[pepar]

12:49 pm EST - ATI Technologies Inc. today introduced the THEATER 310 VSB/QAM/NTSC Receiver chip for digital television receivers (DTVs), PC-DTV (personal computer-digital television), set top boxes, datacasting, and integrated tuner demodulators (ITDs).


The THEATER 310 demodulates and decodes vestigal sideband (VSB) for ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) terrestrial broadcast, 64 or 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) for digital cable, BTSC (Broadcast Television Systems Committee) for analog audio and demodulates analog NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) for terrestrial and cable reception.


“We are very proud that our NXT2002, which is now two generations old, has served as the baseline for 8 VSB receiver performance for the nearly three years. The THEATER 310 establishes the new industry benchmark, not only for ATSC reception, but for integration and features,†said Mike Gittings, Director of Digital Television Marketing, DTV/Consumer Products Group, ATI Technologies Inc. “New consumer DTV products require VSB, QAM, and NTSC reception to be competitive. Integrating multiple modes into a single silicon device is important, but the industry needs to remain mindful that performance can’t be compromised in the process.â€


THEATER 310 is able to deal with strong co-channel NTSC interference, burst noise, adjacent channel interference and single-frequency interferers in addition to its multipath canceling capability. Performance in the field has been substantially improved over past generations by optimizing over hundreds of captured RF (radio frequency) signals representing difficult indoor and outdoor reception conditions. Performance improvements are due in part to increased equalizer span, new and enhanced semi-blind and blind equalization algorithms, faster equalizer update algorithms, and improved synchronization algorithms for timing and carrier recovery.


“We have long said that market forces would result in exciting industry innovations that will create continued improvements in the off-air reception capabilities of digital television products,†said Consumer Electronics Association CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “The ATI Theater 310 is a prime example of this type of innovation. Technological advancements like the 310 help provide ever-improving value for consumers and will help drive the DTV market.â€


In addition to embedded VSB, QAM, NTSC, and BTSC in one device, the THEATER 310 integrated analog front-end reduces the number of intermediate frequency (IF) components that are required in a DTV. The THEATER 310 eliminates the need for a separate analog IF strip and reduces the digital IF strip component count. Furthermore, THEATER 310 includes an EIA/CEA-909 industry standard smart antenna interface to select the best setting on an optional electronically steer-able antenna to further simplify indoor reception.


“We are pleased with the continuous improvement of ATSC TV receiver technology. The industry commitment to ATSC Standards has fostered rapid technological innovation,†said ATSC President Mark Richer.


THEATER 310 samples and evaluation systems will available in the third quarter of 2003. ATI Technologies will exhibit its DTV technologies at NAB 2003 in booth SU7313 (south hall) April 7-11, 2003 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

[pepar]

bump

 

[avekevin]

Note that this is a CHIP, and not a tuner card. ATI has made DTV tuner chips for the embedded market for some time. No sign of a digital AIW, though.


We can only hope.


Kevin

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by avekevin Note that this is a CHIP, and not a tuner card. ATI has made DTV tuner chips for the embedded market for some time. No sign of a digital AIW, though. We can only hope. Kevin

Yes, after my initial excitement I realized it was only a chip. And then only the announcement of a chip. Yet, this is definitely progress.

 

[jkaiser]

"Yet, this is definitely progress."


What progress? ATI has been making these for some time. This is "version" 310. There have been 100's and 200s, and none of them have ever been included on an ATI card.

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by jkaiser "Yet, this is definitely progress." What progress? ATI has been making these for some time. This is "version" 310. There have been 100's and 200s, and none of them have ever been included on an ATI card.

Progress that it "demodulates and decodes VSB for ATSC terrestrial broadcast, 64 or 256 QAM for digital cable, BTSC for analog audio and demodulates analog NTSC for terrestrial and cable reception." None of their previous products did all that, did they? That's progess, isn't it?


