I have completed my installation of Windows 7 and am looking forward to using the new Windows Media Center. This week I will walk through the process of enabling Internet TV from within Windows Media Center and show a quick mapping of a Windows Home Server folder to enable viewing of my existing movies.
Background
I have been waiting for Windows 7 for quite some time in hopes that the new Windows Media Center would have enhanced TV tuner capabilities. With the official Windows 7 release date confirmed, I was very excited and looking forward to October 22. After work on Thursday the 22nd I purchased a family 3-pack of Windows 7 from Costco and then went home to await the “Friday Upgrade Day” event I had planned in my head. zzzzzzz
Friday morning arrived to my wife leaving for a day out with her Mom and leaving me to upgrade three of our six PC to Windows 7 Premium. Very exciting. Good times. Seriously.
After I made a final Vista backup of my garage HTPC to Windows Home Server I was ready for my first upgrade. After two hours of DVD spinning and fan blowing my Dell Inspiron 537 was ready for prime time. Oh wait, it wasn’t. This is the second day after release and there were some updates already? Well I am almost ready for prime time. Ugh.
After some Windows Update action my 64 bit PC was now running Windows 7 and I was ready to rock the WMC. I opened WMC for the first time and I got this screen:
Where was the Internet TV I have heard so much about? Where was my additional stuff? Oh, I have to enable it? Where did it mention that? Did I miss the memo?
The Internet TV option is not available by default on the Windows 7 installation since I did not have a TV tuner connected. Now logically I thought that since Internet TV is through the Internet, why would I need a TV tuner to enable it. Anyway, maybe it is just my system issue and I should write this article to vent.
Let me walk you through the process. Ugh. Lets set the pig on fire.
UPDATE: As I was posting Eric put up a response: “Actually, you do not need a tv tuner to enable internet tv. Just go to settings>general>Automatic download options>Download now. This will add the internet tv option to the WMC start menu, then follow the same steps to activate it.” I am out of town and on my work PC so I do not have the ability it to check it out. I trust you Eric!
Equipment Needed
- Windows 7 PC with Windows Media Center
- USB TV Tuner with antenna (can be from another PC if you do not want to leave it on this PC)
- 2 Beers (optional as always)
Internet TV Enable Process – USB TV Tuner Connection
The first step is to connect a USB TV tuner (and antenna) to the PC you want to enable. I only have one tuner at this time so I will temporarily remove the USB TV tuner from my Dell Studio and put it on this PC so I can enable the Internet TV. After I connect the USB TV tuner Windows 7 does a great job of finding the right driver for the USB TV tuner and I am good to go.
Now that I have a TV tuner connected I will open WMC and use the “live tv setup” option to temporarily set up the tuner.
I have SKIPPED A FEW STEPS HERE FOR BREVITY but just follow the prompts for the Guide and Zip Code data and you will be fine.
Update PlayReady? I agree, install, whatever…lets go!
I configure the antenna for my local channels as part of the process. If you are going to disconnect the TV tuner then uncheck all but one station. I want to see how this antenna works so I will let it run through the signal process. This screen shot is with the garage door closed:
This is with the garage door open. Make sure you play with the antenna to get the best signal. I live in Azusa up near the mountains and some of the signals are crap.
Ok, now that the TV tuner is set up I should be ready for prime time. I click on Finish.
UPDATE: As I was posting Eric put up a response: “Actually, you do not need a tv tuner to enable internet tv. Just go to settings>general>Automatic download options>Download now. This will add the internet tv option to the WMC start menu, then follow the same steps to activate it.” I am out of town and on my work PC so I do not have the ability it to check it out. I trust you Eric!
Viewing Internet TV
In Window Media Center I can now see that Internet TV is ready! I can also see that the Guide and Search functions are now listed in support of the live tv option that is still connected via antenna to this PC. Lets try out some over the air TV.
This first check is for the live tv I just installed. Here is a screen shot of the first channel over antenna. Damn is that clear. I love HD. Nice menus. I love WMC. I love WHS. Seriously.
Now, lets check out the INTERNET TV! I agree, install, whatever…lets go!
Download away. I agree, install, whatever…lets go!
Look at all the wonderful channels. Oh, Netflix is there. Sweet. I will try that first.
Netflix should be cool. I agree, install, whatever…lets go!
My movies are there. I love it already. I use Roku in the living room and this will be perfect for the garage and other Windows 7 PCs in the house! Dude!
