ATI AIW 2006 Feedback

[sat6116]

I purchased a new AMD 4200 computer and it had the new PCI-E video card
slot. I've bought and used most every ATI AIW card since the AIW 7500
happily. Well it looked like the AIW 9000 that I was currently using
wouldn't work in the new PCI-E slot. I picked up the AIW 2006 card and
installed it. First off it makes you install Microsoft Framework.
What an incredible monster piece of crap. I wonder how much Microsoft
paid ATI to force us to install that Microsoft monopoly perpetuating
monster into our operating systems. I spent 2 days trying to figure
out how to install the AIW 2006 software without framework but it's not
possible. So once I got the monster installed, right off, the TV
picture quality was not as good as my old AIW 9000. The channel
changing speed was snail like. My computer TV tuner has to change
channels quickly or it's a no go for me. The new ATI software logoed
most every menu on my computer. There was seemingly no way to turn off
the PVR option so it constantly recorded to the hard drive like it or
not. They use the new smaller gold tuner on the card instead of the old
larger silver Phillips tuner. This I'm sure is why the channel
changing has slowed to a snails pace along with the PVR constantly
recording. THEIR GOING BACKWARDS!!! ATI, please work on picture
clarity, no Microsoft Framework, don't logo all my menus, go back to
the Phillips tuner, allow us to turn off the PVR. I wiped out XP,
installed XP new, only installed the AIW 2006 video drivers, bought an
AIW PCI PRO card and joy. Clear TV picture, no framework, no logos,
fast Phillips tuner, no PVR constantly recording. That's crazy that I
have to buy older technology to have a better product. Not happy. Rich

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

I purchased a new AMD 4200 computer and it had the new PCI-E video card
slot. I've bought and used most every ATI AIW card since the AIW 7500
happily. Well it looked like the AIW 9000 that I was currently using
wouldn't work in the new PCI-E slot. I picked up the AIW 2006 card and
installed it. First off it makes you install Microsoft Framework.
What an incredible monster piece of crap. I wonder how much Microsoft
paid ATI to force us to install that Microsoft monopoly perpetuating
monster into our operating systems. I spent 2 days trying to figure
out how to install the AIW 2006 software without framework but it's not
possible. So once I got the monster installed, right off, the TV
picture quality was not as good as my old AIW 9000. The channel
changing speed was snail like. My computer TV tuner has to change
channels quickly or it's a no go for me. The new ATI software logoed
most every menu on my computer. There was seemingly no way to turn off
the PVR option so it constantly recorded to the hard drive like it or
not. They use the new smaller gold tuner on the card instead of the old
larger silver Phillips tuner. This I'm sure is why the channel
changing has slowed to a snails pace along with the PVR constantly
recording. THEIR GOING BACKWARDS!!! ATI, please work on picture
clarity, no Microsoft Framework, don't logo all my menus, go back to
the Phillips tuner, allow us to turn off the PVR. I wiped out XP,
installed XP new, only installed the AIW 2006 video drivers, bought an
AIW PCI PRO card and joy. Clear TV picture, no framework, no logos,
fast Phillips tuner, no PVR constantly recording. That's crazy that I
have to buy older technology to have a better product. Not happy. Rich

Rich;

While I sympathize with your situation, you should have done your homework
prior to buying the card.

The non PCI-Express versions of the AIW were entry level cards. They were
not meant to deliver the quality of a better designed ATI AIW card. You
should have gone with the AIW X800XT or even the AIW 9800. They were
designed to be full featured.

Did it not strike you as odd that you were paying less than $200 (or less
than $100 on sale) for an ATI AIW?

FWIW, I have several ATI AIW...9700Pro, x800XT etc. They all performed as
expected. I shied away form the non PCI express version of the AIW 2006
because of the chipsets used (printed right on the box) and the
specifications (printed right on the box). The AIW 2006 is targeted
squarely at the budget builder, and as with so many things in life...you get
what you pay for.

