New ATI Tuner Card.

[backlund]

It clearly states this is a 120 day evaluation version. Great---now I can rent MS products.

S.

So has anyone gotten a final answer on this? Is it worth doing, or am I just getting the 120 day eval? Has anyone else tried ordering?

[satnav4]

So has anyone gotten a final answer on this? Is it worth doing, or am I just getting the 120 day eval? Has anyone else tried ordering?

No answer here; I have not had time to research. I recommend BTV instead, because it gives the option of running more than 2 tuners. I have 2 150's and a 550 working flawlessly. It did cost $50 on sale for the basic + $20 for the extra tuner license. That's a fair amount more than $10 for just the MS software. Also, I wonder whether the $60 version with the remote is free of a restriction, even if the software only is restricted? Sorry to raise even more questions.

Good luck in finding the answer.

S.

[myth]

ATI, When can we espect 64 bit drivers? RC2 is done and gone so 64 bit is right around the corner! Any coments as to curent progress on driver porting?

[backlund]

No answer here; I have not had time to research. I recommend BTV instead, because it gives the option of running more than 2 tuners. I have 2 150's and a 550 working flawlessly. It did cost $50 on sale for the basic + $20 for the extra tuner license. That's a fair amount more than $10 for just the MS software. Also, I wonder whether the $60 version with the remote is free of a restriction, even if the software only is restricted? Sorry to raise even more questions.

Good luck in finding the answer.

S.

I'm just trying to figure out if he did actually get a fully licensed version, or if he hacked it with one of the 8 million activation hacks out there. I have mce 2004, and an upgrade to 2005 for $10 would rock.

[satnav4]

I'm just trying to figure out if he did actually get a fully licensed version, or if he hacked it with one of the 8 million activation hacks out there. I have mce 2004, and an upgrade to 2005 for $10 would rock.

Noted. You raise another good feature of BTV--when they improve the software, you don't have to buy a new copy. Don't worry, I don't work for BTV, and may revert to GBPVR when it runs the 550. One nice feature GBPVR has that BTV does not, is the ability to set different bitrates for each recording. Every now and then, I want to record a "keeper" at a higher bitrate for improved quality.

I suspect you will need to hack the MCE software to get it to work after 120 days, which of course I don't condone. Life is too short to go to jail over relatively inexpensive software. In fact, I will go to dinner tonight and drop more than the price of this software. If I stay in, I have paid for it.

S.

[jonaslasky]

I'm just trying to figure out if he did actually get a fully licensed version, or if he hacked it with one of the 8 million activation hacks out there. I have mce 2004, and an upgrade to 2005 for $10 would rock.

Isn't that what manufacturers were charging for an upgrade from MCE 2004 bought WITH their machines (OEM). MCE 2004 bought separately however don't qualify. From what I understand they're only charging for the shipping... not really the disk.

Jonas

[backlund]

Isn't that what manufacturers were charging for an upgrade from MCE 2004 bought WITH their machines (OEM). MCE 2004 bought separately however don't qualify. From what I understand they're only charging for the shipping... not really the disk.

Jonas

Unfortunately, I built mine myself. Oh well.

[blakev]

I am not familiar with the retailer, but saw this source: PowerColor 550. What is the current exchange rate? The Sapphire sells for $76 at Newegg in the US-Sapphire .

S.

That's the bagatelle of 132 bucks. Or 102 euros. If you read the fine print, the software bundle is "optional". I guess adding PAL doubles the price? Ridiculous. Mind you, on a UK salary, 70 quid is peanuts.
Before we leap, do check out PowerColor's website. they say they are based in CA, but don't believe them: the language use is distictly foreign. The French link is appalling. They look most unprofessional. These are ATi's "partners"? It doesn't say if they've made their own remote.
Frankly, I would buy the unit from here: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.asp?sku=306371&s=sc
Komplett UK is still not selling it, but that's not an issue.
58 quid and 8 quid shipping plus one phone call to Norway for the full retail version. Given the sad state of the PAL drivers, the card is not exactly flying off the shelves.

[satnav4]

That's the bagatelle of 132 bucks. Or 102 euros. If you read the fine print, the software bundle is "optional". I guess adding PAL doubles the price? Ridiculous. Mind you, on a UK salary, 70 quid is peanuts.
Before we leap, do check out PowerColor's website. they say they are based in CA, but don't believe them: the language use is distictly foreign. The French link is appalling. They look most unprofessional. These are ATi's "partners"? It doesn't say if they've made their own remote.
Frankly, I would buy the unit from here: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.asp?sku=306371&s=sc
Komplett UK is still not selling it, but that's not an issue.
58 quid and 8 quid shipping plus one phone call to Norway for the full retail version. Given the sad state of the PAL drivers, the card is not exactly flying off the shelves.

Blakev

It is my understanding PowerColor is a reputable brand. I am using a Sapphire, which is probably on par. They all seem to speak bad English, much less French.

The remote is the same as the Sapphire and different from the Elite. I have not used mine, but understand it is line of site, while the Elite's is "radio".

The software bundle should come with the card regardless; I doubt you can buy the card without it. I think the PowerColor comes with a better software package set than the Sapphire. Anyway, you will probably want to use the free GBPVR, rather than the Cyberlink software which should be included.

