Is your Beyond TV working as advertised on a multitasking PC?

[Pauldo]

Sorry for the late reply but I was vacationing in Kaui this last week.
I should have mentioned in my previous post that my machine is behind a router/firewall. I have visited Speedguide.net many times and have used their port probes and everything checks out.
That said, it seems to me that installing SP2 bites you in the butt upon install judging from all of the complaints from people on this forum and various XP forums elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, if you have a completely unprotected machine connected to the internet you are asking for trouble and SP2 will protect you in that case. But what if you are already protected? The article that was posted from channels.lockergnome.com states that the machine running Zone Alarm faired better than the SP2 machine.

Is there something else that SP2 provides other than middle of the road internet protection?

Pauldo

[Rich A]

We see a lot of SP2 installs on our clients' machines. In some cases they are fine, in others they are a real PITA. The good and bad of it has been well documented elsewhere.

But I would point out, that it really is only a "marginal" firewall device. For example, it only blocks things trying to get IN but nothing going out. Malware that DOES get by it (and there are plenty of those) can be sending un-authorized personal information OUT to the web without any filtering by SP2.

I have utilities on 2 of my XP Pro systems (with ONLY SP1) that will alert me when something is trying to connect to the web that is not normal.

I do have one machine WITH SP2 on it. No problems at all. But it is a very basic machine. And of course I have all the protection afforded to me by 3rd party solutions and don't rely on anthing Micro$oft.

SP2 DOES have a few added things to help keep your system free from malware and virus attacks. But I would surely NOT depend on it by itself.

So do you really NEED it? Well maybe not. However, knowing how MS works, I feel that THEY feel you do. And as we all know, what Billy Gates wants, Billy Gates gets. I will predict that those of us who are refusing the update reminders for SP2 installs, are going to be surprised in the near future when we find out that we are going to HAVE to use it or loose some other functionality or feature or maybe even all future updates. Hasn't happened yet, but I predict it will ..

Windows XP SP2 .. it's here .. and it "ain't" going away.

[Pauldo]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

noodleNT may be right that not having SP2 installed will cause problems for me down the road. Not necessarily for security reasons but rather there will probably come a time in which I will have reduced functionality (i.e. no more updates). Now if I can just figure out why it won't install.

Pauldo

[Seattlite]

I too have had very good performance. Currently using BTV 3.5 but have used since BTV 3.1. I even use a card that isn't recommended: ATI TV Wonder Pro. Its a software encoder card, thus the computer has to work that much more. (Being not recommended, may simple be because it won't work with the multiple tuner card configuration that is now possible in 3.5) I'll list the specs of my system at the end.

Here are a couple articles that may help:
1) HOW TO: Improve the performance of your PC through basic maintenance steps
2) `Stuttery` or `jerky` playback of recordings and/or Live TV

And in addition to Anti-Virus programs, a tip during setup recommends this:
"If anti-virus software is installed, disable it on these folders to improve performance.

-C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Beyond TV 3

-all video folders (default: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\SnapStream\Beyond TV 3"

I've done this and it hasn't affected the safety of my system. I exceptioned then in the On Access Scanner so, but left them in my weekly automated Scan.

But perhaps an abundance of Adware/Spyware might be your problem. I'm kinda a fan of periodically reformatting my hard drive and reinstalling everything from time to time (obsessive compulsive)... but a simpler method for Adware/Spyware removal can be found here:

Spybot Search and Destroy is very well respected in the IT profession, and... its free (dontations requested).
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

Give it a look, an employee at Microsoft turned me on to it (even though they are currently developing something that is in Beta and available for download). Spybot is better.

Dell Dimension 8250
P4 3.06GHz HT
533 MHz FSB
RAM 512MB (PC1066 RDRAM)
ATI 9700TX video card - Dual Display
ATI TV Wonder Pro TV tuner (Software encoder)
Creative Soundblaster Live! series sound card.
*Multi-tasker. BTV ViewScape, Outlook, Excel, Trillian (messenger software) Windows Media Player, Multiple Explorer windows (with embedded Flash) and Quicktime have all run simultaneosly on it with no problem.

