ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner: AMD and Dell Bring CableCARD to PCs
by Anand Lal Shimpi on April 3, 2007 11:37 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
The Platform
Given the requirements, we couldn't test the ATI TV Wonder DCT without the help of an OEM - that OEM being Dell in this case. Dell will be one of the first OEMs to ship an OCUR enabled PC with the TV Wonder DCT, starting sometime in late April/May.
The system Dell sent was a decently configured XPS 410 - you can read our earlier review of the XPS 410 for additional details about the system. The XPS 410 is actually one of three validation vehicles used by CableLabs for OCUR.
This XPS 410 came equipped with a Core 2 Duo E6700 and a GeForce 8800 GTX, the latter being overkill for our purposes but welcome nonetheless. Under operation, the system was whisper quiet as befits Dell's M.O., but the combination of the 8800 GTX and the E6700 resulted in an extremely warm system. Rounding out the system configuration is 2GB of DDR2-800 memory and two 500GB hard drives running in RAID-0, as you can guess to maximize the amount of storage for recorded HD content. Dell included both a DVD-RW as well as a Blu-ray drive.
As with most Dell systems, accessing the inside of the case is a simple process of unlatching the rear and opening the side panel. Cramped quarters is what you'll find inside the XPS 410, but it's all very well organized.
The XPS 410 features a hefty amount of USB 2.0 ports (6 on the back, 2 on the front), which is very useful given that we needed five just to set up the system. We had two TV Wonder DCT units, each requiring its own USB 2.0 port, plus a USB Bluetooth receiver for Dell's keyboard/mouse. Another port was taken up by the cable going to the monitor's hub (which sort of cancels out the use as the monitor provides four more USB ports), and the final one was for the IR receiver for the included remote control.
The included keyboard was actually quite nice; it has a compact layout that just feels right (and everyone that used it while it was set up seemed to agree). Our only complaint was that it was wireless, which caused power management to kick in during idle periods - meaning there was a bit of wakeup lag noticeable when you first hit a key.
Our feelings on the included mouse are not as good unfortunately; the mouse is awkwardly long and takes a little too much effort to click the buttons. It definitely looks cool but we'd prefer a standard Microsoft or Logitech offering. Again, the wakeup issues with the mouse were also annoying. While we understand the attraction to wireless keyboards/mice, we'd prefer a wired alternative in this case.
Dell shipped the system configured with 32-bit Windows Vista Ultimate; there's currently no support for the TV Wonder DCT under 64-bit versions of Windows Vista. Although Dell has done a good job of reducing the amount of pre-installed software on its machines, it's still not perfect. The icing on the cake was Dell's pre-installed copy of Google Desktop Search; that may have been useful under Windows XP but under Vista it's just a tad redundant.
Dell didn't stop with the XPS 410, as its OCUR setup will most likely be sold as a bundle (including installation). Dell shipped us its 27" 1920 x 1200 panel, the largest single-link DVI LCD monitor Dell currently offers. We're working on our review of the panel so we'll save comments on it until then. The bundle was topped off with a pair of Creative Labs E-MU PM5 bookshelf speakers.
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Terrbo40 - Friday, April 17, 2009 - link
On the surface everyone say's, Why not just stay with the DVR from the cable company? Let's take a quick look at that first you have to get the DVR or Card from the Cable company in that way we are still beholden to them especially since BY LAW it's all Digital.Genrally a DVR will only take care of one room (some now will do two rooms) for a Cost of about $10.00 (depending on your provider)
and if you wanted a second one it is approx. $20.00 more a month. So, for two box's you are up to $30.00 a month just for the set top box's and if you are like most people today you have more than two Monitors (TV'S) in your home. And if you out fitted each one with a DVR at a cost of $20.00 each what would that cost you a month?
Now, Take the ATI TV Wonder Digital TV Tuner with one cable card
and put it on the network in your home how many of your Monitor/Tv's would now have DVR capablities not to mention all, the channels that the one or two DVR's you orginally you had all off your network which not only would you be able to watch at home but some of you real tech savey people out there would even be watching from the road.
