No matter what country one finds themselves in, a PC equipped with a TV tuner powered by one of ATI's new Theater HD 750 chips should be able to tune into any over the air TV broadcasts available. These give a step up over the hardware in the company's old TV Wonder 650 line by adding PAL, SECAM and DVB-T support to NTSC, ATSC and ClearQAM access. Of course Media Center PC owners can set up all manner of DVR features, and for that all-ATI feel combines with ATI Stream software and videocards to transcode video into a variety of formats. Expect the new tuners to come out in PCI Express, USB stick and other flavors later this year, if you can't wait, try a glimpse of the preview trailer embedded after the break.

Access to premium HD on computers has eluded most for way to long, so as soon as we heard that it was finally possible for anyone to add a CableCARD tuner to just about any Media Center, we just knew we had to try it for ourselves, and more importantly, share with you exactly how to do it. This doesn't really require any hacking, or anything illegal for that matter -- we're not lawyers -- but it isn't cheap. The internal version of the ATI Digital Cable Tuner pictured above can be found new on eBay for about $195, or new from PC vendors like Cannon PC for just under $300. If that doesn't seem like a bad deal to you and you already have an HTPC up to the challenge, then you should join us on our journey to HD bliss by clicking through.

After learning that some were having success adding ATI Digital Cable Tuners to HTPC they built themselves, we knew it was only a matter of time before it would be possible to make it work on any computer, but we have to admit we never thought it would happen this fast. The Green Button forum member DanITman posted some directions and links to everything you need to make ANY Vista or Windows 7 computer support digital cable. The hack is very simple actually, it just uses a modified version of VistaLoader to emulate a Sony OCUR compliant computer's BIOS. The real beauty is that it can easily be installed or uninstalled and if Microsoft were to black list the Sony BIOS, emulating a different BIOS would be trivial. The only potentially unworkable caveat at this point is if you are using an Dell OEM Windows PC using the OEM key, this will break your activation, but hopefully a solution for that will be discovered shortly as well.

If you're like some people we know - - yes Zatz, we're talking about you -- the idea of adding yet another box to your home theater setup isn't anywhere near consideration. Up until now, this meant that if you wanted to add an ATI Digital Cable Tuner to your Vista Media Center PC, you either had to hold your nose or spend the big bucks on one of the top tier OEMs that offered the internal version -- which is actually the same device sans a case, and yes it still connects via USB. Our friend Chris Lanier discovered today that Cannon PC started selling both the external and internal versions of the ATI TV Wonder DCT separately, so that finally those with CableCARD ready Vista Media Center PCs -- you know the OEM only ones -- can either add additional tuner, or opt to swap out the external variety for the internal type the takes less space, all for about $300 each.

[Via The Digital Lifestyle]

So, you've decided to build yourself an HTPC, huh? Splendid! Now, what GPU are you going to toss in there? That's the gist of Marcus' question:

"I'm looking to assemble a living room PC to play back Blu-ray Discs, internet video, streamed HD clips, etc. I'm stuck when it comes to selecting a graphics card powerful enough to handle all of that. I haven't decided whether or not to get a full-sized tower or just a mini-tower, so I'd appreciate suggestions for both setups. Cheaper is better, but I'll pay to make sure all playback is buttery smooth."

So, dearest readers, what's the GPU to get these days for handling multimedia content? Is ATI's new All-in-Wonder HD worth a look? Drop your advice in comments below.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Loyal All-in-Wonder users from years past have probably been watching the progression of AMD's revised version of the card with extreme interest. After such an absence, however, we understand the need to be cautious before snapping this up for your upcoming HTPC. HotHardware recently received one of these units for testing, and while it was only deemed "entry level" in the gaming department, the multimedia performance was smiled upon. To quote, "the [card] did an excellent job presenting digital video content in a quality manner without creating excessive power consumption in order to do so." As expected, the unit wasn't recommend for everyone (read: non-TV buffs), but those who'd utilize the built-in ClearQAM support probably can't go wrong for $199. Hit the read link for a whole gaggle of test results.

We told you that ATI's reinvigorated All-in-Wonder would be hitting the streets in late July, and sure enough, Diamond Multimedia is first out of the gate with versions of its own. The All-In-Wonder and the All-In-Wonder Premium iterations are both slated to hit reputable e-tailers "soon," with the latter unit including a bundled remote and an input / output board with an array of easy access connections. As expected, each card will boast 512MB of DDR2 memory, a clock speed of 725MHz and a single hybrid tuner for capturing local NTSC / ATSC broadcasts and ClearQAM signals. Unfortunately, the most pressing piece (ahem, price) was omitted.