I am also checking out some of the other channels. This shot is from the CBS menu for CSI. I wonder how the picture is going to look. Lets play it!
More software to install? Adobe Flash? Something tells me this is not going to be HD. I agree, install, whatever…lets go!
This is a snap shot from the opening credits. Not too bad for Flash.
Recorded TV already stored on Windows Home Server
Are my existing TV recordings there? Of course they are since WHS keeps them safe and warm. About 108° actually.
Movies already stored on Windows Home Server
To complete this set up of Windows Media Center I want to map to the folder where I keep my movies to this WMC PC. I click on movie library.
Mental Note: How come some of these titles are in lower case? WTF?
Follow the prompts to Add folders to your library.
The folders I want to add are on my WHS.
There you are sweetheart. Show me your goodies.
I keep all my movies in one folder to make mapping easier. Find your, click on Next and you are all done.
Conclusion
Overall I am very happy with the new Windows Media Center. I do not know why you would need to connect an actual TV tuner to enable the Internet TV function but I am glad that I had one I could temporarily use. In addition, I am sure Windows 7 has some other nice improvements over Vista that I will explore over the coming months but I am really just upgrading for the new WMC experience.
I hope this article has helped some of you explore the new Windows Media Center.
See you next Friday night,
Timothy Daleo
Actually, you do not need a tv tuner to enable internet tv. Just go to settings>general>Automatic download options>Download now. This will add the internet tv option to the WMC start menu, then follow the same steps to activate it.
I've done the workaround that Eric suggested and still see nothing. I'm in the UK so I guess us none-US bods have been left out in the cold as usual!!
-Jamie
Andrew had a quick note about "Sky Player" for those of you in the UK.
http://usingwindowshomeserver.com/2009/10/22/sky-…
Tim
HI Timothy, If you install PP3 on your WHS it takes care of all the mapping for you. Plus it will move your recorded TV shows to the WHS and a big plus… trans code them on the fly to other formats for things PSP and the like if you choose. PP3 also brings the Libraries of Windows 7 to included the shares on your WHS.
As you can tell I have PP3 installed on my WHS. WHS and Windows 7 play real nice together.
fasthair
I do have PP3 on my WHS. I was mapping the Movies folder I created on my WHS. The TV folder and recordings were already mapped as I wrote above and did not require any mapping.
Tim
Sorry Timothy I missed that part I guess. Nice post none the less!
fasthair
I tried the download trick on my system without tunner and Internet TV won't show up either. (US based).
My other computer w/tuner (pci card) setup Fine with Internet TV.
Need to figure out another work-around for non-tuner PCs
I am looking for someone else to validate the directions that Eric wrote about. Any takers?
Tim
Why don't you say that internet tv only is available in the US?
Troels – certainly in the UK at the moment it is not available. It showed up last week as Beta 2 but now it has gone again!
Andrew
Timothy, I just installed Windows 7 X64 on my desktop at work. That PC doesn't have a TV tuner in it. I launched Media Center and after a few downlowds and updates Internet TV, Netflix, WHS Connector ect. was just there and worked like a charm. Sorry I can't help with the work around. For what it's worth my PC at home does have a TV tuner and everything in Media Center just worked on that PC too. My work WHS is only running on PP2 so maybe I'll install PP3 and see if this break.
I have to wonder if something in the install of 7 doesn't get messed up somehow. On my work PC running the Windows 7 RC X64 Media Center would not even run, complaining about something broken and would quite. But like I said once I installed the RTM of 7 everything just worked. I have no answers as to why.
Anything on th work around ?
I installed Windows 7 Pro and then activated Media Center. I installed the PP3 to my WHS. I get an error when I try to access the WHS console from within Media Center. I was having trouble installing PP3 and within WHS the version still shows as PP2. So my question is : Is there a way to verify that PP3 installed to my WHS ? Any suggestions on why the console is not working ?
One last question. Do you feel the Codec pack recommended for Vista Media center is still required for W7 Media Center ?
I had an issue with the WHS Connector on one of my systems after PP3. I needed to uninstall the connector, reboot and then download the updated connector again from the 55000 port of WHS. Once the connector was upgraded I reran the WHS Media Center connector (another reboot) and it worked.
As for PP3 Andrew wrote about the version:
"All of the version numbers should say 2061 EXCEPT Drive Extender which should still say 2030."
The full article is at: http://usingwindowshomeserver.com/2009/07/19/thin…
All of my machines ended up being clean Win7 installs so I cannot address the Codec question.
