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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tech Geek" data-source="post: 145325" data-attributes="member: 18181">Ok, before I talk about the video quality I want to point out that the machine I'm running this on has SERIOUS problems with codecs and many apps can't play audio and that problem existed long before I purchased this card.  It also has a graphics card that I've had difficulty with HDTV bandwidth before so I expected to see the same issues I saw before with testing HDTV on it.First impressions...The package:The box includes the TV tuner card, some instructions, an FM type antenna, a purple breakout box/cable with S-Video/composite video/stereo audio and an install CD.  Oh, and a neon pink "Do Not Return This Product" sheet that tries to get you to call tech support before giving up on the card.  I'm guessing TV tuners have a high return rate and the returns actually have a low defect rate.The free remote offer on the outside of the box is only mentioned inside the box on the install cd.  It takes you to a web page where you can chose between a remote wonder for free (+ ~$9 s&h) or 1/2 off a media center remote.  Since my media portal box already has a remote I opted for the cheap on and I'll give it to my brother.The included software is slightly better than the previous version that came with the HDTV Wonder.  I'd call it a bare minimum solution but it will let someone use the card until they install something decent.I installed the latest ATi drivers from the website because ATi never ships decent drivers with anything.Video quality:The HD video quality is stunning... but that is just HD in general.  I think the tuner changes channels faster than the HDTV Wonder did but it's been a while since I used it.  The analog video quality is better than the HDTV Wonder was... no question.  Without a head to head comparison I couldn't say how much.  Since the machine has audio codec/graph issues or something like that I couldn't check the audio.HDTV Video stuttering appeared to be the same as when I tried the HDTV Wonder.  That's my graphics card being too slow and not the tuner's fault.So you understand what it's doing...1080i occasionally drops a frame here or there, 720P is flawless for the auto race I watched part of and 420P jerks constantly.  I'm guessing it's a compression and scaling issue and my passive cooled Sapphire X1300 just isn't up to the job or I've just never found a codec that could deal with it.  I even tried overclocking but it did little to help.  With the right video card or analog video this shouldn't happen.I had an old version of media portal and it detected 6 different tuners for some reason.  After installing a new one it detected two and the channel scans picked up channels easily.  The HDTV Wonder didn't work with both tuners when I tried it but I don't know about how it works with the latest version.The card seems to work but I'm having lockups when I switch MediaPortal to full screen mode.   I figure that will go away when I try it in my dedicated MediaPortal box.Overall, this card is smaller, cooler and offers better picture quality than the HDTV Wonder. Other:One thing I did not mention was that the manual also talks about a PCI express version of the card so I'm guessing that will appear in the near future.This might just be the smallest and coolest PCI HDTV tuner card and it has one of the best if not THE best analog tuners if the AnandTech review I read is correct.   Not to mention this one has radio, analog TV, HDTV and S-Video/Composite/audio inputs all one the same card.  If your system can only handle one card that may be reason enough to buy it over the competition which has no radio.Once I get my regular system back (I loaned it to a friend to see if he wanted me to build him one) I'll spend some more time with it.  I'll also try a faster graphics card.  Once I do I'll post some additional info and hopefully add some pictures to my HTPC work in progress thread.</blockquote>

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