New ATI Tuner Card.

[satnav4]

SOME OF US actually have OTHER people in our lives that like to use the HTPC and not ned a degree in bitrates blah blah blah etc that you guys come out with. The 550 PRO was DESIGNED to be used with MCE , The ATI guys have said so ........ WHY YOU NO LISTEN

Why didn't you just say your family was "SLOW"? Of course, the 550 with Cyberlink software is perfect for them. Not much thought required here. Each week, when your system drive is full, you can just throw out that old computer and get a new one. Why teach them how to save to a slave drive--oops---too technical. You will only need 52 computers a year, but hey, you're made out of money. No need to educate your family how to operate a simple program while you dress them in the morning.

Now why don't you go spend your valuable quality time with your family---that is if they want you. Hell, I can't understand how a quality family guy like you has time to comment here. We here at Hexus are really not worthy of your time.

Me so sorry.

S.

[thethinman]

[/QUOTE]The 550 PRO was DESIGNED to be used with MCE , The ATI guys have said so ........ WHY YOU NO LISTEN



You are wrong SPACDED, the 550 PRO was not "Designed to be used with MCE"! The ATI press releases and their web page showed it as being MMC compatiable and they changed their minds mid stream and thought we would not notice.

I would have no problem if they had come out at first and said the 550 PRO was just going to be for MCE. I purchased an E-HOME WONDER which was always advertised as just being MCE compatiable, but it works great with SAGETV RECORDER and I can adjust it anyway I want (bitrate, etc.)

I capture a lot of old movies from VHS & Laser Disc with this program that are not available on DVD, however it looks like Frey Technologies will not be updating SAGETV RECORDER for the 550 PRO as they can make more money sellling SAGETV. I don't need SAGETV, I can just watch regular TV for that.

I do however need a decent program for the 550 PRO to capture from VHS & Laser Disc and ATI offers no solution for this with the low quality POWER CINEMA.

[ciregnol]

I do however need a decent program for the 550 PRO to capture from VHS & Laser Disc and ATI offers no solution for this with the low quality POWER CINEMA.

I usually just use Windows XP's built-in Windows Movie Maker for capturing home Videos from Camcorder with my Theater 550 Theatrix card. Not the most elegant of solutions, but hey, it works, and I have good control over quality output.

I'm sure that VHS and Laser Disc would be the same.

Beyond that, at least here in the States, there is always some video capture and edit software free after rebate. I have picked up several that way, including products from Pinnacle and Ulead. CompUSA and Fry's have these deals occasionally (which is the only time I buy anything from them).

[satnav4]

I usually just use Windows XP's built-in Windows Movie Maker for capturing home Videos from Camcorder with my Theater 550 Theatrix card. Not the most elegant of solutions, but hey, it works, and I have good control over quality output.

I'm sure that VHS and Laser Disc would be the same.

Beyond that, at least here in the States, there is always some video capture and edit software free after rebate. I have picked up several that way, including products from Pinnacle and Ulead. CompUSA and Fry's have these deals occasionally (which is the only time I buy anything from them).

Please tell us what capture programs, free or not, work well with the 550. I am not aware of any, anywhere. I notice Nero can access the card, but with ZERO bitrate control.

S.

[thethinman]

I usually just use Windows XP's built-in Windows Movie Maker for capturing home Videos from Camcorder with my Theater 550 Theatrix card. Not the most elegant of solutions, but hey, it works, and I have good control over quality output.

I'm sure that VHS and Laser Disc would be the same.

Beyond that, at least here in the States, there is always some video capture and edit software free after rebate. I have picked up several that way, including products from Pinnacle and Ulead. CompUSA and Fry's have these deals occasionally (which is the only time I buy anything from them).

Thanks, but Movie Maker is windows media (wmv) not mpg, and Ulead products do not support the 550 yet (I have DVD Workshop). It is not that I can't afford SAGETV, I just do not like the interface, I like SAGETV RECORDER much better because It is much more user friendly for capturing from either the VCR or LD player (you can control start and stop times without having to use and EPG). I was also looking forward to being able to use MMC to capture VHS, because you can crop the video as you capture it with no need to reencode to remove the tracking line on the bottom of the video.

[thethinman]

Please tell us what capture programs, free or not, work well with the 550. I am not aware of any, anywhere. I notice Nero can access the card, but with ZERO bitrate control.

S.

WinDVR3 works but records in progressive scan only, SAGETV currently offers limited support of the 550 PRO (You can't adjust the bitrate records at 7000 only), they will offer full support eventually.

