Er, problems with set top boxes and media centre are generally caused by the set top box. Media centre is just fantastic once you know what you're doing, since it is from MS & therefore not likely to be working properly!
Media Portal is also great, but will require you to gain some knowledge in setting up codecs, tv cards etc. There's no apology for that since it's open source, so it's not as if you're being charged for it.
The IR control cable will show up in device manager as ehome transceiver. If you don't have one, you won't be able to configure your stb, since media centre requires you to use the mce remote when setting up the box, in order for it to learn the IR codes that the box uses for changing channels.
If your stb fails to configure when you've set up your IR cable, then there is a strong likelihood that you have one of the damn boxes that uses an incompatible set of IR codes. Samsung is most often the problem manufacturer.
If that is the case, then you will need to either get a different box off Virgin/NTL & good luck with that, or buy a red eye remote - google it, which will translate the IR codes to your box.
I would suggest the greenbutton.com as a good starting point - there's not much gone wrong with media centre hasn't been discussed in there.
Personally, I gave up trying to put NTL through media centre & went with a freeview dual tuner card. Remember, if you want to watch one program whilst recording another, you will need either a dual tv tuner or two (!) set top boxes.
PS, don't believe anything you're told in PC world. They generally know sweet fanny adams.
Can you tell us if you actually have a microsoft remote & IR Blaster as shown in the pictures? Cos if you ain't you're gonna need them.
Last edited by Parapunter; 5th Oct 2007 at 10:51.