[DISCUSSION] Patch WMC to run on Windows 10 final & possible alternatives

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by ricktendo64, May 8, 2015.

  1. maxtorix

    maxtorix MDL Member

    Feb 3, 2010
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    To be able to integrate updates (and SXS extracted packages) for Server 2008R2 on Windows 7/WinPE and vice-versa.
    To be able to integrate standard Windows 7's LIP (not MUI) on Server 2008R2/WinPE.
     
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  2. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    #10542 acer-5100, Jan 9, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2023
    To clarify there are two branches of installers

    One (v12.x) by abbodi which is based on DISM and stock cabs + modified files

    the other V.8.8.x by T-S which doesn't use DISM at all, its basically a script that put in place the necessary files registry settings, services and so on.

    The former is conceptually more elegant but does not work on relatively recent windows, and also is prone to problems if uninstalled/reinstalled and generally on non virgin (if supported) windows installations.

    There are (or there were) few ways to fool windows DISM to accept a .cab not meant for a specific version, one of them was to export the package registry branch, editing it with the w8.1 version re-importing it, install the cabs, then remove the added registry settings.

    Nowadays is still possible to install an unintended cab, but that must be done offline, from a parallel OS (Or win PE), using the unpacked cab and editing the *.mum files, doing that may break monthly updates, given DISM has evolved in a way pickier thing than it was in 2015/2016.

    P.S. as stated above there is now a third kind of installer by garyan2, which is based on .msi just like a normal program (but it's available in x64 flavor only, which is a pity)
     
  3. maxtorix

    maxtorix MDL Member

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    Can you post links about these two? It is intended for Windows 7/Server 2008R2 era, so probably should work.
     
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  4. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    Frankly I have not any link ready to any ready meal recipe, as those are methods found after long search and discussions

    Whatever

    Using the (online) registry method is relatively simple

    Launch regedit as trusted installer using nsudo/runasti or alike

    Export HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\Packages

    Open the resulting file and replace the windows version with the one of the package you want to install (say
    10.0.19041.1) Import the reg file, install your cab using dism.

    To remove the imported registry values edit the .reg again and add a - to the keys you want to remove (practically change any lines starting with [HKLM to [-HKLM. (EXCEPT THE FIRST LINE!!!! or you will remove the whole packages key) and import the .reg again
     
  5. abbodi1406

    abbodi1406 MDL KB0000001

    Feb 19, 2011
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    .mum files are also needed for online spoofing

    @maxtorix
    check install.cmd / dism.reg / dism folder from WMC_6.3.9600.16384_x64_v12.7z to see how it works
     
  6. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    No, not with the technique I mentioned above.

    The cab/cabs are enough (at least that was the case with 2015/2016 and earlier). No idea if it still works on current CUs/SSUs
     
  7. blouis79

    blouis79 MDL Novice

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    #10549 blouis79, Mar 19, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2023
    Tried 8.9.1 on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC. The installer is nice, but it didn't install TV tuners. 8.8.5 installed without errors and appears working (scanning now).

    Readme could use some advice about which options to choose while installing.

    eg Playready "NO".

    Screen setup test videos are not installed. Fullscreen fails to render over RDP (blackout screen working while invisible), but windowed it does. Otherwise appears to be working. Thanks to all!
     
  8. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    Use "actual multiple monitors" (no matter if you are using multiple monitors), no configuration needed, just install it and enjoy.

    As alternative you can use "the maxifier" (it mimics full screen using a borderless windows, but you will loose the close/maximize/minimize buttons.
     
  9. CZ Eddie

    CZ Eddie MDL Novice

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    Has anyone figured out a way to get RDP / remote desktop working with cablecard/protected content?
    I've got WMC + Cablecard running on a VM and want to watch it from my HTPC.

    I'm okay with Windowed-mode. Gary's "The Maxifier" software can make windowed mode appear to be full-screen.
     
  10. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    Do you mean that you're using a RDP patched WMC and it doesn't work?

    If yes you can try some alternatives.

    A) Try to use RemoteFX (if you're using Hyper-V), you need a version of windows not newer than March 2021 (or a recent windows patched with my instructions)

    B) Use VMware workstation and connect remotely to it using VMware workstation (or the VMWare remote consolle), not the remote desktop. (you need VMware workstation 16.1.2 or older, NOT 16.2.x or 17.x)
     
  11. CZ Eddie

    CZ Eddie MDL Novice

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    My understanding is the remote options don't work for Protected Content (CableCard).

    The VMware Remote Console doesn't work for passthrough GPU.
    Once you have the GPU (required for cablecard activation) you can only view video through the GPU's HDMI video output.
     
  12. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    Obviously that was the MS' idea, peraps the MS idea was also to not allow the TV at all on remote connections at all but we have it now.

