Vista requires a NTSC tuner - UPDATE 1
By Matt Burns 
posted May 19th 2006 1:47PM
posted May 19th 2006 1:47PM
Did you know this? In order to setup the WMCE part of Vista, it requires you to have a NTSC tuner card. An ATSC, or digital, will not work. It is a requirement by Microsoft to have an analog tuner card in your Vista box to watch digital TV. Sure, Vista is still in beta testing and all, but do you think that the Vista team knows that the NTSC tuner will be shutoff on Feb. 17, 2009. This is the same case in the Windows Media Center 2005 but it should not be in Microsoft's latest and greatest OS. There is a workaround however, even though you shouldn't have to use it. A person could use an external USB analog tuner to setup Media Center then use whatever tuner they want.
Thoughts?
UPDATE 1: Fixed digital switch-over date.
How much longer do I have to wait for Apple to make their own media center? They've already got Front Row & streaming to the Airport Express. Maybe they're waiting to add it to OS 10.5.
February 17, 2009, not November. But it does seem dumb that it will not run on just an ATSC tuner.
I'm pretty sure Windows MCE has the same requirement. In fact, if you add a separate ATSC tuner, that may have its own NTSC, it still requires the separate card. I'm on board with the rest of you. Front Row with Backstage Pass!!
And by that time, they will come out with Rollup 6 for MCE which will remove the requirement and satisfy the complainers.
man that is a stupid requirement (and its stupid for mce). its a good thing i will have my ntsc tuner when it does ship (hopefully ati will make some vista drivers for my ehome card) or they remove it before the final product ships.
Who cares?
I can't get one single station on my Sony HDTV's built-in ATSC tuner (southern Ontario, Canada). I thought using my PC for digital TV would be the way to go but Satellite and Cable companies don't have cards that you can put in your computer so you can only watch basic TV.
By 2009, CableCards and even hard drives should start to make their way into HDTVs.
It is unlikely in the near future that a full channel lineup such as High Definition Digital will be available through the PC. Eventually, a hybrid PC/(cable or satellite)box may be created but that's a long way off, if ever.
This may be slightly OT, but I think that Apple is probably waiting until digital signals become ubiquitous, ATSC or QAM, I'm not sure, maybe both. Apple seems to like to wait until right before "the next big thing" hits, and launch what they would like to be the leading product in that field. Other examples being USB, Firewire, maybe even EFI instead of BIOS(no big deal, but still...). Basically, I think they just want to be the ones to pioneer doing something new. The first widely available analog free media center...
The EPG is keyed off of whatever analog source is chosen by the user (eg. DirecTV, Dish, Cable, etc). While I'm sure Microsoft would say it would be a lot of work to redo the design, it could be done. This is the reason the analog tuner is needed before setting up an ATSC tuner.
Chris
NTSC tuners will not be 'shutoff' in 2009. You can still use them for cable and satellite, just as people are doing right now. Or perhaps you didn't realize the analog cutoff only affects over-the-air broadcasts?
Screw that! Give me a Hi-Def DirecTV tuner for my PC.
I agree with #6 -- who cares!
I live in CT and I can only get 1 freak'n HD station over airwaves. I use a Hauppague card right now that is fed via a cable box and that is the only way I can get the stations I want to my PC which I use a a DVR.
If the time comes when there is actually viable over the air HD, I am sure Microsoft would release an update.
#1 -- several analysts have said that apple has dropped the ball on Media Center PC and that Jobs does not think its important -- most of their money is coming from iPod. Your more likely to see an iTV before an MC Mac.
HDman: "NTSC tuners will not be 'shutoff' in 2009. You can still use them for cable and satellite, just as people are doing right now. Or perhaps you didn't realize the analog cutoff only affects over-the-air broadcasts?"
Sure people realize this, you do realize not everyone PAYS for TV, right? And cutting off the analog channels without having access to the digital ones would be a waste of a tuner.
If you're not paying for TV what do you need a DVR for? 5 channels? Seems like a waste of time and money to me. Anyway, obviously you should have an ATSC tuner already so you won't be affected by the analog cutoff.
I agree its stupid that Microsoft still has this requirement, but that doesn't change the fact that this article has a huge mistake. "the NTSC tuner will be shutoff on Feb. 17, 2009" Sorry, but that is 100% false. No one has the ability to 'shutoff' my tuner. I'm sure I will still have uses for it after 2009.