Studio XPS 1640 TV Tuner

I've got exactly the same problem. My XPS16 was incorrectly shipped with 32-bit Vista and I had to re-install 64-bit Vista Ultimate. Everything works except for the TV tuner.

Same here, although I think I may have to open the case to find out!!! or even go back to the factory image to find out which driver they are using!!! Also, I am unsure if the default image was running Media Center TV Pack as this could include the drivers and add the blueray support, although do dell allow you to get this some how???

also where can we get all the applications that come as part of the oem install like PowerDVD DX and Roxio and the webcam config tools.

Robin.

And also the webcam management software is not available on CD. I could only find the drivers but I do not know if these works without the management programm

Well with regards to the Tuner it is now kinda sorted.  I opened a support ticket and managed to get the driver through one of the technicians.  It was temporaily uploaded to an ftp site for me, downloaded and the tuner is now recognised.  The only thing is i had to agree not to share it; the techie said it has not been released the general public yet and would only get the driver if i agreed not to which i did.

So now the driver is installed, another issue has popped up; the tuner dosent seem to actually pickup any channels!!  I've tried 4 different sources (2 portable antennas, my roof antenna, my works antenna on a 18-floor building!!)  I've also tried 3 different programs (wmc, wintv and an open source alternative) but no success still.  Thinking i may have a faulty device or i've been told it still could be the driver not properly telling the tuner when to work?

With regards to the missing CDs, i had the same issue; only got the reinstall OS and driver CDs.  Contacted Customer Services and they've rushed the missing CDs out via UPS but they so far have tried 2 times and didnt even knock on the door, just presumed no one was in and posted a slip!!

I didnt expect issues like this esp after spending £1k+ but c'est la vie!

i have exactly the same problem.

does anyone have got new news? i tried to contact dell vie mail but after one week i didnt get an answer.

can someone of you say me how i can put out a cd?

if i try to use the panel then nothin happened. i just want to know if someone has got the same problem. because i tried to search a driver or a tool but i dondt find anything.

perhaps someone of you can help me?

Dell have now added the correct drivers for the TV card to the downloads section of their support site. It includes versions for both 32- and 64-bit Vista OS.

I've just installed the 64-bit drivers and the device is now correctly recognised in Device Manger as a 'WinTV-Nova-T model 18109'. I haven't tried connecting the tuner to an ariel feed yet but will do that this evening and advise.

Regards, Ian

I'm glad to report the TV card is now working!

After installing the new driver from the Dell site, I tried WinTV v7 first but that only seems to support a limited set of Hauppauge's cards - and the one in the XPS 16 isn't one of them.

I then tried Vista Media Centre. That recognised the card and successfully detected 75 Freeview channels (although it did take around 10 mins for the scan to complete). Full screen live TV image quality isn't great on the laptop's 1920x1080 screen (presumably because it's upscaling Freeview resolution) but if you watch TV in a smaller window it's just as sharp as a real TV.

Ian

Have you managed to get teletext working with the digital channels received?

I think you're earlier post is correct - Media Centre doesn't seem to support digital teletext. Microsoft's online help suggests you should see a Teletext option on the Media Centre context menu but I don't see one. Perhaps the reference is for analogue teletext only...

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/f72adfd2-4b8c-461e-99c6-36efeaec7a921033.mspx#EAG

Ian

small question by the way

does someone of you made it to install xp on 1640?

I have finally found the answer to the teletext & captioned subtitle issue for integrated TV tuner.

Its related to Vista (32 & 64 bit edition) Media Center that needs to be upgraded to have Media Center TV pack 2008. I found in several OS discussion groups & forums the newer MCE TV pack 2008 after install enables both analog and digital TV channels to receive teletext, captioned subtitles and other features.

However Microsoft is advising this should be available only via OEM version so many PC and laptop manufacteres has been supplied with the newer MCE with TV pack 2008. This was released July 2008. Strange Dell did not include this with newer laptops. Further more XP Media Centre supports teletext and initially Vista Media Center did not upto the release of TV pack 2008. I am dissapointed with Dell not providing this as standard vista build with my laptop.

I have raised a ticket with Dell XPS support team who had no clue about this issue and initially did not want to understand the point I was trying to make. After several attempts the support decided to escalate my query. I am now waiting for the Vista included with Media Center TV pack 2008. I hope this will set some precedence for Dell to be more aware of providing the latest version of the OS with new builds.

Cheers

Sorry, have not tried to install XP on 1640. You can search Dell thread where some one already has. Why would you bother when MS is talking about Windows 2007 soon to be released. Perhaps you just trialing & comparing different OS verions.

Good Luck

That's useful information - I hadn't even heard about Media Center TV pack 2008. Let us know how you get on.

Out of interest, are Dell sending you a DVD with the update or will they be making it available on their download site?

Regards

If you search other Dell forum threads there is one going on under Media Center TV pack 2008. It seems that Dell are not sending any update DVD to address this issue. Anyway even knowing this I have raised a new ticket with Dell XPS support team. I am waiting on their response. I find it difficult to accept that Dell did not include this update on the newer Vista OS builds (Win Vista 6.0.6001.18273) which includes the TV pack 2008 instead they have opted the to provide the older version (6.0.6001.18000).

This issue will need to be resolved since Dell has been given the upgrade by Microsoft. Other laptop makers are providing the update on customer requests. Why Dell will not follow suit will raise questions by many Dell customers.

Cheers