ATI’s New TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe / USB and 600 Line On Sale Now!

[Octavean]

Here are some retail links to the new QAM enabled products in the wild. Once again, it looks like BestBuy is getting these new cards first just like the original TV Wonder 650 PCI card:

VisionTek - TV Wonder 650 USB 2.0 Stick HDTV Tuner with PVR Model: TVW650USB | SKU: 8516091

VisionTek - TV Wonder 600 PCI Tuner Card Model: TVW600PCI | SKU: 8523092

VisionTek - TV Wonder 650 PCI Express Tuner Card Model: TVW650PCIX | SKU: 8523181

VisionTek - TV Wonder 600 USB 2.0 Stick HDTV Tuner with PVR Model: TVW600USB | SKU: 8516108

VisionTek - TV Wonder 600 PCI Express Tuner Card Model: TVW600PCIX | SKU: 8523154

ATI TV Wonder™ Series Comparison Chart

One would expect that a new version of CMC is provided with these new cards but no mention of it was made. There is a new ATI RF Remote included but again no detailed information is provided.

[Octavean]

Interestingly enough, this time around it looks like ATI is late in launching an ATI / AMD branded version of the 650 and 600 line. Whereas last time it was ATI who launched the 550 / 650 with partners shipping their branded versions later.

Anyway, here are some links to the Visiontek Product pages:

VisionTek TV WonderTM HD 650 PCI Express [PN.900192] $129.99

VisionTek TV WonderTM HD 650 USB [PN.900193] $149.99

VisionTek TV Wonder HD 600 PCI Express [PN.900189] $99.99

[kgrr]

I bought an ATI TV Wonder 650 combo yesterday and attempted to installed it into my Toshiba A215-4747 laptop running Vista 32 bit OS.

I find the fit between the plastic outside of the box and the RCA connectors and S-Video connector to be off-center, making it impossible to connect external cables to the box without forcing things. I don't know if this is a poor case design or shoddy assembly. <---- But it prevents me from using the external connections to capture from my camcorder with standard cables (not fancy, oversized monster cables).

Nevertheless, I have connected it to Comcast Analog cable, USB to my laptop and power to the wall. Then I installed the Software from the CD 100 / 180-V01126-100 and run the Catalyst MC.

I enter the following settings in the setup wizard:
1) Aspect Ratio: Standard 4:3
2) It does look like it went away while detecting the hardware, but it did not report that it detected a Wonder 650 combo box
3) Tuner: Analog
4) Antenna Connection: Cable
5) Region: USA
6) Autoscan for TV: Clicking on the bar seems to do something for a few seconds, but the TV channels that it finds are not reported, nor does the circle-arrow GIF indicating activity turn.
7) EPG: Titan (no other choice)
8) Scanning for FM: This looks like it's doing something - scanning, please wait and there is a progress bar that goes from 0 to 100%

Then when running the Application:
1) TV: The TV Function cannot be opened <--- cannot get to TV
2) DVD: Seems to work
3) Radio: Seems to work
4) Extras: Seems to work
5) Settings: Seems to work

Due to the connector issue, I will return the unit and see if I have better luck with another one.

Question to the group: Do I need to update the drivers, or did I miss something in the install?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and assistance!

[topseeded]

For "3) Tuner:" I believe it should be "Digital".

I believe "Analog" would be used if you were using an over-the-air antenna. If you have a combo card, one cable connection would be for an antenna, the other would be for a cable. You're supposed to be able to record 2 shows at the same time by using the antenna for one analog show and the cable for one digital show.
Being your cable should be carrying both analog and digital signals, I think you should be able to split your cable and have one going to the analog connection( and set it up as an analog tuner) and the other going to your digital connection( setup as a digital tuner). That way you could record an analog channel and a digital channel at the same time.

Cheers,

John

[kgrr]

John,
Thanks for your response.

I did not make it over to Best Buy tonight because they close early on Sundays. I still have the second unit and will probably return it tomorrow.

The two RF input F-style connectors on the unit are CATV/FM and DTV. I am trying to use it with *analog* Comcast Cable - which plugs directly into an analog TV's RF input. The DTV input is for receiving digital TV from either an antenna or digital cable.

