HELP! ATI TV-Wonder VE Video Problem!

[Dangermouse33]

I've just reinistalled Win98SE and upgrated to ATI Multimedia Center 7.1, but everytime I try to watch TV it says "TV Player can't initialize video." The system check ATI does says there is no video capture source. I've tried everything from uninstalling and reinstalling the multimedia center and/or the drivers as well as my 3dfx Voodoo 3 16MB AGP drivers - still doesn't work :| The tech support tips / faq at ati.com didn't help much either.
Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Yopopee]

off topic, but how do you like your card...I was gonna buy one. Is there a big difference between OEM and retail?

 

[Dangermouse33]

Well, when it worked, its pretty good. I rather liked the option that allowed my to watch tv in IE. I had this same problem when I first installed it, and after messing around with it, i got it to work without knowing how. I bought the retail because I didn't couldn't find a OEM, but if I did find an OEM i would have gotten that. The rest of my computer is practically all OEM and it works fine.

 

[Yopopee]

don't lose faith man....i heard their new 8500 series kicks ass! Good luck

 

[Strych9]

I had similar problems and finally went back to an older version (which still isn't very good). I don't know what's up with ATI and their software support.

 

[QwErTyBk]

Ok, I've had that problem with the "cant initialize TV" thing, and I did quite a bit of research on it. Seems like downloading one of the upgrades for DirectX fixes the problem. I just cant remember which one Everyoen else who had the problem said installing the original drivers, then the Direct X "patch" then the new drivers fied it. Fo mr...I just got a different error. I just gave up and stuck with the old Drivers. Go ATI!!! (sarcasm). If the name of the "patch" comes to me Ill post it. I think it may have been a video editing type thing? Search the old posts here, because others have posted about it.

 

[Dangermouse33]

YES! Thank You QwErTyBk!!! The DirectX 8.0 patch is called "Video Capture Update for DirectX 8.0" Get it here: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp
The file is called dx80bda.exe. You'll have to scroll down a bit on that page to get to the file - it's under additional downloads. I absolutely love the ability to have the TV player in a sidebar in IE while I'm on Anandtech

Thanks again QwErTyBk

 

[QwErTyBk]

No Problem man...glad I could help...now only if it would work for me!!!

 

[Dangermouse33]

Okay, I think I got it down:
Uninstall all old drivers
install DirectX 8
install the patch
install the new drivers / MMC 7.1
watch tv

oh yea, what video card do you have?

 

[Strych9]

Glad you got it working. I did the exact same thing and still didn't have any luck. Maybe I'll try again some day.

 

[chopstxxx]

i had the same problem with my tv wonder. The way I got it to work was to set my screen resolution to 640x480. Its a pain to have to switch back and forth but it worked for me. Hope this helps.

 

[Strych9]

I'd rather run the old drivers than change screen resolution.

 

[Dangermouse33]

Yea...sorry you couldn't get it to work...ATI driver / software support was horrible. You guys should have heard me yesterday on instant messanger with my friends..I was pissed at ATI