ATI tvwonder

[cougarfreak]

http://www.ati.com/products/tvwonderve/features.html

Anyone have this? How does it get the TV signal??? I'm thinking of upgrading my computer graphics card.......will this serve as both, or is it a seperate thing?

[Eaglesfan27]

http://www.ati.com/products/tvwonderve/features.html

Anyone have this? How does it get the TV signal??? I'm thinking of upgrading my computer graphics card.......will this serve as both, or is it a seperate thing?
I have one and it works nicely. However, it just has a cable in line. You have to run cable using a splitter from wherever you are receiving cable. Also, if you cable signal isn't very powerful there can be some degradation by using the splitter. However, with a good strong cable signal you can receive very nice basic cable service on your computer. Furthermore, the upper tier models of the card includes Tivo type programming so that you can record programs on your harddrive if you wish to do so.


Edit: It also has a Radio Tuner that you can hook up to some additional equipment if you want to make your computer receive radio shows, but I never did that.

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

It produces "nice" graphics, but if you want a top tier graphics card, there are better options out there. However, if your card is quite old like mine was, it is a nice upgrade.

[Eaglesfan27]

Double Dola - I just checked your link and I'm not sure that is actually what I have. I have a ATI All in One Wonder card which does graphics and also is a TV tuner. That looks like it might be different and it might be an add-on for an ATI graphics card. You might need to disregard my previous posts. Sorry about the confusion.

[cougarfreak]

So you install this ATI All in One Wonder card that you have Eagles Fan and i can watch TV on my computer? That's fucking amazing..........I have dish network, I wonder how that would work.

[cougarfreak]

Is this what you have?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6241532&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1069301331350

[Philliesfan980]

So you install this ATI All in One Wonder card that you have Eagles Fan and i can watch TV on my computer? That's fucking amazing..........I have dish network, I wonder how that would work.

I think you would still have to control the dish network box and just run the video to a single channel (like a channel 4 for example). I don't think the software has the ability to change channels on 3rd party hardware.

[PilotMan]

I have a friend that has it and he loves it. He uses it to record TV like Tivo and can have it on in the backround while he is doing something else. I would have to ask him about the controlability of it, but other than that he is happy with it.

How it stands up against some of the heavy gaming cards I couldn't really say, other than they are designed to maximize your gaming system, whereas this would be more of a specialized card.

Have you done any searches for it, or have you looked at any reviews of it or any other TV tuner cards. I usually research the parts before I but them to make sure that there wasn't any major glitches with the part, but then I buy mostly used parts anyway, as they are more affordable.

[PilotMan]

Is this what you have?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6241532&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1069301331350
I am almost postitive that is the card that my friend has.

[cougarfreak]

I have a friend that has it and he loves it. He uses it to record TV like Tivo and can have it on in the backround while he is doing something else. I would have to ask him about the controlability of it, but other than that he is happy with it.

How it stands up against some of the heavy gaming cards I couldn't really say, other than they are designed to maximize your gaming system, whereas this would be more of a specialized card.

Have you done any searches for it, or have you looked at any reviews of it or any other TV tuner cards. I usually research the parts before I but them to make sure that there wasn't any major glitches with the part, but then I buy mostly used parts anyway, as they are more affordable.

I looked it up on Egghead (Amazon), and it got pretty good reviews. I'll have to do some research to see how compatible it is with Dish, that would be a killer if I can't change the channel, etc. on the computer.

[cougarfreak]

Doesn't look like it's possible. That sucks. :(

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=3492&highlight=ati+tv

[Eaglesfan27]

Is this what you have?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6241532&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1069301331350
Yes, that is what I have. I don't know how it would work with Dish Network. However, I have digital cable at home, and I split the signal to go to my computer and I can watch the first 125 channels on my computer (it has HBO and stuff scrambled despite my cable box descrambling them.) The cool thing - I can make it almost transparent if I want to have watch TV (football for example) and play FOF. :)

[RPI-Fan]

Double Dola - I just checked your link and I'm not sure that is actually what I have. I have a ATI All in One Wonder card which does graphics and also is a TV tuner. That looks like it might be different and it might be an add-on for an ATI graphics card. You might need to disregard my previous posts. Sorry about the confusion.

I have this same card... how much would said cable splitter & a 30' coax cable run me, and is it something I can install myself?

[Eaglesfan27]

I have this same card... how much would said cable splitter & a 30' coax cable run me, and is it something I can install myself?
I'd imagine that you can get a cable splitter and the coax cable for about 20-30 dollars (but it has been a while since I've bought it so I might be off a bit. It probably is even a bit cheaper.) It is very easy to connect the splitter and cable.

[RPI-Fan]

I'd imagine that you can get a cable splitter and the coax cable for about 20-30 dollars (but it has been a while since I've bought it so I might be off a bit.) It is very easy to connect the splitter and cable.

Where'd you buy from?

[Eaglesfan27]

Where'd you buy from?
I bought the cable and splitter from Radio Shack because it was close. However, I almost certainly overpaid as a result.

Edit: Just went to radioshack.com and saw the parts I used for just over 20 dollars. 16.99 for 50' of coax cable and 3 something for a splitter. You probably can find them a bit cheaper if you look around.

[HomerJSimpson]

I have had a 9600 Ati All-in-wonder for a couple of years now. It is neat, but after the intial "this is cool" phase, I never used the tv part again.

[RPI-Fan]

I have had a 9600 Ati All-in-wonder for a couple of years now. It is neat, but after the intial "this is cool" phase, I never used the tv part again.

When I lived in a tiny college dorm room the TV feature was essential -- didn't have a TV, nor did I have room for one, so using the computer as a TV was great.

I agree, though, now that I live with the folks the TV feature isn't a huge deal.