PVR Software MCE vs. BeyondTV

[milehigh]

I purchased a Hauppauge 150 for my HTPC and need some advice/input...

I'm trying to decide between Beyond TV and Windows MCE...

BeyondTV - BY FAR the nicest straight PVR in terms of setup, operation and interface BUT I'm really steamed about having to purchase Beyond Media for the other functions (pictures, DVD, videos, files...)

Windows MCE - Seems like the best all round option HOWEVER I'm ticked that my Hauppauge remote won't work with it so it looks like I'm stuck buying a remote. Seems VERY easy (just using the keyboard to try it) and it includes ALL the features, DVD, files, music etc...without having to launch in a separate application like in Beyond TV/Media.

My question for those who have used both is would you

1. BeyondTV + Beyond Media = $69.99 + $39.99 = $109.98

2. Purchase a Windows MCE Remote = $35.95

The cost difference isn't the issue...if ease of use/stability/functionality are there I don't mind spending a couple extra bucks.

OR...does anybody know if there is a way to get the 45 button Hauppauge remote to work with Windows MCE?

I've looked at some of the others like Sage (can't get the trial to work because I had it on this PC once upon a time and I'm not going to reformat just to try thier software), GBPVR and Meedio but I either didn't like the feel or didn't feel like going through hundreds of plugins just to get it to work the way I want.

 

[stash]

Not sure why you want to use the Happauge remote, the media center remote is pretty good. There are third party remotes for MCE too (logitech makes one).

 

[Gooberlx2]

Windows MCE is idiot proof and pretty stable AFAIK. I'd just get the 3rd party remote.

However, be sure you understand how Window Media Player oragnizes audio files in its library (by album artist, not artist) otherwise you'll have all kinds of albums playing out of order if your tags aren't complete.

 

[Topplayer]

try myth tv

 

[jfall]

Have you checked out SageTV? Works great with my PVR 150. There is also gbpvr as a free solution

 

[Drakkon]

mediaportol is the bomb...the newest version can use MCE remote, haupage remote, any card seems like, has a few plugins for games and stuff, and plays a TON of formats.

 

[LouPoir]

Same dilemna here - BeyondTV or SageTV??

Lou

 

[flashbacck]

Have you tried using Girder for your remote? It'll accept inputs from your remote and output whatever you want (i.e. keyboard keys). It's currently not free, but I have a really old version at home from back when it was freeware.

 

[rbV5]

There is nothing more user friendly and stable as MCE 2005, but its a poor value if you already have your OS. The MCE remote is excellent and extremely durable, well worth the money if thats whats holding you back. Mine survived a severe mauling by my lab over a year ago, its ugly, but still very functional. The wife and kids give MCE their seal of approval.

Prior to MCE 2005's release, I prefered SageTV over BTV, however BTV supported alot more hardware and neither supported HD tuners at the time. Its been over a year, so I'm sure some things have changed.

 

[Markbnj]

I think Beyond Media is now bundled with the full version of 4.0. The complaints now seem to be that you still have to run it to use the remote or look at the stuff you mentioned. I may be wrong... it may be bundled with the remote.

I haven't used MCEs native software, but Beyond TV 4.0 is slick as hell.

 

[milehigh]

Originally posted by: rbV5
The wife and kids give MCE their seal of approval.

You hit the head on the nail there. That's what I am looking for and I didn't want to have to spend hours and hours getting it to work..(GB-PVR, MythTV)

I did download Meedio and at $40 somthing it includes TV, DVD, PVR, Files, Music (more or less everything) and I installed a couple new themes and it was really easy to work with. I liked the 'feel' once I found a theme I liked.

BeyondTV has been the easiest but the fact that it is actually 2 separate applications causes it to fail the "wife and kids" test. And I still don't like that I have to purchase both parts BeyondTV and BeyondMedia just to watch DVD's and listen to music. If they ever truly integrate everything into one application it would be a no-brainer.

Looks like I'm off to ebay for an MCE remote while I mess with Meedio...

 

[wexsmith]

When I used Meedio + SageTV I was constantly adding, fixing and changing stuff. While the setup had a lot of functionality it needed maintenance every now and then. Since switching to MCE six months ago I've touched the setup only a handful of times. The third party plugins I've installed worked with very little tweaking and have continued to work.

