ATI TV Wonder 650 (08/12/2006)

Review: AMD / ATI have decided not to develop drivers for this product and stick with drivers which support the much maligned Windows Vista OS. Before purchasing this product AMD / ATI support website stated they would be developing Windows 7 drivers. Now, after paying north of a $130 I'm left with a product that's doesn't take full advantage of the Windows 7 OS.
Overall this product functions in Windows 7 media center but cannot run independent of media center.

Review: I have had this for a couple of years. The supplied software for capturing and viewing TV and other media was called Catalyst MC. I never really got it to work 100%. I investigated several trail packages and purchased ArcSoft TotalMedia which has worked without problems from the get-go.
When I originally set up the card about two years ago, I was able to receive analog TV signals ok, but the Digital TV part of the card was minimal. I amplified my TV signal, adjusted my antenna, bought a second antenna and became an "antenna expert" through internet help and got the two antennas phased aligned correctly, but I never got DTV. I left it for over a year until all of the brew-ha-ha on DTV started and I bought my first DTV converter. Impressed with what we were getting from the converter, I again tackled the ATI card. What I found this time was way more impressive than before and was as good or better than my TV Converter (progressive verses Interlaced??). I suspect that the difference was due to the providers of DTV two years ago as opposed to what they are transmitting today.
The issues about the output file format is as follows. After recording a TV show and then trying to play it on my PC: If I try to play it on Windows Media Player or the GOM Player, the file play back is 20% there and 80% not watchable. The Arcsoft TotalMedia application can give you 100%. I can load it into Adobe Premier Elements 4 and edit it (remove commercials) and save it to a file or DVD and It can be played by Windows Media Player or the GOM Player ok. I have not put into research time into why this happens.

Review: Don't buy this. The TV I got off of somebodies garbage works much better!!!!!!!

Review: Was contemplating buying a flat panel for my home office, but at $400 for a decent flat panel I decided to go with this card instead.
The installation was smooth, works with Windows Media Center, pulled down the latest drivers and I was off and viewing.
The printed documentation was very light, there is more on the install CD.

Review: This card was very easy to install, and the software wasn't that bad. After installation, however, is when I received my first problem. The Program Guide in CMC would not appear, even after download was complete, until I restarted my computer for the second time. Also, you must plug in the cable, restart, then you can pull down the channels. After all of that, I was good to go. I have been happy with it thus far, with the exception of the pause and rewind live TV functionality being non-existent. When I go to pause something or rewind, after the show has been on for a good 20 minutes, the buttons are grayed out. I don't know if there is some setting I am missing or what, but I cannot do that with live TV.

I will update if I find the solutions to my problems, but all-in-all, this is a decent card and you should be happy with the results.

Review: I suggest reading the "clemK user who rated it 3 out of 10" because I agree totally with him. The software sucks so bad it is ridiculous to think that the manufacturer would even let it be produced... I though Microsoft only did that. Anywho, I first ordered the MSI HDTV card because it had a 3 year warranty. The software sucked so bad on it, I had to return it. I thought that this ATI HDTV card would be better, since it was ~$50 more, and I previously had an ATI card that I liked, it just wasn't HD. Well, when I see how the program loads, looks, and the way you choose the TV options, etc., I can tell immediately that the same freakin crap software idiots wrote this one too. It is a slight bit better than the MSI software (Power Cinema), but it is the SAME CRAP SOFTWARE! DO NOT BUY THIS CARD!

Review: This is an amazing card. It acutally enhanced the signal and looked better than using a standard tv. It is the greatest addition i have made to my computer. The Catalyst Media Software it came with is horrible. It always downloads the TV guide every time it starts which not only hogs all of the computer's resources (which i have a high performance computer, so imagine how super sluggish a home based one would be) and slows it down, but it takes forever to download. I just end the process. The guide ITSELF is horrible. You can only see what's on each channel by individually clicking on it. It makes the video look like it's over the internet (grainy, blocky, low quality, etc.) I have Windows Media Center Edition, and if you have it too, use Windows MCE to run the card. The interface is incredible. When using MCE, image quality is AMAZING. It's crystal clear and no dropped frames. It has one bug where about every 7 or 8 times i change the channel the picture is good but there is white noise for audio. another channel change fixes it though. Also the contrast was really low but a plug-in I got off the internet allows you to change video settings (Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, etc.) for the card ITSELF, not just MCE. So everything is fine. I recommend it for someone who wants to watchgreat quality tv or record it. It's a great product.

Review: The software is a big hit.
Install: Fine but, every time I reboot a folder opens on my desktop for the Catalyst Control Center (CCC).
The Application: is ATi's new CCC. Which, when opened, gives you the choice to launch a Video app (TV, DVD, file player, etc). This is a full screen app and takes 10 seconds to load (vs Ati’s older Multimedia Center [MMC] which is a quick launch bar). There does not appear to be a tivo function on the new card either. I can't pause live TV anymore (Boooo!). Changing channels is not pretty. A large bar rises up and covers half the screen. If I could figure out how to configure TitanTV (online TV guide) the bar would be filled with info. But alas, no info for me.
The Remote: The buttons on the Remote Wonder II are not compatible with some of the most important features. I could not launch the CCC without programming a button. With my All-in-Wonder (AIW) card all I needed to do was press the TV button and bam! TV. Or the DVD button and viola DVD player opened. With CCC watching TV is a 30 second two button process.
Video quality is not as good as the AIW card either. Although I suspect that is a driver issue. Even though I downloaded the latest drivers from ATI. HDTV looked good but I don't have a good enough antenna to keep a stream going to really test it out.

Basically, I'm going back to my AIW 9600xt or will try to upgrade to the x800xl. I really liked the ease of use with MMC and Guide+. CCC and TitanTV just aren't cutting it. BTW: my day job is "IT guy". So, if I couldn't figure it out... do the math.

Review: If you buy a cut the corners box like dell, hp/compac, emachine, et.al. learn, realize & know that the companies that sell boxed units try & lock down and permanently set all kinds of options; that "medling" consumers might mess up. That's good if you are not computer savvy, but then don't expect to put in a HIGH END after market add-in card of anything and not have issues!

You may pay a little less initially for "boxed systems" but then again you get less (lesser priced quality items and less performance via tweaking options) and as long as you don't really try and change things, your system will run normally...and ultimate potential of the system is hobbled.

But remember, You bought a little to no options system most of the boxed systems have locked bios's and then don't biotch about its limitiations!

Use this as a learning experience for the future! IF you can build your own, if you can't learn or find someone to work with you who can/will.

EXPECT ANY ADD IN CARD TO HAVE MULTIPLE ISSUES... ITS LIKE MAKING AN ORGAN DONATION>>>>sometimes your system is going to reject your choice. ...AND if it doesn't cause your system any issues then just exhale and smile.

One of you wrote:
..."ATI has been one of the most retarded companies that I've ever had to deal with."...

Again...you speak from so much ignorance I don't even know where to start half the time with people like you. You need to educate your self a whole lot more.

ATI's software has issues, just like Nvidia's does, just like Hauppauges software does... With a few exceptions though...

They aren't writing software code for one office, one computer, they have to write software for millions of different configurations, tweaks setups ISSUES....

Its clear that you all must at least tasidly understand this after all you are all still using windont's right? The worst written operating system ever...and VISTDON'T I feel sorry for you people that bought this overpriced software and then can't get your equipment to run! Join the lawsuits!

Back to the video card driver realm:
First off, nvidia has all but abandoned the TV tuner areana leaving the cinema line therefore they can remove any code that relates to that hardware from the newest drivers.

Hauppauge has taken a minimalistic approach which such GEMS as the PVR-150 & PVR-500. You don't have issues with their front end, because especially in the PVR-500....they don't provide one. They pawn it off on the terrible windont's M.C. or on to the very EXCELLENT Snapstreams Beyond Tv (4), but they pawn it off, therefore they don't write the code so they brush off the blame on to those thrid party venders.

Hauppauge doesn't provide a realistic functioning system and if you don't think that-that takes more time and energy to update their malfunctioning issues you are mistaken. Issue after issue. BUT I EXPECT IT BECAUSE I READ, RESEARCH, & LEARN. I expect issues with every card.

PRICE TO VALUE TO PERFORMANCE:
They (Hauppauge) charge more $139+ for the PVR-500 which has no front end, no cables, no remote, no HDTV capabilies and requires a third party system to run and record & burn...Whats the value? Dual Turners. PLEASE! The video quality is LACKING, call it matching the quality of the $40 cards.

I have run Hauppauges, ATI TV tuners and most of the ATI All-In-Wonder Lines since 9700,9800,9600,800 AGP, PCI-E, 1800,1900. I have learned what you do & do not to run & to stream line your system.

I run a stripped down version of ATI's media center on all the A-I-W cards and TV tuner cards (DITCH THE KLUDGEEEE - setups like windont's media center. I load the TV tuner directly and use the recording features that come with it. No fuss no muss very little CPU usage plenty of multi-tasking capablilties left over while watching TV & recording on a single CPU from the first generations of the P3 through the P4 Will, North, Prescott weries.

How, in comparing this in video quality, HDTV capabilities and total package software, cable breakout, & remote this is hands down superior. If you have to tweak some BOO HOO! It's like the ole' line from "Days of Thunder" (...rubbing is racing...) So to (tweaking and issues are computing...) more so under the microdont's regime!
BUY dot Com just put this down again 4-23-07 to $89.99 - $10 google = $79.99 free shiping no tax!!

Review: I've had this card for a month. If I didn't have Windows Media Center I wouldn't be able to use it. The software include WILL NOT install on my computer. I read where people are using Catalyst Media Center but I couldn't give a review for it because as stated already, I cannot install it. The software disk simply won't respond to my computer. Do any other have this problem with the Vista OS? I've searched ATI's website and every forum i could find on the net. I can't find ANYWHERE to download Catalyst Media Center and ATI's website is worthless. This is a huge problem for me because I have no way to capture video from my camcorder and that was at least half the reason I wanted this card. After a month I'm STILL trying to find out how I can capture video using the RCA inputs that came with the TV Wonder. That is the reason i gave this a 6 rating. Other wise (as long as you have Windows Media Center) the picture quality is good and the card deos very well. If the software worked and I could capture video with the RCA jacks I would easily give this card a rating of 9.

Review: I've been informed that I shouldn't give this product a one rating. Well, as a paper weight it probably has some value, as a tuner it has none.

I bought this card from dell with a new computer. They didn't install it, but sent it separate even through I ordered it for a new computer. I suspect that dell shipped it that way because Vista won't boot up with the card installed without serious tech input and even after one gets the computer to work again, MCE won't recognize it.

Don't be fooled by ATI's claims that it will work with vista. I've spoken with more Dell tech people then I can count and none of them could get it to work.

Review: With a near $100 price, this card is a gift for your digital and analog TV science project.

Be forewarned that the HDTV portion will require some antenna skills (which became a lost art in the 80's) and that most of my notes are about the analog portion of the card.

I've installed the 650 in a PC running MediaCenter while a second PC running XP plays TV using an older ATI TV card. This actually opens my eyes to a lot of things.

To begin, the installation is fairly smooth. I notice that they finally got rid of the separate audio-out-to-line-in wire which was a huge headache for many. But for this to work, they have to run their own audio software called "ATIAV Analog Audio Capture" which probably still needs some work.

In fact when I first get my card running, I swear some stations have the audio out of synch with the video but I try to talk myself out of it. As well, analog channels 14 to 17 seem mistuned with no audio and no way to tune them. A third problem is that de-interlacing is poor and jerky (more detail below).

The old card is showing the same channels with none of these problems. But there is an overall delay from old card to new card of maybe a second and this where I start to clue into the "Wonder" in TV Wonder 650.

Clearly ATI is doing a huge amount of signal processing in the 650 card, (hence the delay of 1 second) to create stunning picture quality. Top marks for what they've done thus far with picture quality, they've finally entered the real world of TV though it's very sad to say good-bye to instant channel changes as every channel change now needs that 1 second of processing.

But what of my three annoying problems? I begin to call ATI but their phone message tells me to install the latest version and so I do.

With the old card working fine in the background, I notice that the latest version now has like a 1.5 second delay but lo and behold, channels 14-17 are fine now, the audio and the deinterlacing are better. It could be my imagination, but the picture seems even better so I am very very pleased that they can enhance all sorts of things with more processing/ more delay, or so it sure seems.

Though the audio synch seemed great, I later noticed that if I walked away from the PC for 2 hours, and came back, the audio was now very clearly out of synch (which could be fixed by changing the channel away and back to the original channel).

The audio synch problem seems to occur on my poorer quality cable channels. Likely where ATI is testing, the cable channels might be all top quality.

I think too that where ATI is testing they don't have a horizontal news-scrolling channel which I think is my best test of de-interlacing. With the latest driver version, this news channel still jerks a little but not a lot as it did before.

As for deinterlacing in general, I don't understand why this new ATI card delivers their "ATIAV Analog Capture" video without de-interlacing when their old card "ATI RAGE Theatre Video Capture" delivers with. Technically this seems to be a step backwards just to create some compatibilty with 1950's technology. Just Google "deinterlacer" and I think you get the deinterlace solution that everyone agrees on so why not just implement it up front and be done. I notice that even in my Catalyst program, that when I reduce my TV window from full screen, the picture occasionally jerks, and I notice this same jerking in other programs. I'm not sure if it's all related, but I think they're asking for trouble letting every different program handle de-interlacing when one standard should suffice.

Anyways, I've gone on too long and now I have to connect an antenna for HDTV (where is their signal meter?), which can be a real pain.

Bottom line, I really like the quality as well as the quality improvements that came with just with one version change. For all that it does and may still improve on, this card is a steal.

Review: GREAT PRICE...EASY SETUP AND GREAT HDTV RECEPTION....PURCHASED CHEAP ANTENNA AND GOT HDTV INSTANTLY ...ALL LOCAL CHANNELS

Review: First off let me start by saying i'm not a pc novice, I know my way around a bios or two. I was using the simple and cheap WIN TV tuner for MCE 2005. It worked perfectly and NEVER ONCE MISSED A RECORDING in the year I used it. This card got the highest review of any tv card by the cnet editors! THEY COULDN'T HAVE TRIED IT WITH A WINDOWS MCE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK! FIRST of all, the editors didn't tell us that you can only record 4gigs of video (Like the old FAT32 System) ATI has no solution for this at this time. SECOND, it takes over line command scripts that cannot be uninstalled---(PREPARE YOUR OS BACKUP DISKS BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED THEM ,....FREQUENTLY!) THIRD You may not be able to use the included purple breakout box for your S video, because WMCE will not allow you to use this. (To transfer your home videos to DVD and such) I was surprised to learn that the playing of my homemade videos was copyright management infringement,(since I was the one who made them) and they would not be allowed to be recorded. The software is buggy at best. The features are very limited, and the extended functionality is poor.
SUMMARY: IF YOU ONLY PLAN ON WATCHING STANDARD CABLE TV YOU WILL GET A FANTASTIC PICTURE, HOWEVER YOU MAY COME HOME TO WATCH YOUR RECORDED CSI TO FIND IT DIDN'T RECORD BECAUSE OF SOME DUMB ERROR, BECAUSE THE INTERFACE IS JUST NOT RELIABLE. ATI HS TRULY BUILT A ROLEX WITH TIMEX GUTS.

Review: Did I mention that the software REALLY stinks?

The only way anybody could rate this product above a 5 is if they've just not used a decent PC TV Tuner product before. I "graduated" from an ATI TV Wonder Rage 128, which had marvelous software - very user friendly and plenty of controls, and it worked.

The Catalyst Media Center that comes with this product is "user mean", and lacks any reasonable features - not even a previous channel button!

The control panel is accessed by moving your mouse over the image which gives you the control panel and a HUGE status bar that together cover the top and bottom of the image. Volume control is with plus/minus buttons (no slider) with adjustment so coarse that you go from can't hear to shouting. Channels are selected with up/down buttons or a channel selector list box that contains only 6 channels and has no scroll bar. To select a channel in the list box, you move your mouse past the top or bottom and immediately overshoot the channel you wanted, forcing you to repeat the process in the other direction. If you use the up/down buttons, an additional status bar covers up the botttom 1/3 of the screen.

Configuration is almost non-existent. You can't even assign names to the channels - all you have to go by is the numbers.

The software does include an Electronic Program guide - never has worked, and I've given up.

After the great software that came with the earlier TV Wonder, I assumed that the new product would be a great picture to go with great software. The picture is very good, but the software is great disappointment. ATI should be embarrassed.

I'd return the product, but that's such a pain, I'm living with it until other options are available (software or hardware).

Review: I wasn't too sure given the mixed reviews on this card, but I bought one anyway. Man, it was simple to setup. It scanned in my local HD stations in just a few minutes and seems to be working great. Maybe I was lucky?

Review: After purchasing my x1650 pro ATI video card which had no Video-in features I did bought this ATI wonder 650 and must say it was money well spend. Installation was flawless. Software works very well and the custom video setting records my videos in an exellent video quality. DVD writting software is kind of basic, but I do use my Nero software. Bottomline, dvd's and video quality are the best I seen so far from a capture card.

Review: I live in S.F. about a mile from Twin Peaks broadcasting aerials. I inherited(literally) a one year old Dell work station ($3,000) from a music buff (he had a web page on music that got many replies from around the world). I am not very knowledgeable myself about this sort of stuff but this computer probably made things easy for me. With a little bit of anxiety I installed an ATI Wonder card 650 ($100 on sale at Best Buy). Works GREAT. Records (scheduled or push button) HDTV (no quality loss) or FM radio. They say you need an amplified aerial. I put on a connecting coax (have not gotten such aerial yet) put much of the coax in the window. During weather good for reception, I perfectly receive NBC, ABC, KQED(regular broadcast, ENCORE, and WORLD), KIDS and three in Chinese broadcasts. All HDTV. Can always receive ABC. I have a 17" monitor--not bad viewing for one person, but LCD is too directional for more viewers(of course a computer monitor is only designed for one person at a time). Hope eventually to get a bigger screen, but it looks like the screen may be the most expensive aspect of a regular HDTV, so running off a computer may not save much. Looks like 90% of the cost of an HDTV is a result of the screen.

Review: I had great expectations for this card, and those expectations were met once I started using Media Center. After I used Media Center's signal strength utility to find the best spot for my antenna, HD stations came in clearly and are easily watched on my HDTV via Xbox 360. I have not used the card's analog capabilities as of yet, but I'm looking forward to the results once I do.

ATI's software is not ready for prime-time. Auto-programming channels does not produce a usable list of available stations, and the program guide does not work. I'm hoping that these issues will be resolved in the future, but for now Media Center suits my needs just fine.

Review: computer descriptions
Emachines
Windows MCE 2005 rollup 2
Intel Pentium 3.08
328 available ram
128 radeon xpress 200 series intergrated video card

I would like to start off by saying this: "If you're not a techy/patient kind of guy I suggest you just steer away from this card"

ATI has been one of the most retarded companies that I've ever had to deal with. The reason is because most of their products are great concepts... but it's just a pain in the ass to make them work as they were meant to. I bought this product for two purposes only: to have a high quality HDTV tuner, and to fulfill my goal of having a kick ass Windows Media Center Edition 2005 computer. I was very excited when I bought this product, since it seemed to be easier to install than the previous version of Ati Hdtv wonder. Note: I was eager to buy it. When I arrived home, I started to install the Pci card into the slot. Then I followed the manual instructions in order to install the drivers and media center catalyst. At first I just installed the drivers and decoders, because the manual said that Windows MCE didn't require the catalyst mc. I started Mc and I started setting up the channels, and when it finished I was completely disappointed at the results. The DTV channels didn't show up, specially the sd channels which shouldn't be hard to detect. MCE did not recognize them at all. So I was required to install Catalyst Mc, after I installed it I had almost the same results. It detected some channels, but I could only hear the audio but not the video. As I finished troubleshooting the card, I had to call ATI and complain about it.

It turns out that some Windows MC computers that come bundled with Radeon Xpress 200 series cards, have the wrong version of the drivers installed into them.

I had to uninstall the drivers for both of the cards and start all over again. To make along story short After doing all of that my PC lagged severely, and I needed to buy a new antenna.

Review: Your experience with this card may depend on your setup (hardware and software) and how you use it (recording cable, over the air, over the air digital, etc.). I am using Media Center 2005 to record over the air HD content. I'm playing the recording back on an Xbox 360 hardwired to my network and connected to a HD TV. Do not bother trying this through a wireless network, it wont be fast enough (I had to sell my Xbox 360 wireless adaptor because it wasn't even close to being fast enough). I have an N router by Belkin and an N desktop adaptor and it is barely fast enough and only when I have maximum signal strength. I will probably end up hardwiring the PC as well.
When you install the drivers (and software if you don’t have Media Center) don’t forget to disable your antivirus (I had problems with System Mechanic {Kaspersky}). (Quick side note to Kaspersky owners – do not ever use their stealth mode with their firewall, it really messes with your ability to connect to your Xbox 360)
The card works really well in my setup but looks terrible on my PC because even though my video card meets the minimum requirements it is no where near ready to deal with over the air HD content. I can play HD content (720P or 1080P) downloaded off the internet but the video card doesn’t have to work as hard to display that. Recording and displaying analog TV is very easy and looks about as good as a high end VCR. TIP, if you don’t have cable (like me) and just want to do over the air (OTA) make sure you split the cable and attach to both the CABLE input on the card and the DTV input on the card. It will help you during setup and it will allow you to display both the digital and analog channels in your area.
I talked to ATI and the recall was for boards that showed great signal strength but couldn’t actually pull in the signal very well. My board pulls in signals as well as both of my OTA set top boxes.
I really recommend this card and for those of you thinking about other software and/or ways to display it on your TV I really recommend getting a copy of Media Center and maybe even an Xbox 360 – I bought both on e-bay.

Review: The installation went smoothly but had problems getting the Catalyst Media Center to work properly. Tried Windows Media Center and it set up and worked beautifully including the program guide. The HD pictures and sound were awsome, about as good as my Den LCD HDTV. I only use the over the air channels using an outside antenna and display the HD video on my 19 inch pc monitor.

Review: Dispite all the talk about recalls, my card works fine. It needs a strong signal. Stronger then any cheap TV would need. I only used it with the ATI media center software supplied. I really need to try some other software. I can't beleive ATI can put out junk software time after time like this. Don't bother ordering the remote. It dosen't interface with the software very well. Recording an analog station produces a recording much better then VHS and the HighDef is really nice. Recording HighDef needs a computer with a fast Hard drive and bus otherwise you will get missed frames. The mpeg file that it produces is not quite normal. Windows media player has trouble playing it back. There is nothing on the shelves right now to match the picture quality. Its to bad about ATI's software or they might of had a winner. I would give it an 8 or 9 if it wasn't for the horrible software. Also maybe some one could comment on what the recall was all about.