[Grizak]

Hi all,


I have just put a HTPC together and have decided to get a HDTV capture card. Here are my current specs:


Asus A7N8X Deluxe with NForce 2 sound

AMD 3000+

512 MB RAM

ATI Radeon 9600Pro Catalyst 3.10 drivers

160 GB HD

DVD-Rom Drive

Windows XP SP1

Hitachi 51S500 RPTV


Initially I wanted to buy a Fusion HDTV II mostly because it offered me the easiest connection option using the DVI connector on my ATI out to my TV (which is what I'm using now to watch DVDs, Play games and Play Hard Drive based HDTV clips) and the fact that the price was right.


Anyways, I D/L'd the Fusion demo software and clips and I was surprised to find that at 1080i (custom timings using Powerstrip) the playback seems jerky and/or it jitters. They are especially jerky or jittery with DXVA enabled.


Now, I have watched several DVDs and found that playback is fine. Also, I have had great success with the HD WM9 samples, they all play back very smooth and look great.


So after reading some posts here, it seems that this is a problem that has to do with the ATI and playback of these Fusion clips at 1080i.


Can anyone confirm that this is true or not? Has anyone had success with the Fusion card and a Radeon? Has anyone dumped the Fusion for a MyHD with better results? Has any dumped the Radeon for a GeForce with better results with the Fusion? Considering the demo software is version 2.00, has anyone noticed any significant improvement in more recent versions?


Anyone have any advice? Do I just break down and get a MyHD? Do I get a Fusion and try running my display at 720p or 540p to eliminate the jitter, jerkiness?


Any advice would be appreciated


Thanks

 

[brickie]

i'm curious about this one myself..


brickie

 

[HomerJay]

As in "success" I can't really relate to what you've experienced with the demo as I never downloaded it.


I have an ATI 9800 Pro and the Fusion HDTV II ... the only problem I have is some recorded shows don't follow the correct 3:2 cadence and in encoding files to WM9, I lose some frames altogether which leads to jerky playback. I don't believe this is the Fusion II's fault as I record several other shows that don't have any problems.


There were some driver issues around software version 2.10/2.11 ... as far as I can tell, 2.12 works fine. The problem drivers were clearly bad ... very jerky playback (maybe similar to what you saw in the demo?).


I watch shows with the Fusion very rarely as I get sick of watching stuff much more than once in close succession. I will typically record shows via Fusion II, trim commercials, encode to WM9 and then finally watch the WMV file. What I've seen looks good.

 

[helzerr]

I just built a new HTPC with the following:


Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe

AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton running at 2200 MHz (400 MHz FSB)

512 Megs PC3200 RAM

ATi 9600 video card, Catalyst 4.1 drivers

Fusion II, FusionHDTV 2.13 Beta

Windows XP SP1


The Fusion demo clips look good to me, no pausing and only slight vertical jitter from time to time. It is probably related to the half-resolution overlay bug (not to be confused with the half-height overlay bug). This overlay problem is present in all ATi drivers or maybe even a function of the overlay hardware itself. Maybe one day DViCo will give us the option of using VMR instead of overlay.

 

[wbcollegekid]

I originally had the MyHD 100, which only supported VGA. I went with the fusion 2 since it support DVI out via video card. I am glad i went this way, since I have a P4 w/hyperthreading which has problems with any of the MyHD cards. If I had a AMD system like you I would go with MyHD, no second guessing. Cliff Watson will probably second that, he is the foremost expert when it comes to HDTV pc cards. He will give it to you straight. Software support is tremendous and provides excellent PQ. Recording is easier as well. Just talking about it makes me want to build another computer with AMD and MyHD. HMMMMMMM, I would then have three HD recording devices and four if COX and SA would activate the firewire port. Hope you get what you want..

 

[Clarence]

I have good luck with ATI AIW 9600p (Cat 3.10) with a P4-1.4, 512Mb


I noticed the 1080i jitters with an earlier driver and/or when I had a modem IRQ conflict. 1080i (and other resolutions) are fine with v2.12 and 13b.


-Clarence

 

[TaylorMaC692]

I've got a new system myself!


Asus a7n8x-deluxe

AMD athlon XP 1700+ @ 12.5x185 (2312mhz) (zalman 7000)

ATI AIW 9800 Pro w/ remote wonder

1GB hyperx PC3000 2-2-2-5

Currently using the onboard analog 5.1

Klipsch promedia ultra 5.1 speakers

KDS av-195tf (much like the sony CPD-G400) [email protected]



I am wondering a few things:


1. Is HD Playback possible on this monitor? it's connected via the dvi->vga adapter that came with the 9800 pro. In the future I'd like to connect a TV to the pigtail component output that came with the card. For now I'd like to watch HDTV in 5.1 on this multimedia PC setup before I move onto the HTPC setup.


2. What software would you all recommend for this situation. I use windvd5 platinum to watch all my DVD's (only offering that gives 5.1 sound for me at all.) I have jriver media center 9 to play all my mp3's and my future EAC + FLAC or EAC + APE songs. When I hook this up to a TV, I'll be using either theatertek or zoomplayer. What menu program, whether it be the cinemar suite, or myhtpc, what would ya'll recommend?


3. How tough is it to get all these things working in unison? In the end I hope to not have to tweak this stuff, just enjoy easily accessible content.

 

[Grizak]

marcorsyscom,


Do you mean that v2.12 and 2.13bhave gotten rid of the jitter problems for you or have they just decreased them? Has anyone else experienced this?


Thanks,


Grizak