Theater 650 Pro Discussion

[denyart]

Okay, I found it. Just try ftp.aver.com
username beta
password betatest
then read the pdf file and use at your own risk. Not that anyone would need to answer this here, but has anyone heard of a similar tool for other qam tuners such as the Vistaview da-1n1-e?

[Octavean]

As far as I am aware, the AverMedia AverTV Combo PCIe (M780) and SiliconDust HDHomeRun are the only tuners that can currently map QAM channels in Media Center Edition 2005 and Vista Media Center.

Although, AverMedia has recently announced a cheaper card AKA the “AverTV Bravo Hybrid PCIe”:

AVerMedia - AVerTV Bravo Hybrid PCI-E

It’s my understanding that this new card will have the same QAM support in Media Center Edition 2005 and Vista Media Center as the AverTV Combo PCIe (M780). These QAM channel mapping tools and necessary beta drivers are hardware specific so if the manufacturer hasn’t made one for your specific product it simply wont work.

Also there are some murmurs that either there will be an update to natively support QAM in Media Center (probably Vista only) or an updated version possibly in Windows 7 will natively support QAM. At any rate with the digital initiative currently in place, digital support beyond ATSC AKA QAM via digital cable is highly prized IMO. I’m still not clear on whether the original TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybrid) actually supports QAM at all. I know it wont work as a QAM card in MCE / VMC though.

Also, for what its worth, weren’t we existing “Catalyst Media Center” (build 1.0.1829) users supposed to get a free upgrade to a Vista capable version of “Catalyst Media Center” (build 1.0.3202)?

“Catalyst Media Center” (build 1.0.3202) is currently shipping with the newer TV Wonder 650 Combo USB and PCIe products. Why then have we not gotten our comeuppance,….

BTW, even standard definition digital cable looks noticeably better then analog cable!

Worlds of difference, worlds!!!

[kermit]

I recently purchased a Dell computer which came with the ATI Theater 650 Pro TV Tuner card. I tried to connect my 8mm camcorder composite video output (yellow) to the s-video input on the card. When I viewed the video using my video capturing software, the picture became black and white. Can someone tell me how I can fix this issue? I believe I have an older model of the camcorder which only provide analog signal. Is this the root cause of the problem? The TV tuner card cannot receive analog signal?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[denyart]

Well, you need to be sending the composite video signal into the card as a composite video signal. By this I mean that the s-video signal actually has 2 sets of signals, chromanance and luminance. Your black and white signal sounds like the luminance signal to me. You are missing the chromanance signal because you aren't using s-video on both ends. It should be a simple adapter (that may have came with your tuner card) to make the s-video input accept a composite video signal. It usually is a little yellow plug with the s-video plug on one side and a composite video (rca) jack on the other. If you are using this and still not getting the full video you may need to adjust something to tell it that you are using composite video (or your adapter may not be splitting the signal properly). Some of these adapters are only meant to work one way, others will work both ways. You may have to repost after reading this to add more info if this doesn't help. Good luck!

[kermit]

Thank you so much for the tip, denyart. From what I can remembered when I got my Dell machine, It came with a Remote Control package. In there, it has the remote control, batteries and two little black adapters. The adapters are just like what you have described, one end is rca type plug and the other is s-video type plug. However, the entire adapter is black (not yellow). I used one of the adapters to connect my rca video cable from my 8mm camcorder into my (s-video) TV Tuner card. That's how I've got the black and white image on my Roxio video capture software. Not sure what I need to adjust. I will try the other adapter which came with the package and see if it will help. Please stay tuned for my finding......

Just for the heck of testing, I put in an additional hauppauge PVR-150 Tuner card into my Dell system (co-exist with my Theater 650 Pro card). I connected my 8mm camcorder into the composite input (yellow rca) on this tuner card. I was able see the video in color using my Roxio video capture software. It proved that the only problem was from the ATI Theater 650 Pro Tuner card.

I hope the other adapter will work. If not, I really need your help to guide me through on what other adjustments will need to be changed. It is really inconvenient to have two TV tuner cards in the same system. Let alone my video problem, I often get error messages from Vista (Ultimate) that Media Center will not work because I have two TV tuner cards in my system. Anyway, I will deal with that later once I've fixed the video issue, hopfully this will go away......

[kermit]

Hi Denyart, I just tried the other rca to s-video adapter which came with my Dell system, the video still showed up black and white in my Roxio video capture software. I am running out of ideas. Please help. Thanks.

[denyart]

Okay, I looked into it, and I believe you actually need the av input pod that ATI puts with their cards. If you use that it should work. You can see a picture of this type of adapter here:
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!
If you can't get a hold of one of these to try it, you may be out of luck. I don't know much about the Roxio software you are trying to use, but people have used your tuner/capture card with other software and the results are usually good.

[kermit]

Thanks very much denyart for helping me with my Tuner card issue. I will go to a local computer store to look for this adapter. It is very much appreciated your time to help. I will let you know how it goes after I have a chance to get this adapter.

[Octavean]

Thanks very much denyart for helping me with my Tuner card issue. I will go to a local computer store to look for this adapter. It is very much appreciated your time to help. I will let you know how it goes after I have a chance to get this adapter.