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ighlight=ELITE

[hrlslcbr]

The problem is that many of us (or at least me) don't want or can't buy new software for USING the card. I want a FREE solution from ATI, not an $80 program, because I don't have the money to buy it.
If ATI made a mistake in choosing PowerCinema as the program to be bundled with the card; they have to give us a FREE replacement that can do everything that was advertised, not a 'solution' of nearly the price of the card (I bought it for $82.0 from newegg).

[satnav4]

The problem is that many of us (or at least me) don't want or can't buy new software for USING the card. I want a FREE solution from ATI, not an $80 program, because I don't have the money to buy it.
If ATI made a mistake in choosing PowerCinema as the program to be bundled with the card; they have to give us a FREE replacement that can do everything that was advertised, not a 'solution' of nearly the price of the card (I bought it for $82.0 from newegg).

Here, here; my point exactly.

S.

[dutchfudge]

...I want a FREE solution from ATI, not an $80 program, because I don't have the money to buy it.
(If)? ATI made a mistake in choosing PowerCinema as the program to be bundled with the card; they have to give us a FREE replacement that can do everything that was advertised...

Yes, that's my sentiment. I saw the other day that there is a class action lawsuit against Creative for the debacle that was the original Audigy sound card(Advertised as 24-bit audio solution, but only capped at 16-bit).

There is a settlement offer, where you can get a certificate for 25% off one item at creatives online store. You have to release creative from all future claims regarding audigy.

Sounds like if you don't take the cert, that the case is still moving forward?
I'll wait and see if some cash develops

The quick and dirty solution seems to be for ATI to provide free copies of MCE to everyone who is dissatisfied Plus some drivers that don't suck!

[hrlslcbr]

Yep, that 'If' shouldn't be there

[spacded]

Why didn't you just say your family was "SLOW"? Of course, the 550 with Cyberlink software is perfect for them. Not much thought required here. Each week, when your system drive is full, you can just throw out that old computer and get a new one. Why teach them how to save to a slave drive--oops---too technical. You will only need 52 computers a year, but hey, you're made out of money. No need to educate your family how to operate a simple program while you dress them in the morning.S.

Hey grandad wanna record your favourite show heres what you do the SATNAV way ,

1.set the programme manually to the time and date,(who cares about your arthritis get typing!!

2.Now pick your favourite bitrate (you know what a bitrate is right?)

3.Ok then, now what Hard drive do you wanna save the MPEG2 recording to MASTER or SLAVE? (no im not being kinky!!).

4. Now you must NEVER EVER DELETE ANYTHING ok , make sure to back up every crap TV show you ever record to another drive or copy it on to DVDR
(its a recordable dvd, a dvd is a large disc thingy you can record your shows on, look i dont care if your 80 learn this new improved HI TECH recording method jeez old people)

5. Grandad wot do you mean your changing your will!!

The above applies to : Little Kids, Mothers , Wives and girlfriends!! in the REAL WORLD. Obviously in SATNAV SAD GEEKLAND none of these exist!!

You know recording a TV show should be simple press a few buttons perfect quality thats it!! , its how the majority of the world would view it
YOU KNOW NORMAL PEOPLE!! (those other beings whom you see walking around when you leave your special room SAT (can i call you SAT?)

remember
1. You can delete stuff that way you wont have to keep buying hard drives

2.The PC is not your only friend , go to the daycentre now and then.

3.Take your meds daily

4.MCE is not evil , its just a programme that works

[drufause]

I have been a loyal ATI fan since the Original All in wonder came out. The product line has been great for me. I have had an All in wonder rage II+, an All in wonder Rage Pro II+, an All in wonder Radeon 7200, an All in wonder 8500 DV. These products have all worked as advertised and I had been very pleased with them. I have worked in a computer store since 1996 and continue to too this day. I have been pro ATI and anti NVIDA. I always though Nvidia was an evil money grubbing company that did not care for support but only for market dominance where as I always belived that ATI was more along the lines of a computer support company that makes its products to help computer fans and users.

This fall Intel shipped a new line of Pentium 4 products using ddr2 and pci-x support and I knew I would be buying them. But I knew that I wanted an ATI All in wonder card in it. Then I here about the x600 all in wonder and then I here it will be supporting a brand new dolby digital ee approved tuner card called the Theater 550. So I did some research and made several calls to ATI in Canada finding out about the product. After several cross country calls to ATI in Candida and find out well those products will not be in the US till some time the next year and I find out that the first versions of the All in wonder will not support the theater 550 card. So I know that I want this new theater 550 card and am tired of waiting for it to come out on an all in wonder with my p4 stuff sitting around collecting dust I go ahead and purchase an x600 xt. A beautiful 3d card to say the least.

