Xps 8100 TV Tuner Problems with DishNetwork!

The Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1250 will work with NTSC Analog Cable, Over the Air TV, ATSC Digital Over the Air HDTV, and Clear QAM Digital Cable TV which, is pretty much like the digital tuner I have in my Magnavox DVD recorder. I don't have satellite TV, just cable TV. I know that with my the digital tuner in the Magnavox only the unencrypted channels are viewable which in my case is just the local TV channels.

How do you have your TV connected to Dish Network? Are you using one of their boxes?

IEEE488 -  I have the card hooked to thier receiver by a co-ax cable. I have tried single mode and dual mode. Nothing. Spent 1 1/2 hours on Dell's Tech Supt. Chat. Nothing. The software is up to date, including drivers for the TV card and the video card. With rabbit ears I can get the local stuff so the card is working to some extent anyway.

I am at a loss.

Jeff

An Update - I shut the system down for a few minutes to do something else. When I powered it back up it wouldn't boot or it booted then after my password all I had was a black screen with the cursor. It would do anything. Tried Dell Diagnostics - Everythibg passed. After several tries I got it to a restore point of a couple of weeks ago.

Still no joy.

Jeff

I found this with the TW cable box and it could be the same for Dish. At least you can try it. How is the box connected to the tv? HDMI has anticopy DRM built in and if you use HDMI for the tv, the coax will not work. Detach the hdmi and use component connections to the tv instead. See if that corrects it. Or try disconnecting the tv completely and make a direct connection to your computer to test.

At the moment I have this: coaxial coming from the dish to the reciever, coaxial from rec. to TV, coaxial from rec. to TV tuner card. As the card works with an over-the-air antenna I am wondering about compatability........ An almost new TV works just fine as well as a TV that is ten years old if it is a day. Frustration level: EXTREMELY HIGH!

Thanks all for the suggestions.... I would welcome more.

Jeff      :emotion-12:

I am not familiar with Dish Network, but I do know that some providers will not allow you to split signals. You might not be able to connect 2 receivers--tv's or computers-- to one box. Could that be the problem?  I also have the 1250 tv tuner with a cable digital box.  Don't allow media center to set up the tv signal automatically. Choose a manual install and skip the guide. Remember to set the computer's tv tuner to Channel 3 or whatever the tv uses. See if it works then. I use the box's remote to change channels and it will only show the same channel as the tv.

MARY G - This receiver is made specificaly for dual output. Two "out" connections on the back. With two TV's I can watch two different programs and record two more. I don't use a splitter of any kind. I have tried both the auto and manual config options in Media Center.(so have the Dell Chat tech support guys) This should not be a big deal but it is one of those things that make me nuts.

I am going to try the live chat with Dell again. They are trying very hard but just are not making any progress.

Thank You for your interest!

Jeff

Jeff,

I went over my setup again again. Windows Media Center makes this setup difficult because it wants to control the set top box. I don't want that so I lied when I set it up. I said this--I don't agree to the guide download, I want to set it up tv signal anyway, I let it scan for tv signal and said no to download the guide (again) and said I do NOT have a set top box. Then I answer that I have an analog signal--I tried selecting digital and that did not work (my set top box is not really digital even though it's a digital HD box) Then I agreed to accept these settings. And it works. I still have to change the channels with the box remote and have the tuner in the computer on channel 3 as the box requires. You might want to control the dish box with the media center remote so you'll need to adjust your setup for that, but I tried it and found it inconvenient and unnecessary. This way I can use the computer as a dvr and use the Set Reminder feature on the box to change the channel for a recording. All recordings are manual and on Channel 3. I can record cable, HD and premium channels.

I hope this helps.

Jeff,

I went over my setup again. Windows Media Center makes this setup difficult because it wants to control the set top box. I don't want that so I lied when I set it up. I said this--I don't agree to the guide download, I want to set it up tv signal anyway, I let it scan for tv signal and said no to download the guide (again) and said I do NOT have a set top box. Then I answer that I have an analog signal--I tried selecting digital and that did not work (my set top box is not really digital even though it's a digital HD box) Then I agreed to accept these settings. And it works. I still have to change the channels with the box remote and have the tuner in the computer on channel 3 as the box requires. You might want to control the dish box with the media center remote so you'll need to adjust your setup for that, but I tried it and found it inconvenient and unnecessary. This way I can use the computer as a dvr and use the Set Reminder feature on the box to change the channel for a recording. All recordings are manual and on Channel 3. I can record cable, HD and premium channels.

I hope this helps.

Do you have a VCR or DVD player that has a coax (RF) output?  If you do connect that and see if it works and if it does that would seem to eliminate the Tuner.