LEADTEK WINFAST "DELUXE" TV2000XP TV/FM MULTIMEDIA CARD - RETAIL BOX (UPDATE: NOW $42.00 shipped!) @ Newegg!

[ZakPC]

Comes w/ VideoStudio 6 SE as well....
that sweetens the deal
I'd get this if I hadn't already gotten the ATI TV Wonder VE when it was $30 at CircuitCity (which, BTW, is NOT stereo and is TV only - no FM)
I also have been unsuccessful getting it to record TV thus far
It writes a file but the file doesn't open
I have to try again as just yesterday windows update detected some driver updates and inexcplicably suddenly "found new hardware"
the new hardware being video capture and sound capture devices on the card
??

 

[summerbreeze]

Originally posted by: summerbreeze
I just ordered this Winfast Deluxe card....

I have one question for people who have used it before - I want to primarily use this to convert my Old PAL VHS tapes to NTSC and PAL DVDs

Does the Video IN support PAL?

I know the TV Tuner is NTSC only, but I cant figure out about the Video IN (I looked at a picture of ASUS, and it says NTSC on the S Video Terminal, so I decided to go in for Winfast DX TV2000XP)

Thanks

Still Waiting for someone to answer......

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: summerbreeze

Originally posted by: summerbreeze
I just ordered this Winfast Deluxe card....

I have one question for people who have used it before - I want to primarily use this to convert my Old PAL VHS tapes to NTSC and PAL DVDs

Does the Video IN support PAL?

I know the TV Tuner is NTSC only, but I cant figure out about the Video IN (I looked at a picture of ASUS, and it says NTSC on the S Video Terminal, so I decided to go in for Winfast DX TV2000XP)

Thanks

Still Waiting for someone to answer......

Ok, I've never used PAL, but I can tell you this: On the box next to the UPC stickers they have a chart labeled "WinFast TV2000 XP standards/Optional features", with two categories: TV standards and Optional Features. My Deluxe model (the one this thread's about) has only NTSC selected for TV Standards. The standards are selected by virtue of a little red sticker having been applied to the box. The other (unselected) standards on my box are PAL I, PAL B/G, PAL D/K, PAL M,N, SECAM L/L, SECAM D/K, SECAM B/G. My selected Optional features include FM and MTS. Unselected are EIA-J and Teletext.

This may have nothing to do with your question, however. It may have to do with the capabilities of the supplied software, VideoStudio 6.0, which is updatable with a downloadable patch to version 6.02.

 

[summerbreeze]

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: summerbreeze

Ok, I've never used PAL, but I can tell you this: On the box next to the UPC stickers they have a chart labeled "WinFast TV2000 XP standards/Optional features", with two categories: TV standards and Optional Features. My Deluxe model (the one this thread's about) has only NTSC selected for TV Standards. The standards are selected by virtue of a little red sticker having been applied to the box. The other (unselected) standards on my box are PAL I, PAL B/G, PAL D/K, PAL M,N, SECAM L/L, SECAM D/K, SECAM B/G. My selected Optional features include FM and MTS. Unselected are EIA-J and Teletext.

This may have nothing to do with your question, however. It may have to do with the capabilities of the supplied software, VideoStudio 6.0, which is updatable with a downloadable patch to version 6.02.

Thanks for your answer Muse

Though what I am trying to figure out is that if the VIDEO IN supports PAL or not

The TV Tuner is NTSC only - Here is a cut and paste from Leadtech's site


Video Standards
NTSC, PAL or SECAM (Ability to handle All is my Question - I am hoping it can handle All, though the word "OR" is confusing)

TV Tune
NTSC, PAL I/DK, PAL BG/DK, PAL M/N, SECAM LL, SECAM BG "for respective model" - So the Tuner can have only one standard depending on the region of sale.

 

[a2k]

Originally posted by: theoh
Hey does this TV Card support the TV to be running as a wallpaper? Or does it only allow in a window and full screen. I want to get one, but I fell in love with the ATI TV tuner cards that allows you to run the TV as a wallpaper. Just asking. Thanks!

You can run the TV as your wallpaper with the bundled software...

 

[geckojohn]

I just ordered one from Newegg... this is a great deal!

 

[theoh]

Originally posted by: a2k

Originally posted by: theoh
Hey does this TV Card support the TV to be running as a wallpaper? Or does it only allow in a window and full screen. I want to get one, but I fell in love with the ATI TV tuner cards that allows you to run the TV as a wallpaper. Just asking. Thanks!

You can run the TV as your wallpaper with the bundled software...

Sweet i'm ordering it right now. Thanks for the reply..!

 

[BooGoo]

Can this play full screen without loss of quality?

Why not get it here: http://www.buyxtremegear.com/leadtektv.html

It's a buck cheaper and also free fedex shipping.