[noodleNT]

Pauldo,
do you use stylexp or some other theme/skin changing software? I found sp2 will not install untill everything is back to standard xp settings. Even my boot screen had to be changed back.

try running msconfig and set everything back to defaults and then run the sp2 install. since you are having problems with it just download the full admin package from ms so you dont have to download it every time through windows update.

[frantid]

I cleared up a lot of performance problems, by disabling DEP on my machines after SP2. It was interfering with my power management software from toshiba on my laptop, wouldn't let it run. I found that bootup was much faster after disabling it. You can just use the "help and support" off the start menu it will give directions off the MS knowledge base -- basically you change "OptIn" to "AlwaysOff" in your boot string.

[cosiz]

So far so good for me! I've been using the paid version of BTV for about a week and I used the trial for 2 1/2 weeks before that. This is my primary PC at home, so I also use it for just about all of my Windows based home computer needs, including DV video editing (my Mac is too old and slow for video). I seem to be using it for all of my TV viewing these days too. ;-)

You can also add me to the list of those having no problems with SP2. (I have a fairly new computer running BTV and SP2 was preinstalled)

BTW, I read a lot of online computer forums and it seems like OS update issues which are not universal to all users usually happen to those using the updater utilities -- this applies to both the Windows and Mac platforms. Those who download updates and install them manually seem to have very few problems. Another practice that I think makes a difference is turning off all services and unplugging all external devices while updating.

But while MS will force you to update at some point, why bother if there is nothing there you need. I generally stick with the old-school policy of updating only when there is something needed in the update. The critical updates are available for download individually. Also, with the low prices on hardware routers and firewalls these days, there is NO reason anyone with a broadband connection should have their machines on a direct connection.

A co-worker of mine already found an area where MS is forcing compliance with SP2 -- the beta of the MS Anti-spyware application (i.e. recently purchased Giant software) can't be installed without SP2 present. I also understand the MS anti-spyware beta works very well if you need that sort of thing.

Cheers,
Bryan

[Pauldo]

noodleNT

Yeah, I messed around with doing my own boot screens and logon screens for awhile although I didn't use StyleXP to do this. I had downloaded the full install after Automatic Updates failed to install SP2 but I still got the same error and this was after I had returned the boot/logon screens back to their original.

There's a reformat of the harddrive in the not too distant future and I have been kind of waiting for that to clear things up. Unfortunately, something else always comes up so the reformat keeps getting pushed back farther and farther.

Thanks for the suggestions, though.

Pauldo

[axarce]

Originally Posted by frantid

I cleared up a lot of performance problems, by disabling DEP on my machines after SP2. It was interfering with my power management software from toshiba on my laptop, wouldn't let it run....

Pleading ignorant: Wha'ts DEP?

Arnold...

[Mike McM]

Is my Beyond TV working as advertised? YES - almost from day one. I had a brief issue with Show Squeeze that seemed to fix itself. Since then everyting has been perfect. No tweaks needed. Perfect picture. BTV Link is working great (except 3.5.3 seems to be a little slower than 3.5.2). I would find it difficult to live without.

[Mike McM]

Originally Posted by axarce

Pleading ignorant: Wha'ts DEP?

Arnold...

From "Help and Support" on the Start Menu


Data Execution Prevention (DEP) helps prevent damage from viruses and other security threats that attack by running (executing) malicious code from memory locations that only Windows and other programs should use. This type of threat causes damage by taking over one or more memory locations in use by a program. Then it spreads and harms other programs, files, and even your e-mail contacts.

Check it out....there is much more info

[bnflaherty]

Originally Posted by axarce

Pleading ignorant: Wha'ts DEP?

Arnold...

Data Execution Protection -- if the CPU supports it -- it can add an extra level of system protection:

go into System Properties --> Advanced --> Performance Options -- Data Execution Prevention Tab...

[frantid]

The problem with DEP is it's not totally supported in all applications or drivers. DEP tries to protect all system binaries and memory spaces, so if you have a driver that wants to load in a memory space that is protected, it won't work. Thing is I never got a error, the system just sloooowed to a crawl on boot up. My personal theory is that a lot of people with SP2 problems are having DEP and driver conflicts. It's worth a shot to disable it if your having problems, it's easy to do and easy to put back.

If you search in "help and support" on the start menu, go to the knowledge base tab, you'll find how to do it.