Alternatives to ATI TV?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mercury
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M

Mercury

MMC is a pile of crap and I'd like to get rid of it, but first I need a good
replacement for the TV app. I'd appreciate some recommendations. It needs to
be freeware, and preferably simple and not too bloated. I've seen DScaler
mentioned, but it doesn't seem to work with my card, which is an AIW 8500
(still working great after all these years!)

Any personal experiences (good/bad) with alternative software?

TIA.
 
Mercury said:
Any personal experiences (good/bad) with alternative software?
Click to expand...

Depends. I have a TV Wonder. All the banter in the linux NGs indicated
that linux apps didn't do well with ATI cards & Hauppage was the way to go.
I tried both with TV Time & the ATI card had much better picture quality.
I have Sage TV in Windows for recording -- the picture isn't as good as
MMC, but I could never figure out how to get MMC to record. If you're on a
Windows only box, MMC works well. If you've got linux on there, too, try
TV Time.

Bill K
 
Bill Kraski said:
Depends. I have a TV Wonder. All the banter in the linux NGs indicated
that linux apps didn't do well with ATI cards & Hauppage was the way to
go.
I tried both with TV Time & the ATI card had much better picture quality.
I have Sage TV in Windows for recording -- the picture isn't as good as
MMC, but I could never figure out how to get MMC to record. If you're on
a
Windows only box, MMC works well. If you've got linux on there, too, try
TV Time.

Bill K
Click to expand...

The point is I don't like MMC. It's unstable, sometimes refusing to start.
Other times the process stays running and using resources even if all MMC
windows are closed. I want something else. Thanks, though.

This is a Windows box, which is something I probably should've mentioned
before.
 
The point is I don't like MMC. It's unstable, sometimes refusing to
start. Other times the process stays running and using resources even
if all MMC windows are closed. I want something else. Thanks, though.

This is a Windows box, which is something I probably should've
mentioned before.
Click to expand...

I've got the TV wonder pro, a pci capture card, and I had to go back to
version 7.9 to get MMC to install OK. I think the interface is clunky,
and the program can't find the video card at times. I've been
using the tv plugin for Winamp (www.tv-plugin.com). I've never had any
problems with the lite version; the regular plugin, which can also
record, pegs my cpu meter, so I still use MMC for the occasional
capture.

Dave
 
The point is I don't like MMC. It's unstable, sometimes refusing to start.
Other times the process stays running and using resources even if all MMC
windows are closed. I want something else. Thanks, though.

This is a Windows box, which is something I probably should've mentioned
before.
Click to expand...

Yes, MMC has quirks but I use it to record 6-8 events each week without
problems. I don't know what you have or have loaded but some folks
here have described how they loaded the software NOT how instructed and
then complain it doesn't work correctly. I have seen no BSOD on this
computer and the one time it did not record was because I didn't set it
up right. The event 1 minute later was set up right and did record. BTW
it's 9.08 with CCC5.5 and an HDTV Wonder, Win XP pro SP2. The machine
is only for TV -- no internet, or printers connected. 1 antenna, 1 DVI
output, stereo audio and a UPS to be sure it gets the shows. OK, it has
MAJOR LEAGUE quirks but I know how to work around them.

I tried BeyondTV. It stuttered. Tried Sage TV. It stuttered. Watch HDTV
does work but its a little too primitive -- at least back in November.

Sorry you can't get it to behave. Good luck sorting something else out.

GG
 
David said:
I've got the TV wonder pro, a pci capture card, and I had to go back
to version 7.9 to get MMC to install OK. I think the interface is
clunky, and the program can't find the video card at times. I've been
using the tv plugin for Winamp (www.tv-plugin.com). I've never had any
problems with the lite version; the regular plugin, which can also
record, pegs my cpu meter, so I still use MMC for the occasional
capture.
Click to expand...

The Tv Plugin for winamp is ace, i had neve heard of it before Dave
mentioned it and I am well pleased with it. Using the Regular plugin here
and having no probs, i suggest that everybody tries it....
 
Has no one created a simple alternative to ATI's Tv app? Most of the
programs I've tried either don't work or come with a price tag. The only
thing that even comes close is Virtual VCR - it works without any glitches,
has a clean, simple interface, BUT there's no way to resize the video
window. It's either a tiny 320x240 picture or full screen and nothing in
between.
 
Mercury said:
Has no one created a simple alternative to ATI's Tv app? Most of the
programs I've tried either don't work or come with a price tag. The only
thing that even comes close is Virtual VCR - it works without any
glitches, has a clean, simple interface, BUT there's no way to resize the
video window. It's either a tiny 320x240 picture or full screen and
nothing in between.
Click to expand...


You could try Chris TV. I tried it once when I was running Winxp 64 and got
it to work, but didn't use it long enough to really form an opinion. Their
site does say that it suports ATI AIW 9600 & 9800. I believe there is a free
version and a demo of the pro version. Might be worth imaging your drive for
caution's sake and installing it. You never know...

http://www.chris-tv.com/

mxh
 
I've got the TV wonder pro, a pci capture card, and I had to go back to
version 7.9 to get MMC to install OK. I think the interface is clunky,
and the program can't find the video card at times. I've been
using the tv plugin for Winamp (www.tv-plugin.com). I've never had any
problems with the lite version; the regular plugin, which can also
record, pegs my cpu meter, so I still use MMC for the occasional
capture.

Dave
Click to expand...
Here's another vote for the WinAmp plugin. I had no idea it existed
until last night. I can't get the record function to work, but if all
you want is viewing it does that well. As for CPU usage, mine sits at
about 30-40% while it's running.
 
Here's another vote for the WinAmp plugin. I had no idea it existed
until last night. I can't get the record function to work, but if all
you want is viewing it does that well. As for CPU usage, mine sits at
about 30-40% while it's running.
Click to expand...

I should also say, that anybody looking for TV tuner software should
try going to http://www.tv-cards.com/. They have a list of
alternatives under 3rd party apps.
 
I've been using an AverMedia TV/FM stereo card. This is my second card from
AverMedia. It has allot of nice features, MPEG2 capture, hardware encoding,
time shift, playback, video input.

I've had both AverMedia's software and ATI's MM software running the card at
the same time. (One or the other that is) But I lost ATI's control after
the last update to MM, waiting for ATI to fix their MM for other cards, or
maybe I'll install the old MM drivers. To lazy to fix it anyway. The only
thing ATI's MM offered that was any good was 9x9 preview mode, it let me see
all my cable channels at once on one screen. AverMedia is better software,
and ATI has no FM control.

AverMedia's CPU usage is around 15% which is hard to beat. The shell is a
little old. (Especially since I have been playing around with Vista look
alike skins in WindowsBlinds and Vista Transformation Packs. (Just installed
VTP 3.5 tonight - smoky see through edges with drop down shadows - cool)).

I guess I should go see if AverMedia has any updates available.

Bill
 
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