Windows 7: live/recorded tv won't play

i posted this in a couple other HTPC forums with no luck, so i thought it'd throw it out to the WMC experts here

i was updating to the latest MPC-HC player from here: Media Player Classic HomeCinema (x86/x64), 1.4.2616 - XvidVideo.RU and i noticed it had a big message: In order for the program to work correctly, you need to install DIRECTX End-User Runtime to the version 9.29.1962 ( 2010.06.07 ) . so i went to microsoft.com and downloaded and installed the directx_Jun2010_redist.exe, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to upgrade to the latest directx.



it seemed to be a success as all my files (.mkv, .avi, .dvr-ms, .wtv) were playing just fine in MPC-HC, but when i went to watch a recorded show in 7MC, i received the “video decoder error” screen. this was a .dvr-ms file that wouldn’t play in 7MC, which i thought was odd since it is a MS format. when i play the .dvr-ms file directly it plays fine in both MPC-HC and WMP. further testing showed that all of my .dvr-ms and .wtv files play fine in both MPC-HC and WMP, but get the video decoder error when played from inside 7MC.

at first i thought it might have been an issue with the new version of MB, but then i live TV also gets the same error.

i can successfully record a show directly from the guide, and the show displays in the “recorded tv” section of 7MC with a thumbnail and correct metadata, but it won’t play in 7MC. but, if i play that recorded .wtv file in WMP or MPC-HC, it plays just fine.

any ideas on this? is there a different directx that needs to be installed?

i have no extra codecs or codec packs installed apart from what is installed automatically with MPC-HC

thanks for the help!

Just for kicks, I went and installed everything you did, on my x64 7 rig and then tested my MC tuner playback and everything is still working fine.

Only thing I have done differently then you is I use Sharks Codec Pack. So maybe that's something you can look into...

Hope this is helpful some how...
-DS

well, i found a restore point back before i had upgraded directx and MPC-HC.
restored back to that and attempted another upgrade with testing and restore points set between every step.
this time everything seemed to work fine, so it must have been just a botched installation of one thing or the other.

all hail the restore point