Record HDTV cheap!
Written: Mar 07 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Can be inexpensive, HD recording is great, easy install
Cons: Remote, software encoding analog, can't use both tuners concurrently.
The Bottom Line: If you just want to record HD and you can get it for under $50 the ATSC-110 is great. It's not good enough to cost more.
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| cspu's Full Review: KWorld (ATSC110) (KW-ATSC-110) Video Capture |
I bought the KWorld ATSC-110 to record over the air HDTV with BeyondTV. I chose the ATSC-110 because it was the least expensive BTV supported HD card. It even comes with a "light" version of BeyondTV.
Installation
The ATSC-110 installs like any other PCI card, then you just plug in your TV source and configure your software. In my case I initially connected the digital tv input of the ATSC-110 to my Philips MANT950 HD Antenna. Once I had all the physical connections made I just ran the BeyondTV setup wizard to add the card to my tuner list.
BeyondTV goes through a setup that includes scanning for available digital channels. The ATSC-110 was able to pick up all the same channels as my TV and it automatically added them to the BeyondTV guide.
Recording and Watching HDTV
I use the ATSC-110 strictly for recording, I never use it for live viewing. The first week I was leary of using it to record my favorite shows so I was recording CSI using my standard tuner (Hauppauge WinTV-PVR250) and the ATSC-110 digital input. Both recordings were started and finished at the same time and everything worked very well. I was able to compare standard Dish Network to HD over the air and the difference is amazing! The ATSC-110 does a fantastic job, right out of the box everything is sharp and clear and looks just as good as it does when watching the shows live. I soon switched all my recordings that are available in HD over to the ATSC-110.
Recording and Watching SDTV
The ATSC-110 also includes a standard definition analog tuner on board. This tuner does not encode MPEG on it's own though, it offloads the actual signal compression to the CPU. Quality is noticeably worse than the Hauppauge card (that has it's own MPEG processor). I only use the analog tuner as a last resort because the quality is barely acceptable. If you go from and HD program to something that was recorded on the SD tuner you will hate it. I should point out that only one tuner at a time can be used so even though there are two, only one show can be watched or recorded.
Remote
The ATSC-110 comes with a remote control that is proprietary and plugs directly into the card. The remote works ok, but there are much better options. It feels cheap and the sensitivity sucks. I chose to keep the ATI Remote Wonder that I've used for the last few years.
Summary
If you're looking for an inexpensive High Definition tuner for your DVR, the ATSC-110 should not be overlooked. It installed easily and works perfectly. HD programs look amazing.
If you're planning to record standard definition analog singals then you probably don't want this card. Much better analog tuners are available for the same price. You definitely want a hardware encoder for analog signals.
Overall the ATSC-110 is a decent card, great HD, poor SD. I was just looking to add HD to my system so it works well for me. If you're starting from scratch then I'd recommend the ATI Theater 650 over the ATSC-110 because it has a hardware encoder for the analog tuner.
The ATSC-110 can be had for around $50, don't pay full retail for it because much better cards can be had for $80. I'm giving it a 3 because of the poor SD performance, if HD is all you need it's a 4 at retail price and a 5 for what it cost me with rebates and coupons. ($27 shipped).
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cspu
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 in Electronics |
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Location: The Island of Misfit Toys (Alabama)
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About Me:
Sarcastic car audio enthusiast, motorcycle rider, and hunter... and I make NO apologies for it!
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