ATI TV Wonder 600 and 650 Capture HDTV - Captures ClearQAM

[jip]

I hope Snapstream has been testing this card or plans to integrate it.
I would love to not have to do the HDHomerun solution proposed in one of the blogs, when an Intergrated PCIE solution could work nicely.

I just want the ability to get unencrypted ClearQAM signal from my cable provider and not have to muck around w/ the antenna pointing for the local OTA HD channels.

Thanks
- J

[chillspace]

Unfortunately, from what I've read it will only capture OTA QAM signals not over cable.

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by jip

I hope Snapstream has been testing this card or plans to integrate it.
I would love to not have to do the HDHomerun solution proposed in one of the blogs, when an Intergrated PCIE solution could work nicely.

I just want the ability to get unencrypted ClearQAM signal from my cable provider and not have to muck around w/ the antenna pointing for the local OTA HD channels.

Thanks
- J

Is there a reason why you don't want to use the HDHomeRun to get clear QAM from your cable ? I have three and they work great. Setup is still a little complicated, but once they are set up they have been hands free for me.

[zysurge]

Originally Posted by chillspace

Unfortunately, from what I've read it will only capture OTA QAM signals not over cable.

From the AMD Press Release: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/V...118252,00.html

"Extending the ATI TV Theater family, the ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe features ClearQAM tuning, allowing PC users to receive unencrypted digital content available from their local cable television provider."

However, the HDHomeRun seems a better solution in my opinion. Two HD/digital tuners, can hide it away from the PC, etc.

Eric

[chillspace]

I stand corrected on the clearQAM that the new 650 card supports. You can connect your cable directly to the card and it will decode any clearQAM signals your cable provider might be sending out. From my understanding, Shaw and Rogers does send out a few unencrypted signals so I think I'll have to order this little puppy. Now, does BTV fully support this new PCIe card? Can someone from Snapstream chime in on this?

Eric (not to be confused with the other Eric posting in this thread ).

[jip]

Originally Posted by chillspace

Unfortunately, from what I've read it will only capture OTA QAM signals not over cable.

Hm.. I swear I read something different than you did.

Including the article just in case you all haven't seen it.

--------------------

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced two new solutions that offer high-definition television (HDTV) viewing and digital video recording (DVR) capabilities on desktop and notebook PCs. With the launch of these two new multimedia products, AMD continues to blaze a leadership path in video capture that bridges the analog and digital HDTV worlds.

With the external plug-and-play ATI TV Wonder™ 600 USB, a desktop or notebook PC easily becomes a feature-rich DVR for HDTVs. The easy to install TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe is a combo tuner that can capture both locally-available over-the-air and cable programming, including HDTV where available. The PCIe add-in card offers ClearQAM technology that captures unscrambled digital channels that may have previously been unavailable. Both products come with AMD’s Catalyst Media Center™ software, and integrate seamlessly with Windows Vista® Media Center and Windows® XP Media Center Edition.

“More and more, customers are using the PC as a digital hub for TV and video capture and these solutions put The Ultimate Visual Experience™ in reach of almost any PC user,” said Matt Skynner, vice president of marketing, Graphics Product Group, AMD. “These new HDTV tuner products provide a perfect complement to AMD’s graphics solutions, AMD LIVE!™ platforms, and AMD Turion™ 64 mobile technology-based notebooks – delivering simplified home theater PC options that come together for uncompromising visual quality and ease of use.”

The ATI TV Wonder 600 USB package includes a slim credit-card-sized IR remote control, A/V input adapter for video capture from a camcorder or VCR, and user-friendly Catalyst Media Center Software. Catalyst Media Center offers a simplified user interface optimized for TVs, an advanced electronic programming guide, DVD authoring and playback, video conversion and AMD LIVE! On Demand powered by Orb! for accessing the DVR from any computer with a broadband connectivity.

Extending the ATI TV Theater family, the ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe features ClearQAM tuning, allowing PC users to receive unencrypted digital content available from their local cable television provider. The ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe is a combo-tuner DVR, so users may switch between analog and digital TV to watch and record a digital TV program while simultaneously watching/recording an analog TV channel. The ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe also features high image quality, 3D comb filtering, and FM tuner.

The ATI TV Wonder 600 USB and ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCIe are scheduled to be widely available throughout North America by September 2007.

[jip]

Originally Posted by nanook105

Is there a reason why you don't want to use the HDHomeRun to get clear QAM from your cable ? I have three and they work great. Setup is still a little complicated, but once they are set up they have been hands free for me.

It all comes down to time and money. The HDHomeRun setup seems a bit cluegy at this time. Althought it is a "supported" product, it really isn't well integrated (yet)

Would be nice to have the similar type of support like if you had simply plugged in a PVR250 card. I don't think that is too much to ask for a consumer product.

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by jip

It all comes down to time and money. The HDHomeRun setup seems a bit cluegy at this time. Althought it is a "supported" product, it really isn't well integrated (yet)

Would be nice to have the similar type of support like if you had simply plugged in a PVR250 card. I don't think that is too much to ask for a consumer product.

Not really sure what your statement about it not being well integrated yet means. One you are beyond setup (which you only do once), the HDHR is no different that any other supported tuner (with the exception of a longer delay when live TV starts for the first time on a HDHR channel).

The simple advantages of it being a dual tuner and a network device (don't have to use a PCIe slot or open your PC to add the tuner) made it a no brainer for me.

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by chillspace

I stand corrected on the clearQAM that the new 650 card supports. You can connect your cable directly to the card and it will decode any clearQAM signals your cable provider might be sending out. From my understanding, Shaw and Rogers does send out a few unencrypted signals so I think I'll have to order this little puppy. Now, does BTV fully support this new PCIe card? Can someone from Snapstream chime in on this?

Eric (not to be confused with the other Eric posting in this thread ).

This is a user to user forum. If you want to officially request support for this card you need to submit a tech support request.

[victator]

Originally Posted by chillspace

Unfortunately, from what I've read it will only capture OTA QAM signals not over cable.

There is no such thing as OTA QAM. OTA uses ATSC.