IT'S A WONDER
One of the simplest ways to get high-definition TV broadcasts into your home is
through your computer. Prices of HDTVs are dropping rapidly, but the prices of
computer systems that can process HDTV signals have dropped to the point where
you may already own one. With a fast processor, high-resolution monitor, and 5.1
multi-media speaker system, you may not be ready to challenge the local
multiplex, but you can take advantage of the clarity that high definition has to
offer. Priced at $149, ATI’s HDTV Wonder is an inexpensive way to do it.
Unlike the external EyeTV 500 (reviewed on page 106), the HDTV Wonder is a
card that fills one of the PCI slots on your Windows-based computer’s
motherboard. Once connected and hooked up to your antenna or cable signal, you
can view and even record standard analog and digital television signals to your
hard drive. The tuner includes dongle adapters to send audio and video signals
to your living room HDTV, as well.
We’ll assume for the sake of argument
that you have a decent antenna signal. If not, that’s a whole other article (go
to www.dtvmag.com for more info). Installing
the card at least is easy. ATI includes a small portable antenna in the
excessively large box, but even with a clear line of sight to the local
broadcast towers, I couldn’t receive a signal through it. Then again, with
antennas, what works in one area, may not work at all somewhere else. Go to www.antennaweb.org for antenna selection
advice for your location. I have an excellent rooftop-mounted antenna system
though, and when I connected it to the card, the tuner pulled in 22 different
digital channels, not including sub-channels. That’s outstanding, and better
than my reference tuner from Samsung. If it is possible for you to receive HDTV
signals at your location, you will get them through this tuner.
The
card includes both digital and analog TV tuners and separate antenna input
jacks, one for each type of signal. You’ll need a splitter and two cables to use
both tuners. Depending on your signal strength, loss caused by the splitter
might force you to consider a signal amplifier. Also, the card’s software sees
both tuners as separate devices and doesn’t line up all the analog and digital
stations in one channel lineup. So, if you only get a couple digital broadcasts
in your area, you’ll have to switch tuners to see other channels.
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