Getting AltDVB to work with Vista - and vPlug!

[BGonaSTICK]

This is a quick how-to (but not that quick)

It may evolve over time - so check back. If you find it works for you, please let us know. If it doesn't work, then let us know how or why.

It you don't follow the how-to properly and it doesn't work, then keep it to yourself. Seriously. It's a tricky install, as the trail of devastation - smashed computers and irate users -in this section illustrates - so you need to pay attention to the detail to have any hope.

Whingy-whiny "I sort of did this, and I kinda got a BSOD" posts will be greeted with the Remove button.

If you have something of value to add - some more info, a better explanation etc. then I'll gladly incorporate it.

Let's keep this clean or it won't help anyone. Check your facts before posting. There is no room for maybes and gossip here.

This is a draft - more of a 'list of tips' to start with:

To start with, turn off User Account Control, at least until everything is installed and working. This was my biggest mistake. I thought that if I just clicked all the confirmation prompts, I would end up at the same point as if I had just turned UAC off. Wrong. It stopped me in my tracks for days.

To turn UAC off, do:

Start, Control Panel, User Accounts. The last option on the right-hand pane reads 'Turn User Account Control on or off'. Click it. Untick 'Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer'. Click OK and exit the Control Panel.

Do not install any of the cr@p from the Technisat download site. It may work at some point in the future, but right now it's a bag of sh!t. DVBViewer doesn't work properly (and it's rubbish) the V4.4.1 drivers I had mixed results with (though this could just be bad luck, as I was juggling too many variables at the time to really know if the drivers themselves were good or bad) and more importantly the installer is shot to hell.

You may get errors which read something to the effect of 'you need to install the hardware and drivers first'. You may get 'updating PCI drivers' and then told to reboot. The reboot just runs the installer again, after Windows Defender has had a bitch about blocking 'startup' programs. Finally, when you get everything else right, the installer halts with a message saying that although some of the prerequisite components are in place, Windows Media Player 9 or higher is required. FFS, did Technisat even try running this installer under Vista? In other words, it's busted. Don't bother.

Use the drivers that Jimdefruit has kindly posted here:

http://www.satellitehelp.co.uk/forum...ic,7812.0.html

Do:

Start, Control Panel, Device Manager (I have my Control Panel set to 'Classic View' as per the option in the left-hand pane). Locate your Skystar card. It should be called 'TechniSat DVB-PC TV Star PCI (BDA)' although depending on what drivers you installed when you installed Vista, it could be called something else entirely - mine was at first. You may find the Skystar under either the 'Network adaptors' section, or (bizarrely) 'Sound, video and game controllers' - again, depending on which driver you already have installed.

A couple of notes before we go further. You need BDA drivers. That's what Vista does. It's the new style. Just accept it. Secondly, with the new drivers (both the official Technisat 4.4.1 drivers and those posted by Jimdefruit) your card will eventually be listed under 'Sound, video and game controllers'. Again, just go with it. This could change in the future I guess.

Now, once you've unpacked the 'Jim' drivers, uninstall the Skystar card from your system (right-click it, Properties, then click the 'Driver' tab and click 'Uninstall'). Now, tick 'Delete the driver software for this device' before clicking OK.

Now from Device Manager, select the menu option 'Action' and then 'Scan for hardware changes'. Go ahead and point the resultant installer dialogue at the folder containing the unpacked drivers from Jim.

That's the driver bit done.

Reboot your computer.

Sorry, I just felt like saying that, but it won't hurt

Install AltDVB. Don't bu99er about, get version 2.2 from here:

_http://www.dvbsoft.net/download.php?view.598

This next bit is important!

Unpack the download and take the 'AltDvb' folder from a couple of levels down the hierarchy and copy it under your C:\Program Files directory. Now, you must open the AltDvb folder and find the AltDVB.exe file. Right click it. Click Properties, select the 'Compatibility' tab. Untick everything except (under the Privilege Level section) the 'Run this program as an administrator' checkbox, which should be ticked. If this box is greyed out and unticked, you may have to turn UAC back on temporarily.

