Full credits for anything that works to Guy.Lerner from his post
At last: RU2 success!
I recently got brave enough to re-install MCE on my Maestro Pro 2 following a complete system crumble caused by messing arround with my nvidia drivers.
I made this checklist for myself, but others may find it usefull. If anyone notices any glaring errors please let me know (may even fix my last few gremliins
)
Windows Media Centre on Maestro Pro
Installation Process
Windows
Boot on MCE Disk 1 and follow normal XP install- Delete existing partitions
- Create a 10G C partition and rest as D
- Format NTFS
- Pretty much a default install except leave Windows Auto Update off
- Asks for Service Pack 2 disk – use Disk 1 from MCE 2005 set
Network
Get Network up and running- Install Net drivers for Wireless
- Get internet connection up and running
Windows Update
From Help menu select windows update- Select express option
- NB Reboot when prompted
Repeat until no more express updates are available
.Net Framework
Install .net Framework 1.1
(Downloaded from Microsoft downloads page)
Windows Update
From Help menu select windows update- Select express option
- NB Reboot when prompted
Repeat until no more express updates are available (It should add .net framework svp 1)
Rollup 2
Run Rollup 2 install from supplied disk
Windows Update
From Help menu select windows update- Select express option
- NB Reboot when prompted
Repeat until no more express updates are available (Should add MCE patch)
Ghost
Create MCE2005clean ghost image
Drivers
Again – key is to reboot when asked
All the following installed pretty much as default
Motherboard is a Foxconn 945P7AA-8KS2
chipset driver (downloaded for latest version)
Audio drivers for on-board audio (off cd)
Hauppaugge HVR 1100 cards- Download and extract latest drivers
- Run the clean driver program supplied - hcwclear.exe
- Reboot
- When prompted by HX wizard select:
- Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)
- Search for driver in these locations and Specify the extracted folder, by default C:\hcw21nova-t\
Nvidia drivers- Used version 77.79 as 80 series has a challenge with component video that needs a bios upgrade (waiting for new bios)
Motherboard Ethernet drivers for on-board ethernet
Software Install
Purevideo- Install NVIDIA_PureVideo_Decoder_Retail_1.02-185.exe From nvidia site
- Run PureVideo_Decoder_5.1_audio_patch_111505.exe
Windows Update
From Help menu select windows update- Select express option
- NB Reboot when prompted
Repeat until no more express updates are available (Didn’t pick anything up, but you cant be too carefull)
Ghost
Create ‘MCE2005clean with Drivers’ ghost image
EPG
Install Java (I used j2sdk-1_4_2_10-windows-i586-p.exe)
Install Bladerunner pro- br god bladerunnerpro [46487].zip
- follow the default (automatic option selected)
run bladerunner pro
Nero
Install Nero Express
VideoRedo
An absolute must have
Running VideoReDoPlus-2-2-1-445.exe
Windows Codec Checker
From Microsoft site – allows you to see what codecs you are actually running
Any DVD
Also a must (allows you to watch commercial DVD’s over component video at 720p)
SetupAnyDVD5841.exe
ffdshow
Need to watch videos compressed by Crunchie
Used ffdshow-20020617.exe
Crunchie
Gets great compression (2G for a movie) some sacrifice on quality in dark areas of the picture (I use Nero for movies I want to keep long term)
Install DVRM Toolbox
vu babgvant dvrmstoolbox.zip [41080].zip
Install Crunchie
Install Crunchie v1.1.zip
Sonic Encoder
Have not tested, but should let MCE write video to DVD
Sonic encoder SP30294.exe
Google Toolbar
Always useful
DVDshrink
Just in case
Install Complete – now setup
Ghost
Create ‘MCE2005clean with SW and Drivers’ ghost image
In case I screw up the MCE config
MCE Setup
Start MCE and run through setup wizard
I selected manual downloads of the EPG
EPG area code of 0000 for bladerunner
Set up sound as 5.1 for my system
(Check with nvidia setting that sound is set to SP/Dif passthrough)
Tune channels and select what you want
At this point I had a really jerky picture.
Then Set nvdidia de-interlace to Auto
Reboot
All is good with the world
Plasma Settings
Brightness -2, Contrast +31, Colour -3, Tint +4
Ghost
Final Ghost – get back to a working MCE really quickly
Create ‘MCE2005configured with SW and Drivers’ ghost image
Final Status- 9 and 10 run on HD perfectly
- Am running the rest on SD (video has different levels of stutter – 7 is worst) I expect the new nvidia driver to sort this, but am waiting on a bios upgrade
- Resolved my problem of losing scheduled recording every time I update the EPG (done manually)
- Resolved my problem of MCE shutting down with no warning every now and then
- Still want to do some work getting the optimal screen settings for my plasma
- On day 1 I lost all my channel settings (I changed the system clock forward while recording – could be the issue) – I backed out to ghost image. Has not re-occurred.
