Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This review is for the Diamond and VisionTek ATI HD TV Wonder 600 PCIe
1)Install and Setup:
Hardware installation was a snap, just like always, after installing and turning the computer back on, that is when things got weird. Driver installation was not needed as this number 2 HD Turner Card for adding dual recording for Media Center's DVR function, the driver was already installed. Hardware Driver Crash giving me a BSOD: after messing around with it for about an hour, realized what the problem was. The problem was software conflict with video/audio devices, the conflict had to do with Adobe Air and Skype. After uninstalling both of those programs (which I never really used), the driver works great. Since only about 5% of PC user that have Media Center us a TV Turner card, so there are not very many reports of software conflict. For the person that claims that Media Center does not detect the turner in Windows 7, I'm running two of them and both are detected and working. No Software is final as in many cases there are updates that are needed, the software conflict is just one more that needed to be fixed. The fix needs to come on Skype's end. The Window 7 Driver for the turner that you find on ATI's Website has been out of the beta stage since September of last year. Which means it is a fully working one. After dealing with the software conflict the Media Center Setup went great with on problems; both the turner cards were detected. For Window 7 easiest way to setup the turner, is going to the Settings menu of Media Center and go to general settings, and go to the TV use the Setup TV Signal. This takes about 5 to 10 minutes to do, depending on your systems hardware configurations. Also noticed that the more channels you have either over the Air or Cable the less time it takes. This is due because by default Media Center checks each channel for 1 - 5 seconds, depend on the signal strength of the channel. For those that did what I did, or plan on adding a second turner, using the Setup TV Signal was the best way I have found to setup both turners. The reason for this is dual recording will not work unless the TV Signal is the same for both turners. So having Media Center configure the turners assures that this well happen; and you can watch one channel and record another, or record two channels at the same time. Note: If there are channels that you know you will not watch you can use the DVR TV Guide to disable them, you can also use the DVR TV Guide to edit the channels name.
2)Testing Card
When first installed the card, was having problems with the DVR function of Media Center. After the BSOD looked in to what could be causing it, after seeing that some massaging software's caused driver conflict with some PC users; I uninstalled Skype. After removing Skype the turner card worked like was designed to do, but I also uninstalled all the software that I installed over the last month and a half. Plus it turns out that Skype its self was conflicting with Media Center in Windows 7, Vista's Media Center does not have this problem. So after uninstalling Skype problems fixed; with the problems fixed and Media Center detecting the cards like it was supposed to, the dual DVR worked like a charm. While watching a show that I recorded the night before ran a test record, recording two shows that I wanted to watch; both shows recorded without any problems. One of the problems that I had was before I uninstalled the software that was causing problems, when the computer went in sleep mode. One of the cards was disabled and the other was not detecting any TV Signals. So after putting the computer to sleep, and going to bed; woke up the next morning woke the computer up and ran one more test. Both the cards were functioning and working, and the dual record/watch one and record another still worked. Realizing that the software conflict was the problem and that I did not have to return the turner was happen. Although the conflict was a pain in the ***, and wish did not have to deal with it: but laying the blame on ATI alone would be like saying that GWB was/is smart. The software should have been tested and written for multiple hardware configurations, not just for webcams.
3)Pros:
a)DVR function can record in HD.
b)Dual record or watch one show and record another when setup with multiple turners.
c)PCIe
d)S-Video/Component Video Inputs and 3.5mm Audio Input.
e)Clear-QAM support for Digital Cable.*
f)No buggy or clucky third party software needed for either Windows 7 or Windows Vista.*
4)Cons:
a)Hardware Driver has software conflict with some messaging software's (would have given a tree star rating if I actually used the program).
b)No 3D Comb Filter.*
c)Catalyst Media Center software for Windows XP Home and Professional buggy, so extra money must be spent on third parties software to use the turner.
5)Overview:
After having the VisionTek TV Wonder HD 600 PCIe for a year and a half and being really happy with it, decided that I need a second one to dual record. Even though had problems with setting up two of them due to software conflicts I do recommend this card for anyone that would like to watch/record HDTV on their computer, and if you are the type that does not use messaging software like I am. This HD turner would have gotten a 5 star rating if not for the software conflicts with the driver. Using Windows Media Center to configure the turner and to operate it is much better than the software that comes with it. So this HD turner is a must have to complete any Home Theater PC, although after this year AMD/ATI well not manufacture any more as it is a 4 year HDTV Turner.
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