Jeff and Darren are correct.

The reason for this behavior is that the "trial period" on MPEG-2 codecs
needed for MCE/DVD playback/burn has expired around 11/15/06 in Vista RC1 (I
assume you are running Vista RC1). Using Vista RC2 (or RTM if you can get a
handle on it) is the right solution for now. The codecs in final Vista
release do not have such an expiration.

Naveen Thumpudi [MS]
----
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers not rights.
----



"Gerald S Grommes" wrote:

Installed Cyberlink Decoder and all is well again.
Jerry Grommes

"Darren Mar-Elia (MVP)" wrote in
message ...
Well, if it helps at all, I broke down and upgraded my system to RC2 and
it fixed the MCE problem.

--
Darren Mar-Elia
MS-MVP-Windows Server--Group Policy
http://www.gpoguy.com -- The Windows Group Policy Information Hub:
FAQs, Training Videos, Whitepapers and Utilities for all things Group
Policy-related
Group Policy Management solutions at http://www.sdmsoftware.com


"dean-dean" wrote in message
...
Your right. I should have been more clear:

Vista Media Center stores its default decoder settings in a different
place in the registry than XP.

In Vista the key is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Media
Center\Decoder

whereas in XP the key was
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Media
Center\Service\Video

(The actual value names in the keys are the same):
PreferredMPEG2AudioDecoder and PreferredMPEG2VideoDecoder

But the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility, for me at least, does
show which encoders are installed. It's "Set as Preferred" and Restore
Defaults" functions, though, would be of no use. Sometimes installers
for decoders will put the values in the wrong key, if you want them to be
"preferred", if they're not up to date with Vista's registry scheme.

Dean


"JW" wrote in message
...
Vista stores its preferred Decoder identification in another registry
location than that which the XP check utility does so the XP check
utility is of no use on Vista.
There is a Vista Decoder check utility available on the
TheGreenButton.com site sorry I do not have the link
"Dean-Dean" wrote in message
...
Apparently, this has happened befo

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...df574329fce659

The Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility runs on Vista; don't know
whether it's useful for analysis, or not, and I haven't tried to use
its
"make default" function (I just look to see what files are in play):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Sorry, no solutions though.
Dean



"Darren Mar-Elia (MVP)" wrote:

I've been using Media Center just fine on Vista RC1 until today.
Something I
installed yesterday seems to be interfering with MCE's detection of
proper
codecs to play recorded and live TV. Whenever I try to do it, I get an
error. I can play the recorded files just fine using the Divx player
but
both MCE and WMP choke on it. Any ideas on where to start looking?


--
Darren Mar-Elia
MS-MVP-Windows Server--Group Policy
http://www.gpoguy.com -- The Windows Group Policy Information Hub:
FAQs, Training Videos, Whitepapers and Utilities for all things Group
Policy-related
Group Policy Management solutions at http://www.sdmsoftware.com

Apparently the decoder does time out in RC1.

I set my clock back to 10/17/06 and turned off Internet time sync (goto to
control panel and date and time settings, then disable that box that says
sync with internet time server)

This worked for me though annoying.

"MCe" wrote:

Same problem as the rest of you. What is going on?????

"Darren Mar-Elia (MVP)" wrote:

I've been using Media Center just fine on Vista RC1 until today. Something I
installed yesterday seems to be interfering with MCE's detection of proper
codecs to play recorded and live TV. Whenever I try to do it, I get an
error. I can play the recorded files just fine using the Divx player but
both MCE and WMP choke on it. Any ideas on where to start looking?


--
Darren Mar-Elia
MS-MVP-Windows Server--Group Policy
http://www.gpoguy.com -- The Windows Group Policy Information Hub:
FAQs, Training Videos, Whitepapers and Utilities for all things Group
Policy-related
Group Policy Management solutions at http://www.sdmsoftware.com

Is there a way that those of us who cannot trade up to RC2 can extend the
life of these codecs? Why would MSFT put RC1 out to the public, and not RC2,
and yet have such a limit on the abilities. No one will want to buy the new
version if they think it doesn't work.

"Naveen Thumpudi [MSFT]" wrote:

Jeff and Darren are correct.

The reason for this behavior is that the "trial period" on MPEG-2 codecs
needed for MCE/DVD playback/burn has expired around 11/15/06 in Vista RC1 (I
assume you are running Vista RC1). Using Vista RC2 (or RTM if you can get a
handle on it) is the right solution for now. The codecs in final Vista
release do not have such an expiration.

Naveen Thumpudi [MS]
----
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers not rights.
----



"Gerald S Grommes" wrote:

Installed Cyberlink Decoder and all is well again.
Jerry Grommes

"Darren Mar-Elia (MVP)" wrote in
message ...
Well, if it helps at all, I broke down and upgraded my system to RC2 and
it fixed the MCE problem.

--
Darren Mar-Elia
MS-MVP-Windows Server--Group Policy
http://www.gpoguy.com -- The Windows Group Policy Information Hub:
FAQs, Training Videos, Whitepapers and Utilities for all things Group
Policy-related
Group Policy Management solutions at http://www.sdmsoftware.com


"dean-dean" wrote in message
...
Your right. I should have been more clear:

Vista Media Center stores its default decoder settings in a different
place in the registry than XP.

In Vista the key is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Media
Center\Decoder

whereas in XP the key was
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Media
Center\Service\Video

(The actual value names in the keys are the same):
PreferredMPEG2AudioDecoder and PreferredMPEG2VideoDecoder

But the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility, for me at least, does
show which encoders are installed. It's "Set as Preferred" and Restore
Defaults" functions, though, would be of no use. Sometimes installers
for decoders will put the values in the wrong key, if you want them to be
"preferred", if they're not up to date with Vista's registry scheme.

Dean


"JW" wrote in message
...
Vista stores its preferred Decoder identification in another registry
location than that which the XP check utility does so the XP check
utility is of no use on Vista.
There is a Vista Decoder check utility available on the
TheGreenButton.com site sorry I do not have the link
"Dean-Dean" wrote in message
...
Apparently, this has happened befo

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...df574329fce659

The Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility runs on Vista; don't know
whether it's useful for analysis, or not, and I haven't tried to use
its
"make default" function (I just look to see what files are in play):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Sorry, no solutions though.
Dean



"Darren Mar-Elia (MVP)" wrote:

I've been using Media Center just fine on Vista RC1 until today.
Something I
installed yesterday seems to be interfering with MCE's detection of
proper
codecs to play recorded and live TV. Whenever I try to do it, I get an
error. I can play the recorded files just fine using the Divx player
but
both MCE and WMP choke on it. Any ideas on where to start looking?


--
Darren Mar-Elia
MS-MVP-Windows Server--Group Policy
http://www.gpoguy.com -- The Windows Group Policy Information Hub:
FAQs, Training Videos, Whitepapers and Utilities for all things Group
Policy-related
Group Policy Management solutions at http://www.sdmsoftware.com