S.

[kev]

Thought I would post this here instead of making a new thread..

Since I am totally new to the TV tuner side of things, I am not totally sure on what kinda quality I should have, if I should be happy, try to improve it etc, so I thought it would be just better to ask.

Here are my specs to start.

P4 3.0
512 Megs ram
ATI 9800 Pro
Sapphire Theatrix 550
Windows XP PRO

Trying to watch TV on both Beyond TV, and on Powercinema.

I tend to be happy with 75% of the chans, and I prob know where my problem lies, but I rather not go spend any more money if this is the best I should be getting anyways.



Now, where I have my comp, which is in my basement, this is where I would think my problem lies. Channels like Fox, ABC, NBC, which for me are like 34,17,9 are ugly. Snow, pixel city.








Cable comes into the basement. Here is what I would imagine goes wrong, but I am not sure what I should buy to fix it. Cable->Splitter->Cable->Splitter->50 Foot Cable->Splitter-> Into Tuner

Do not ask me why its like this, my lovely cable company has me running 2 TV's, my internet, and Tuner off the same line.

Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated, or if this is what I am stuck with when it comes to a tuner ( like I said I never watched one before in my life ), that way I will know and leave it alone.

Thanks again..

[satnav4]

kev

I have seen much worse. The images do not look too bad to me. Please remember, it is difficult to get your more demanding computer monitor to make the images look as good as it does on your TV. I know this sounds silly, but you don't sit 2 feet away from your TV set. What monitor are you using? I am using a 17in LCD Samsung 712N.
Can you burn a DVD then play it on your TV? Give that a shot and see what you think.

That is alot of cable splitting. Are they pcb board splitters, or cheap Philips or RCA? You might want to change some out. If you can sub in a 3 way for 2 2-ways, you might also fare better. Some people like signal boosters. I have never had any luck with them, just getting boosted artifact.

S.

[blakev]

kev, I'd go to XP SP1 as a first step: SP2 is out there but is still a bit "new". SP1 is effectively "safe" now. You can do a quick useful test if your graphic card has video out. Run a lead from your VO to a standard TV, Nvidia calls it "dualview". Reboot with the TV turned on. With luck the graphics card will "discover" the TV and suggest incorporating it to your desktop. I can drag any screen on my computer desktop over to the TV. For example, I can play a video or watch my PCI card TV signal on the "real" TV (why do that, you ask? why climb mountains?), while reserving the LCD screen for editing a document or something.
Anyway, the point is that if you do this, you benefit from the image smoothing the "real" TV offers, and you can make an eyeball comparison of the picture quality you're getting.
The captures you posted are a different vegetable from moving images: they look OK, but it's not the same as watching live. Around post 100 some folks posted links to similar screen grabs (showing that the captures from the newest Hauppauge (500?) looked a tad better). Most of these comparisons also got double-posted here, but much later, around 300 or so.

Signal strength is all that matters in terms of image quality. Generally cable companies send a lot of juice down the wire and you can split quite a lot before it degrades quality. But if you're getting snow, the signal's not strong enought for the theatrix. I think 50 feet in the house is a bit long without a booster. Someone had artifacts and bought a booster and is happy. About 200 posts back. Don't forget the wire's running around outside the house too. You could have upwards of a 100 feet of wire in total.
Therefore based on these grabs I think you're getting all you'll get from the theatrix given the signal strength.
I'm sure if you can set up video out, or burn a movie up quick as Satnav4 said, that you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much more "watchable" it is on a "real" TV.
This is why graphics professionals still buy CRTs: LCDs are just not as detailed and appear grainier. Mind you, I like the grain, life is grainy!

[blakev]

Anyway, you will probably want to use the free GBPVR, rather than the Cyberlink software which should be included.

True, true. I am again in touch with Komplett.no, as originally they refused me shipping outside of NO. Since it appears they still have some of the original 30 units shipped them beginning March, maybe now they'll relent and ship to Europe at least. Their price point is much better, plus they state it is the "full retail" package.
Funny Komplett UK still doesn't have it. Guess they've been reading this thread...

[hrlslcbr]

'Interesting' article...
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22392

More people complaining about the software...

[jonaslasky]

Blakev

It is my understanding PowerColor is a reputable brand. I am using a Sapphire, which is probably on par. They all seem to speak bad English, much less French.


S.

PowerColor is a perfectly reputable brand, and their card (like all the other Theater 550 Pro based cards) is a clone of the ATI card. It's almost silly to even worry about their English. All these cards are made in Taiwan. Lest some ignorant idiot make some stupid comment about Taiwan... 90% of all computer parts are already made there, so get over it. Although increasingly, a lot of parts are now being made in China.

Jonas

[satnav4]

In response to a request dozens of pages ago, I found a couple of free mpeg decoders posted here: http://www.videohelp.com/~liquid217/....pl?p=download. Of course, there is also the moonlight decoder here: http://www.elecard.com/download/ (Moonlight MPEG-2 Video Decoder with DXVA support v. 2.1 build 4921). I have no idea how good they are.

S.