ATI Trouble

[debbie]

Wow, what a nubie I am! Here's what's going on. I have an ATI 650 Theater card. (I know better now, but maybe...), and the tv freezes the whole computer up. It is a hard freeze and I have to restart the computer. I have bitc**d a blue streak at ATI until they replaced it with another one. Well, two days in, it freezes again. This tells me that it has to be a problem with my computer. I have all the drivers for the card and for my computer. I have integrated video, but this is a gaming system, and I don't game. I just try to watch tv while checking my email! Here is my mobo http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/ch...es/p4m800_pro/.
Will different software (third party) solve my problem, maybe? I hope you can help me. PS- my husband says I tore it up watching Desperate Housewives!

I posted this on the wrong category a while ago. I'm sorry!

[debbie]

Please, if ya'll can't help me, let me know and I'll go somewhere else.

[sub]

Unfortunately this sort of thing is typically a hardware/driver thing, so not really the sort of thing GB-PVR can solve.

Was your freeze occuring in GB-PVR, or some other software?

[debbie]

It is still occuring, using only the Catalyst Media Center software. That's what I'm asking. Will GB-PVR work with my tuner card? Will it stop the lock-ups?

[sub]

Yes, it'll work with this card. There is no way of knowing if your machine will still lock-up until you try it. If it does though, there probably wont be any settings in GB-PVR that would help the problem - most likely have to talk to ATI about that, or try different videocard or motherboard chipset drivers.

[debbie]

"the only stupid questions are the ones I don't ask". With the specs on my motherboard, do I need a video card? I am using integrated video. Here is what VIA says about the mobo video "The VIA UniChrome Pro IGP graphics core also features the Chromotion CE Video Display Engine, raising the bar for digital entertainment support on PC systems. The P4M800 Pro is able to deliver the Hi-Def experience via a comprehensive range of display devices, supporting outputs to CRT, LCD, standard definition TV and HDTV up to 1080p resolution*.

The Chromotion CE Video Display Engine employs a multi-faceted approach to displaying multimedia content, implementing a number of advanced tools at every stage of video processing. These include integrated MPEG-2 decoding, for flawless digital video playback with ultra-low CPU-utilization, and advanced rendering tools such as Adaptive De-Interlacing and Video Deblocking, which ensure clearer playback of digital content on all display devices.
Maybe this has been my problem all along.

[sub]

With the specs on my motherboard, do I need a video card? I am using integrated video.

To be honest, I'm not not sure. I dont really know anything about the capabilities of this video chipset.

Its probably not good enough for HD video, but might be ok for standard definition stuff.

[Agent24]

I had a lot of trouble getting my ATi 550 working well (just within windows/anything), after reinstalling the drivers for it, and for my video card (which is an ATi 9600XT) It eventually worked and has been working fine ever since.

Your IGP video *should* be good enough to run this, especially if they advertise as having MPEG2 decoding and HD video support.

In any case it's likely a driver issue and I would advise you download the latest drivers for your motherboard and onboard video from viaarena.com, and the latest drivers for your tuner card from ati.com