What about new win10 with a virtual win7? I've been considering this as i miss a lot of my win xp/7 only games
Just fired up the Virtual Box win7 VM I use to test my stuff on and indeed WMC does fire up however I was unable to get it to play back files recorded on my w10 machines (even though they're all using the 1709 DLLs), fails with the Decoder Error. Wouldn't even play it's own Landscape demo thing. Beyond that a big problem I found with the VM was getting access to local machines on the network, extremely sketchy set of setup steps needed, I've no doubt it's possible to do but good luck, I choose other walls to hurdle to solve the problems I needed to solve. And on top of that there's probably going to be fun and games getting a full screen experience out of the thing, you'll have to set Virtual Box to be full screen and then maybe you'd be able to get it but you have to set the VM's screen size and so on so more gerfingerpoken, but probably possible.
Yeah, I think the reason WMC failed to run is because it's an earlier version of WMC than the ones we run in that they all came from win 8. Although I guess that doesn't explain why it couldn't play it's built in Landscape thing I suppose. Anyway rather than try a win7 VM I'd be thinking about a win8.1 one instead. The thing feels like it'll work and at least with 8.1 you can use our packages.
If it aint broke, dont fix it, is where im at.... my rig is about 6 years old and my 2.5" 125GB OS SSD is nearly full. it does everything i need but been thinking of upgrading and going 65" 4k...
Thanks j.c.f. So, for now, I have a Win7 machine on my Internet, with only two programs easily available to the user (epg123 and WMC). I turned off WMC internet update, and the only program now accessing the Internet is epg123 - at least that's what I think. I guess I will have to completely shut down Windows Update in January. I also added a VPN. I have RF remote that easily changes between that computer and my 1909 Win10. So, if I want to watch LIVE TV. I can at the click of a button. My question, now, is do you think the my Win7 machine is secure?
I see a law suit against Microsoft. Basically, they hooked people on WMC (behaviorally), and then stopped supporting the OLD OS it worked on and Broke it in the NEW OS. Now, users will not stop using the old OS and that puts their computer, personal files, indentity, bank info, etc. all at risk. The question for the jury to answer, is does Microsoft have a responsibility to the community that bought their products? That is, they do not need to keep supporting an OS, but should they not allow support for WMC and cable cards in their new OS? If nothing else, shouldn't they allow third party developers to be able to make WMC work in Win10 and see cable card tuners? People have a lot of money invested in hardware made useless by Microsoft. According to Kaspersky. 38% of consumers were still using Windows 7 as of September. 2019, as were a similar percent of small business owners. Almost 50% of enterprise users are stuck on Windows 7. People who use Windows 7 at work will probably use it at home, especially if they have been using WMC as their media center. So, basically, millions of Microsoft users will be put at tremendous risk in January, when support ends. There might be arguments in favor of Microsoft, were it not for the fact that disconnecting the tuners only serves to make their market for Xbox larger. There are companies, for example, that make software specifically to see USB devices like the Ceton tuners across the network, with great stability. Of course, there are other ways, but none of that is worthwhile, if Microsoft disconnects the tuners on its end. At this point, it would seem Microsoft is guilty of unfair business practices along with negligence in leaving people they hooked on WMC at risk with no reasonable alternative. Note, most other daily-use programs will work in Win10 - we know them all - no need to list. Microsoft is not going to say you CANNOT type something in Word and send it over the network to be recognized by another Word program - that's ridiculous. The eventual question for juries will be why did Microsoft break support for cable card users, when so many have been behaviorally hooked on watching TV (an almost daily activity for most Americans) using WMC and cable cards, bought extra hardware to accommodate cable cards, bought a Microsoft OS, all just to have Microsoft leave them at risk for any number of catastrophes? How does Microsoft explain they have the patent and do not want to let others use the software to help so many millions of Americans avoid catastrophe? It's obvious that every old computer or laptop could be an xbox extender, if they could only connect to the tuners and run WMC. BTW, one's laptop would be an extender without any stupid box, cables, or electrical outlet.This was all possible in the past, why did Microsoft screw all of its patrons? Why put them all at risk? If Win7 machines are hacked, how many will transfer the malware via email to other people I do not believe a jury would accept "read the fine print, we can do whatever we want to do." Think of how many people using Microsoft products have been alienated over the years. It seems Microsoft has an uncanny ability to screw things up. Indeed, the guy who opted for NEW Coke instead of old Coke-Cola must be way up in the Microsoft hierarchy. Take Windows Office 2019. To set up Outlook, many people need to enter a username to log on to their web hosting domain provider, where their email goes. That username is not the same as one"s email address. I have been doing this for years. This year, with 2019, no place to enter the info - wonder why? It's either stupidity, incompetence, or an effort to shift users to another platform? Amazingly, they had to go out of their way to delete code from a form used successfully for years. Equally amazing, there is a workaround using something for 2016 in control panel, but one would not know it, if it were not for all of the great people on these message boards. My point is how many of those jurors are going to be upset with Microsoft before being impaneled on the jury? BTW, the free upgrade doesn't matter, when the upgrade is not really an upgrade of ALL existing features, and deletes support for one of the main features for which many people use their computers. Users get email on their phones, text on their phones, search the Internet on their phones, shop on their phones, and can take their phones with them. For the vast majority, the only thing a computer is good for is a big screen for the Office suites from WordPerfect and Microsoft, AND as a Media Center for the home. Interested in comments....