 

[yepper]

Originally posted by: summerbreeze

Though what I am trying to figure out is that if the VIDEO IN supports PAL or not

The TV Tuner is NTSC only - Here is a cut and paste from Leadtech's site


Video Standards
NTSC, PAL or SECAM (Ability to handle All is my Question - I am hoping it can handle All, though the word "OR" is confusing)

TV Tune
NTSC, PAL I/DK, PAL BG/DK, PAL M/N, SECAM LL, SECAM BG "for respective model" - So the Tuner can have only one standard depending on the region of sale.

Here's my read on this: looks like the video standard will handle all but the TV tuner will only do one. If I had a PAL source, I'd try it for you.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: BooGoo
Can this play full screen without loss of quality?

Why not get it here: http://www.buyxtremegear.com/leadtektv.html

It's a buck cheaper and also free fedex shipping.

Yes it can. In response to your second question, I will pay a dollar more for Newegg's reliably excellent service, as compared to the unknown BuyExtremeGear.

 

[limsandy]

Muse, you got PM.

~limsandy

 

[yepper]

Originally posted by: ChoppedBroccoli
So what format are all you guys and gals using for recording tv? I use mpeg2 optimal quality. It is the only format that can record with out loss of quality. Divx and xvid on the fly encoding doesn't work (too choppy), mpeg4 is too blocky, and others (including uncompressed avi) have visibile loss of quality. Mpeg2 is the only format that seems to keep original quality, but obviously file size is huge....(the 1hr 49min NBA rookie challenge is taking up 5gb on my HD)!

I have tried so many methods of converting mpeg2 to divx....but they all don't seem to work as mpeg2 conversions seem to be difficult in general. Even using the special mpeg2 version of Virtual Dub doesn't work as it crashes 1/10 of the way into compressing into a divx file...? What should I do?

I've never had any luck converting mpeg to mpeg. Best to capture as uncompressed source then encode afterwards. Not sure why your uncompressed avi has loss of quality. Maybe your machine can't keep up with the bandwidth and you're dropping frames?

 

[yepper]

I don't know about you guys but when I'm watching TV with this card, sometimes it "pauses" while I switch processes or start something semi-intensive. I found a way to minimize this somewhat. I upped the priority of the WFTV.exe process in the task manager to Above Normal. Now I can watch without as many "hiccups".

Too bad the software doesn't allow you to set the priority of the process so I don't have to do this everytime.

 

[ChoppedBroccoli]

Originally posted by: yepper

Originally posted by: ChoppedBroccoli
So what format are all you guys and gals using for recording tv? I use mpeg2 optimal quality. It is the only format that can record with out loss of quality. Divx and xvid on the fly encoding doesn't work (too choppy), mpeg4 is too blocky, and others (including uncompressed avi) have visibile loss of quality. Mpeg2 is the only format that seems to keep original quality, but obviously file size is huge....(the 1hr 49min NBA rookie challenge is taking up 5gb on my HD)!

I have tried so many methods of converting mpeg2 to divx....but they all don't seem to work as mpeg2 conversions seem to be difficult in general. Even using the special mpeg2 version of Virtual Dub doesn't work as it crashes 1/10 of the way into compressing into a divx file...? What should I do?

I've never had any luck converting mpeg to mpeg. Best to capture as uncompressed source then encode afterwards. Not sure why your uncompressed avi has loss of quality. Maybe your machine can't keep up with the bandwidth and you're dropping frames?

yeah im trying to convert mpeg2 to divx and having problems...although this may, or may not be, attributed to the VirtualDub program im using. When I try the uncompressed avi mode in the PVR config settings the recording doesn't drop frames, but the quality isn't nearly as good as the highest mpeg2 setting for some reason...?

i think my machine should be able to keep up...?....im running winXPpro, athlon 2000, 512mb ram, WD 80GB 8mb cache HD...

 

[fflix]

does anyone have any suggestions for an antannae to go with this card?

 

[RobsTV]

Originally posted by: BooGoo

Why not get it here: http://www.buyxtremegear.com/leadtektv.html

It's a buck cheaper and also free fedex shipping.

Sure you can save a buck.
But, when a company is as good as Newegg is, on a regular basis, they should be rewarded by
those occasional purchases that may cost a buck more. (IMHO). I wouldn't think of buying elsewhere
unless it was at least 10% cheaper, and even then it would depend on the other merchant's record.

 

[RobsTV]

I bought this to aid in making CD's of TV programs that I could play in my TV's standalone DVD player. (SVCD?)
Running Dish Network's Dishplayer 7200, which is like Tivo.
The Dishplayer has excellent picture quality, and uses mpeg2 DV3(?) for all viewing, not just recordings. Pure digital quality.
With it's excellent quality, recordings use a little more than a gig per hour, and the 20gig drive stores about 17 hours.
This Winfast card doesn't sound like it can match the recording quality for space used, that the Dishplayer has. Correct?

My goal is to get close to the DP quality, but at about 1 CD per hour, or 700 meg per hour.
2 hours per CD would be much better. Is that possible while maintaining decent quality?