Again, I understand your frustration. Please do yourself a favor and do a
little research next time.

Bobby

 

[TMack]

SNIP!


While I sympathize with your situation, you should have done your homework
prior to buying the card.

The non PCI-Express versions of the AIW were entry level cards. They were
not meant to deliver the quality of a better designed ATI AIW card. You
should have gone with the AIW X800XT or even the AIW 9800. They were
designed to be full featured.

SNIP!

FFS learn to snip. Also - learn to read posts before replying. He was quite
happy with his old, non PCI-E card. His new motherboard has a PCI-E slot,
so its pretty safe to assume that he is now using a PCI-E AIW
card..........which makes all your yatter about non-PCI-E cards a bit
redundant, doesn't it? Incidentally, Anadtech seemed to think the AIW 2006
card was fine when they reviewed it. Quote "This card does what it claims to
do very well and it has a lot of good video features. Another great thing it
has going for it is its incredible ease of use." It seems likely to me that
the OP has screwed up the installation (the problem with trying to make
things foolproof is that fools are so ingenious), which is why he is now
having problems.

 

[TMack]

I purchased a new AMD 4200 computer and it had the new PCI-E video card
slot. I've bought and used most every ATI AIW card since the AIW 7500
happily. Well it looked like the AIW 9000 that I was currently using
wouldn't work in the new PCI-E slot. I picked up the AIW 2006 card and
installed it. First off it makes you install Microsoft Framework.
What an incredible monster piece of crap. I wonder how much Microsoft
paid ATI to force us to install that Microsoft monopoly perpetuating
monster into our operating systems. I spent 2 days trying to figure
out how to install the AIW 2006 software without framework but it's not
possible.

What exactly did you do whilst trying not to install Microsoft .NET? If you
have been messing about with it then that is probably what has screwed up
your installation. What is your problem with .NET framework anyway? It
works fine on all the PCs I have used and has never caused any problems.

SNIP!

There was seemingly no way to turn off
the PVR option so it constantly recorded to the hard drive like it or
not.

If you can't turn of PVR you haven't set it up properly or you have screwed
up the installation. Have you read the manual? If PVR is constantly running
then this might explain the very slow channel changes.

 

[J. Clarke]

Rich;

While I sympathize with your situation, you should have done your
homework
prior to buying the card.

The non PCI-Express versions of the AIW were entry level cards.

Huh? The AIW boards went into in production long before there was a PCI
Express bus, or even AGP, and they have never been regarded as "entry
level".

They were
not meant to deliver the quality of a better designed ATI AIW card. You
should have gone with the AIW X800XT or even the AIW 9800. They were
designed to be full featured.

The difference in them is in the video accelerator chip, not the TV signal
processor chip, which is the same Rage Theatre 200 across the board on
current production.

Did it not strike you as odd that you were paying less than $200 (or less
than $100 on sale) for an ATI AIW?

Why would that strike anyone as odd? Older boards go on sale for low prices
all the time.

FWIW, I have several ATI AIW...9700Pro, x800XT etc. They all performed as
expected. I shied away form the non PCI express version of the AIW 2006
because of the chipsets used (printed right on the box) and the
specifications (printed right on the box).

What, the 9600?

The AIW 2006 is targeted
squarely at the budget builder, and as with so many things in life...you
get what you pay for.

Again, I understand your frustration. Please do yourself a favor and do a
little research next time.

What good would "a little research" have done? Nearly all of the problems
he describes are in the software, not the hardware, and the software is the
_same_.

 

[Barry Watzman]

I don't know what your problem is with .Net framework, but it works fine
and it is a programming environment that is required now by a huge
number of software packages and hardware devices (including many ATI
product and most HP printers, scanners, digital cameras). There really
is no issue with it that justifies your aversion to it. It simply gives
programmers who are writing software and drivers ways to do more things
easier.