Do not be tempted to try and run this in XP SP2 compatibility mode. It won't work in my experience.

Now, before you run AltDVB, let's sort out our codecs.

Codecs/graphs/filters - I haven't got this totally sorted yet, so I won't pretend I have. It's a simple problem I'm sure but I didn't want to make you wait for this how-to. Remove them. Yep, remove them all. Now go and install a decent Vista codec pack. I used this one:

Vista Codec Package 4.5.1 Final

When that's done, you can install a couple more codecs if you like. One you will probably need is 'DvbAvSrc.ax' which a required codec. I also installed the Elecard mpeg2 codec. An old 'free' one will work. Pull one out of an old version of ProgDVB, or try downloading one I found here:

_http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XRRPMNUW

Unpack it, and run the #Register_Filters.bat file which contains the commands to register the three included components. Click OK three times to complete. If you get a horrible message, then you probably haven't turned off UAC. Naughty! There is a regdrop.exe utility available on the 'net, but although it reported success in registering my .ax files, it didn't actually work for me. Use the .bat file - it runs regsvr32.exe and works.

Are we there yet?

No.

Download and install vPlug V1.9.0 or higher by vahid. I also installed S2emu V1.28.1, though later turned it off as it didn't add any value. Just run the vPlug setup file and point the installer at your C:\Program Files\AltDvb\Plugins folder and execute.

I got vPlug here:

_http://dvbsupport.net/download/files/vPlug1.9.0_setup.exe

and s2emu here:

_http://skystar-2.com/download/s2emu1.28.1.rar

Now run AltDVB and have a nice day

I've written this guide from memory and a few scribbled notes, but it's fresh in my mind and is pretty much exactly how I did it. It's bound to contain few typos and errors, but it'll probably get cleaned up over time as people try it and find fault with it. I'm a man. I can take it

STICK

[albatros08]

Hello,
Thanks for this helpfull topic, but i've a problem to run Altdvb under vista, when i start altdvb, nothing seems to append, but if i look in "task manager process" altdvb.exe is running. (about 50% cpu using)
My pc has multiboot vista ultimate /xp pro sp2, Under XP everything is ok but i prefer to work under vista so it'll be nice to work properly.

Any idea???

My config:
GA-P35-DQ6-rev 1.0 Bios F6 Intel E6750 2Go DDR2 OCZ PC8500 - CG ATI 2900Pro 1Mo - DD 2x 160 Go Seagate Raid0 Alim 750w Toughpower Vista Intégral 32 bits. (multiboot XP Pro SP2)

[BGonaSTICK]

That's what happens when you don't run as Admin and/or turn UAC off!

Go straight to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect £200!

[albatros08]

in way to be solved thanks!

[Jimdefruit]

Right click on the AltDVB icon and select Run as Administrator. If you are lucky, sometimes, something might happen.

[drazad]

i want to thank every one providing a new about altdvb

[OmaniMan]

Sorry to disturb you dear but i need the drivers that posted by Jimdefruit because i couldn't find it.

[Jimdefruit]

I would currently direct you to _http://www.technisat.com/index7b5e.html?nav=Software_Drivers,en,39&download =download&produktID=1281&downloadID=1695 for the very latest drivers.

My Vista SP1 pc went tits up a few days ago after a vista update and I finally traced it to a conflict with the BDA drivers. The latest drivers at the the above link are supposed to have corrected the problem but we will try them and see.

I will replace the drivers in the downloads section after I am satisfied that the new drivers work ok.

The BDA drivers currently in downloads are ok for pre Vista SP1 and latest updates.

[OmaniMan]

Welcome Jimdefruit,
I have downloaded the latest version 4.4.3 of Sky Star USB 2 .. but still nothing effect ..

I'll download now the one that you gave it to us .. and i'll contact you back ..

[OmaniMan]

Dear,
I installed .. still not work ..