ATI Theater 550pro users, I need your help!

[justinluck]

Ok, I finally got my 550pro installed after months of searching for compatible motherboards. I found out the hard way that the SiS chipset is not compatible with this card, and in order for it to work with the ULi chipset, it needs the latest AGP drivers. But now that it finally works, I am having audio problems with it. I am using the latest ATI WDM drivers that were released a few days ago. I am using the card with PowerCinema 4 and cable tv. The problem is that on many of the channels, I am experiencing crackling and breakups in the audio. The video seems fine, but the audio keeps crackling like it is a bad feed. I know my cable feed is ok though because the audio is perfect on my software based Fusion card. Also, it shouldn't breakup like this because the cable is analog, and the breakups are so abrupt, it sounds like a digital signal. So I'm guessing the crackling is occuring while the 550pro compresses the signal into an mpeg2 feed?

I only hear the crackling and breaking up when using the 550pro card. Just to be sure it isn't my onboard sound, I tried the drivers that came with the motherboard and then installed Realtek's latest drivers. Neither of the drivers make a difference. The audio doesn't seem to be distorted because of a volume problem. Even when the volume is very soft, it still breaks up and crackles. I also hear a high pitched hiss on every channel, but I assume this must be normal on analog stations even though the hiss isn't very pronounced on my other tv card (Fusion).

I made sure the audio output is set to 'Stereo' within the PowerCinema app. I am thinking this crackling/breakup might be related to the ATI stream driver since it handles both the audio and video. Or is my card defective?

So, I would really like to know if any of you experience similar audio problems or does your audio sound just fine? Also, if it is working fine (or not), what drivers do you have installed? Thanks so much for any help you can provide. I really need to get this card to work so I can start transferring my VHS tapes!

[kosekjm]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about all of the problems you've had with this card. I've seen your original posts about the HW incompatabilities as well, in fact they almost turned me away from this card.

I have the ATI Elite version with the RF remote. It should be the same card as yours, just with ATI stickers.

I haven't heard any audio crackling/breakup on my card, regardless of the volume level or source. I also have no hissing (That I can hear at least, but I can't hear a lot of things, at least according to my wife ), on any of the captures that I play back through the home theatre system.

I also haven't been using the software that was provided with the card. I've been using it with GB-PVR and with a preview edition of Beyond TV. I installed the software (I think it is the Power Cinema) and used it for about 2 days, before deciding that the software is the biggest problem with this card. Having said that, I did not have any audio problems with the Power Cinema software. My problems with the software come from the lack of user control. I can't believe that they won't let you change the capture resolutions(from the 4 or so predefined ones) or the default capture locations. I opted to try other software, and haven't regreted it yet.

My last install of this card was on a clean install of XP home with Service Pack 2. I installed the default ATI drivers that came with the card (I thought that I had downloaded updated drivers, but checking the version that is installed, I see that I didn't). I do see new drivers on the ATI site that were just posted on Sep 9, but I don't see any list of what was changed/fixed.

My captures have primarily been through the coax, but I did play around with the composite connectors with one video tape. Again, I had no hissing/crackling on any of the captures including the composite capture.

Again, I'm sorry to see all of the problems that you have been having with this card. I've only had mine now for about a month and so far I love it. I've mostly been using it as a VCR replacement, but also intend to eventually copy my home movies to DVD with this card. My cable signal here is very noisy, but this card handles it just fine. Captures with it appear better than anything I've ever managed to do with my old software based card.

One thing that I have noticed, is this card is definitely macrovision aware. I tried a store bought video of mine and got about one second of video before the output went to total gibberish. No color shift here, the entire video drops out to static and the audio goes away completely. So if you want to use this card to convert MV protected tapes, you'll need something else between the VCR and the card. I have a Sima CT-2 that removes the MV, but the capture I got kept rolling on the top edge. Not sure if that was from the VCR or a combination of the CT-2 and the card. Haven't had a chance yet to retry it with the good VCR.