I'm buying HDTV Wonder. Is it good?

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

P4 wrote:

> I'm thinking about buying HDTV Wonder to do away with Cable.
> I don't watch TV much but when I watch it, I need good
> reception. I've heard some complaints in July 2004 about
> the card. Have ATI fixed anything or start rolling out a
> newer version of the card?
>
> My computer is a P4 2600Ghz, with ATI 8500DV, 1G DDR RAM and
> a 19 inch Samsung. Can it support the HDTV Wonder card
> well?
>
> If you happen to be in NYC, how many DTV stations do you
> get?

Don't know how well the HDTV Wonder works but with Media Center Edition the
Dvico Fusion II works very nicely--I understand that the hardware on the
HDTV Wonder is pretty much the same as the most recent Dvico which works
with the same drivers, so under MCE it should work nicely--have no idea how
it works standalone.

If you're not getting good reception with analog broadcast, don't count on
HD fixing it--that's the hype but the reality is that the broadcasters are
trying to get away with reduced power in many markets and there are
numerous conditions which can degrade the signal, which with analog means
that you get a bad picture but with digital means you get _no_
picture--digital is all or nothing, it's either perfect or nonexistent.

As for what you can receive in NYC, if you go to <http://www.titantv.com>,
sign up (it's free), and then go to "command center" and "HDTV Tools"
you'll find a list of stations in your area--don't count on getting all of
them though--and a tool that recommends antennas that in my experience
grossly undersizes them.

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)