Next question is getting the info from DP to PC.
The data coming out of the DP is already at mpeg2, but of course the TV card won't know that.
If I could take the current mpeg 2 data, and compress it just a little more, then it would meets my size/time goals.
Seems like I would be going backwards converting the DP's mpeg2 to AVI, then back again to mpeg2.
Any ideas as to the best way to do this?

As to the Leadtek card, it replaces my Avermedia TV/98 which worked well for TV viewing. Leadtek has more features and compatability.
Don't know why others had issues with the Avermedia cards, (perhaps drivers?), but quality is as good as Leadtek for TV viewing.
On the Leadtek, where are the TV channel direct input on screen number buttons 0 through 9????
I have hit everything, and still can't find them.
It bites to have to channel up/dwn through all 90 cable + sat channels.
Also, any way to set up a favorites list, so when selected, it only shows the channels in that list?

 

[SearchMaster]

If you put 1 hour in standard SVCD, the quality will be acceptable but noticeably degraded from, say, 45 minutes. 50 minutes is the sweet spot in the compromise between quality and size IMHO. If you try to put 2 hours on an SVCD, the bitrate will be so low that you will not be happy with the quality.

*edit* - I'm speaking from experience with making SVCDs from DVDs (using DVD2SVCD) and from analog home video (captured via Pinnacle DC10, not this card). These are DVDs from my kids' collection. Some of them are 60-62 minutes, which encodes to a single CD. The quality is far from horrible, it's just that I can definitely tell the difference in those that encode to 2 CDs (at 45-50 minutes each).

 

[Muse]

On the Leadtek, where are the TV channel direct input on screen number buttons 0 through 9????
I have hit everything, and still can't find them.
It bites to have to channel up/dwn through all 90 cable + sat channels.
Also, any way to set up a favorites list, so when selected, it only shows the channels in that list?

In your WinFast PVR control, click the button on the bottom in the middle, the one with tooltip = Configuration (Ctrl + C). Then click the right middle top button, tooltip = Channel List & Frequency Table. Once there you have a lot of control. You can scan, delete or add favorite channels, select your TV source (Antenna or Cable), etc., and have direct access to channels.

 

[Mustanggt]

I just ordered one of these will see how it compares to my AIW 8500 128.

 

[RobsTV]

Thanks for the replies to questions.
What I was refering too for channels was a numbered keypad of some sort, similar to other cards.
If you want to go to 53, you click on 5 then 3, and bing, you are there.

On a side note, this card causes a huge performance hit when it is loaded in system tray and idle.
Just bought some new memory, and was surprised to see a 500 point drop in 3dm2k1se.
After trying various things, unloaded Winfast from system tray, and the performance was back to normal.
This is the first time I have ever had to disable anything, as can be seen from this capture with everything running in tray:
previous avermedia card + all else running at all times
It's no big deal since it's easily unloaded, but if you are into overclocking and benchmarking, you should be aware of this.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: RobsTV
Thanks for the replies to questions.
What I was refering too for channels was a numbered keypad of some sort, similar to other cards.
If you want to go to 53, you click on 5 then 3, and bing, you are there.

On a side note, this card causes a huge performance hit when it is loaded in system tray and idle.
Just bought some new memory, and was surprised to see a 500 point drop in 3dm2k1se.
After trying various things, unloaded Winfast from system tray, and the performance was back to normal.
This is the first time I have ever had to disable anything, as can be seen from this capture with everything running in tray:
previous avermedia card + all else running at all times
It's no big deal since it's easily unloaded, but if you are into overclocking and benchmarking, you should be aware of this.

I only installed a week ago, so I sure don't know the ins and outs but the remote control, I beleive, supports direct channel access. See the supplied paper documentation (manual and those two yellow inserts).

So, you are saying that if you aren't watching TV or recording or listening to FM or recording, you're best off shutting this thing down (the Off button in the software or remote).

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: yepper

Originally posted by: summerbreeze

Though what I am trying to figure out is that if the VIDEO IN supports PAL or not

The TV Tuner is NTSC only - Here is a cut and paste from Leadtech's site


Video Standards
NTSC, PAL or SECAM (Ability to handle All is my Question - I am hoping it can handle All, though the word "OR" is confusing)

TV Tune
NTSC, PAL I/DK, PAL BG/DK, PAL M/N, SECAM LL, SECAM BG "for respective model" - So the Tuner can have only one standard depending on the region of sale.

Here's my read on this: looks like the video standard will handle all but the TV tuner will only do one. If I had a PAL source, I'd try it for you.

Probably true. When you install Ilead VideoStudio you are asked to select the templates for the video standard you are going to use: NTSC, Pal or BOTH.

 

[RobsTV]

Originally posted by: Muse

So, you are saying that if you aren't watching TV or recording or listening to FM or recording, you're best off shutting this thing down (the Off button in the software or remote).

No, it requires more than simply turning it off.
You need to right click on the Winfast Wizard icon located in your system tray, then left click "Unload".
Simply turning it off does not remove it from using your system resources. You must Unload it.

 

[jinduy]

anyone know if this antenna is any good? it is recommended that i get a "blue" type antenna, which i have no clue how to check.