So, I say why would I not want this tech in my home where in the long run ( short run as well ) it will save me a ton of money that I won't have to be paying to the cable company. Yes, There would be some set up cost in the begining but I figure that I would get that back with in the first year. well that's my two cent's worth thanks for taken the time. I'm sure if you look at it you will find more reasons if you wanted to to go with it as well.
verndewd - Friday, April 6, 2007 - link
Bugs or not its a killer idea. They will work it out and everyone will want one.I want one.Araemo - Thursday, April 5, 2007 - link
I just saw http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070405-cabl...">this article go up at Ars Technica. AMD has announced that they have discovered a bug with a specific Scientific Atlanta cablecard is causing issues with their OCUR device. Maybe Anandtech's problems are rooted there?PAPutzback - Thursday, April 5, 2007 - link
I just read a review the other day on the Niveus systems. These look a heck of a lot better than this system reviewed here and the channel changing was quick and flawless.http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/excl...">http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-enterta...quipped-...
Perhaps Anandtech can get one of these systems for a review
DigitalFreak - Thursday, April 5, 2007 - link
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/ati-stops-shipp...">Linkhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/ati-stops-shipp...phil2cool - Thursday, April 5, 2007 - link
Any of you guys take the card out of the box and stick it in a PCIe slot?? Would be interesting to see what the system would do.TrueWisdom - Wednesday, April 4, 2007 - link
I have to say, this review was excellently written, but it dashed all the dreams I had about running a media server. I had envisioned having one PC hooked up to my cable, recording QAM broadcasts, and then distributing them on the fly to any networked device in my house. (I was actually considering purchasing an Xbox 360 for just this purpose--well, that and Gears of War.) But this sounds absolutely ridiculous--any content I try to record or stream is locked down in every conceivable way. Why are they so goddamned concerned with what I do with my media? If it's broadcast OTA, and I paid for it, just let it go. Don't try and control it after it gets to my house, too.I was really excited about using Vista Ultimate's Media Center to stream video and whatnot; it really looked like a simple, attractive interface. Now it looks like it's back to Kubuntu and XBMC.
Can Vista's Media Center stream downloaded material to an Xbox 360? For example, if I were to download episodes of a publicly available program (say Prison Break, for example) in HD, could I then stream it to the X360?
Tujan - Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - link
I tend to agree with this. The problem with configuration of these type of components is you have separate proprietary parties controlling them. OTA broadcast,or Cable in the anolog areana,did not personify 'illegal distribution'. The VCR what it is and was,being nothing more than a recording.To the person making it.With DMCA,these parties become 'liable'in no ending concerns.Via closed off agreements pertaining to the systems volitility.Something RIAA,and MPAA continue to exploit- the reach of communicative systems,and thus their control in continuation of them,on their terms.
I had looked into a Radio Shack catalog one time,and you could for example,take your analog signal,through the RCA connector,and have the whole homes systems receive the video.And sound.
But with the digital stuff,the whole that makes up the parts,is something of a legal partition in consideration of whatever reach a device can be conductive too.Nevermind the usefullness of them.That would be in the terms and agreements.
_________________
I had at first wanted to note that of the problems people are going to have since of course they are going to want to upgrade their processors.Here we are not in technical terms.But yet again going to what legal terms make up their composition. When the leverage is on the proprietary nature,rather than the usefulness of the technology.
Dominoes in missing identity.
vailr - Wednesday, April 4, 2007 - link
Why USB 2.0 instead of firewire?I believe firewire would have been a better choice for an HD TV tuner. Firewire 800 doesn't seem too common right now (firewire 400 being more common). Since Dell has total control of their PC design: why not include 2 firewire 800 ports. And use those instead of USB 2.0 ports for the external AMD TV tuner. Making for less bottleneck when using a USB mouse & keyboard. Not to mention external USB 2.0 hard drives, etc.
tagej - Wednesday, April 4, 2007 - link
As usual Anand did a great job with this review.The more I read about this stuff, the more I realize the combination of the content industry and MS are shooting themselves in the foot with all the restrictions. This platform will never go anywhere if people have to jump through all sorts of hoops and end up having all sorts of issues and restrictions. They'll just get the HD DVR from their cable company and be done with it.
The only reason to go with an HTPC over a regular cable-company HD DVR is to add flexibility -- and all the DRM restrictions have pretty much nixed the flexibility aspect already. For example, you can't burn something and take it over to a buddy's house for viewing. So how is this better than the regular DVR? It's a little shinier in terms of the interface, but otherwise is the same (except it doesn't work as well).
Nope, this thing is dead in the water, MS will not own the living room anytime soon....