Perhaps I should not have posted this on the Home Theater Computer forum, but ATI is most known for its PC gear.

 

[Alec]

jkaiser :


This may be advanced stuff, but going to ATI web site and opening the page for AIW 9700 Pro, in the top paragraph, I can read:





Before, Theater 100 series chips were used - advertised on the AIW series cards of the corresposning generation (e.g. AIW8500dv, etc).


Alec

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alec jkaiser : This may be advanced stuff, but going to ATI web site and opening the page for AIW 9700 Pro, in the top paragraph, I can read: Alec

I can read that too. What's your point?

 

[Alec]

The point is, the Theater chips have been consistently included in AIW products, and the latest one will be as well - so jkaiser's statement "What progress? [...] none of them have ever been included on an ATI card." is simply inaccurate, that's all.

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alec The point is, the Theater chips have been consistently included in AIW products, and the latest one will be as well - so jkaiser's statement "What progress? [...] none of them have ever been included on an ATI card." is simply inaccurate, that's all.

Yep, you're right, and I was getting my posters mixed up.

 

[Alec]

I initially also hesitated mentioning this, but let's be frank here: there may be some sensitivities involved on the part of those partial to MyHD and HiPix HDTV tuner add-in cards.


Both have had their share of issues and a lot of members' feedback and TLC has gone into making them what they are today. If ATI comes up with an AIW product that is a further step up from AIW 9700 Pro in some regards - and hopefully not more expensive - AND with HDTV tuning and time shifting capability, and perhaps in addition to that card, a PCI SDTV/HDTV tuner+timeshifting card that is affordable, (precipitating NVIDIA and other players to follow suit on both counts sooner rather than later), you could guess what that would mean to the future of both MyHD and HiPix.


Alec

 

[arungupta]

I am a MyHD owner. Not a user because I got frustrated with it and took it out and put it on shelf. I can't wait till a mainstream manufacturer like ATI comes out with an HD tuner card that is reliable and has good software and support.


But it doesn't look like ATI will have an AIW HD card till the end of this year at the earliest. Bummer!!

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alec I initially also hesitated mentioning this, but let's be frank here: there may be some sensitivities involved on the part of those partial to MyHD and HiPix HDTV tuner add-in cards. Both have had their share of issues and a lot of members' feedback and TLC has gone into making them what they are today. If ATI comes up with an AIW product that is a further step up from AIW 9700 Pro in some regards - and hopefully not more expensive - AND with HDTV tuning and time shifting capability, and perhaps in addition to that card, a PCI SDTV/HDTV tuner+timeshifting card that is affordable, (precipitating NVIDIA and other players to follow suit on both counts sooner rather than later), you could guess what that would mean to the future of both MyHD and HiPix. Alec

I've never understood blind, fanatical, ranting loyalty to a manufacturer. I may swear by my BMW car, ATI video card, Sony TV, etc., but I'd swap in a heartbeat for something superior. I've owned videocards (or cards with chips) from Diamond, 3DFx, nVidia and ATI. I've never felt wronged or threatened when a competitor surpassed what I owned. ATI and nVidia (and Matrox for that matter) are all excellent companies and with the competitive nature of video/3D acceleration technology, any of them can break out of the pack. It's usually only for a while though. The ones who are "still in the pack" are spurred on to make better products. If they can't, they're Chapter 11 (or worse) and "that's the name of that tune." Perhaps the manufacturers of HiPix and MyHD are in jeopardy for only making TV tuner cards, albeit very good ones, and an ATI has a more compelling business model in that their (inevitably) upcoming 3D/HDTV product will be a category killer; if it's way superior, it deserves to be. On the day ATI announces this card existing MyHD and HiPix cards will still work like they always have - wonderfully. However, when these owners are ready to upgrade they will move to the best dolution for them. If that's still MyHD or HiPix, good. If that's ATI, so what?

