I wish I could help. Since I can't, I ask for your help.
At least we have a similar current interest. So, here goes where I am (pretty long).
On my desktop, I took the turner that came on the machine out, because, to my surprise, it was not comptible with 64-bit (i.e., my desktop came with 32-bit). I recently replaced it with an ATI USB TV Wonder 650. It's giving me some surprises, but, with little effort, I have it showing all our cable channels including the HD channels. I really don't know much about turners, and, to this point, I have had little time to fool with it.
I am confused about my HD picture. My new HP laptop also came with a tuner, and its picture is quite good on HD and in general. Indeed, it is better than on my desktop and 24" monitor with 1920 X 1200 (native) resolution (60 HZ). It has DVI; supports 480p, 720p, and 1080i; and includes HDCP. I still need to install some software that came with the monitor
, but I expected a better picture without the software.
Out cable HD sources are 1080i--which yields a resolution of 1920 X 1080. Given this resolution, I decided to stay with the max resolution of my monitor 1920 X 1200--presuming I'd get the best picture this way. This setting also yields both the maximum horizontal frequency (74 kHz) and the maximum vertical frequency (60 Hz) for the available DVI modes.
So, I am wondering if you have any idea why my HD picture is not better. Of course, you can't see it. But, sitting next to my monitor is, believe it or not, a 4 X 3 screen, Magnaox HD TV which we purchased two of on sale at Target for $177 each. I judge the pictures on these TVs to be pretty decent and quite a bit superior to what I am getting out of my ATI TV Wonder/monitor combo.
I am going to install the software soon. But, I am wondering if the TV Wonder is the problem. Some of what its instructions say is confusing to me. Here's what i am getting at.
The manual says "the TV Wonder 650 is a high speed USB device that lets you enjoy over-the-air digital (ATSC and Clear QAM) TV broadcasts .... You can also receive analog (NTSC) broadcasts by connecting your home TV cable line ... to your TV Wonder 650. ... The digital TV tuner also allows you to receive unencrypted [i.e., unscrambled] digital cable channels (Clear QAM channels). Availability of Clear QAM channels varies by area and cable provider.
So, my question at this point is what about encrypted digital cable channels--which is how my 1080i is provided (i.e., I need an HD cable box to receive any HD channels). Does the TV Wonder leave me one step short of having what I need to get HD from cable?
I followed up on the ATI website and found the following:
"Attach ... your analog TV cable and you can watch, pause, or record high definition TV on your PC. Even analog TV is made brilliant by the advanced 3D Comb Filter that produces a high-end television and video content experience with true-to-life images. The Motion Adaptive 3D Comb Filter, Edge Enhancement and Noise Reduction work together to produce an ultra sharp, pure image that rivals high-end TV sets."
I don't get it. Is HD TV carried via analog cable. We have both analog and digital cable, depending on the channel. And, what's said above sounds like the ATI wonder upconvert analog to HD, but that can't be right can it?
For your thinking, I also found the following:
"With the advent of Windows Vista®, digital cable reception of Clear-QAM channels (unencrypted Digital Cable TV) is now possible. Enrich your Digital Cable TV media experience with ATI Catalyst Media Center in Windows Vista® with full Clear-QAM TV clarity."
Fine, but what about encrypted full Clear-QAM TV clarity. Is there any such thing as encrypted Clear QAM TV? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. I have to decide in a week or so whether to return the TV Wonder or not.