PCI express TV tuner card Power Color 550

[JohnS]

Just in case anyone needs one. I was posting last year that the 550
ATI chip was what I was waiting for since there seemed to be very few
PCI express cards to use those slots up on the new motherboards and
the new ones tended to only have 2-3 PCI older slots.

Well they FINALLY came out with one version of the 550 tv tuner card
---- the one by Power Color. Its selling at several places but Newegg
has the lowest prices right now --- a rebate and they have some refurb
OEM versions both are in the 60s.

I just ordered one. I actually ordered a MSI ATi based 550 card from
Amazon two weeks ago but I finally opened it a few nights ago after I
got my RMA motherboard back . I was pissed to see a capacitor rolling
around the bag of the card. Apparently a cap broke off the card in the
sealed bag. The cap and some plastic mount were rolling around in the
bag. I sent it back and ordered the Power cooler PCI express format.

Anyway for all those people scratching their head and wondering why in
the heck the industry went to PCI express slots when there are
virtually NO CARDS in that format ---- now there are these TV tuner
cards based on the very popular 550 chip , the main rival of the 150
Hauppauge cards.

Theres also I noticed finally PCI express FIREWIRE cards for people
who need those and dont want to use up a precious PCI slot.

Now if creative and others would come up with a Xfi PCI express and an
EMU PCI express music card.

 

[Noozer]

Theres also I noticed finally PCI express FIREWIRE cards for people
who need those and dont want to use up a precious PCI slot.

Why would anyone need a firewire card in a PC with PCI Express? I can't
think of any mainboards that are new enough to be PCI-e and not have
firewire onboard.

Now if creative and others would come up with a Xfi PCI express and an
EMU PCI express music card.

Creative makes junk... I just wish the competition would try and actually
compete.

 

[JohnS]

Why would anyone need a firewire card in a PC with PCI Express? I can't
think of any mainboards that are new enough to be PCI-e and not have
firewire onboard.

Many of the new nforce4 boards tend to have everything but the kitchen
sink in them which has been a trend since the nforce2s --- onboard
sound, tons of USB ports, firewire , networking and even some wireless
lan stuff built in. Not all boards do though. Since the first wave of
nforce4s came out all kinds of weird configurations have come out and
my Chaintech, the one area they skimped on to keep the price low on my
Ultra nforce4 board was lack of firewire so for me its a godsend.
Someone was also asking about it at a website forum cause apparently
some higher end DELLs used an add on firewire card. Those Dell PCs
come with 3 PCI and 3 PCI express slots with the PCI ex slots mainly
empty and the PCI being full so he was as desperate as I was.

Of course thats the other reason they built even more onboard besides
providing more value, because of the useless PCI ex slots which left
you with 2-3 PCI slots. Some of those SLI boards only have 2 PCI slots
though they tend to be loaded. One of things most people want are game
sound cards I noticed though. They tend not to want to use onboard
sound.

Creative makes junk... I just wish the competition would try and actually
compete.

Yeah me too mainly to drive prices down. Prices were really going down
on the sound cards for awhile and there was lots of buzz about
soundstorm not only rivaling Creative but it was built in so it was
cheap.

Also Creatve was really getting bashed for lack of sound quality in
their SBLIVEs and also their early Audigy. However they are really
raved about for game effects EAX and all that. Some also liked the
sound fonts for music. Unfortunately the rumor that soundstorm their
biggest rival was going to make a comeback was totally false. Ive read
some recent posts talking about another comeback again. Dont know if
its true. I thought Id never see people buying 100-200 Creative cards
again but The XFi is getting raves from consumers. I havent heard it
yet. I got the Audigy2 recently but only for games and because I got
it for $25. However that uses up a precious PCI slot.

Creative bought EMU - the music recording card firm, which I wasnt
that familiar with until recently but Ive been reading the reviews of
the post Creative acquisition EMU cards -- reviews at SOS (UK music
mag) and other reviews and they rave about the EMUs being a great
bargain and setting the standard. The 404 I think its called is around
100 bucks or less and supposed a very clean, clear sound recording
card , not a game card.

After buying EMU creative has been really aggressive about
establishing their rep with more serious music recording cards.
The 1212M and 1616M was raved about with supposedly the best signal to
noise ratios and cleanest sound in its class with tons of features for
recording music. I have the Maudio Audiophile 2496 , which was bought
by Digidesign the makers of the famous ProTools software and bundled
hardware thats used by many pros ---- but the EMUs get better reviews
nowadays though Maudio did come out with a newer 192 card which has
great specs. I tried to buy it last month but $200 though cheap is
still too high for me for that card. I want to wait for a $130-150
deal.