Theater 650 Pro Discussion

[Octavean]

Originally Posted by dfetzer

I recently installed a ati 650 tv tuner in dell xps 420. The audio for ATSC comes through, but the video is just a green screen when viewing in Media Center. I unistalled/reinstalled drivers...any ideas?

What version of Microsoft Media Center are you using (MCE 2002, 2004, 2005 or Vista Media Center), what video subsystem are you using (video card) and what decoder are you using?

[dfetzer]

Thanks for the response...apologies, it's Vista Media center (Vista Home premium), looking to upgrade the video card, but it currently has an ATI HD 2400 pro. In terms of decoder? I don't have anything installed that I'm aware...yeah I'm a noob

[dfetzer]

double post...oops

[denyart]

Originally Posted by dfetzer

I recently installed a ati 650 tv tuner in dell xps 420. The audio for ATSC comes through, but the video is just a green screen when viewing in Media Center. I unistalled/reinstalled drivers...any ideas?

Start up an ATSC stream (turn it to an ATSC channel), then minimize the Media Center interface (don't close, just minimize), and then check to see if you have any decoder programs running down in the lower ight hand corner (system tray) of the computer. If there is a decoder running there such as ffdshow, then you need to either uninstall ffdshow or change it so it doesn't attempt to decode your mpeg2 TV streams. If there isn't anything showing up, then it should be the normal Vista decoder running. That decoder should work fine for DVR-MS files from ATSC channels. Some things I could think of that may be causing problems: ffdshow video decoder (maybe), Nero media stuff (their bundled media software is obnoxious), other media software preinstalled on some systems (Muvee, iMedian, others). It is the only real thought I have at this point. Your video card should be fine, and the drivers for the 650 work for me in Vista. One thing you could of course try is to unistall the 650 software from add/remove prorgams and go get an older Vista 32-bit driver from ATI/AMD. That may be a solution. Also, if you changed drivers, you should run through the Media Center TV setup again just to make sure the registry gets set up correctly for the tuner to work. ...Out of ideas now. Good luck.
edit: could also just see if minimzing and then maximizing the media center interface makes it work. some have seen this kind of thing in the past. not likely, but it is an idea...

[herrdoktor]

I had this same problem on the machine in my signature. It was on the first RC1 Vista that had driver issues. I was using Nvidia 7600 PCIE video card. I installed a newer video card driver and it fixed it.
I have since sold that machine and built 2 others. Still using the Theater 650 Pro. Tried a Haupauge 1600 but not near the quality picture.

[kerrystarr2000]

Has anyone tried using Powercinema 5 free trial build 3902 on a theater 650 pro hybrid to tune qam channels? I am using Vista home premium. The program works on my machine but it is flaky. Any experiences with this? Thanks.

[phiz]

Originally Posted by mglima_brazil

Can anyone send me a ISO from a original cd of THEATER 650? I´m crazy to TRY CATALYST MEDIA CENTER. I have fast internet, and this wont take too long. If anyone knows a torrent or another place to download, i´ll be grateful. Thanks.

Hi

did you you ever get a copy? I'd like to get it as well.

Regards

[phiz]

...for North America...

[Octavean]

Originally Posted by mglima_brazil

Can anyone send me a ISO from a original cd of THEATER 650? I´m crazy to TRY CATALYST MEDIA CENTER. I have fast internet, and this wont take too long. If anyone knows a torrent or another place to download, i´ll be grateful. Thanks.

Originally Posted by kerrystarr2000

Has anyone tried using Powercinema 5 free trial build 3902 on a theater 650 pro hybrid to tune qam channels? I am using Vista home premium. The program works on my machine but it is flaky. Any experiences with this? Thanks.

Originally Posted by phiz

Hi

did you you ever get a copy? I'd like to get it as well.

Regards

Anyone who wants to try Catalyst Media Center can buy an install CD here:

TV Wonder™ 200 and 650 Install CD $12.99


That’s the older original shipping version without QAM support. The newer version currently shipping with the newer TV Wonder 650 PCIe / USB / PCI cards has QAM support but effectively is the same in almost every other way save for maybe better Vista support.

Both versions give every indication of being based on Cyberlink PowerCinema (possibly v4 and v5 respectively) so if you want a preview of Catalyst Media Center then you could always download the latest free trial which is also very similar.

Generally speaking, there is nothing remarkable about any incarnation of this software including the Dell version that was shipping some time ago. Most of the feedback I hear on this software is negative and it was almost universally despised when it first started shipping with Theater 550 cards way back when it was in version 3.

“GB-PVR” and “MediaPortal” come highly recommended by many and still remain free. Both seem to support QAM if that’s what you're after. H.264 support too at least for “GB-PVR” so the new Hauppauge HD PVR will work too.

I’ll also add that Hauppauge has now joined Silicon dust (HDHomeRun) and AverMedia (AverTV Combo PCIe X1 M780, AverTV Bravo Hybrid PCIe X1 H788 and AverTV Volar Max Hybrid USB analog/ATSC/QAM) in launching a beta program to support QAM functionality in Microsoft Media Center. If ATI (AMD) wants to maintain some semblance (appearance) of competition it really does need to keep up with these other competing products. ATI (AMD) really must launch its own beta program to support QAM in popular programs like Microsoft Vista Media Center (if not Media Center Edition 2005), BeyondTV SageTV and more! As it stands they are way behind!!!

The Fiji update may very well support QAM and H.264 and Snapstream is presumably working on QAM support along with H.264 support but waiting for such support isn’t necessary. Companies that take the initiative like Silicondust, AverMedia and now Hauppauge are to be commended and notice is most certainly taken. Conversely, when a company doesn’t take the initiative it is also noticed!

Originally Posted by dfetzer

Thanks for the response...apologies, it's Vista Media center (Vista Home premium), looking to upgrade the video card, but it currently has an ATI HD 2400 pro. In terms of decoder? I don't have anything installed that I'm aware...yeah I'm a noob

These links might help:

When you watch Live TV in Windows Media Center on a Windows Vista-based computer, a green screen is displayed after you change the channel to view an HDTV program

The TV screen appears as solid green or as blocky pixels when you use Windows Media Center to watch HDTV content on a Windows Vista-based computer (Hotfix Download Available)

[Octavean]

Looks like ATI (AMD) stuck a Theater 650 on a Radeon HD 3600 series graphics card and is now calling it an ATI All-in-Wonder™ HD:

http://ati.amd.com/products/aiwhd/features.html
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/V...126872,00.html