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[Bill_Gaw2]

Recently got a Sony VAIO using MSN Media Center. Worked fine until I loaded MC `10, then 11. Since then neither program will allow me to see television through any input. Get error message from both MC 11 and MSN Media Center that video decoder is not present. Sony has downloaded several things to the computer, even something from a site run by a Mr. Steubner, have completely reformatted the hard drive and reprogrammed it with the Sony discs and even replaced the tuner card and still get the same error code. Both work fine for DVD playback. Interestingly both programs recognize that there is a signal on boh composite and S video input, just won't pass the video or audio information to the video card for output.
Any suggestions?

Bill

[JimH]

Bill,
I believe Sony uses their own TV tuner and MC doesn't support it.

[Rob L]

Hm, actually, I have a Sony Vaio Media Center (dunno if it's the same one you're talking about) and it works OK for me with MC11.

There is one problem - I can't get the audio through. But that's down to a bug in MC not handling the audio options properly...

I can get the picture at least, though :-)

[Bill_Gaw2]

DVD playback works fine. MC11 does not recognize the TV tuner, and for some reason since loading, the computer with its MSN media Cernter program also does not. It states there is no video decoder although everyhing worked perfectly before loading MC10 & 11.
Can anybody think of the cause and cure? Multiple tries by Sony has not solved the problem.

Bill

[JimH]

If it were my PC, I'd try to restore it to its original state.  Maybe the TV tuner has died.

[Bill_Gaw2]

Thank you. Have already put it back to its original state through the Sony discs. MC 11 no longer on board but I don't know whether any of it is still in the registry. Sony is sending a new tuner card to see if that's the problem. Interestingly the computer says the card is in place and functioning properly, but that the video decoder is not present. Is theis a software problem and how could I replace the decoder? What could be the name of the file?

Bill

[JimH]

If you used the Sony tools to restore, the registry should be "as new".  If you just removed software, then this isn't the case.  In any event, it's pretty hard to see how this could be related to MC.