Stepping up to Windows 7

[philly_phenom]

I'll be stepping up to Windows 7 in the next week or two.

Changing from XP Home (32 bit) to 7 Ultimate (64 bit), so it will be a fresh install.

What gotcha's will I need to be on the lookout for?

In windows 7, will I need to specify a login? (currently I have the mvpmcx2 scripts using the guest account in XP)

Any special permissions I need to give gbpvr?

Thanks in advance.

[smajor]

Here's what I've hit (so far) - yes, I'm still switching back to a Hard Drive that has my XP build on it so I can iron out Win 7 problems.

1) If you're doing any kind of channel changing via Firewire with Tim Moore's package, you're going to have to go with 7 in 32-bit. There are no 64 bit drivers by him or exdeus to control your STB.

2) Windows 7 will *always* prefer its own playback codecs, even if you've set your alternate's merit to the top level. There are various hacks, reg tweaks, even a program or two to work around this. This typically affects stuff from alternate sources in your video library. Win 7's codecs typically work GREAT but require more horsepower out of your video card than some of the others. I purchased a new video card anyway instead of fighting with codecs and hacks - plus the new media center I want to run in 1080 instead of 720.

3) If you're using an LCD TV and it is not correctly sending it's EDID to Windows, this can be a problem. Vista and 7 are now enforcing the EDID of your display and not even telling your Display control panel to "show all modes" or whatever XP called it would work. My TV was saying it was only capable of 1024x768 and Windows 7 wouldn't let me do anything else. Period. Based on a hack I found on-line, I found (I think it was pin 12) of a standard VGA cable controls the EDID data, so I modified a cable and removed it. I can now "force" Windows to use whatever I want for a resolution.

That's all I can remember right now.

[mvallevand]

From the NMT perspective once you are satisfied with the server nothing really has to be done. Setting up a guest share is a little different but there are good guides for Vista that apply to Win 7 ie http://www.networkedmediatank.com/wiki/i...work_Share

Also NMTInstall might not set the Interact With Desktop or Firewall setting properly I don't have 64 bit to test.

Martin

[Koenie]

I recently switched to W7 Home premium 64 bit.

I backed up my full GBPVR directory and coppied it back into the program files (x86) directory. Then installed GBPVR and installed the video codec I was using before in XP. Worked like a charm all settings, database... were retained.

[philly_phenom]

Thanks guys!!

I don't currently use Tim Moore's firewire channel changer, but that's good to know for future reference.

Quick codec question:
So Windows 7 has it's own codecs. I assume this means I don't need ffdshow on 7 (that's what I use on XP). Is that a correct assumption?

Martin - thanks for the NMT tips - since the PCH is my primary means of viewing.

[pBS]

you don't *need* it but i use it cuz it plays back more types of video...
plus ffdshow works great in 7 with acceleration, even on a silly intel 965 and 945..and vmr mode too..[so you can have custom aspect ratios]

[smajor]

Windows7's new system is called Media Foundation, see here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/...85%29.aspx

It does a pretty good job with all the formats listed and "overrides" Directshow filters unless one is specifically called by a program (like in the GBPVR config). In your Video Library, GBPVR just asks Windows to play the file in question.

Until FFDshow and the others (including the splitters) are updated for Media Foundation, it seems MF will always try to play the file FIRST. IF MF cannot find it's own codec to play something, it'll then revert to DirectShow. This still makes FFDshow and the other relevant to your setup if you have a lot of odd-ball files like me.

[pBS]

there is an app that sets windows to not use the WMF codecs first..
Win7DSFilterTweaker
did the job for me on 7ultimate..now i can use whichever ones i want and stil can use ms one too..it's just not the first one tried for everything..

[philly_phenom]

Thanks for the codec info. I probably will leave out ffdshow then since most of the video playback I do on my PC is through VLC anyway.

[philly_phenom]

I got a chance to install Windows 7 tonight.

I went through the dummy instruction for installing gbpvr & mvpmcx2.

the mvpmc share showed up fine, I see GB-PVR.html, & when I select GB-PVR via Network Browser, I get the Mayhem skin as described. However, when I attempt to play anything, I get a blank screen.

"stop" doesn't work, but pressing "power" sends me back to the GB-PVR menu (not the PCH menu).

I can view photos, but apparently selecting mp3's (from the music menu) causes it to hang.

Any ideas?