ATI AIW TV

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clive in Kent
  • Start date Start date
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Clive in Kent

Hi guys,

When I upgraded to Vista from XP I was very disappointed that it wouldn't
recognize the TV tuner on my ATI X800 All-in-Wonder graphics card. Even more
pissed when I saw that ATI had no intention of issuing any Vista drivers to
support the TV capability on the card. However I accepted it and have learnt
to live without the TV tuner.

Had a pleasant surprise this week when I installed the Nero 8 Home
Essentials software suite that came with my new DVD writer. The TV software
on here recognised the both the analogue and digital TV tuners on the ATI
card and managed to tune in to all available stations. However when I tried
to view a ny station I get a message saying that I need to purchase the
Nero DVD-Video plug-in to view mpeg format!

Just need advice that if I spend the 18 GBP for this plug-in then I will be
able to view from the TV tuner without any other driver needed??

TIA

Clive in Kent (GB)
 
The reason you could tune to the stations is that the tuning is done with
raw uuencoded video and not with MPEG2 encoded video. Since the ATI card
and drivers do not supply MPEG2 encoded video I don't think the plug-in will
work.
 
Clive in [email protected]> said:
Hi guys,

When I upgraded to Vista from XP I was very disappointed that it wouldn't
recognize the TV tuner on my ATI X800 All-in-Wonder graphics card. Even
more pissed when I saw that ATI had no intention of issuing any Vista
drivers to support the TV capability on the card. However I accepted it
and have learnt to live without the TV tuner.

Had a pleasant surprise this week when I installed the Nero 8 Home
Essentials software suite that came with my new DVD writer. The TV
software on here recognised the both the analogue and digital TV tuners on
the ATI card and managed to tune in to all available stations. However
when I tried to view a ny station I get a message saying that I need to
purchase the Nero DVD-Video plug-in to view mpeg format!

Just need advice that if I spend the 18 GBP for this plug-in then I will
be able to view from the TV tuner without any other driver needed??

TIA

Clive in Kent (GB)
Click to expand...

The release notes for the Catalyst 9.3 drivers (last updated Vista version
for so-called "legacy" cards) says that although Vista's Media Center cannot
use the TV capture of the X800 you could use Snapstream's BeyondTV 4.6 for
Windows Vista and possibly other 3rd party TV capture software. If you want
to replicate Media Center like functionality you could try (freeware)
"MediaPortal" as an alternative. It has its own TV card support which might
work for you. MediaPortal is more configurable and IMO is an all-round
better app for the purpose than Media Center--- provided of course it can do
what YOU want it to. With the proper support files and configuration the
the MCE remote control can even switch between audio and subtitle tracks in
MKV and OGM videos played in MediaPortal. That works in both XP and Vista
but MediaPortal's MCE remote control functionality does not work properly in
Windows 7... yet. Moot points if you don't have a remote control for the
computer. ;-)

Vista has its own MPEG2 CODEC and you could also download FFDSHOW (freeware)
as a source for another one. It's possible that the Nero software is set up
to only use their own CODEC. Being frugal I'd be inclined to search for
other freeware alternatives before spending money on a limited use
proprietary CODEC. You could possibly find an entire capture software suite
for the same or little more money.
 
RalfG said:
for so-called "legacy" cards) says that although Vista's Media Center
cannot use the TV capture of the X800 you could use Snapstream's BeyondTV
4.6 for Windows Vista and possibly other 3rd party TV capture software.
If you want to replicate Media Center like functionality you could try
(freeware) "MediaPortal" as an alternative. It has its own TV card support
which might work for you. MediaPortal is more configurable and IMO is an
all-round better app for the purpose than Media Center--- provided of
course it can do what YOU want it to. With the proper support files and
configuration the the MCE remote control can even switch between audio and
subtitle tracks in MKV and OGM videos played in MediaPortal. That works in
both XP and Vista but MediaPortal's MCE remote control functionality does
not work properly in Windows 7... yet. Moot points if you don't have a
remote control for the computer. ;-)

Vista has its own MPEG2 CODEC and you could also download FFDSHOW
(freeware) as a source for another one. It's possible that the Nero
software is set up to only use their own CODEC. Being frugal I'd be
inclined to search for other freeware alternatives before spending money
on a limited use proprietary CODEC. You could possibly find an entire
capture software suite for the same or little more money.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ralf; that's very helpful.

Clive in Kent
 
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