Vista Media Center suddenly stops working

[zachtib]

I'm running Vista Ultimate 64 using Media Center with a Hauppage WinTV PVR 150. Up until a couple of weeks ago, it was working fine, but now the TV signal is very jerky and garbled. Most of the recordings show up as 0 or 1 minutes in length and even live TV is completely unwatchable. I've been Googling for a while now with no luck, can someone help me out or point me in the right direction?

Thanks

Zach

[msny]

I'm running Vista Ultimate 64 using Media Center with a Hauppage WinTV PVR 150. Up until a couple of weeks ago, it was working fine, but now the TV signal is very jerky and garbled. Most of the recordings show up as 0 or 1 minutes in length and even live TV is completely unwatchable. I've been Googling for a while now with no luck, can someone help me out or point me in the right direction?

Thanks

Zach

There was a Media Center update a couple of days ago, did you install it?
I had no problems with it and I have a similar setup.

If so, try a rollback of the OS.

[griffinhart]

Check your system restore points. I would try a restore to a point prior to the problem.

You may want to consider popping in at www.thegreenbutton.com as well. they have an extensive forum covering everything Windows Media Center.

[ambientZ]

how is your live hdtv? maybe your antenna / cabling got disturbed and you really dont have a signal right now.

(or they messed with your channel assignments in the guide and telling your tuner to look on the wrong channels like they did for me for a while).

[BX_TECH_GOD]

do you have or did you recently install a wireless network adapter?
Whats graphics card and what driver do you have?

[zachtib]

do you have or did you recently install a wireless network adapter?
Whats graphics card and what driver do you have?
Nope, no wifi. Graphics are an EVGA Geforce 8800GT with the drivers that Vista installed automatically
how is your live hdtv? maybe your antenna / cabling got disturbed and you really dont have a signal right now.

(or they messed with your channel assignments in the guide and telling your tuner to look on the wrong channels like they did for me for a while).
Live TV doesn't work either, it has the same issue, really jumpy and completely unwatchable

There was a Media Center update a couple of days ago, did you install it?
I had no problems with it and I have a similar setup.

If so, try a rollback of the OS.

As far as doing a restore point, what exactly will that change? I assume it should leave my personal files alone, right?

EDIT: it doean't look like there are any points more than a week old, and I'm pretty sure it's been doing it longer than that.

[TGA]

I think what AmbientZ was asking is if you have tried hooking the connection you use on you PC to a TV to insure the problem is within the PC and not the cable coming in to the PC.

[zachtib]

I think what AmbientZ was asking is if you have tried hooking the connection you use on you PC to a TV to insure the problem is within the PC and not the cable coming in to the PC.

Oh, OK... time to go looking for a little tv

[zachtib]

Oh, OK... time to go looking for a little tv

Well, the signal is fine.

Also of note, I opened up Media Center before I plugged in the cable again, and even the static was doing the same thing, image hanging, audio cutting in and out.

It occurs to me that the change in Media Center's performance happened around the time I switched the RAM out...

from: Corsair Value Select 2x1GB DDR2-533 CAS 4
to: Crucial 2x2GB DDR2-800 CAS 6

Not sure if that's relevant

EDIT:

Just found out, I can play the recordings fine with Media Player, only Media Center has the issue during playback.

[zachtib]

Ah ha!

Rolling back the Nvidia driver fixed it :D