New ATI Tuner Card.

[jonaslasky]

As for mpeg4, I can't use it on DVD players I own. If I ever do need it, say for my Axim PDA, I use free Gordian Knot.

S.

Speaking of portable MPEG-4 playback.... has anyone here used their Theater 550 for recording video content for their Sony PSP? (after conversion of course)

Also... I wonder if hardware DivX playback will ever be mainstream. a very few DVD players do come with hardware DviX playback.


Jonas

[satnav4]

Speaking of portable MPEG-4 playback.... has anyone here used their Theater 550 for recording video content for their Sony PSP? (after conversion of course)

Also... I wonder if hardware DivX playback will ever be mainstream. a very few DVD players do come with hardware DviX playback.


Jonas

I used my 550 to record a CSI episode, which I converted to a 250 mb Divx with Gordian Knot. It played back flawlessly on my Axim x50v, which has a 640/480 screen. It looked great. I do not own a PSP, but I understand it should work similarly. If it does not have a 640/480 screen, you will have to tinker with your target settings like those folks having qvga PDA screens.

S.

[islasian]

Speaking of portable MPEG-4 playback.... has anyone here used their Theater 550 for recording video content for their Sony PSP? (after conversion of course)

Also... I wonder if hardware DivX playback will ever be mainstream. a very few DVD players do come with hardware DviX playback.


Jonas

Deyammm... this thread is getting hella long, since last I check

This is a link to a buddy of mines site. I got him started in the right direction, and he basically took off from there. He wanted to do the same thing as you, watching movies on his PSP after some conversion. He mainly does it for his Anime collection

Nusakan

He has tutorials and links for all the software you need. I think he even has some hosted... good luck...

~Islasian~

[jonaslasky]

Deyammm... this thread is getting hella long, since last I check

This is a link to a buddy of mines site. I got him started in the right direction, and he basically took off from there. He wanted to dot he same thing as you, watching movies on his PSP after some conversion. He mainly does it for his Anime collection

Nusakan

He has tutorials and links for all the software you need. I think he even has some hosted... good luck...

~Islasian~

Hey Thanks!... I appreciate it.

Jonas

[islasian]

Hey Thanks!... I appreciate it.

Jonas

No worries... good luck with your conversions...

~Islasian~

[Octavean]

Actually, the VisionTek Xtasy Theater 550 Pro is starting to look like a really good deal,…even for those who already have a T550P card.

This review HERE says the package includes a MCE remote, USB receiver (with 2 IR blaster ports) and IR Blaster(s). If this includes Beyond TV SE (Subscribers Edition for EPG) and Beyond Media too it’s a killer deal for ~$90.

I believe that this new MCE remote also has the ability to learn and as such can turn on and off your TV,…..in addition to the standard MCE functions. It also should work with Beyond TV with or without an “IR Blaster” so you can control your cable/satellite set top box too. Other programs like “Media Portal” support the MCE remote and blaster as well.

Compusa is selling this version of the VisionTek Xtasy Theater 550 Pro for $89.99 no rebate HERE:

http://compusa.shoplocal.com/compusa...agenumber%3d11

The MCE remote is pictured in the Compusa add but you might want to check before you order.

Newegg is selling the same thing for $115 HERE:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129051

I was thinking about buying a new MCE remote (so that I can turn on and off the TV with it) and they go for about $40. But for a little more I can have some quasi cool software (Beyond TV SE and Beyond Media) and another T550P card,….. Now all I have to do is get this past my financial adviser (Wife with frying pan ready to hit me over the head if I spend more,…LOL) and I’m good to go.

Correct me if I’m wrong,….

Beyond Media, like Beyond media basic, allows you to start stop and control many applications. Therefore, as a kluge one should be able to fire up,….say,…..”Gemstar Guide Plus”,….to see what is on (or some other third party EPG software XMLTV app) after the Guide subscription runs out in 30 days. Or you could just pony up the $40 or so for the non-SE version of Beyond TV.

[jonaslasky]

Actually, the VisionTek Xtasy Theater 550 Pro is starting to look like a really good deal,…even for those who already have a T550P card.

This review HERE says the package includes a MCE remote, USB receiver (with 2 IR blaster ports) and IR Blaster(s). If this includes Beyond TV SE (Subscribers Edition for EPG) and Beyond Media too it’s a killer deal for ~$90.

Wow... that is a good deal! I don't really care about the program guide anyway, so for me, it's no big deal at all. I wonder if it has all the rest of the functions that BeyondTV come with. If anybody does buy this package, please report here, so the rest of us can make informed decisions.

Jonas

[thatdude90210]

Lets check the model numbers.

The Compusa version is listed as VTK-THXP550P for $89. If you seach newegg, you'll find 2 version of the visiontek 550 pro (both retail), a VTK-THXP550P for $82, and a VTK-THMCE550P for $115.

Looks to me that Compusa is selling the newegg $82 version for $89, not the VTK-THMCE550P version with the mce remote.

[BenW]

Wow, this thread has moved on since i last looked (About 100 pages back!)

Is there a version with freeview tuner yet?

[satnav4]

Lets check the model numbers.

The Compusa version is listed as VTK-THXP550P for $89. If you seach newegg, you'll find 2 version of the visiontek 550 pro (both retail), a VTK-THXP550P for $82, and a VTK-THMCE550P for $115.

Looks to me that Compusa is selling the newegg $82 version for $89, not the VTK-THMCE550P version with the mce remote.

I do believe you are correct. Buy.com sells the "non-remote" card per their site: 550. The package contents say nothing about a remote. What I found more interesting is the reference to hardware "decoding". Is that new, or do all these cards hardware decode? It also says it supports MMC.

S.

[hrlslcbr]

satnav4: All cards based on the theatre 550 pro chipset can't decode, but only encode to MPEG-2 (AFAIK. Maybe andrzej can help us here); but I'm sure that any card with the theatre 550 chip doesn't support MMC.

[satnav4]

satnav4: All cards based on the theatre 550 pro chipset can't decode, but only encode to MPEG-2 (AFAIK. Maybe andrzej can help us here); but I'm sure that any card with the theatre 550 chip doesn't support MMC.

So perhaps Buy.com is feeding us a little B.S.?

S.

[hrlslcbr]

Yep. Just like Sapphire said their card supported NTSC/PAL and Dolby Digital Encoding...

[jonaslasky]

I do believe you are correct. Buy.com sells the "non-remote" card per their site: 550. The package contents say nothing about a remote. What I found more interesting is the reference to hardware "decoding". Is that new, or do all these cards hardware decode? It also says it supports MMC.

S.

That has to be a mistake...(not a typo) an outright mistake. So many otherwise intelligent people get confused about encoding and decoding.

Jonas

[satnav4]

That has to be a mistake...(not a typo) an outright mistake. So many otherwise intelligent people get confused about encoding and decoding.

Jonas

I agree. I even checked the Visiontek site, and it did not make such claims.

S.

[Octavean]

Lets check the model numbers.

The Compusa version is listed as VTK-THXP550P for $89. If you seach newegg, you'll find 2 version of the visiontek 550 pro (both retail), a VTK-THXP550P for $82, and a VTK-THMCE550P for $115.

Looks to me that Compusa is selling the newegg $82 version for $89, not the VTK-THMCE550P version with the mce remote.

Right you are,…

Even still, the VTK-THMCE550P for $115 cuts quite an impressive figure. It’s still very attractive especially when compared to the $150 “TV Wonder Elite” and the $99.99 MSRP of the VTK-THXP550P package (when it first came out not sure if that’s changed). This new package from Visiontek adds even more variety to the T550P product line and is to be commended IMO.