And you thought Microsoft bringing back the SideWinder was gnarly. Announced today, AMD is resurrecting the long-standing AIW line with its first-ever high-definition variant: the $199 ATI All-in-Wonder HD. The PCI Express 2.0 card attempts to handle both PC gaming and HDTV duties by boasting specs like DirectX 10.1 support, a 725MHz engine clock, 600MHz memory clock and MPEG2 / VC-1 / H.264 video decoder acceleration. You'll also find Vista and AMD LIVE! certification badges to go along with the dual-link DVI port, HDMI jack (which supports 5.1 Dolby Digital transmission) and optional component video connectivity. As expected, users can capture live programs (as well as pause / rewind) in SD or HD over-the-air, and there's even support for ClearQAM. For those looking to take their clips elsewhere, the bundled Avivo software converts it for viewing on some of today's most popular handhelds (yes, including the iPod). Look for models from Diamond Multimedia and VisionTek to hit retailers in North America late next month. Full release after the jump.

Ah, companies that don't just rest on their laurels. Not even a month after we heard that Cannon PC would be offering up dual- and quad-CableCARD rigs, in flies word that said company is demonstrating a machine capable of handling half a dozen CableCARDs. Yeah, six cards controlled simultaneously by one computer. For those curious, the devices in question were ATI's Digital Cable tuners, and while gloating about something is one thing, it's another to host a video up on the 'net for all to see. Six high-definition programs get recorded at once in the video just after the break -- c'mon, you know can't resist checking out such a feat out.

Amplifier Technologies, Inc., often referred to as ATI, gained itself quite a reputation for its differential drive audio amplifiers back in the day. No-frills industrial design, good circuit topology and fair pricing really helped it secure a spot in many internet savvy audiophile systems. The company has updated its AV processors for 7.1-channel operation with its ATP6700, ATP7700 and ATP8700. Each model includes a LCD panel up front and, naturally, 7.1 channel inputs around back. One feature hasn't been updated, though -- like so many smaller manufacturers, HDMI connectivity is missing (read: no Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD MA). We're willing to give up the convenience of HDMI, but it's a sad day when companies that have made their name by delivering high performance audio aren't able to support the highest resolution format available. But if audio performance of the older formats is your uber alles, consider the ATP6700 ($2995), ATP7700 ($3995) or ATP8700 ($5995).


[Via CEPro]

There's no other way to say it, DivX is on a roll in 2008 (that small Stage6 stumble is already a fading memory). If support from Blu-ray players and videogame consoles wasn't enough, DivX Certification has snaked its long arm directly into HDTVs, with "over 80 models" from HP and LG slapping on a sticker indicating users can simply plug a USB drive in and play their entirely-legitimately-owned content. Expect that number to grow, since DivX is also working with AMD, Chips and Media, Broadcom and Trident to include support in other chipsets powering digital TVs near you. Now how about we see some of that content?

Yeah, ATI's 600 / 650 TV Wonders have been around the block a time or two before, but it looks like Diamond Multimedia has chosen today to unveil its versions of the aforementioned products. Available now all across the web, the firm is cranking out seven models between the two flavors, and as expected, each supports ATSC / NTSC, while just a few play nice with Clear-QAM. So far as we can tell, you'll receive the exact same kit with a snazzy Diamond badge, but we suppose there's nothing wrong with that, eh?

While around here you're more likely to see a flame war erupt about Blu-ray versus HD DVD, on many computer gaming websites the war is over ATI and nVidia, with the two major video card manufacturers constantly leapfrogging each other in an attempt to benchmark the highest scores on games like Unreal Tournament and Doom. Ars Technica has a head-to-head comparison on how well the their latest offerings perform decoding high-definition content, using an Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive and some prerecorded 1080p and 1080i content. While both camps did similarly well, ATI was better at playing back VC-1-encoded HD DVD content, and nVidia held a slight edge on 1080i recordings. The benefits to both allow even older video hardware to take a load off the CPU, meaning home theater PC builders can pair a cheaper CPU and video card for playing back HD on the cheap.

Ok, it may not be the beloved CableCARD we so quickly learned to love in our Windows Media Center PCs, but we certainly wouldn't kick ATI's new TV Wonder 650 Combo USB for Mac out of bed. We're not sure why ATI didn't just announce it along with the PC version a couple of weeks ago, but this dual tuner package does what's expected for your Mac, including ATSC and NTSC and playback via its tvPORTAL software. It'll run $150 when it hits retailers later this month.

Those looking for a fresh way to capture OTA signals on their computer need to look AMD's way, as the firm is kicking out three new ATI TV Wonder devices today. Up first is the TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, which includes two TV tuners to pick up OTA HDTV signals / ClearQAM programming, analog TV and FM broadcasts. For those with desktops, the TV Wonder 600 PCI or TV Wonder 600 PCI Express should fit the bill quite nicely, as they offer up the same features as their USB sibling in less portable forms. Notably, all three units come bundled with Catalyst Media Center software, which enables the devices to quickly convert (read: "with two mouse clicks") recorded programming to formats suitable for use on the iPod, Zune, PSP, iPhone, Palm Treo, etc. Price wise, the 650 Combo USB will demand $149, while the other two (pictured after the jump) will run you just $99 apiece.