• GeneralRequirements

MediaPortal and TV-Server Requirements

• MediaPortal will run fine on most Windows computers (see supported Windows versions below). However, make sure you have installed the software components decribed in the following list.

Operating System

Operating System Components

• Microsoft .NET Framework 2

• Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later

  • Note: If you want to find out which DirectX version currently is installed, go to Start, Run and type "dxdiag".

• Microsoft Windows Media Player version 10 or later

• Microsoft Windows Firewall Service needs to be running during install
  • Note: Firewall Service can be disabled/stopped after install.

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)

Required Updates and Hotfixes (do not try to use MediaPortal without!)

• BDA/DVB hotfix - This essential hotfix is allready included in Roll-Up 2 of Windows MCE 2005, for Windows XP you have to install it manualy. [Updated psisdecd.dll]

  • New Version! added 2008-07-14

• If you want to watch digital TV, you must install it in order to avoid crashes and other odd behaviour!

• All Microsoft updates run Microsoft updates until no more updates are available

• Firewire hotfix (if you upgraded to SP2 and use FireWire devices) (included in SP3)

• videoplayback flicker hotfix (fixes flickering when you play back video) (included in SP3) [Updated quartz.dll]

Filesystem

• NTFS (MediaPortal and TV-Server record TV at 3 GB per hour, so a recording longer than 90 minutes requires NTFS)

  • FAT16: maximum recording about 45 minutes
  • FAT32: maximum recording about 90 minutes
  • NTFS: maximum recording - potentially weeks of continuous recordings
• If you watch HD-TV you must use NTFS because the filesize dramaticaly increases then.

Drivers and Codecs

• Always use the most recent drivers for your video and audio card

• For information on video codecs, see the Codecs User Guide

• MPEG2-Codec: The opensource MPV and MPA codecs are bundled with MediaPortal. They allow you to watch TV

• h.264-Codec: If you plan to wath HD content, then you need to buy a 3rd party h.264 codec like coreavc.

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Hardware for MediaPortal and/or TV-Server:

• CPU: 1.4 GHz

• Memory: 256 MB

• HDD: 300 MB for MediaPortal

• HDD: 100 GB for TV recordings and timeshifting (note - Mediaportal records at 3GB per hour)

• DirectX 9 compatible video card with at least 128 MB of video memory such as:

  • ATI Radeon series (9600 and above or X300 and above)

  • NVIDIA GeForce, GeForce FX (5200 or above) and NForce series

  • Intel Extreme Graphics 2 (integrated i865G)

  • Matrox Parhelia

  • SiS Xabre series

• TV card: necessary if you want to watch and record TV with MediaPortal (Supported TV cards)

• The MediaPortal TV-Server supports all analog TV-Cards with hardware mpeg2 encoder, and all digital TV-Cards which use BDA-drivers out of the box.

Extra Hardware for HDTV (1080i):

• If you want to play HD content, thne the following hardware is suggested.
  • CPU: 2.8 GHz
  • Memory: 512 MB

  • DirectX9 capable graphics card with at least 128MB of video memory

  • HDTV capable playback codecs
  • HDTV capable TV card for watching and recording broadcast high definition television

• Notes:

  • Please test the performance of your computer before buying HDTV tuners.

  • DVD HD test films

  • BlueRay test films

TV-Server specific Requirements

Database server Requirements

• It is necessary to install one of the following databases.

• Note: Since MediaPortal 1.0 RC1, the installer takes care about the db-installation.

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005
    

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
    

  • Additional (but recommended) SQL Server Management Studio Express

• MySQL 5
  

  • MySQL 5
    

  • MySQL GUI Tools
    

Dependencies

• The Tv-Server depends on the RPC Locator service activation. This service should be automatically installed with the Client for Microsoft Network, under the properties of your network card.

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