AIW 8500 cry for help

[ObviousMan]

Gentlemen,
I am at my wits end (well, I guess I have been there for a while, but I digress). I just recently purchased AIW 8500 DV and put it in 2500+ computer to do TIVO like functions. If I use original MMC (even updated) version, TV does not work. I contacted ATI, since it's been more than 30 days since I got it, (50 actually) they refer me to e-mail support. E-mail support is like a broken record: "if you want TV to work, do clean install of new drivers and MMC" I tried that, but in this case DVD player does not work, since I do not have 8.1 or later ATI disk. I tell them that, they say if you want DVD to work use original MMC 7.7 or purchase MMC 8.1 disk ($20 shipped). I asked them why should I pay extra just to make product work and they stopped responding completely.
Can someone either tell me how to contact someone at ATI who is not just a "broken record" or may be share an ATI CD v8.1 or later? PM me.
Thanks.
OM

 

[MDE]

See this thread.
In a nutshell, you're screwed unless you fork over the cash.

 

[rbV5]

In a nutshell, you're screwed unless you fork over the cash.

You are not screwed, you can install the latest MMC and you don't need the newer disk for the DVD player to work. Firstly, Do you have the original ATI install disk for the 8500dv? If you have the install disk, I can walk you through the installation. If you don't have the original ATI install disk, I can walk you through the installation, but you won't have the Gemstar EPG, or the ATI DVD player.

 

[rbV5]

Here's a repost of a typical install of the latest MMC using the older ATI install disc and using the older ATI DVD player

Originally posted by: rbV5
Great, looks like the Cat driver installed fine. It also looks like your WDM's are right (if you don't have any yellow exclamation marks next to them in device manager).

You shouldn't have to do any reinstalls of your operating system. The ATI uninstaller does a fine job of removing the drivers (driver cleaner2 maybe a little better).

If you want to try to install the latest MMC 8.9, Here's how I would do it.

*Uninstall your existing ATI Multimedia Center and ATI DVD player (if it is a seperate entry) in "Add or Remove programs" in Control Panel. (Don't save your settings if it asks)
*Reboot
*Install Direct X 9b and Windows Media Encoder 9 if you haven't already installed them.
*Get your original ATI installation and look for a folder named "Gemstar" its probably in the "install" folder Double Click on the "setup" file and install the Gemstar Guide Plus program. Be sure to run the update wizard in the Gemstar (Guide Plus) program folder after the installation to update the program. Reboot if it asks you.
*Leave the ATI installation CD in the drive (for verification if needed) and install "only" ATI DVD player 7.6 reboot if it asks.
*Install the DAO / MDAC component (if you haven't already) reboot if it asks.
*Install ATI Mutimedia Center 8.9, you'll need to do a "custom" install and Make Sure You "UNcheck" the DVD player from the list<--important.

Hopefully, if all went well, at this point, you should have the latest Catalyst driver installed, and MMC 8.9 with DVD player 7.6 installed and working

Here's the original thread Link

Good luck!

 

[ObviousMan]

Thanks, RV5. I do have all of the original CD's, since it's a brand new card.
The strange part is if I install MMC 8.9 on top of MMC 7.7, DVD 8.9 is working OK, but TV capture still does not work. I will try your procedure when I get home. It is a much better option than ATI Suyed suggested (keep 7.7 w/o TV or go to 8.9 w/o DVD).
EDIT: Is there a way to put DVD 7.6 on top of MMC 8.9? Now I have everything installed after complete removal, which is Drivers and MMC 8.9 isntalled clean. If possible I'd rather save time and not have to uninstall 8.9, install 7.7, install 8.9 again...
Thanks.
OM

 

[sodcha0s]

Is it JUST the TV capture you're having trouble with? If so I might be able to help.

 

[ObviousMan]

Yep, just the TV capture, but I am trying the rbV5 procedure now. Will update...
OM
Edit: SOL again. DVD 7.6 is refusing to install. It claims my software CD product ID 180-xxxxxx-xxx (I typed numbers off the CD) is invalid, and from CD it installs more than just DVD, some core libraries, etc. End-result is the same as before, MMC does not find appropriate WDM drivers. Says they are not listed in registry. I checked and the WDM capture drivers are fine, no ? marks, etc.

Edit 2: DVD 7.6 would not install, because the CD that came with the card is MMC/DVD 7.7, so 7.6 install would not have a clue about it. In any case, I am not sure what I did different during last install, may be reinstalling WDM after installing just the DVD portion of MMC 7.7 did the trick. Now somehow it claims I have DVD 8.9, but I suspect only the front end is 8.9, decoder is probably still 7.7. The main point TV and DVD both work. For some reason TV receiver seems to be very weak. Where my regular TV has no problems, it show a lot of snow, noise, etc. from antenna.
Thanks everyone!
OM

 

[rbV5]

For some reason TV receiver seems to be very weak. Where my regular TV has no problems, it show a lot of snow, noise, etc. from antenna

Channels 2-6 are poor on my AIW 9700pro out of the box. I got a signal booster from radioshack and it made a huge difference. All my other tuners get good reception with the same signal without the booster.

 

[Pauli]

FYI, there is a very active site/forum that is dedicated to ATI cards and has tons of info on this subject. Rage3D