Windows 7 and the ATI HDTV Wonder

[Bateluer]

After having the HDTV Wonder card sit vacant from 2005 to last week, I popped it into my Dual P3 test bed to see if I could get it working. This system is a Dual 1Ghz P3 with 1GB of RAM and a GF4 Ti4200. Under XP, the card failed horribly. Under Mythbuntu 9.04, the card failed horribly.

When I installed the Windows 7 RC on it, Windows recognized the card and located drivers on Windows Update. I let it install the drivers and restarted, to my shock, Windows Media Center was able to setup and configure the card, and it located several TV broadcasts. However, it was unable to play them because the primary video lacked 64MB of RAM.

The Ti 4200 actually has 64MB of RAM, but its not DX9c and Nvidia has no Windows 7 drivers for it. So, I popped the HDTV Wonder card out and installed it in anther machine, my X2 4000 with 2GB of RAM and a Radeon 4350 and installed the RC on that machine.

It works and can play the TV, however, it is extremely choppy, to the point where it might as well be useless. I am uncertain exactly what the cause is, the system more than meets the minimum system requirements and then some. Low signal strength maybe? I'm using the antenna that ATI included with the card, and I know I get pretty bad cell phone reception in here. Anything I can do to isolate the problem and improve the playback?

 

[zzuupp]

The only piece of hardware I have in common with you is the ATI card.

I guess I'd start with TVfool to confirm that your antenna is aimed correctly. or test for alternate locations.
If none of your aps have a signal strength meter, hopefully you have an analog UHF station you could tune in. Use it's picture as a guide
Although it's an unlikely solution, try swapping out the coax just to rule that out.

 

[Bateluer]

Tried multiple cables, didn't effect anything. I also watched Task Manager while it playing and it didn't peg anything. I'm leaning towards signal strength. Since ATI's software for the HDTV Wonder card doesn't work in Windows 7, or Windows at all, for that matter, Windows Media Center is being used. There don't seem to be any way to measure the signal strength with it either.