Tim
I did a clean install of Windows 7 Premium and WMC is working well. I will post an article tomorrow about the process.
I am having issues with the Netflix login not working (on any WMC machine) and my drivers for my TV Wonder USB 650 in WMC do not allow me to see picture on live tv.
The workaround did work but it is hard to manage with all of the other errors going on!
Tim
The work around listed worked fine for me also (in the US) . Once I went into the settings and enabled automatic download, the Internet TV was working without having a tuner installed.
I am US based and am still struggling to get the Internet TV, Netflix app, running on one non-tuner computer. I have automatic downloads enabled. I get a partial Guide for Internet TV, but it doesn't let me select and play any of the shows.
On my other PC (w/tuner) it is working fine.
Both computers where clean installs of Windows 7 Home Premium (upgrade)
A partial guide might mean it is still downloading content. Internet TV runs on Adobe Flash so check to make sure it is installed and updated. Open your Action Center and see if you have a message "Address a problem with Adobe Flash Player". You may need to uninstall Flash and reinstall the latest version.
A reboot helped on one of my systems.
Tim
Have you tried running some of the old Vista recorded TV? I get a "Copying prohibited" from most of mine. I did a clean install from Vista to 7. It is the same machine. Any idea?
Thanks !
The programs I recorded in Vista were just through the 650 USB TV Wonder and not the ATI DCT. Those shows were OTA and therefore not DRM coded. Was your Vista running CableCARD? If so, you are stuck with the locked tag. The new update (see my current article) clears the lock on all new Copy Freely programs in future recordings.
Tim
hi tim,
I'm in the US and discovered this feature accidentally, run through the set up and all and was able to view a few channels like cbs and cwtv. Was just curious that if i buy a usb tuner, would i be able to watch abc shows too?
Go get yourself a tuner and an antenna and start watching HD over-the-air TV. To see what TV signal you can get in your area go to:
http://antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx
Enter your address and go through the prompts and you will see what channels you will have access to before you start!
Tim
Hello I just updated to windows 7 home premium from vista and whenever I go to watch TV from WMC it says TV TUNER NOT FOUND and it's already plugged in and also worked on the vista but it doesn't work here any suggestions? Thanks
Reinstall the TV tuner.
Tasks>Settings>TV>TV Signal>Set Up TV Signal
i have seem to lost this wonderful program
i bought this new comp with windows 7
had all this on here
i downloaded avg to watch movies from demonoid and i am wondering if it got rid of this program…cause i searched it in the search start menu and nodda.
how do i get this back for free with out having to backup from another date like from they day i got it…i just want to download it free—have it back—without having to re do windows 7…anyone can help me i would so appreciate it…you may contact me thru my yahoo email listed above. please put sebject line as windows 7 internet tv so i dont delete ya thinking ur spam…ty for anyone who responds…i really would like it back.
Windows Media Center is part of the core Windows 7 operating system. If you have somehow deleted it, you should call Microsoft directly and talk to a representative for a solution. I am not sure what you downloaded (bittorrent or anti-virus) but if it disabled or deleted your WMC you will need to need to run a repair or reinstall. Again, try Microsoft directly for support.
Not sure if you guys found the answer. Sounds like an old fashion windoz thing. Incapatible driver.
If you live in the US and you tried to get Win 7 Internet TV to work and did not use a TV tunner. Did you install Windoz 7 as an upgrade to a PC running another OS.
does this works in malta pls and if it change the region on my pc
As far as I know this is just a US feature. I would not change any region settings on your PC. Try it with your existing region and post here if it works for you.
no joy yet in operating the system
Internet TV from Microsoft is not available outside fo the US.
AH! Thank you! This is the only site I found that explained this process and shared my frustration in that it does not tell you you have to UPDATE to get the internet tv option.
hi tim i was very excited and found your post very useful,i just wish i could get it in canada
thanks again
Yes i m trying to intall the Internet Tv but nothing showing up and i don t know what to do if u call Microsoft they will charge you to help u but i would like to do it my self if anyone can help me….I had Internet Tv before in my old computer since that computer was gone and now i don t have it…Please help!!!! Please respond back to me thanks
You can force the download by going to Windows Media Center>Tasks>Settings>General>Automatic Donwload Options>Download Now and that should force the update. This is only available in the US I believe.
Tim
Internet TV working fine here in the UK. No TV Tuner attached – simply used the trick mentioned earlier of going to settings and doing a download. Had to faff about a bit with updates etc, but certainly working OK now.