ATI 650 aggrevation...

[searchname]

First of all, hello to all of the Hexus members. I have been searching the internet for answers to my ATI questions and it looks like this is the place to be.

I recently purchased an ATI 650 and installed it into my HTPC, here are some components:

Asus p4P800 Deluxe
P4 2.4 CPU
1GB PC3200 DDR
nVidia Geforce 6800 Vid Card
ATI TVWonder 650
Tech amplified HDTV antenna
Microsoft XP Media Center OS

I have installed everything and updated to the latest drivers, but cannot receive a picture. Not even really sure if I have set the device up correctly or not.

I simply seated the card, installed all of the latest drivers, plugged the antenna into the TV coax input. Then when I start up the ATI Catalyst Media Center several things happen:

1) When I scan either TV or Radio, it just hangs. I usually have to bring up task manager and end the task.

2) When I simply press on the TV tab in the Catalyst Control Panel, I receive a Information tab that reads, "The TV function cannot be opened."

I'm assuming that I do not need to run anything from the card to the TV, it should output the TV stream through my nVidia Vid Card, correct?

This is my first attempt into OTA HDTV reception, I apologize in advance if these are newb questions.

I also have an unopened ATI HDTV Wonder card in the other room, ordered it before I found the ATI 650, which sounded much better. I suppose I could always use it if it works better.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and assistance!

[Octavean]

If you wish to use ATI Catalyst Media Center on Windows XP Media Center Edition you may need to disable any specific MCE services running that may be locking down the tuners.

To do so, try the following:

1) Start “Windows Task Manager”

2) Click the “Processes” tab

3) Right click and select “end Process” for any entry starting with “eh” such as “ehmsas.exe”, “ehsched.exe”, “ehrecvr.exe” and “ehtray.exe”.

Once that’s done the tuner(s) should be free for other applications to use.

[Jigga]

Yup...I got all those crazy messages too. It seems eventually the drivers lose track of the filters. If you watch HDTV it works, analog TV is lost for some reason. I had to reinstall Windows for it to work. I'm staying away from CMC since it's bugged to high heaven. I'm using just the drivers and WatchHDTV.

[searchname]

Originally Posted by Octavean

If you wish to use ATI Catalyst Media Center on Windows XP Media Center Edition you may need to disable any specific MCE services running that may be locking down the tuners.

To do so, try the following:

1) Start “Windows Task Manager”

2) Click the “Processes” tab

3) Right click and select “end Process” for any entry starting with “eh” such as “ehmsas.exe”, “ehsched.exe”, “ehrecvr.exe” and “ehtray.exe”.

Once that’s done the tuner(s) should be free for other applications to use.

I was actually wondering about this, but wasnt sure as to which processes to remove. I did have two eH processes started, which I removed to no avail. My next step is to do a reinstall of the OS, I have some minor other annoyances and have wanted to do this for some time. I might just dust off my old copy of Windows 2000 Pro, since I do not plan on using the built in MCE anyhow!

Thanks for the suggestion, I will report back later!

[searchname]

Originally Posted by Jigga

Yup...I got all those crazy messages too. It seems eventually the drivers lose track of the filters. If you watch HDTV it works, analog TV is lost for some reason. I had to reinstall Windows for it to work. I'm staying away from CMC since it's bugged to high heaven. I'm using just the drivers and WatchHDTV.

I wish I could watch TV, but can't. The radio tuner is working, though the scan feature still seems endless. I have been able to manually tune to channel's by clicking the fine tune up and down buttons.

[Octavean]

Well to be honest I find it difficult to see why anyone would want to run ATI Catalyst Media Center instead of Windows XP Media Center Edition but to each his or her own. I don’t have to understand it or agree with it to respect your decision.

I am currently running my TV Wonder 650 along with a Visiontek Xtasy Theater 550 Pro and a HDTV Wonder in MCE 2K5. Its a quasi 2x analog + 2x digital configuration setup that works quite well.

Catalyst Media Center is considerably more buggy and inferior overall even to many free PVR applications from what I could see from my dealings with it but it can be somewhat serviceable. BTW, Catalyst Media Center IMO has give every indication that it is actual a modified version of Cyberlink PowerCinema 4 + Cyberlink MakeDVD 2.0 + some other additives.

Anyway, are you sure you have the antenna(s) connected to the right port(s)?

Are you using cable/satellite or OTA digital TV connections or both?

Are you sure you are in an area capable of proper NTSC + ATSC support?

Has your antenna for digital TV been properly oriented?

Do you have the newer TV Wonder 650 or the older recalled version?

[searchname]

I don't care for MCE, I plan to use either SageTV or Media Portal (which I have been using) ... after my fresh installation I didn't even amuse the thought of putting CMC back on my system. With Media Portal there was a signal gauge and many of my channels were around 40%, the few that were 80% received an error that the image could not be displayed. So, apparently this Terk Antenna is not powerful enough for my area. I will pick up a Channel Master 4228 on the way home tomorrow evening (had Jury Duty today).

Since the 80%+ signals are giving me an error message, I am expecting the error messages to continue, even as my signal gets stronger. I will post the error messages if they continue, not enough energy at this moment.

To answer your questions:

- I do have the anenna connected to the correct port

- Am only using OTA digital TV connections at this point

- It is questionable whether I am in an area with proper NTSC + ATSC support. I have read that on AVS Forum, that others in my area do receive reception with the Channel Master that I plan to pick up tomorrow.

- My antenna has probably not been properly oriented. I have been using an internal antenna for testing, placed it on a table free of electronics and used a compass to point into the general direction.

- I'd love to know whether I have the recalled version or the newer version, is there an easy way to tell?

Thanks for the help!

[yoliemorgan]

I must say that of all of the Computer and Video and Audio equiptment that I own, this is the worst unit I have ever wasted my money on. It absolutely does not do what it is supposed to. Is impossible to get both HDTV signal and Cable signal. The Cable signal that it does receive is unwatchable. I receive picture perfectly on everything else we own, but not thru this ATI unit. I have a new Dell XPS410 Dual Core unit with 4GB ram and Nvidia7900 card. It also does not pickup radio stations. Came with no instructions in the box, ATI gives no help and it cannot be returned since it has been opened. What a joke this unit is and what a shame they are allowed to sell it.