capture card advice

[twentybeers]

I want to build a PC that I can store movies on and play back directly on my TV. I am also interested in recording movies and such off of cable to store on this PC. I am looking for advice on which capture card to buy. I almost ordered a ATI all in wonder 900 pro until I read some unfavorable reviews on it. Are there any better cards out there that I can capture with? I am willing to buy a seperate video card for TV out if I can find a really good capture card.
Thanks

[andkiich]

Where did you hear bad reviews about the ATI cards? From my experience and the experience of a lot of those on this site, the ATI cards work just fine. The statement of negative reviews is news to me.

[Richard_G]

I've never had any problems with ATI AIW cards either. There does seem to be an awful lot of morons about though that can't be bothered to read instructions on loading/updating drivers and then blame the hardware/software when they can't make it work. I suspect there seem to be more complaints about ATI cards because far more people have them than anything else.

[curryman]

can't really comment on AIW.
just stay away from pinnacle products
how they have the cheak to call their products "capture cards" baffles me

[SLICK RICK]

I have an ADVC 100 but I dont think you can go wrong with an ATI AIW, besides LordSmurf has some great guides for using an ATI AIW. Oh, and about the bad reviews that you said you have read, read some more reviews and you will see that the good reviews definitly out weigh the bad ones.

Good luck,

SLICK RICK

[FOO]

I have an ATI 8500. I've had it for a long time. I think
it's one of the best around. Captures are excellent. It does
everything. The main thing I like is I can capture directly
to DVD compliant MPEG2 with excellent quality and just author/burn

That said I'll have to say that I have been highly pissed at the
software for it, also for a long time. It is getting better.

I have only 2 issues with it now. (both software)
1. Capturing AVI with PiCVideo MJPEG results in a fixed 650 ms A/V offset..
Trivial to fix of course since you have to encode anyway.
2. Scheduled captures with MJPEG fail to start sometimes.