New ATI Tuner Card.

[spacded]

MAJOR IMPROVEMENT UPDATE SHOCK!!

today I bought an RGB to Svideo convertor, I did have one previously but it did not work with my 250 PVR. I have been running my picture via composite through a video recorder (dont laugh its the only way that worked for a Telewest STB)

Well the 550 PRO picture on Normal TV is VERY VERY good !!! waheey!! just a touch more sharpness and it would be near PERFECT ( or as perfect as a STB can get!!)

I am a MUCH HAPPIER BUNNY NOW!!

[SHSPVR]

What kind of RGB to Svideo convertor Scart or Component

[spacded]

RGB sCART to Svideo in (the 550 Pro only has svideo,composite or RF inputs)

the telewest STB is Scart only

[sabrewulf165]

Those wanting to define a custom location for recording with the OEM Cyberlink software, there is a way. It's a bit of a hack, and it's still not very convenient, but it's better than nothing.

Create a partition just for recordings, then mount that partition in the default cyberlink folder. Just to be on the safe side, you may want to use tweakui to change the shared videos folder to something else, but I don't think it actually matters since Cyberlink's setting is hardwired after install and not paying attention to the environment variable.

I would probably recommend using MCE or GBPVR instead, however

[spacded]

FINALLY 550 PRO READY FOR SHOWTIME!!
I have finally reached my 550 pro goal of being able to use my MCE 2005 pc full time as my TV interface, using :the rgb to svideo connector, buying a top quality SVHS to SVHS cable and a gigabyte silent (no fan) 6600 graphics card!!

Has cost a bit but now my picture is I would say 98% of the STB direct to TV signal
which means its now useable because you can barely tell the diference unless you really look for it ( Its the slight softness) If ATI sort out a sharpness button I think it could be even better!!

Phew

[blakev]

spacded, are you noticing the audio issue others have noticed?

[spacded]

Audio is Not a problem at all for me.

[Myrdhinn]

Audio isn't a problem for me either but then I run audio thru a stereo system.

[thatdude90210]

The audio is low, but it's probably not a problem if you only have a 550pro (or two) in your system. But if you have one with a Hauppauge pvr tuner in the same system, it could be a problem.

In my Sagetv system, one pvr 250 and one 550 pro, I can tell which card recorded the mpeg just by the sound volume.

[Myrdhinn]

Still wouldn't be a problem.... just turn the vol a notch or two on the stereo for the lower recording.

[blakev]

Earlier in this thread people noticed that the card encodes the audio at a low-ish level and wondered if the driver had been optimized. Of course it is only a "minor" problem since the signal to noise ratio is probably still above 80 db (I'm guessing). However simply turning up the amplifier volume increases both sound and noise. I'm fussy about sound, so I was wondering if the so-called PAL driver was any better.

[spacded]

the PAL driver is the one on the website which i think is for all 550s

[blakev]

Yeah, I wrote Sapphire about that, but no response. If you look at their driver and the ATi driver side by side it's clear the Sapphire one is older. Yet Ati say "no PAL". Weird...

[spacded]

well it works pretty good for me!

[x4mer]

I only had the card for a day some time ago, but while I had it, I tried to use it with GotAllMedia. I was using the just released @ the time .66 drivers. In one of the driver property sheets (I believe capture) in GAM, there was a setting for the volume level of the card. It was a slider that ranged from 0-255 & was defaulted at 128. I assumed that this driver setting had just been added to address the level issue people were complaining about. I never tried adjusting it to hear what affect it had.

Is the issue that this control has been there all along, & has just never worked, or was it added in .66 but most programs don't display it for adjusting?

[blakev]

Don't know x4mer: maybe someone still lurking can answer. Once I have it (it can't be long now), I'll add a note on what I find here.
But what you and spacded say is encouraging.

update...
Sigh. Komplett.no, after confirming my order by telephone, now 28 days later say my order has been cancelled. Overclock charges 36 quid to ship to France... maybe it's a sign?