    That's a detail you missed to mention, I had no idea you're using the passtrough GPU, way back in 2015 before we managed to get WMC working on W10 I used it for a while with good results (obviously I didn't ask for 4K or even more stupid resolutions at the time), but I'm not a Cable Card user eiter
     
  13. CZ Eddie

    CZ Eddie MDL Novice

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    Yeah, CableCard (protected content) is the first issue.
    Lots of options for what I want are available - until you add the Protected Content into the mix.

    I'm wondering now though.
    Maybe I can use MPC-HC and a 1080P Capture Card (after stripping HDCP inline).
    I'll start Googling this option!
     
  14. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    Out of curiosity did you test actual multiple monitors, it fixes everything, maybe it fixes that as well

    I would test a 10$ hdmi to vga converter (something that shouldn't exist but is sold in millions of pieces) if that works you can hope for a capture card that works as well, or you can loop back the vga output to a analogue capture card.
     
  15. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    #10557 acer-5100, Apr 3, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2023
    In the meantime.

    Yet another world's first by ACER-5100 :schmorch:

    upload_2023-4-3_23-50-50.png

    For people outside my country this is the national test for the upcoming H265/HEVC channels (in theory we should have anything already in HEVC since December. But for now most channels were moved to H264/AVC, and the above and a couple of encrypted channels is all we have.

    As I wrote some time ago, WMC doesn't understand the H265 CODEC, even if spooned by LAV CODECS, so I had to elaborate a new plan.... :Albert::nsa:
     
  16. Kévin Chalet

    Kévin Chalet MDL Member

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    Hey. Care to share more about your plan, acer? :oops:
    I live in France but not in an area where DVB-T2 w/ H.265 multiplexes were deployed during the previous live tests, so I've never been able to give that a try (AFAIK, they plan to deploy at least two UHD channels later this year but exact details are still a bit unclear).
     
  17. acer-5100

    acer-5100 MDL Guru

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    #10559 acer-5100, Apr 7, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2023
    Hi, I didn't provide details, just because I thought there was no interest.

    BTW I use since a decade DVBLINK (the site is dead now, but DBLINK 4.1.1 is relatively easy to find.), thanks to the IPTV component I can feed any IPTV stream to WMC (multiple WMC installations across my home network).

    Although the TUNER component of DVBLINK is pretty sufficient to have just:

    TUNER(s) ----->DVBLINK(tuner component)---->WMC

    I normally add to NEXTPVR to the mix, because a number of reasons.

    So my traditional setup is as follow

    TUNER(s)---->NEXTPVR----->DVBLINK(iptv component) ----->WMC

    Which is already a super versatile setup, because once your TV signal is converted in IPTV, you can use not just WMC, but also KODI, MEDIAPORTAL, VLC, MPC-HC and so on (on WINDOWS) + more clients on Linux and Android + the universal access via a web browser (actually two way to use the TV and EPG Guide via browsers given both NEXTPVR and DVBLINK provide the WEB access)

    Now both DVBLINK and and NEXTPVR have the ability to transcode the signal in realtime, but both of them do that (optionally) only for the web browser access.

    DVBLINK is not supported anymore, and the developer of NEXTPVR refused my suggestion to add an option to provide it also for PC clients.

    So I looked for a solution for a while, until I discovered TVHEADEND, which again can manage the tuners directly or can accept an IPTV stream.

    The bad news is that TVHEADEND is available only for Linux, the good news is that after i tested it inside a virtual machine (it works fairly well), I tried to install it on WSL(1) to avoid a further complication and to have less overhead.

    Aside few quirks of WSL (easy to overcome) TVHEADEND proved incredibly robust and light to use (it takes like 20% of the CPU to transcode a full HDstream, on a mid range IVY bridge CPU, which is more than 10 years old now), and as a bonus you can tailor not just the codec, but also the resolution, so I can use as a TV machine even a weak notebook from the XP era that, normally would be 100% busy if feeded at 1920x1080, but can manage the HD signal @1280x720, with nonchalance.


    In short, the simplest configuration would be:

    Tuner ----> TVHEADEND ----->DVBLINK----WMC

    But you can chain those TV server as you like, providing the last ring of the chain is DVBLINK (the only solution capable to interact with WMC)


    If you want to use (also) Kodi, the choices are endless, given KODI has a generic IPTV client, and also a native NEXTPVR client, a DVBLINK client, a server WMC client, and also a TVHEADEND client

    In my personal more complicate setup

    Tuner ---->NEXTPVR-----> TVHEADEND ----->DVBLINK---->WMC, I can use Kodi to access the TV signal in like SEVEN different ways, depending the Kodi plugin I enable,and the server I use as source.

    Also, given we are talking of something that travels via IP, is not said that anything must be on the same machine.

    You need to have the first ring of the chain in the same machine where the tuner is connected, but everything else can be in a different machine in a different room (or even in a different nation !!!)

    So that's the principle, for any further detail you need you have just to ask.
     
  18. Kévin Chalet

    Kévin Chalet MDL Member

    Apr 11, 2019
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