sDenn Knowledge Base

Step 1. Preparing Frequency List File

There is registry key that MCE reads the frequencies for the tuning. The key can be found at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TV System Services\TVAutoTune. Within this registry key, you will see that there are a number of sub keys with the following format:  TSXX-0 or TSXX-1.  TS stands for Tuning Space.  XX is the country code based on the international dialling code prefix.  0 or 1 indicates the signal type, 0 is for analogue antenna and 1 cable or satellite. Within those keys there are a number of DWORD sub keys and values.  The DWORD key name is the channel number and the value is a hexadecimal number equating to the frequency in Hz that you require.  You are looking at an 8 digit number, e.g. 243250000 equates to 243.25MHz.

To start with the setup you need to obtain the Channel Frequency List. For Israel HOT provider you can find it at http://www.hot.net.il/HOT.aspx?FolderID=1654&lang=he. Other information about obtaining frequencies you can view at http://sa-mce.com/blogs/blog2/archive/2006/05/04/finding-analogue-tv-broadcast-frequencies-for-mce-2005.aspx

Now we convert this frequncies into registry format and apply the fine tune correction to the frequencies. The easiest way to do this with Excel and small program.

Paste the frequencies list to the Excel, now you need to convert it to Hz, for that, multiply the frequency (which is in MHz) by 1,000,000 (10^6) and add 500,000 or 250,000 (fine tune correction). And convert it to the 8-byte hex format.

After that create text file (ch.txt) with hex numbers for frequencies, one per line, and empty line at the end. (Copy/paste the hex numbers column from excel to the new text file named ch.txt in Notepad.)

Download the “freqwrite” program to the directory with hex frequencies file.

Type in command prompt within this directory

freqwrite.exe < ch.txt > autotune.reg

Now, you get registry file with frequencies list which can be added to the registry.

Step 2. Installing MegaEPG.

Download, install and run the MegaEPG program from http://pvr.co.il/

Step 3. Setup the Media Center

You can setup guide as described at http://pvr.co.il/distribution/Docs/readme.html#vistasetup

When Media Center ask you which signal you want to use, select the Cable.

Important! Before “Scan for Services”, go to the Windows and run the autotune.reg file and check the registry (with regedit.exe) that you have applied the frequency list. Now Media Center finds defined channels. After all needed channels was found you can press ‘Stop’.

Step 4. Assign Listings to Channels 

And, the last step, after you have dowloaded EPG listings assign them to each channel.