I'm pretty sure that cablecard works with Windows 10 if there is a dvr application and a schedule subscription. What's gone is the ability to record or play protected content. Filthy rich folk protect their monopolies.
Well, I have not found anyone using Ceton Cable cards with WMC on later volumes of Win10. I was using everything fine in Win10 1511, but that, too, was nearing end of support. I would be happy to learn of anyone actually using Ceton/cable card, WMC, and Win10 1909.
JCF, Thanks again. I guess between now and January I will have to take a serious look at multi homing.
Whiznot, I may have read your post too quickly. Indeed, I believe you are correct in saying cable cards work in Win10. They do show up and they are tuning channels. The problem is that even if one installs one of the work-around versions of WMC, WMC cannot see the tuners. That is on Microsoft, and that is precisely why so many people (millions) will hold onto their Win7 machines (I have two). That one very simple fix (WMC seeing cable card tuners) would help the security of millions. In fact, such a fix would probably be the most important anti-virus solution to come around in a long, long time.
I wouldn't be so sure about "millions". MS themselves quote WMC usage as "trvial" when justifying discontinuation of it, personally I give it maybe tens of thousands and likely much less as it sounds like there's just one server serving up MS's guide data. My personal theory for them wanting to can WMC is that they were tired of paying MPEG royalties on every copy of Windows sold, but I think MPEG LA just let those royalty requirements lapse, grr. Certainly wanting to keep using WMC is a reason for people to not give up win7 but hardware has always been the primary reason people don't upgrade to their new OSes. Nothing pissed me off more than having to ditch a perfectly nice printer just because MS have decided to abandon an old driver model. You wanna try writing software for Windows, MS come along and gaily announce that the way everything should be done is using COM say, as they did back in the days when DirectX was first conceived. A few years later that tribe is no longer in power and MS deprecates it. Was particularly apropos that a few years after than that new tribe fell out of favor and COM came roaring back. Either way, MS is not going to invest time and money setting up another group to develop WMC, most we can hope for is that they release the source code for it as they've done for one or two other things but given how it ties into cable card stuff they may not be able to do so from a legal perspective.
Greetings everyone. I had WMC working on 1903 having installed it using installer version 8.8.8.4. My HDD crashed and I reinstalled Windows 10 but it is 1909 with no apparent way to download 1903. The WMC installer does not work in 1909 fresh install. Is there a copy of 1903 out there somewhere that I can download as a bootable USB?? Is there another fix that I don't know about?? Thanks in advance.
Hello, you can use the link in the signature of technodevotee. Last week, I upgraded my Win7 32bit to the newest win 10 32bit (1909). After that I installed the 32bit-version in his link and everything worked fine without any hassles.
Thanks! I hadn't even seen technodevotee's files. 64 bit install on 1909 works like a charm!!!! I did have to run the replace_dlls file however.
I am using Remote Desktop Access to access a Windows 10 Pro Workstation (1809) machine with WMC on it from a Windows 10 Pro (1909) machine. The WMC was working (version 8.8.3), but remoting into it returns a "Video Error Files needed ..." message. I tried installing version 13-64 bit on the 1809 machine, but still could not remote in. I then tried version 8.8.4 with the same results. I then tried using the WMC Multi Tool, replacing the dll's one by one, still to no effect. Is there a change in Remote Desktop in 1909 that does not allow access to a remote WMC installation? I have been uninstalling the old WMC and rebooting each time I have made changes. I am not using the WMC to record, just to watch .wtv files.
In an RDP session, WMC V13 works full screen but won't play live or recorded TV. WMC 8.8.x plays live and recorded but doesn't work in full screen. Which DLLs and registry entries get removed or changed depends on which build of Windows you have and workarounds are sometimes needed even with the latest version of 8.8.x if you are using certain hardware/software. Other than these limitations, none of this affects the ability to operate WMC in an RDP session though.
I have been able to use WMC in RDP (with the limitations I mentioned) on every version of Windows I've had it installed on including Windows 10 from early on through to 1909 and even 2004. I don't know why it isn't working for you. I assume that WMC actually works properly on the host PC?