ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI TV Tuner Card 89.99 shipped

[GeezerMan]

This is the best price I see on a ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI TV Tuner Card. 89.99 shipped. No rebates required.

Linkified

 

[hkssupra69]

got this in my email too. sooo tempted, but i hate buy.com. and yet they keep calling me back. PM anywhere?

 

[zikronix]

doesnt support qam

 

[yiranhu]

but then again, what really supports QAM in windows?

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: yiranhu
but then again, what really supports QAM in windows?

HDHomeRun

 

[jalaram]

Is the analog part of this as good as the 550?

 

[GeezerMan]

Analog portion is better than the 550

 

[openwheelformula1]

QAM gives you more compressed channels from your cable provider. Same channels you get from OTA. That means QAM really only appeal to a small group of buyers (those who really don't want to use an antenna)

 

[mshan]

Doesn't this one have the same 5th generation LG tuner as the Dvico Fusion 5 series? (supposed to have very good OTA reception ability)

 

[GeezerMan]

I love my ATI HDTV Wonder. The 650 does have a better anlog tuner than the wonder though. The 650 has the DRM chip, while the HDTV wonder does not. Right now, the DRM chip is not that big of a deal, but in the future it may limit your ability to record HDTV shows to your hard drive, burn a DVD, and might even limit the number of times you can watch a recorded show. At least, that is my understanding. If anyone knows anymore about the DRM (digital rights management), do tell.

 

[jasonja]

Originally posted by: GeezerMan
Analog portion is better than the 550

The analog portion should be the same as the 550. The 650 only adds digital OTA support.

 

[openwheelformula1]

no, the 650 has an improved hardware encoder as well as digital OTA support.

 

[GeezerMan]

That's right, the analog is better in the 650.
Here's a early review:

Linky


"Adding Motion Adaptive algorithms to the 3D Comb Filter helps bring improved video quality to fast or slow moving video while Auto Color Control has been improved to a Fine detail compared to the Theater 550 Pro's Coarse detail. Hardware Noise Reduction now brings Motion Compensation for an even sharper image, which also benefits from a newly added Edge Enhancement feature for greater detail. "

 

[Navid]

A significant advantage of QAM is that you will not have to rely on reception, which depends on your location and weather.
You may need to adjust (turn) your antenna every time you want to watch specific channels depending on your location with respect to different stations in your area if you do not have QAM.
When it rains, or even when it is cloudy, over the air reception degrades

There are some QAM channels that you cannot get over the air. One example is Discovery Channel.

 

[GeezerMan]

I'm lucky to live in the big city, so I get many HD channels quite easily OTA. I'm using our 25 year old antenna in the attic, that we had not used in years, to get OTA HDTV signals for my ATI HDTV wonder.

 

[jalaram]

Originally posted by: GeezerMan
I'm lucky to live in the big city, so I get many HD channels quite easily OTA. I'm using our 25 year old antenna in the attic, that we had not used in years, to get OTA HDTV signals for my ATI HDTV wonder.

Are you using the HD and SD channels at the same time? One thread in AVS Forum seemed to indicate that you couldn't.

They all agreed that the SD input was better than the 550, but there were a lot of gripes about the HD input. What OS and software are you using?

 

[GeezerMan]

Originally posted by: jalaram

Originally posted by: GeezerMan
I'm lucky to live in the big city, so I get many HD channels quite easily OTA. I'm using our 25 year old antenna in the attic, that we had not used in years, to get OTA HDTV signals for my ATI HDTV wonder.

Are you using the HD and SD channels at the same time? One thread in AVS Forum seemed to indicate that you couldn't.

They all agreed that the SD input was better than the 550, but there were a lot of gripes about the HD input. What OS and software are you using?

I only really use the HD portion of my HDTV wonder. Have not tried to use both at the same time. The ATI software, at least for the older wonder card, is such a pain in the ass. So, I use WatchHDTV or BeyondTV with XP home Trying to get the ATI MMC software to work completely crashed windows for me.

 

[FreshPrince]

will I get better HDTV OTA than my ATI HDTV Wonder card?

also, it took forever for me to figure out how to get ATI MMC to work with XP, will I have the same problems with this new card?

do you need a super duper new ATI graphics card for this TV card to work properly? will it work with a lowly 9600xt?

Finally, does it come with the HD antenna?

 

[GeezerMan]

You get better analog, a FM tuner, but no antenna with the 650. I have the same question as to if the HDTV portion is any better. I'm thinking that digital is digital.

 

[acole1]

DAMNIT!!! I just bought it for $105!!! :|

Any chance I can cancel my order?

The "Cancel Item" button is still available... if I cancel it can I get my $10 off using google checkout again?

It's a difference of $15 even if I don't get the checkout discount and $25 with it.

 

[jasonja]

Originally posted by: GeezerMan
You get better analog, a FM tuner, but no antenna with the 650. I have the same question as to if the HDTV portion is any better. I'm thinking that digital is digital.

Digital is digital... all the HDTV cards do is convert the digital stream to MPEG2 so there's no encoding like there is on the analog cards.

If all you're going to use if the analog portion I would get the 550. I've seen the 550 and 650 side by side and I can't see any improvement that warrants the price premium. I currently run a HDTV Wonder and 550 in Dual tuner on Vista MCE. I tried the 650 but saw no improvement over my 550 for analog or HDTV Wonder for digital so I returned it. It's a shame there's now way to get the 650 to be both OTA and Analog at the same time so that I could have dual tuner for any signal.

 

[scootermaster]

I'm thinking of building a HTPC box, and until OCUR becomes mainstream (ever?) is this the best it's going to get?

You mention no QAM. Is that confirmed? I'd rather not have to fiddle with antennas or whatever. I do live in LA, so I should get good signals and stuff, but I'd rather not bother with them. What software is good with this? I assume MCE supports it, right?

I already have a PVR 150 that I like (with XP and GB PVR, that is great for DVR, but I don't like the interface for live TV watching), but I was thinking of getting something better.

Any thoughts?

 

[sumrtym]

Yes, no QAM, and if you like customizing, try Sage tV. Personally, I think they're much better then Beyond TV and no DRM like MCE.

 

[jalaram]

Originally posted by: jasonja

Originally posted by: GeezerMan
You get better analog, a FM tuner, but no antenna with the 650. I have the same question as to if the HDTV portion is any better. I'm thinking that digital is digital.

Digital is digital... all the HDTV cards do is convert the digital stream to MPEG2 so there's no encoding like there is on the analog cards.

If all you're going to use if the analog portion I would get the 550. I've seen the 550 and 650 side by side and I can't see any improvement that warrants the price premium. I currently run a HDTV Wonder and 550 in Dual tuner on Vista MCE. I tried the 650 but saw no improvement over my 550 for analog or HDTV Wonder for digital so I returned it. It's a shame there's now way to get the 650 to be both OTA and Analog at the same time so that I could have dual tuner for any signal.

The HDTV cards still vary as to the sensitivity to the digital signals.

 

[Broncowolf]

How good is the quality of the taping? I only have Tivo Basic and only standard def with it on my new HD TV so I currently can't tape HD programming. But my computer is in the next room. I assume I can tape HD with this card and run some component cables from my computer to the TV to watch taped HD programming? Would I really get HD looking programming or would it look more like SD?