Digital TV Goes Mainstream: TV Wonder 650 Review- Page 3/6
October 13, 2006
By
Thomas Soderstrom
Software
The TV Wonder 650 uses ATI's new Catalyst Media Center software rather than the TV Wonder Elite's included Cyberlink package. Similar in function but a bit more refined-looking, users of ATI MultiMedia Center will need some time to get accustomed to the pretty new face. The TV Wonder 650 is not compatible with current MultiMedia Center installations, so adjusting to the change is mandatory. Catalyst Media Center screenshots are courtesy of ATI.
The same functionality previously found in MultiMedia Center's Eazylook interface gets the Cyberlink treatment, and this full-screen menu is launched at each use without so much as a quick launch bar to take you directly to your task.
Users can select any input source from handy menus (including right-click drop-down menus), for analog TV, FM, digital broadcast TV, DVD, or stored file entertainment.
Though listed in a few menus, MulTView did not work with any of our previously reviewed ATI products, nor were we able to record one channel while viewing another using two tuners. This may be possible using two Theater 650 cards, but testing when paired with a "compatible" Theater 550 card puts great doubt to this. While the second tuner card is functional, the inability to use both at the same time make this option irrelevant.
An electronic program guide simplifies broadcast selection and scheduling automatic recordings.
A small window on the lower left corner continues to run the current task until the next task is selected. Full-screen mode and full-window modes retain the control buttons for several seconds after maximizing the screen, after which the controls pop up with mouse movement.
Custom Profiles allow a selection of high/low bitrate and high/low compression codecs. ATI's Avivo Video Converter is part of the package, and conversion is as simple as right clicking a saved file and selecting the desired format.
We have no doubt that ATI will continue to improve Catalyst Media Center, and look forward to testing it in future offerings. The basic functionality is there, but minor issues that affect a few users put the current version in a negative light.
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