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alec I initially also hesitated mentioning this, but let's be frank here: there may be some sensitivities involved on the part of those partial to MyHD and HiPix HDTV tuner add-in cards. Both have had their share of issues and a lot of members' feedback and TLC has gone into making them what they are today. If ATI comes up with an AIW product that is a further step up from AIW 9700 Pro in some regards - and hopefully not more expensive - AND with HDTV tuning and time shifting capability, and perhaps in addition to that card, a PCI SDTV/HDTV tuner+timeshifting card that is affordable, (precipitating NVIDIA and other players to follow suit on both counts sooner rather than later), you could guess what that would mean to the future of both MyHD and HiPix. Alec

I've never understood blind, fanatical, ranting loyalty to a manufacturer. I may swear by my BMW car, ATI video card, Sony TV, etc., but I'd swap in a heartbeat for something superior. I've owned videocards (or cards with chips) from Diamond, 3DFx, nVidia and ATI. I've never felt wronged or threatened when a competitor surpassed what I owned. ATI and nVidia (and Matrox for that matter) are all excellent companies and with the competitive nature of video/3D acceleration technology, any of them can break out of the pack. It's usually only for a while though. The ones who are "still in the pack" are spurred on to make better products. If they can't, they're Chapter 11 (or worse) and "that's the name of that tune." Perhaps the manufacturers of HiPix and MyHD are in jeopardy for only making TV tuner cards, albeit very good ones, and an ATI has a more compelling business model in that their (inevitably) upcoming 3D/HDTV product will be a category killer; if it's way superior, it deserves to be. On the day ATI announces this card existing MyHD and HiPix cards will still work like they always have - wonderfully. However, when these owners are ready to upgrade they will move to the best solution for them. If that's still MyHD or HiPix, good. If that's ATI, so what?


But that's just my $.02.

 

[Alec]

Amen! Ditto! ;-)


That said, some people really contributed to improving these products, and that investment perhaps legitimizes some of the loyalty feelings as opposed to blind consumer faith. Let's all give credit to folks helping the smaller companies who choose to listen to their customers - without them, there would not be the market pressure to get the big companies like ATI, to innovate.


Based on the initial info about the AIW9800, it is going to be an evolutionary update of their AIW9700 card, still based on the Theater 200. This is a disappointing news for everyone involved including ATI, for the following reason:


Who would want to buy the AIW9800Pro, which is essentially an AIW9700Pro, with slightly faster 3D hardware, but otherwise the same, (the software enhancements should be applicable to AIW9700Pro)? The AIW9800Pro is not going to be cheap.


Would YOU want to invest in the LAST non-HDTV top of the line AIW? Instead of waiting till later next year for a real AIW step forward and/or getting an AIW9700 instead, for much less once the AIW9800 ships?


If the answer is "no, I would not buy the AIW9800", then perhaps we should let ATI know how we feel. Here's whom to contact:


Godfrey Cheng, Director of Marketing, Multimedia Products (905) 882-2600, or [email protected]


Jon Swinimer, Public Relations Manager, Consumer Products, at (905) 882-2600, Ext. 8456 or [email protected]


Mike Gittings, Director of DTV Marketing, DTV/Consumer Products Group



Also, here's the discussion on what the HDTV AIW should be. Please contribute:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=245495

 

[pepar]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alec Based on the initial info about the AIW9800, it is going to be an evolutionary update of their AIW9700 card, still based on the Theater 200. This is a disappointing news for everyone involved including ATI, for the following reason: Who would want to buy the AIW9800Pro, which is essentially an AIW9700Pro, with slightly faster 3D hardware, but otherwise the same, (the software enhancements should be applicable to AIW9700Pro)? The AIW9800Pro is not going to be cheap.

If I needed to make the move right then, the answer for me would be to buy the 9800 Pro and a MyHD. Besides, I've never owned an AIW; I'm into "separates." That way upgrades are done as needed and only on the part that needs it.