Your local computer store wont likely have it since it is a specific ATI part bundled with ATI hardware. If you want one you should go directly to the source:

shop.ati.com

Unfortunately, I don’t see the Input/Output Block you need.

[fractal]

Didn't really know where else to go, this seemed like the most logical spot.

I purchased a Sapphire Theatrix 650 Pro today, and it isn't working. I get 'No Signal' from the analog coaxial input, using two different coaxial jacks, two different coaxial cables, and several types of PVR software.

I was skimming this thread and saw the thing about "reworked" cards because of the recall, but that was almost a year ago. My card does not have the gobs of glue on it, would this be why I am getting no signal?

Or, do I just have a defective card? Thanks for helping.

[denyart]

I can't say for sure, but I REALLY doubt it. The reworked cards were specific to ATI OEM hardware. The saphire is made by saphire and it is way too new to have had the same problem (one should hope!). I think you may have a dud card. Make sure you are using the right input first, and maybe let the drivers update from windows update or from the ATI driver site. Otherwise you could check to make sure you have cleanly rebooted the machine and had a cable signal connected before you try to use the card. I know sometimes if it tries to "tune" without a cable signal it will get stuck in a mode where just hooking up a cable doesn't make it work; you need to restart the computer and then it works. Good luck

[Octavean]

The ATI Product Matrix lists the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe and the TV Wonder 650 (Hybrid) PCI as being QAM capable but stipulates the latest Version of CMC and Vista as being necessary:



ATI TV Wonder™ Series Comparison Chart

Mind you, there has been, as far as I know, no distinction made between the originally released TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybrid) and any currently shipping TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybrid) card. Also note that the original TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybride) made no mention of QAM support whatsoever,….

So as far as I am concerned this constitutes a paradox or an outright mistake in the ATI Product Matrix claim of QAM support for the TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybrid). That is to say that I’ll error on the side of caution and thus question the claimed prowess and feature set of the TV Wonder 650 PCI (Hybrid) with respect to QAM.

For what its worth I have found QAM support to be invaluable!!! I have basically been using dual AverMedia AverTV Combo PCIe (M780) cards and an HDHomeRun in two different systems for this. One is a MCE 2K5 system and the other is a Vista Home Premium system (Vista Media Center). I receive approximately ~140 in the clear QAM channels that closely mirror my standard cable lineup. I also receive some addition HD channels I didn’t expect such as the “National Geographic Channel HD”, “TBS HD” “SNY HD” and more besides the local affiliates in HD,….. All via digital cable Clear QAM with channel mapping in MCE / VMC.

Its really great and much more reliable then OTA ATSC!!!

Unfortunately the HDHomeRun is limited to only mapping up to 68 channels so on the HDHomeRun system I had to cull some digital channels. The AverTV Combo PCIe (M780) doesn't have such a limitation so it can tune the full ~140 channels and map them.

Looks like we have confirmation of QAM operation on the TV Wonder 650 PCI Hybrid card here:

Hybrid 650 pci cards do QAM - Rage3D Discussion Area

This is in XP and without Catalyst Media Center!

Now if ATI (AMD) would be so good as to offer tools to enable QAM support in Media Center Edition 2005 and Vista Media Center like the HDHomeRun and AverMedia AverTV Combo PCIe X1 (M780) cards we are good to go!

[DA1745]

Hello,
Has anyone gotten one of the OEM Dell 650 Pro Combo Cards for use on another system and gotten them to work?

P/N 102B0410200 000001
DN804
CN-0DN804-13740-726-0085

I keep hearing rumors that something they put in the BIOS keys the card to look for a Dell motherboard (a new Dell Motherboard). I called Dell Tech Support & of course they confirmed this. But I don't know if they are just saying that to cover there a$$ so they don't have to deal with complaints with configuration ...or to get you to buy there products only.

I have looked for more information on this but I can't find anything more on Google. Most people probably would use them in the computer (Dell) that they got them in but if anyone has used these or knows one way or another whether they are locked to Dells I'd appreciate the information.

-Or- if there is a BIOS out there that could be reflashed on the card to eliminate this lock. I've never flashed a Graphic's cards BIOS...nor have I ever seen a place that has BIOS's for Graphics cards or TV tuner cards.

Thank you

[fredrabo]

OK, so I have searched the threads here, and everyone seems to have a problem with the theater 650 tuner in vista. Does anyone here have an issue with the FM tuner? I have a theater 650 pro PCIe in a Dell XPS 720 running Vista Ultimate. I have the tv tuner running in vista, and it records just fine. what I want is the FM radio to work. any suggestions?

[denyart]

OK, so I have searched the threads here, and everyone seems to have a problem with the theater 650 tuner in vista. Does anyone here have an issue with the FM tuner? I have a theater 650 pro PCIe in a Dell XPS 720 running Vista Ultimate. I have the tv tuner running in vista, and it records just fine. what I want is the FM radio to work. any suggestions?

Only thing that comes to mind is to make sure you have an antenna hooked up to the DTV input. I have an older PCI 650 and the radio works fine in Vista. No recording, but live fm radio works just fine.

[dfetzer]

I recently installed a ati 650 tv tuner in dell xps 420. The audio for ATSC comes through, but the video is just a green screen when viewing in Media Center. I unistalled/reinstalled drivers...any ideas?