Free HDTV Tuner Software

Free HDTV Tuner Software

Kram Drivers for Hybrid tuners and MCE

Normally Microsoft Media Center in MCE 2005 and Vista will recognize either the analog or digital tuner in a hybrid tuner, but not both. Here is a step by step routine for MCE 2005 to make Media Center recognize both tuners. Here is the routine for Vista Media Center.

WatchHDTV

This simple but excellent HDTV application works for virtually every HDTV software tuner card. There are actually two programs, one for live HDTV and recording, and another for file replay. So you can play a saved file while recording another. Download it for free here. There is also an AVS forum thread strictly for WatchHDTV. The current thread is here.

Dsfm

This program show all the filters running on your PC. This can be very useful for WatchHDTV. Download it here.

AC3

This is a audio filter program which can be used with WatchHDTV to do Dolby 5.1 via S/PDIF. Get this program here.

VLC player

This is a video player, much more versatile than Windows Media or Media center players. It plays the standard files but also the HD files output by MyHD and Fusion. You can actually start recording a MyHD TV show then run VLC player on that file, essentially using it like a timeshift. It can be CPU intensive if running a HD file. Download it here.

Encoder Software

If you have a hybrid tuner (both digital & analog), encoder software may be required to receive smooth video in Media Center (2005 & Vista). The Fusion tuners and the Vbox 164e for instance require encoders. See the install routine here.

HDTVpump

In case you just can’t live without Media Player. Load this program and run HDTV files created by the Fusion or MyHD tuners (.TP or .TS files) using Media Player. Download it here.

Hdtvtompeg2

This is a cool program that converts Fusion or MyHD created tp files to MPEG. However it's best use is for editing commercials out of tp files as it won't always work as a converter. Download it here.

Cliff Watson Electronic Program Guide

Formerly known as Myhdauto, this program allows you to setup automatic scheduling similar to Tivo’s Season Pass Manager for the MyHD tuner, Dvico Fusion tuners, and now for the HDHomerun. Download it here.