New ATI Tuner Card.

[exAndrzej]

...the big "V"...

Not quite...

...development work will carry on with MMC - and we will be making updates available for the hardcore who have AIW product

I will have a much clearer idea on this whole situation by the end of February so - as long as you don't all think I have 'gone in to hiding' - I will hold off posting on this specific topic (MMC support) until then

[myth]

MMC 9.04 is actualy out there floating around on the net! Aparently it was sent to some one for testing and then got sent to a few hundred more for testing! Well to make a long story short aparently it dont work worth crap and thats most likly why ATi hasnt given it to us as a download... I just hope some one steps up to the plate with version 9.05

[satnav4]

Here is another copy: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...117-801&depa=0

[e.lectronick]

First and foremost, to Andrzej who has been a stand up guy throughout our onslaught of questions, quibbles and curmudgeonings. I feel like you deserve props for staying cool and not losing sight of the real issues, especially when someone like me has been contentious.

Second, to Myth who started this thread. Nice to see you back and thanks for the insights into the Beta MMC floating around on the web. Knowing the story behind that kind of fills in the details.

Third to Ciregnol for pointing out to me that my own favorite Retailer, Newegg sells MCE with a little hardware. I need new drives anyway so that works nicely.

Last, but not least, to Satnav for pointing out the new Powercooler TV card at Newegg as well.

This has become the most in depth -and IMHO, informative- thread on the Theater 550 Pro Chip on the web. Props to everyone who has participated and thrown in their two cents or more. We're definitely better educated consumers for it.

-Erik.

[e.lectronick]

Not quite...

...development work will carry on with MMC - and we will be making updates available for the hardcore who have AIW product

Ok, cool. I'm glad to hear if I'm wrong about these things.

But remember, we're still just interested in updates to MMC as it relates to the 550 Pro based cards. If you are suggesting that an upcoming AIW card (like the AIW X800XT) will be equipped with the T550P, and MMC will be written for that, then that's very encouraging news. However, those with existing AIW cards already enjoy proper compatibility with the current MMC software.

I know you must walk a razor's edge when it comes to what you may and may not reveal about product lines. A leak of info on an upcoming release might sway the buying public away from the purchase of a current product in favor of a later one. Unfortunately, in light of the current revelation that cards released without MMC will never have such support, it looks like a sizeable contingent of folks will be holding off anyway. To try to put a positive spin on things, perhaps our feedback will be a kind of market research of it's own and have some influence on ATI's current path.

-Erik.

[ciregnol]

Question: has anyone using the Theater 550 got the DVR Ripper application found at http://www.thegreenbutton.com/downloads.aspx to work?

I have read the readme file, downloaded and installed the ][Muxer (Xmuxer), manually registered the filters using regsrv32, and yet it still gives me errors. I've seen mixed results with this application from other users. For some it works great, others have problems, so I'm wondering if any Theater 550 Pro users have been able to get it working.

Any secrets to success? I can see from the log files that when it starts to load the XMuxer filters it is erroring, so for some reason the filters aren't being found or being initialized.

Any feedback is appreciated.

[ciregnol]

Another question:

Anyone using T550P or other card on an NForce2 chipset motherboard using the built in video for video out? How good is the quality?

[e.lectronick]

Ciregnol,
If have the chance, would you mind posting some snapshots of the MCE video capture control panels? I noticed that over at HTPCnews forums, you mentioned that MCE works much better than the Cyberlink software and I'm wondering what options it offers (bitrate, etc...)

Thanks,
Erik.

[ciregnol]

Yea, i'll try to. I'll also capture some TweakMCE screenshots, as I believe it has more settings. I don't remember seeing any bitrate settings, but I'll give it a good look-over.

[satnav4]

e.lectronick

I have been a huge fan of newegg over the years, but they have been known to gouge every now and then. Take the Sapphire Theater 550 for example. They had it for $79 with $3 shipping last week. With the ATI Elites coming out with a price tag around $150, newegg boosted the 550 to $110. Fearing a trend, I ran to zipzoomfly, and got a Sapphire for $83, with free 2nd day shipping. I have not yet installed it. This all proves you must be careful. I still like newegg; their service is great.

