedroom in the future.
Finally, I will be purchasing a new Media Center 7 PC when they come out in November.

Here is my plan: (Am I correct in my steps)
1. DirectTV ChoiceExtra + HD DVR Package (my choice of service)
Lease the following from DirectTV:
2. DirectTV HD DVR Receiver (family room) for recording HD channels.
3. DirectTV Receiver for standard channel tv viewing in bedroom. 
Upgrade to HD Receiver in bedroom when HD TV is purchased in the future.
4. DirectTV HD Receiver to connect to Media Center 7 PC to receive programming and recording programs with Media Center 7 built in HD DVR. 

Thank you, in advance


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

You can only record content from a DirecTV receiver in real time via the a/v outputs and only from the channel currently tuned.

Not sure how the media center PC works, but as long as it has a/v inputs, it can record (not via hdmi though).


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

MateuMan said:


> 4. DirectTV HD Receiver to connect to Media Center 7 PC to receive programming and recording programs with Media Center 7 built in HD DVR.


I'm a huge Media Center fan, so it doesn't make me happy to inform you that there's no reasonable way to get DirecTV HD programming into Media Center. DirecTV was working on a Media Center dual-tuner box that would have been the perfect solution, but they "suspended" the project indefinitely.

There is some hope that Hauppauge will release Media Center drivers for their HD-PVR capture device, which would allow analog capture of HD via component cables (unless/until the studios order component outputs to be disabled/crippled), but otherwise, you're stuck with SD from satellite.


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## MateuMan (Aug 13, 2009)

So, if I understand correctly, purchasing a Media Center 7 PC would be a waste if I get DirectTV? The only way would be to stay with Cable to get regular tv with a Media Center. 
This is a little confusing. What do you suggest?


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Currently, you will be unable to deliver DirecTV tuners to a media center pc, and there is no way to get HD into it.



MateuMan said:


> So, if I understand correctly, purchasing a Media Center 7 PC would be a waste if I get DirectTV? The only way would be to stay with Cable to get regular tv with a Media Center.
> This is a little confusing. What do you suggest?


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## icethegreat (Jan 7, 2009)

MateuMan said:


> So, if I understand correctly, purchasing a Media Center 7 PC would be a waste if I get DirectTV? The only way would be to stay with Cable to get regular tv with a Media Center.
> This is a little confusing. What do you suggest?


As of right now, if HD TV on your PC is necessary then stick with your cable provider and try to not resign a contract *if possible* no ETA on when those options will be coming to Dtv


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## Max Mike (Oct 18, 2008)

MateuMan said:


> So, if I understand correctly, purchasing a Media Center 7 PC would be a waste if I get DirectTV? The only way would be to stay with Cable to get regular tv with a Media Center.
> This is a little confusing. What do you suggest?


It would not be a waste as you could still use it to stream Netflx, Hulu, other media and music but you will not be able to use it as a DirecTV recorder/DVR.

And DirecTV HD DVRs are networkable and can stream content stored on the computer


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## JoeTheDragon (Jul 21, 2008)

LarryFlowers said:


> Currently, you will be unable to deliver DirecTV tuners to a media center pc, and there is no way to get HD into it.


The cable card systems is a big mess and in some systems all you get without a card in hd is the OTA stuff.


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## dbsdave (May 1, 2007)

There may be more you can do if the tivo branded receiver comes back to directv, and they dont strip it of all its features or you can hack it to restore tivo options, but who knows when and if that will ever come out.

I was so upset by the lack of media center functionality with directv, I had to get therapy to stop thinking about it so much.


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## hoyty76 (Oct 17, 2007)

LarryFlowers said:


> Currently, you will be unable to deliver DirecTV tuners to a media center pc, and there is no way to get HD into it.


While it is not easy to do it is possible to get HD from DirecTV in to a Windows Media Center. You can hook the HDMI output to a HDFury2 which strips the HDCP and outputs to component or just take comonent directly (can't get 1080p though that way). You then take the component into a HD-PVR which then inputs to the WMC. Not simple but it is possible. A recent post on it here.

Of course it would be much easier if DirecTV would release a tuner for WMC or would even make a streaming client that worked well in the normal interface. With the streaming client you could simply use a HR2X as a recording and storage device and the WMC to watch. Since the streaming client is based on PowerDVD I wonder if it could be made to work since PowerDVD does to a degree.


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

You can record SD output from a DirecTV receiver into an A/V (tuner) input card in a Media Center PC. Media Center has the ability to download the DirecTV guide info. The media center IR blaster can tune the receiver to the proper channel and M/C can record it. Recordings that are not copy protected can be spooled out DVD. Many people get the same result using a DVD recorder connected to the DirecTV receiver.


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## am7crew (Jun 6, 2009)

I looked into this as I think Media Center's guide is cool (I always like a change every now and then) and loading the comp up with 2 TB hard drives for tons of DVR space would be cool as well. Long story short after a while on google I pretty much figured out its difficult to do and not really worth the hassle for the reasons people posted above. Kinda a bummer but oh well


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## MateuMan (Aug 13, 2009)

Ok, now that I know DirectTV HD will not work with Windows Media Center 7, or at least for now, how about this idea? 
Any opinions and recommendations will be most appreciated.
My New Plan:
1. Get DirectTV with HD DVR for my HD TV in my familyroom.
2. Get an additional HD Receiver for my Standard TV in my bedroom. 
(I assume, since it is not a HD TV I will only get Standard TV Stations for now until I purchase a HD TV to replace it.
3. Purchase a Windows Media Center 7 PC for my basement rec room and buy an *indoor antenna* so I can receive analog tv channels and be able to record using Windows Media Center 7's hardware and software in the PC.
If you agree that this is the best way to go for now then I would be most appreciative for recommendations for a *quality indoor antenna* to purchase.
Thank you in advance!


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## samrs (May 30, 2004)

MateuMan said:


> Ok, now that I know DirectTV HD will not work with Windows Media Center 7, or at least for now, how about this idea?
> Any opinions and recommendations will be most appreciated.
> My New Plan:
> 
> ...


A coat hanger shoud work fine for the antenna.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

MateuMan said:


> Ok, now that I know DirectTV HD will not work with Windows Media Center 7, or at least for now, how about this idea?
> Any opinions and recommendations will be most appreciated.
> My New Plan:
> 1. Get DirectTV with HD DVR for my HD TV in my familyroom.
> ...


While not as simple or elegant, you could use this: http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
to record from the HD DVR [maybe even from a HD receiver] and then try an app like this:
http://1geek1tool.com/2009/06/hdpvr/hdpvr-release-notes/dvblink-for-hdpvr-1-0
to integrate it with the Media center.

"The poor man's choice" is to use the DirecTV2PC app to stream HD from the DVR to your media center, though it doesn't integrate into the media center, and outputs only 2-channel sound.


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## icethegreat (Jan 7, 2009)

MateuMan said:


> If you agree that this is the best way to go for now then I would be most appreciative for recommendations for a *quality indoor antenna* to purchase.
> Thank you in advance!


I definetely would recommend anything on this site, excellent prices and quality that you cannot find anywhere else:

quality indoor antenna

good luck!


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