I was upset about kind of being forced to buy an MCE remote, but it's worth it in the long run. If you get a universal remote you really like you can just use it to learn all the buttons of the MCE anyway. My wife definitely likes MCE over Meedio + SageTV too.

I do miss having 6000+ streaming Yahoo! Launch videos though...

 

[s8v4o]

Only thing is that MCE 2005 doesn't stream live TV to any other computers, just "extenders". Other than that MCE is great.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I have MCE, it's nice. If the OS hadn't come with the computer, though, I would have gone with mediaportal. But yeah, as others have said, MCE is essentially idiotproof and "just works"....isn't that a mac tag-line?

 

[NeoV]

SAGE!

 

[HardcoreRobot]

try GB-PVR its free and i love it

supports the 45 button (though i tweaked my ini)

 

[HomerSapien]

My vote goes to Sage with a few of the user stvi's that can be found at their forums.

I tried beyond tv, and the navigation really bugged me. I really despise the MCE navigation (messed around with it at best buy). Its almost too simple, but i dont know about any of the customizations for beyond tv or mce.

 

[eDRoaCH]

I have this same dilemma. I have a 9800AIW and I cant seem to find any pvr I like.

The native ATI one seems about perfect, cept the scheduler likes to crash a lot (right as you schedule at least so you know, then you can manually record the timeslot but its a pain) and occasionally craps out durring recording. Ive seemingly tried every other one I can get my hands on (cept I never heard of meedio, dont want mce because it cant join the domain, and havent bothered to install linux for its pvr programs)

So ya, a comparison site or some such would be wonderful, someone needs to get their act together and really put one out without caveats

 

[Markbnj]

The native ATI software utterly blows, unless you got an older copy and have their original Media Center software. From what I hear that wasn't bad.

I haven't used MCE, but I am an enthusiastic BTV fan. Beyond TV with the Firefly remote is the most reliable combination I have used.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: eDRoaCH
I have this same dilemma. I have a 9800AIW and I cant seem to find any pvr I like.

The native ATI one seems about perfect, cept the scheduler likes to crash a lot (right as you schedule at least so you know, then you can manually record the timeslot but its a pain) and occasionally craps out durring recording. Ive seemingly tried every other one I can get my hands on (cept I never heard of meedio, dont want mce because it cant join the domain, and havent bothered to install linux for its pvr programs)

So ya, a comparison site or some such would be wonderful, someone needs to get their act together and really put one out without caveats

MCE can join a domain, you just have to do it right at OS install.

 

[doan]

Try GBPVR --- its free

 

[GhettoFob]

Originally posted by: doan
Try GBPVR --- its free

 

[dev0lution]

I had BeyondTV Subscriber Edition for about a year and found it to be ok. I had the occasional issue with it not recording, recording without sound, etc. But since this edition came with my tuner, the subscription for the Guide was a negative. Also, I didn't feel like gambling the cash on a 3rd party remote/IR Blaster and possibly something additional like Girder all because I ended up needing something to control my set top box.

Switched to MCE and I find it to be a bit more stable (had a few issues, but nothing since some driver updates and rollup2) and easier to navigate.

Pluses would be the free guide and integration with the remote/IR Blaster.

Negatives would be a lack of user defined options for settings (very simple wizard based options) and the proprietary format for PVR files.

 

[marmasatt]

I just turned my gaming PC into a /HTPC and I'm not sure I like it. It conflicts with my firewall, it uses tons of resources (literally 8 processes I believe) for BeyondTV/REmote, and is ever so slightly unstable. Not too bad, just tempremental enough to be a bite in the ass. By my experience you have to leave the processes running in the background and not disable them if you want BeyondTV to load fast/properly - and have a few more processes for the remote as well....... But then that slows your normal applications and programs down enough so that you want to disable all the BeyondTV stuff. Just had it for a few weeks so maybe I haven't tweaked it enough. It is pretty cool watching TV while and using your system as a PVR though......

 

[Crashedout]

If you ever plan on getting a 360 it works flawlessly with MCE 2005. The MCE remote is okay, the volume and channel buttons suck and it is limited. I only bought it for the ir input for my harmony. That works very well, there are sill some missing features here and there but overall I am very happy and cannot wait until Vista and cablecard support.