ATI HDTV WONDER

[LarryK]

I was looking to get this tunner for my 2005fpw my question is will it support 1680 x 1050 or will i have to play it in a small window to run good.? and better yet if you can suggest a cheaper TV tunner that will support 1680 x 1050 so i can run in full screen along with widescreen support.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDe...jsp?ProductCode=320768&affiliate=yahoo

 

[SynthDude2001]

I haven't used that particular tuner, but generally the software will let you scale the image as large as you can get it (in your case, and mine since I also have a 2005FPW, it would be ~1680x945 for 16:9 content, with small black bars at the top and bottom). Performance will be fine with your computer. If you're looking for an HDTV tuner specifically (and not just a regular analog NTSC one), you're not going to get one much cheaper than that. There is the DVICO FusionHDTV 5 Lite for $99, but it doesn't come with an antenna like the ATI does. One of its advantages though is that it supports unencrypted HDTV over cable, if that interests you (and if your cable provider is sending the locals unencrypted in the first place). If you live close enough to a fairly large city (<25 miles from the broadcast towers), then a good indoor antenna will usually be fine (assuming that your local stations are broadcasting at full power).

 

[LarryK]

cool just what i wanted to hear i have a $30 dollar tunner now and i don't get widescreen and the only way for the picture to look good IE not pixely is if i play it in a 7inch box any biger it goes to heck.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: LarryK
cool just what i wanted to hear i have a $30 dollar tunner now and i don't get widescreen and the only way for the picture to look good IE not pixely is if i play it in a 7inch box any biger it goes to heck.

Yeah, HDTV is quite a step up over NTSC analog

If you're near a reasonably large city, you shouldn't have problems with antenna reception of HDTV. Keep in mind however that the local/national networks generally only broadcast in HD during primetime and for some sporting events. The rest of the time they just upconvert their regular SD programming and place the 4:3 feed inside the 16:9 frame. It doesn't look great, but it's usually more watchable than analog at least (if for no other reason than the lack of analog interference patterns).

 

[Markbnj]

I would look at the MDP-130. It's an HD tuner card with QAM support, so you can receive digital cable channels, including unencrypted HD content. With the ATI you are pretty much limited to over the air broadcasts. They still look great, just might be relatively few channels available unless you are in a metro area.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
I would look at the MDP-130. It's an HD tuner card with QAM support, so you can receive digital cable channels, including unencrypted HD content. With the ATI you are pretty much limited to over the air broadcasts. They still look great, just might be relatively few channels available unless you are in a metro area.

Also a good suggestion; I have this card myself but it's quite a bit more expensive (especially with the DVI daughtercard). I wasn't sure of the OP's cable situation (if any).

 

[Markbnj]

Hey, I'm thinking of getting the MDP. Do you have to get the daughter card too?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
Hey, I'm thinking of getting the MDP. Do you have to get the daughter card too?

Yeah, I do. Any specific questions about it?

 

[NeezyDeezy]

Just get the fusion5 lite, it has QAM and OTA for half the price.

 

[Markbnj]

Yeah, I do. Any specific questions about it?

I'm just wondering what it does. After thinking about it I am guessing it gives you direct DVI out from the tuner to a monitor, instead of running the mpeg through the GPU?