Digital Cable Configuration

Recent purchase MCE 2005 and have a linksys extender. I have my computer in
my office but the TV I wish to use for actually watching TV (Sony 32" LCD)
with MCE 2005 in in another room.

I have my house wired with Cat5 cables so the system will be hard wired. I
have a Dell Dual Core Processor with two TV tuner cards.

Will I have to have my digital cable box (Scientific Atlanta Explorer
3250HD) next to my computer? If so how will I be able to change channels with
the cable box in one room and the Sony LCD in another room.

If I do not need the Digital cable box next to my computer what would be the
best configuration using the Linksys Media Extender??

I appreicate all the feedback.

A few things:

Extender Updates, just in case the MCE2005 machine or the extender do not
have them:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/devices/support.mspx

Extender FAQ's:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/devices/networkperf.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/devices/faq.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mce/expert/bowman_extenders.mspx

The MCE2005 box and the digital cable boxe(s) should be near one
another....if you want digital cable support via the MCE2005 machine and the
Extenders. If you do want DIGITAL cable support, you will need TWO digital
STB's; 1 for each tuner on the MCE2005 machine. Without two video sources,
you will not be able to record and watch two different TV channels.
Otherwise, if you do not want digital cable support via the MCE2005 machine,
just go from the wall cable outlet to the back of the MCE2005 machine with a
splitter. The choice is yours.

When an extender makes a channel change request, the signal is passed onto
the MCE2005 machine, which in turn uses the MCE Remote IR receiver with IR
"eyes" to change the channel on the STB.

Other places to find fellow MCE2005 users:
www.thegreenbutton.com
www.avsforum.com - Video Components, Home Theater Computers
(http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26)

Good Luck and Welcome to the digital lifestyle


-- My Setup
Intel P4 3.2E w/Zalman CPU cooler, ASUS P4C800, 1 Gig DDR 400, SilverStone
Tek LC03 w/ ST40F 400watt PS, 2 PVR 250''s, 2 AverMedia MCE a180, Nvidia
5700LE 256, Harmony 680 Remote, Pioneer DVR-108, serving digital media to
the following: Linksys Extender, Xbox Extender, Sammy DLP, Sammy "SlimFit"
TV, Infocus HDTV Projector


"Sean Fitzpatrick" wrote: