Media Center Choppy Playback

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My Windows XP Media Center dell PC died a few weeks ago leading to a reformat of the C drive and a reinstall of windows. Since then, Media Center playback has been choppy. I’m betting that I have the wrong driver or codec now – it was find before my system died.

Q: how do I tell what TV card I have – I pulled it out and it has ATI on it – I think it is a Theatre 550. Dell part = 320-4279 (Single TV tuner with remote control)
Q: How do I tell what hardware device the TV card is (in hardware manager) – so that I can check which driver it is using
Q: How do I tell what codec I am using? A: Found a windows utility (Win XP Video Decoder Checkup) – it says I am using Sonic CM® DC VideoDecoder 4.0. Is this any good?
Q: Is this the right forum @ woodies? If not, any other forum either here or someplace else on the web?

Thanks

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In spite of the fact that I have a Dell with XP MCE, I don’t have a TV card and can’t really help you. But if you haven’t already done so, could you try one of these freebies to see if one or more of your questions lie in their analyses?

SIW | System Information for Windows

Belarc Advisor – Free Personal PC Audit

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Q1, Q2:

Open Devise Manager (click Start > Run, type DEVMGMT.MSC and hit Enter).

For the proper drivers, visit Dell Support page , then click on “Drivers and Downloads” ( if you are in the US, go to http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/…;l=en&s=gen[/url] ), select your computer model and operating system. Then download and install all necessary drivers choosing the most recent ones.

Q3:

Visit K-Lite Codec Pack and download and install free codecs. It is almost certain you will have all needed codecs.

Q4:

Yes, it is the right forum.

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Thx Guys – the dell is my home pc and I am currently at work (don’t you hate that). I’ll look at those links when I get home. Re device manager (I typically right click my computer, properties, device manager – same beast, different route) – which of the 6 or 7 ‘sound, video or game controllers’ items should I be looking at? I’ll post a screenshot of what I have when I get home.

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It is always better to post a screenshot so we can see what you see. Someone here may know the device from the name in device manager.

Joe

--Joe

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screenshot …

Looking at the suggestions posted above.

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news: Well – its working fine now – no choppy, no hang. Not 100% sure what fixed it. Here is what I did.

– d/l k-lite decoder pack and installed that
– d/l graphics card driver from dell and installed that
– pulled my tv tuner card out of the machine and tried to read the stupidly small writing on it – gave it to my wife (better eyes) who said “Theatre 55U PRQ” … which I took to be “Theatre 550 PRO”
– d/l the “Theatre 550 PRO” driver from ATI and installed that (which I thought I had already done)

Thx for your help.

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Glad you got it working. Thanks for posting back.

Joe

--Joe

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