Ati All-In-Wonder X800XT TV Tuner Setup?

dxxjai888 · Nov 13, 2005, 07:27 AM

Hello I recently purchased the ati all in wonder x800xt and so far ive only been playing games on it and its great.
But im having trouble setting up the TV feature on the card. I was under the impression that I could just hook up the cable from my cable box and it should pick up the channels from there? This is my first aiw card so im pretty lost. I hooked up the cable from my cable box, scanned using the ati scan feature and it only picked up like 5 weird channels. Rest are all static. I have the latest ati drviers etc. Would I be able to watch the channels on my cable box on my computer? Any help would be great thx

H3X4D3C1M4L · Nov 13, 2005, 09:21 PM

Are you sure you plugged it in to the TV spot and not FM tuner?

swimtech · Nov 14, 2005, 02:25 AM

You probably have it hooked up right. The problem is you're taking the output of the cable box which acts like the tuner for your TV or VCR. I'm willing to bet that you normally leave your TV on channel 3 or 4 and use the cable box to change channels - is that correct? If so, the cable box is only putting out one channel - channel 3 or 4 - and the All-in-Wonder card is only able to detect a signal on that one channel and a couple on either side... One question though - What kind of cable service do you have - Digital Cable, Basic Cable, Extended Basic, etc?

If you want to use your All-in-Wonder tuner (it is cable ready...) independently from your TV/Cable box setup, you'll need to split the cable signal before it goes to the cable box ( a 1Ghz two-way RF splitter will do - Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, etc. should have them). You'll need the RF splitter and two coaxial cables - one long enough to reach the back of the cable box from where your splitter will be and one long enough to reach the back of your computer to attach to the cable connector on your All-in-Wonder card from where the splitter will be.

Take the main input cable off the back of your cable box (input) and put it on the single input side connector of the RF two-way splitter. Then take a cable you attach to one of the two output side connectors of the RF two-way splitter and attach it to the input connector on the back of the cable box you took the main cable loose from just before. Take the second cable you attach to the second output connector of the RF two-way splitter and attach it to the cable connector on your All-in-Wonder card. Go through the autoprogramming sequence again and you should be all set.

EDIT: BTW, pat yourself on the back - you have the video driver and the ATI MMC working ok 'cause you've got the TV application going enough to autoprogram and see at least something in the TV window - most of the stuff we deal with here has to do with that (and that is the hard part for most...).

dxxjai888 · Nov 14, 2005, 05:05 AM

Awesome thx for the quick and detailed reply. Yes your right my TV is set up to be on channel 3 while the cable box changes channels. It makes sense now why that wouldnt work. I am using Time warner cable with Road Runner.

Im going to try it out tomorrow and buy the splitter and cables and follow the steps. Thanks again for the help

Nov 13, 2005, 07:27 AM	#1
dxxjai888 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Ati All-In-Wonder X800XT TV Tuner Setup? Hello I recently purchased the ati all in wonder x800xt and so far ive only been playing games on it and its great. But im having trouble setting up the TV feature on the card. I was under the impression that I could just hook up the cable from my cable box and it should pick up the channels from there? This is my first aiw card so im pretty lost. I hooked up the cable from my cable box, scanned using the ati scan feature and it only picked up like 5 weird channels. Rest are all static. I have the latest ati drviers etc. Would I be able to watch the channels on my cable box on my computer? Any help would be great thx

Nov 14, 2005, 02:25 AM	#3
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	You probably have it hooked up right. The problem is you're taking the output of the cable box which acts like the tuner for your TV or VCR. I'm willing to bet that you normally leave your TV on channel 3 or 4 and use the cable box to change channels - is that correct? If so, the cable box is only putting out one channel - channel 3 or 4 - and the All-in-Wonder card is only able to detect a signal on that one channel and a couple on either side... One question though - What kind of cable service do you have - Digital Cable, Basic Cable, Extended Basic, etc? If you want to use your All-in-Wonder tuner (it is cable ready...) independently from your TV/Cable box setup, you'll need to split the cable signal before it goes to the cable box ( a 1Ghz two-way RF splitter will do - Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, etc. should have them). You'll need the RF splitter and two coaxial cables - one long enough to reach the back of the cable box from where your splitter will be and one long enough to reach the back of your computer to attach to the cable connector on your All-in-Wonder card from where the splitter will be. Take the main input cable off the back of your cable box (input) and put it on the single input side connector of the RF two-way splitter. Then take a cable you attach to one of the two output side connectors of the RF two-way splitter and attach it to the input connector on the back of the cable box you took the main cable loose from just before. Take the second cable you attach to the second output connector of the RF two-way splitter and attach it to the cable connector on your All-in-Wonder card. Go through the autoprogramming sequence again and you should be all set. EDIT: BTW, pat yourself on the back - you have the video driver and the ATI MMC working ok 'cause you've got the TV application going enough to autoprogram and see at least something in the TV window - most of the stuff we deal with here has to do with that (and that is the hard part for most...). __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it. Last edited by swimtech; Nov 14, 2005 at 02:33 AM.

Nov 13, 2005, 09:21 PM	#2
H3X4D3C1M4L DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6,794 Rep Power: 0	Are you sure you plugged it in to the TV spot and not FM tuner?

Nov 14, 2005, 05:05 AM	Thread Starter #4
dxxjai888 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Awesome thx for the quick and detailed reply. Yes your right my TV is set up to be on channel 3 while the cable box changes channels. It makes sense now why that wouldnt work. I am using Time warner cable with Road Runner. Im going to try it out tomorrow and buy the splitter and cables and follow the steps. Thanks again for the help