VisionTek TV Wonder HD 650 PCI Express

by VisionTek

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.2 x 3 inches ; 1.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000W5U3N2
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 900192
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,688 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 18, 2007

Product Description

TV Wonder HD 650 PCI EXPRESS - The TV Wonder 650 series of HD PVRs are loaded with the very latest in digital TV technologies. Features such as advanced 3D comb filter noise reduction automatic color control and edge enhancement produce brilliant sharp video that rivals high-end consumer television sets. Loaded with abilities schedule watch and record analog TV "free-to-air" HDTV unencrypted digital ClearQAM cable TV and FM stations making the TV Wonder 650 the ultimate media upgrade for your PC. These complete solutions even allow you to watch the latest DVD titles author your own DVD or convert your recorded TV shows to take with you on your Portable Media Player. The entire experience is then elegantly packaged within the attractive easy-to-use 3D interface of ATI Catalyst Media Center software.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good card for Vista Media Center, April 1, 2008

By 

Chris Barker (San Lorenzo, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: VisionTek TV Wonder HD 650 PCI Express (Personal Computers)

I have owned seven different TV cards - this one is the best so far. I have two of these, and experienced none of the problems mentioned by other reviewers. The analog tuner is excellent, and makes very good quality video captures, free of the problems on certain channels I noticed with my previous card. The ATSC tuner works well with all the signals in my area (which not all other cards did). The dual tuner allows configuring a fully-loaded media center PC with just two TV tuner cards, making motherboard selection much easier. As the cards use the PCI Express interface, future compatibility is assured. The only downside is the poor software support for clear QAM (unencrypted digital cable). This worked poorly or not at all. Its about time Microsoft supported clear QAM in media center.

Update: the "Fiji" release of media center supports clear QAM, and it works! Yes!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, February 24, 2008

By 

resc (Phoenix, AZ, USA & Deutschland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: VisionTek TV Wonder HD 650 PCI Express (Personal Computers)

I compared this card with the "Hauppauge HVR-1800" and the "AVerTv Hybrid Ultra USB". The ATI/Visiontek beats the competition hands down. The picture quality (analog cable) is considerably crisper and clearer on my Samsung 244T monitor. Highly recommended, particularly in combination with SageTV.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It is under rated, April 21, 2008

By 

KTC - See all my reviews

This review is from: VisionTek TV Wonder HD 650 PCI Express (Personal Computers)

I have owned 4 TV cards from ATI and almost every version of all-in-wonder video cards from ATI. Every newer version has better visual quality than it predecessor. The problem is the driver quality indeed has fluctuated over the time. The time is different though with vista supporting the tv card. I just plugged it to PCIe in a vista PC and then had the vista install its driver. Open and configured the MMC as it should be. Then enjoy your good picture quality TV show. That is it. Since MMC has tv, dvd, music,and video under its control. So switching among them are very dependable and friendly.

I suggest that you dont install its dirver in vista where the problem will begin unless you are looking for trouble. So the hardware is just fine and just install the driver provided by vista which seems pretty reliable so far.