Windows 7 media center and ir problems

[adgelhar]

Hello,
I connect to my tuner via a coax connection on Dell xps notebook. I plan on using Directv as my only viewing. I plan on using my directv remote for changing channels. It picks channel 3 and I get a small picture of the channel from the receiver but cannot continue to full screen. It gives me the I can't find an ir device. I should't need an ir if I am ony connecting to the directv receiver. Should I?

 

[christiangordon]

If you are connecting your Directv (coax) to your TV tuner (coax) to your Dell Laptop and you are using the Directv remote you shouldn't need a ir controller. To make the image fit your screen you will need to zoom or stretch the image output on your Directv box.

 

[adgelhar]

THanks all,

I did figure it out. When you look at a small image on the screen even though your screen is an HD 1080P sometimes you don't differentiate it from a 4:3 or 16:9 format. I was getting a 16:9 format so by zooming it worked fine. However it does appear that Media center does need the ir and requires it if you set it up under the satellite setup. It only worked for me by setting it up under the antenna setup which is strange? Because I was setting up directly from a coax cable directly from the Directv receiver. I plan to change out the coax and connect using HDMI 1.4a cables. hen we will see again what happens.

Thanks again,

Alan

 

[adgelhar]

Thanks again,

After several days did find out with the help of the Dell people in India that Media center has a lot of problems. The IR needs to be set up for you to install media center to watch live directv via the satellite connection - however it seems that once you have media center setup for live tv you don't need the IR so you don't have to use it. Dell set up media center again with new drivers and finally IR setup started showing up for configuration - before it did not show up for configuration.

Microsoft needs lot of work on Media center.

So now everything works: live tv from Directv, netfilx from the internet (wireless), browsing on the internet, any app will run, and you can print to any printer in the house all laser black and white and color printers. And most important earplugs. I can also run 3D but since I have that running on my entertainment system in the lower level didn't figure we needed it again upstairs.

My wife likes to do all these things in bed while I like to sleep. I'm not 16 anymore. This is all done on a Dell XPS 15 dual processor 6Gb memory and plenty of disk space.

Again thanks for your input - if there are any questions on my solutions or sytem don't hesitate to email me at: adgelhar@earthlink.net