ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI Tuner Card Review


PROS

  • Runs with own software, MCE, 3rd party applications
  • Tunes HDTV/Digital (OTA only) and Analog (OTA or cable)
  • included application works with TitanTV for 2 week recording scheduling
  • Fairly quick response to support questions
  • Includes FM tuner that works with MCE **
  • Works as the only tuner in MCE 2005 without Kram Drivers
  • Many forum discussion groups

CONS
  • Only over the air HDTV (no cable/QAM HD)
  • No remote or TV antenna
  • Poor application software
  • A low profile card, but no low profile brackets available per ATI

COST Around $130


COMMENTS:
  • This is the ATI HDTV Wonder replacement. The big advantage to this card is the hardware encoding for analog TV (the quality is much better than the software encoding found on most hybrid TV tuners such as the HDTV Wonder.) Also the digital/HD tuner is 5th generation tuner, which pulls in weaker channels and is better with multipath. However this card is only average at pulling in weak channels. You don't get a remote or antenna which are included with the HDTV Wonder.

    Bottom line, get this tuner if you want high quality analog and you are fairly close to the local broadcast towers. Windows Media Center or one of the other 3rd party software packages is highly recommended for the application software as the included software has a history of problems.

    NOTE: This is a single tuner. It either tunes analog or digtial, but not both at the same time.

    There is a 650 Combo, which is two seperate tuners (1 analog, 1 digital) however it is only available on OEM PC's (Dell for example) at this point.


SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS:
  • Intel® Pentium® 4, Celeron™, AMD® Athlon® Sempron® or compatible
  • 256 MB or more of system memory
  • Sound Card and speakers
  • Motherboard with available PCI slot
  • Cable TV signal or amplified antenna for NTSC TV signals
  • Amplified antenna for ATSC HDTV signals and FM Radio
  • Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
  • DVD Authoring requires DVD Burner
  • DVD decoder is included with Catalyst Media Center™
  • Operating Systems
  • -Windows® XP Home Edition
  • -Windows® XP Professional Edition
  • -Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
  • ATI Certified - Windows Vista™ Premium
  • An ATI Radeon® 9600 or newer graphics card is recommended for optimal display output quality
Digital Video Capture Resolution: 720p, 1080i

Box Contents: TV Wonder 650 PCI card, FM radio antenna, A/V input block, software CD-ROM, and an installation and setup guide.

SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD SITE: ATI Download Center

** The Vista Hybrid Install Routine is required if you want to use the 650 Wonder as both a digital and FM tuner under Vista Media Center.


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