For giggles and laughs, I re-configured it for Digital instead to try the other receiver. When it comes to configure EPG, there are two options instead of one: I used Titan instead of PSIP. (It's just a choice of online TV schedule anyway).

It has the same result: The TV function cannot be opened.

I'm guessing it's a driver issue since the receiver works for receiving FM from the programming on broadcast TV channel 6 = 87.75 MHz when connected to the cable or it could be an issue with CatalystMC not being compatible with the Wonder 650 combo USB.



Konrad

[Octavean]

For what its worth, I too bought a TV Wonder 650 Combo USB from Bestbuy. I eventually returned it though due to a problem with signal loss. It was being used in a Windows Vista Home Premium system with Vista Media Center not the included Catalyst Media Center software version 1.0.3202 which is an update from the 1.0.1829 version that shipped with the original TV Wonder 650 PCI.

The TV Wonder 650 Combo USB was being used with a Vbox Cat’s Eye 164e PCIe dual configurable analog / digital tuner resulting in a Quad tuner setup (2x analog + 2x digital). However, I was able to isolate the signal loss to the analog tuner on the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB.

Basically, during quad recording in Vista Media Center, ending a digital recording on the digital tuner of the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB would result in immediate signal loss of the analog tuner on the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB. It was unrecoverable to, a reboot was necessary to get the signal back on that tuner.

To be clear the signal loss was always on the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB analog tuner and never on the Vbox Cat’s Eye 164e. The issues was also consistently repeatable,…in other words it happened every time under the same set of circumstances.

I’m guessing it was a driver issue but I didn’t want to be left holding the tuner while ATI sorted it,….so back it went!

BTW, I didn’t try the AV connectors on the top but I found the USB connector socket on the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB to be too small. I too had to use what I would consider too much force to get it connected. Also, the RF connectors and connecting cables would get alarmingly HOT!!!! Not so hot that you couldn’t touch it but hot enough that prolonged contact would be uncomfortable. Even when the tuners are not in operation its hot, very hot. Even the instructions state that a cool down period may be necessary if there are problems,…… (paraphrasing).

Oh and one more thing, on the box there is a black remote pictured with an ATI logo. This was not the included remote in the box. A standard, run of the mill, Remote Wonder Plus” was included in the box. In small print on the back of the box they state that the remote pictured may differ (paraphrasing again). My guess is that this is probably the case with other models too like the TV Wonder 600 USB may come with a Remote Wonder Plus too,…so what you see may not be what you get!

Anyway, I think I just might get an HDHomeRun instead. I’m glad I tried the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB but I’m also glad I returned it. If it had worked properly I would have kept it but,…..

Anyway the return was very fast and easy at Bestbuy. I received a full refund!

[denyart]

Good job finding that odd bug. I don't know if you're interested in a replacement analog/digital hybrid tuner, but the AverMedia M780 PCIe combo tuner works good for me. The only loss of functionality is that it does not do FM. The encoded analog picture quality is close to that of the older style 650 hybrid tuner from ATI. The digital tuner is better at receiving signals than the digital tuner was on the 650 hybrid, but slightly worse than the VBox DTA 150. Thats my $0.02.

[DA1745]

Hello,
Has anyone gotten one of the OEM Dell 650 Pro Combo Cards for use on another system and gotten them to work?

P/N 102B0410200 000001
DN804
CN-0DN804-13740-726-0085

I keep hearing rumors that something they put in the BIOS keys the card to look for a Dell motherboard (a new Dell Motherboard). I called Dell Tech Support & of course they confirmed this. But I don't know if they are just saying that to cover there a$$ so they don't have to deal with complaints with configuration ...or to get you to buy there products only.

I have looked for more information on this but I can't find anything more on Google. Most people probably would use them in the computer (Dell) that they got them in but if anyone has used these or knows one way or another whether they are locked to Dells I'd appreciate the information.

-Or- if there is a BIOS out there that could be reflashed on the card to eliminate this lock. I've never flashed a Graphic's cards BIOS...nor have I ever seen a place that has BIOS's for Graphics cards or TV tuner cards.

Thank you