I am having buyer's remorse with the advent of ATI's position that their great chip does not deserve great software. I guess I will be unable to improve dramatically on the Hauppauge 150's great encodes. I have not seen the problem with fast action sports, perhaps because I hardware decode the mpegs with a Media MVP.

When I install my 550, I will report back with results.

S.

[exAndrzej]

Good News !

Dear Hexus Massive,

We will be engineering a situation where two of our top Multi Media guys will be face-2-face with PD & Rys

We are still finalising details, but I think they will have them alone for several hours

Discussing the opportunity with the Hexus Hierarchy this morning, we think it would be a good idea for you (the users !) to post up here all of the questions you have ever wanted to ask about MM (but was afraid to !)

...then - after weeding out the less sensible suggestions - we will try and put them in the form of a interview-style Q&A...

...then post it back on Hexus

Sound like a plan ?

Get posting

[SHSPVR]

Andrzej dose that included bugs with Theater 550 Pro?.

[exAndrzej]

...does that included...

Just to make sure everyone has the same view of the world...

1) If you are looking for advice before buying a product (any product !) - then the Hexus forums are a great place to put your questions

2) If you have bought a product and have a technical query - then you really need to ask the manufacturer's support team. They will have support sections on their web site etc and these people are professionals who have been specially trained on that particular product

3) If you have a comment on a new version of the Catalyst driver - then you might find it best to submit it to ATI Technical Support directly. The 'ideal' process for getting support is listed here.. http://www.ati.com/support/contact.html

...else...

4) If you have any other (i.e. non-purchase/support/driver) query, then maybe I can help you get an answer

Does that make sense ?

I will try to help with anything - but this 1-2-3-4 should ensure the best possible route to a 'good answer'

As far as the proposed interview goes...

...you can post any questions you like...

...it will be down to the Hexus Hierarchy to decide which ones they want to put forward

[blakev]

Super!

1) Software for new products:
-Regarding working with partners, supply test hardware/drivers to market-leading 3rd party software people (even if they only do 'freeware', they may be the tool of choice for the more advanced people: after all, it's only an SDK handle to get at the chip's data flow).
-Incorporate feedback Before shipping.
-Reputation is Everything.
-Usability is N°1.
-Reactivity on webdownloads.
-In-house soft should support new chips before letting partners release (very important this: Your soft on Your chips should be the market's choice cos it works the best/most stable/best feature set/easiest to use. Period. Especially if you want the mom and pop market).

2) Localisation: New chips ship with global compatibility (NTSC, PAL (all flavours), SECAM, MESECAM). Always. Shipping to one market before another is a poor way to treat customers. Computer equipment is global now. Only Sony Japan gets away with this sort of c*, I'm thinking digi-cams and other high-end toys, and even then...

3) Market Focus: Let's see... how would I have done this? Add-on board has new chip, does a market run. Force through contractual arrangements that partners can also only ship add-on boards for X time period. After satisfactory run (3 months?) give AIWs the chip/give partners less restricted implementation context. Everyone wins and it reduces the hit you take from people that wait because they are chasing tomorrow's techno. Thinking of the 550 chip, it came out late but at a good price for the techno, no reason to hesitate... but if I see an AIW around the next corner also with this chip, will I buy it now or am I going to wait?
People that wait cost you money. You should've gotten the thing out on time (or at least as the same time as marketing , collected the readies, and prepared the next onslaught, that is, this chip on an AIW. As it sits, competitors are at your heels and lots of folks may ignore this add-on board (and they shouldn't).

4) By all means level the delivery: ma and pa stuff with fewer complicated controls or a wizard or a newbie interface switch, pro stuff with all the bells and whistles (and need I mention technical documentation?)

5) Question: did the concentration on the windows media centre create a mutually exclusive problem with your soft? Thus ATI's in-house soft can't swing on this chip on a windows box without some serious re-dev?

I'll leave the more technical points to other posters: they know more than me anyway

blake

[exAndrzej]

To quote Yamamoto...

"I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant"

[ciregnol]

Ask those ATI boys when the low volume bug in the driver will be fixed.