If there's a worse program than CyberLink Power Cinema..

[canetoad]

I've yet to find it.

I don't have a television but once or twice a year wish to watch the football (Aussie Rules) or a documentary. I have a hybrid analog/digital USB TV tuner. Plug the antenna lead into one end, the other end into a USB port and you're good to go - or not.

The USB tuner needs a driver; no problems. It also needs an interface program - software to play the TV signals. Mine was bundled with bl**dy, b*ggery, shi**y Power Cinema. I rarely use the term 'suck' but this does, fucking big time.

Hideous, bizarre interface. Scrolling lists you have to bounce your lime green way through. Inbuilt advertising; all this would be semi-bearable if it only worked. It crashes with amazing regularity - mainly when you click on ANYTHING. Most of the time a reboot is required to run it again, regularly the program must be uninstalled then set up again.

It runs four or five system level services that cannot be set to 'Manual'. Worst of all is you can't upgrade without buying another copy; it's a commercial program, you happen to receive a bundled copy, complete with serial number, with the USB tuner.

I've googled till my brain ached and my eyes bled, looking for an alternative program, free or otherwise. I've found one or two very clunky, freeware offerings but none worked. VLC theoretically should be able to display TV but I couldn't get it to work and from Googling it seems that few others have either, with no way of changing channel.

So gang; any of you have experience with this piece of rubbish? Anyone feel the need to rant about the software that irks them most?

[struggle4progress]

1. Dunno. I finally caved and bought a flat screen monitor with an embedded tv tuner

and dvd player. I never watched much tv, but after the digital conversion I didn't have much luck with tuner boxes on my old analog equipment. So now I've got this small multiuse monitor wired to one of my linux boxes and wired to an antenna: if I want to watch the news I use it

I read some newegg forums. Lots of folk hate that software. Somebody on one of the forums pointed in this direction:

http://www.gbpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?n=QuickStart.Pre-requisites

[canetoad]

2. Tried that site a few times

But won't load. Think I've already been there.

Coupla years ago I decided to go completely digital. Have all media stored on a NAS, a few networked computers around the house. Never saw the point of buying a digital TV because at that time they were three or four times the cost of a good sized monitor and I rarely watch it.

Whoever makes a rock solid TV tuner interface program, with intuitive setup and universal options is on a winner.

[hobbit709]

3. It's a tossup between any CyberLink software as to which is a bigger PITA

I just installed a bluray burner on my system. Came with PowerDVD 9 and other stuff. First it wouldn't play a blu-ray movie. Then it wouldn't play anything. Then it did something to the firmware so that it wouldn't recognize any disk-not even the driver install disk. Took it out, took it back and got my money back.

[BlueJazz]

4. I've been trying to find something on the web for you that might be better but...

...no luck. I have a friend that's well-versed in that stuff.
I've got tons of programs and video editors but nothing specifically for watching TV (that I know of).

I do love your post. You use asterisks for certain cuss words than use "Fucking Big Time" !!

I Love it !! That's what I'd do! :rofl: