Through both Catalyst Media Center and ArcSoft Total Media, image quality was fuzzy at best, with obvious artifacting and softness. The card does not use ATI's new Theater 650 Pro chip, relying instead on older (and cheaper) parts. While the video quality is comparable to watching a Webcast, it's noticeably degraded when you attempt to watch a live or recorded signal on a bigger display, such as a plasma or LCD TV. ATI's own TV Wonder Elite offers much better image quality and is widely available for $99, while the Diamond XtremeTV PVR 660--available for as little as $75 online--is a good choice if you want the ease of an external USB tuner.
The ATI TV Wonder 200 doesn't include a remote control; instead there's an offer for a free remote by mail. To take advantage of this offer, you must to go to a page on ATI's Web site and enter the product's serial number. Note that the serial number is physically on the card, so jot down the number before installation. With the offer, you can get an ATI Remote Wonder and receiver for free, plus shipping charges--$12.90 for standard three-to-five-day shipping. The normal retail cost of the remote is $39, so while it's not exactly free, it is deeply discounted.
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