Tv Wonder 650 Install Problem Solution and Tips on configuring

[pr75]

Hello everybody,

I posted a topic the other day asking for some help on the Catalyst Media Center Installation. Since nobody seemed to be experiencing the same problem I had to try a few things here.

I installed PowerCinema 4 but it doesn't support HD channels so I had to go back to CMC. By the way, the video under PowerCinema 4 seems to be a bit sluggish compared to the video under CMC. Now I am sure that the Catalyst Media Center is based on Cyberlyink's PowerCinema 4 because while installing PC4 it made me uninstall CMC.

The problem I had was that when I ran the installation CD it would freeze the whole system right in the end of the installation process and I had to reset the PC. From there, I would use CMC a few times and at one point it wouldn't recognize the card.

So my solution, which was installing, reinstalling and ghosting my whole system back and forth is:

1. Get the drivers and patch from ATI and install them.


2. When installing CMC install it from E:\Install\CMC\CMC\SetUp.exe - that way my installation never crashed.

3. NEVER EVER mess with the display settings in CMC. I was changing the Display settings for "Best" or "Auto" and the software wouldn't communicate with the card anymore. So I leave that on default - Display : "Good" - and haven't had any problems with tweaking any of the other options.

I hope that helps any folks having the same problem.

Now here some tips:

- Connected the cable to the TV input and it recognized 99 channels, way to go.

- Went to Home Depot and got an indoor antenna for $15 (GE - Millenium TV Antenna HDTV ready) and it works great. I live near downtown so maybe the signal is strong enough for such a cheap antenna.

- For Nvidia users: I was using Forceware 84.21 WHQL drivers at first but I updated to Forceware 91.48 WHQL and they have been working great.

- When you get a working set up, Ghost the whole system so you can get back to a functioning system.


I think that should be a good start for those of you having some trouble.

I love this card!!! It runs great no frame stuttering even on HD channels and I don't even have a top of the line system.

AMD Athlon 64 2500+, 1GB PC2700, Geforce 7600 GT.

[Octavean]

Its good to see that you were able to address these issues to your satisfaction and were able to give some pointers too.

I have experience a similar issue with the compulsory uninstall that you have described between Cyberlink PowerCinema 4 and Catalyst Media Center

That experience was with PowerCinema 3 and the “Dell Media Experience”

And the reason for that is clear according to this:

After using it a bit, however, it's clear that the Dell Media Experience isn't as clean, finely-tuned, or technically advanced as XP MCE, and it's more similar to the old version of XP MCE than it is to XP MCE 2004 from a performance standpoint. Still, you can't beat the price, which is free. Or, for $30, you can order a Cyberlink remote control and USB-based infra-red (IR) interface, which installs on XP without the need for any drivers (photo). In fact, it was Cyberlink that created the underlying Dell Media Experience software; Dell created the look and feel of the software, or the UI, in-house, George told me. The engine that drives the Dell Media Experience, likewise, is Cyberlink technology, not Windows Media 9 Series.

The “Dell Media Experience” is essentially a modified version of PowerCinema. In fact, even the install program was virtually identical to that of earlier versions of PowerCinema.

To say that I believe that “Catalyst Media Center” is a modified or enhanced version of Cyberlink PowerCinema 4 would be something of an understatement.