ATI HDTV Wonder - Page 8

Just to clarify about what happens when Charter changes to digital (assuming similar to Comcast), nothing really changes. Unless you also rent a STB, either the regular or HD version. All the analog signals are still there on (typically) chs 2-99. Those can still be split off and recorded with Tivo or any other SD system.

Back to the HDTV Wonder functionality... I have not seen if this card can be programmed to record something at a future date / time / channel. Also curious if this function can wake up a hibernating computer to start the recording?

Maybe I just overlook this, but I've read the board and the reviews, and I just did not see it.

Thank you.

- Wesg

OK. Question. Could you resolve the the propriety format issue and save it as a standard .tp or .ts file (assuming you can't save in std formats by default)?

Backround: I'm the kind of guy who would mod a 256bit 9800SE into a 9800Pro, a X800 Pro into a X800 XT-PE, turn $300 into $800 in performance, or mod a $40 Duron Applebread into a Athlon XP Throughbred and run it at "Athlon XP 3500+" speeds.


Simply put, could there be a way you could somehow, again, assuming you can't save in std formats by default, get the ATI HDTV Wonder to run like an oldschool HDTV capture card?


DrCR


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They had scheduling in the software I saw - of course they also had saving to any number of file formats.

I think you're probably right. Just because it *might* be using some weirdo format to buffer doesn't mean it couldn't save that file later as any given format - with or without flags, etc.

Also - I smell hacks galore on unencrypted QAM and this card - simply no good reason NOT to offer this.

Unless it doesn't work. Again, see the original FusionIII. Even the current one with QAM support doesn't seem to handle it well.

QAM support becomes rapidly less important as more and more content is encrypted. Sure, it's nice to have for the locals. But that's about all you're going to get soon in the clear.

Locals via QAM is very big deal. No need for an antenna. All sports and many series are in high def. When all the locals are broadcast, I will be happy to remove the lightning rod from my roof

ATI would sell many more cards if they supported QAM. For all unencrypted QAM channels my Fusion III-QAM works great.

-- Rich

You're one of the few Rich . Seriously, I like my locals as well. I just subscribe to my absolute basic cable package from Cox (the one where I get like 22 channels for $10) but still can tune my local HD offering. But QAM implementation is either really hard, or DVICO is really bad at writing software... or both. I'd actually go with both myself!

seeing as ATI supplies this chip for cable STB's - I would hope they have it somewhat right

It's not always the chip... software plays a very big part in it.

Just read a review at PC Magazine.


PC Magazine

That was a review? Not much if it limited to a single page.

It's about that time, right? I remember that the ATI HDTV Wonder was going to hit the shelves about mid-July. We're getting pretty close.

I wonder if the HDTV Wonder will have the same availibility problems that the X800XT PE has when it FINALLY cames out.....

SKU'ed up at buy.com. Not avail yet tho. $175. Nice picture of the box.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.as...953&dcaid=1688

I read a rumor (on IRC of all places) that the release date for the HDTV Wonder is Monday, July 19th. Just throwing that out there.

Well, gentlemen, Monday July 19th has come and gone. Has anybody gotten a hold of one of these cards to try out?

Should I get HDTV Wonder or Dvico Fusion III QAM?

Depends if you want an actual working card (Fusion) or promises (HDTV Wonder).

I just got one. It doesn't work in my HTPC at all. Blue screen 30 seconds after install. It's going back.

Aren't you giving up a little too easily??

What O/S, what video card, what MB etc.??


BTW, here is a better review of this card:

http://www.extremetech.com/print_art...=129936,00.asp

Not really. I have a pretty stock system, nothing funky. If it can't work there, something is really wrong. I've searched the archives on ATI's site and they have nothing listed for this card. I realize it is new, but no beta testers came up with any weird results to document? Come on.

It's an Athlon XP 2600+, VIA chipset, 2Ghz, 1 GB RAM, Radeon 9200 (4xAGP 128Mb), M-Audio Revolution, Windows XP SP1, DirectX9.0c (latest DX9, as specified) and that's it.

I barely got to install the drivers, much less the software that came on the CD before the BSOD. It's a good thing I did a System Restore just before I started the install.

Notice that all the reviews of the HDTV Wonder card have been done on systems shipped by ATI to the reviewer (at least the three that I read). Interesting that ATI chose to have them skip the whole installation and configuration step.

I thought that the HDTV Wonder required Radeon 9500 and above...?

Any definite answer on whether it will work with a PVR250 also installed?

hello

someone knows if it will be play the dvd with mpeg2 harware decoding?

and if tit can,what do you think about the quality?

Best regards

Ulisse

Pretty sure it's all software decoding.

EDIT: with the exception of DXVA video card acceleration. But I don't think the card itself has any decoder.

rtmoore4,

I thought HDTV wonder requires 9600 and above....

Alan.

I know some of the reviewers have been saying this (actually, they said 9500 and up), but the actual specs say that it supports ANY video card capable of handling DirectX9 and overlay. The 9200 qualifies.

Even if it didn't support the 9200 for some strange reason, why would it blue-screen? It should just not work. There is something else crazy going on here.

ATI sent me some troubleshooting steps to go through. I guess I will try them out before I return it.

rtmoore4:

Don't be put off by the BSOD... It happened to mine the first time I tried to install it to. The BSOD occurred just as the installation program was installing the drivers for the hardware, but when I rebooted and re-ran the installation program from the beginning, it worked fine.