Windows Media Center IR Hardware not detected

Anonymous
2009-07-06T09:33:04+00:00

Hi,  I'm getting stuck at the "IR Hardward not detected" when trying to set up TV.

I'm in Australia and have a wireless component receiving my digital signal from another room.  www.cocoonsystems.com.au  I'm running a Haupaggue (spell?) TV tuner.  The TV tuner can view the signal coming from my cocoon via their product called WinTV.  It is viewed on the Composite connection.  (PC is a new Dell desktop with Vista loaded)

So, when I go to set up Media Center to see the signal also I conduct the following:

1.  Set up TV Signals

2.  Region Australia

3.  Choose Antenna

4.  Select Digital Terrestrial

5.  Select Yes (to view through a set top box, because the other option doesn't find my signal)

6.  It finds picture and sound playing through Composite 1, so I select this

7.  IR Hardware not detected.

Media Center will not let me by-pass step 7 if I don't have an IR connection.  I don't need my PC to change channels because I use the digital tv remote to change channels through the cocoon system.

Is there any way anyone knows that I can by-pass this annoying question of IR Hardware not detected?  I can only assume if I had my Video Camera connected through the Composite connection I would have the same problem also, as that doesn't have a remote either.

Anything I can do?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2009-07-06T19:06:30+00:00

Balibooblue,

Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Answers community forum.

The only way I know to get around the need for an IR hardware device during the setup of Media Center for TV viewing is to use a "virtual" IR device.  There is one called "Vista MCE IR Blaster" that is a file you download from the Internet that simulates an IR device.  You will have to do a search for it.  Or you can buy the hardware that Media Center is asking for relatively inexpensively online, about $20 USD.

Using Third Party Software, including hardware drivers can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Third Party Software can be solved. Using Third Party Software is at your own risk.

Let us know if this information was helpful or if you need additional help.

Thank you,

Gloria

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-11-13T04:11:29+00:00

    Hi, I got around the IR not detected in Windows 7 Ultimate with a TV wonder 650 card and a Verizon Digital adapter box for my PC.. Go the setup route and after the Media Center looks for the channels, pick manual setup. Pick Antenna signal ( I aso picked analog after that)l. After it searched more, it found no channels.  Not to fear. Just accept it and go to the main settings page in the Mediacenter. If I remember correctly, Pick TV then Guide. Pick add a Channel. I added channel 3.

     Since my Verizon box has no IR for the computer, I added channel 3 to the media Center and I change the channels with my Verizon remote. All my stations from the Verizon box go to Channel 3.

    So the story here is, for some reason Windows won't detect the only channel my box sends the TV signal to and you must manually configure the media center to antenna, then go to settings and add the channel you want in the guide.

     Why the TV guide controls what channel you can tune to is beyond me, but the scanner locks out all channels it does not detect. they must be manually added in the guide. My TV works and looks ok now.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-09-12T20:00:36+00:00

    But why does Windows require this totally unrelated piece of hardware in the first place?

    And when will this useless requirement be removed from Windows Media Center?

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-12-09T01:18:34+00:00

    Your welcome. I don't often post solutions to problems but research many. This one took many many hours to figure out since each time you try, you have to wait a long time for the channel search to finish.fail and try again.

      Yes we should be able to skip that IR thing. We should also be able to type in ANY channel we want on our keyboards without the guide blocking us!     ARE YOU LISTENING MICROSOFT???? 

      What if your cable company added channels. Will you have to run the setup again? Give us a break!

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-12-09T00:49:32+00:00

    Hey thanks for posting this solution. 

    I went from XP to Windows 7 and have been very happy.  Setting up my AverTV through Media Center hit this snag of no IR. 

    Cancelling discards the changes so far.  What a pity.  A simple button to skip this would have been nice. 

    Apparantly this has been a problem since Vista.  You have to trick Media Center as a work around?  Come on.  Just have the option of using the set top remote and not an IR in the setup.  It would have saved a lot of time, and reading from the online searches a lot of other peoples time as well.

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