I wait and wait and finally get an AIT theater 550 card for a few hundred dollars I think its well worth the investment and drop it in my new computer that I have just been playing games and movies on lately and loading up the old computer to use the all in wonder with. To my dismay my card does not come with a multimedia center but some software called power cinema but suggests that I should run Microsoft Media center with my card. I shall digress right now to rip on the Microsoft Media center for a minute. It sucks for someone who is used to things like multithreading the main processor. The os only sees my multithreaded processor as on processor instead of the proper two processors. Also it will not allow me to connect to domain controllers so the OS is not an option for me. Ok I install power cinema and find out quickly that the software sucks. I cannot adjust anything to do with live picture quality in the software no control over any of the powerful comb filters and where is my Dolby digital sound. My Mainboard supports Dolby digital playback so the problem is not there. I am hooked up optically to a digital sound system so I can tell when digital sound is coming out with dvd it works with power cinema no dice. Then since I am used to building good video capture and editing computers I go move my recording to my 80 gig sata raid set up to store recorded files too. Oh I can’t do that either. Now I have been waiting patiently for you to fix the card I have had for going on 2 months. The power cinema software is broke. I would have liked to also have an electronic program guide like Im used to with my later all in wonder cards but no don’t get that by default either.

It is my opinion that the only reason ATI is not providing support for the theater 550 card in the good ATI Multimedia center like their original website and advertisements stated is because of Microsoft. Im sure Microsoft is using strong arm tactics to force ATI into not providing support for their media center to force their customers to use the inferior Microsoft media center software.

ATI either needs to fix their software to work or fix the powercinema software to work if they want to get me to ever buy another one of their products or recommend one of their products again. In fact I will probly simply remove their product line from our store and go from suggesting their products to our customers to telling customers if they want an ATI product hey we can specal order that for you why don’t you just buy these here Haupage cards and Nvida products because they actually give you the software support you crave.

[hrlslcbr]

You know recording a TV show should be simple press a few buttons perfect quality thats it!! , its how the majority of the world would view it
YOU KNOW NORMAL PEOPLE!! (those other beings whom you see walking around when you leave your special room SAT (can i call you SAT?)

remember
1. You can delete stuff that way you wont have to keep buying hard drives

2.The PC is not your only friend , go to the daycentre now and then.

3.Take your meds daily

4.MCE is not evil , its just a programme that works

If you want to record a TV show with an image quality that will please most 'normal' people, get a good VCR; few buttons to press and anyone can use it.

1. If I have a master hard drive with 1GB of free space and a slave hard drive with 120GB of free space...I'd have to delete stuff in the middle of a programme to keep recording it (impossible), if I want GOOD quality.

2. If we buy a TV tuner card that can be used to transfer our own and our friends' old videos to DVD; we have more friends than the PC.

3. (couldn't think of anything to put here)

4. Not evil by itself, but an evil price.

[SHSPVR]

dutchfudge even if ATI was to provide free copies of MCE I still wouldn't touch that DMR, WPA carp OS.

[spacded]

If you want to record a TV show with an image quality that will please most 'normal' people, get a good VCR; few buttons to press and anyone can use it.

1. If I have a master hard drive with 1GB of free space and a slave hard drive with 120GB of free space...I'd have to delete stuff in the middle of a programme to keep recording it (impossible), if I want GOOD quality.

2. If we buy a TV tuner card that can be used to transfer our own and our friends' old videos to DVD; we have more friends than the PC.

3. (couldn't think of anything to put here)

4. Not evil by itself, but an evil price.

1.well actually you can use a slave drive in MCE to record TV shows its not hard.(JUST SET WHERE YOU WANT IT TO RECORD)

2.MCE is a very nice user interface esp the EPG anyone can use it. A series can be set with 2 button presses

3.The quality is much better than VCR plus all the other bonuses
Music, photographs, pause and rewind live TV, Weather module!, News Module
Contacts module etcs etc

4.MCE is basically XP PRO with MCE on top for cheaper than XP PRO!!
£65 is hardly an evil price for a operating system + MCE

[ciregnol]

Also it will not allow me to connect to domain controllers so the OS is not an option for me.

Actually, you CAN join a domain, from what I've read (http://www.thegreenbutton.com/commun...essageID=84464) look at the bottom few posts.