ATI Shows Groundbreaking High Definition Digital Cable PC Receiver

MARKHAM, Ontario, Jan 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ATI Technologies Inc.
(TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced a preview of the revolutionary (HD)
digital cable PC receiver. Available later this year, the ATI OCUR (open
cable uni-directional receiver) product will allow Media Center PCs that run
on the forthcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to receive High
Definition premium digital cable TV content on the PC, ushering in the next
level in functionality and opening new avenues for PC entertainment. The new
device will also offer traditional analog TV and free-to-air HD broadcast
reception to the PC. ATI demonstrated this new technology at the 2006
International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 5 to 8, 2006.

The ATI OCUR product opens a crucial barrier to making the PC ubiquitous for
the ultimate entertainment PC. According to the Consumer Electronics
Association, almost 68 per cent of the North America market is served by
cable operators(1), and now these end users will be able to access premium
content. This new OCUR product is designed to support any cable television
system in North America on the PC.

"We're working with Microsoft and other industry leaders to drive Media
Center PCs to be more intuitive, powerful and robust than standalone
consumer electronics devices," said Godfrey Cheng, director of marketing,
multimedia business unit, ATI Technologies Inc. "The forthcoming OCUR PC
receiver is powered by ATI's Avivo(TM) technologies which means that not
only will the Media Center PC have a new level of functionality but also the
highest available video quality. ATI is proud to work with Microsoft to
demonstrate this new OCUR PC receiver for a new era of media PCs."

"Microsoft strives to provide our customers with the most compelling TV
experience possible on Windows Media Center," said Dave Mendlen, director of
Windows Consumer Marketing at Microsoft Corp. "We're excited to work with
ATI on this project, based on the company's industry-leading expertise in
both multimedia PC solutions and the digital TV marketplace."

ATI will exhibit its solutions at International CES 2005 at booth 30779 at
the South Hall, Upper Level, Las Vegas Convention Center, January 5 to 8,
2006.

Microsoft Windows Media Center delivers advanced computing plus easy-to-use
integrated digital entertainment, including live and recorded television,
movies, music, photos and radio, that consumers can enjoy when and how they
want. It provides a central hub for digital entertainment and productivity,
accessible on either a PC monitor or TV display, using a single remote
control.

On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:03:55 -0500, in
<CBhvf.40982$> "Idiscuss"
<wonderfalls-removethis-@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>MARKHAM, Ontario, Jan 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ATI Technologies Inc.
>(TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced a preview of the revolutionary (HD)
>digital cable PC receiver. Available later this year, the ATI OCUR (open
>cable uni-directional receiver) product will allow Media Center PCs that run
>on the forthcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to receive High
>Definition premium digital cable TV content on the PC, ushering in the next
>level in functionality and opening new avenues for PC entertainment. The new
>device will also offer traditional analog TV and free-to-air HD broadcast
>reception to the PC. ATI demonstrated this new technology at the 2006
>International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 5 to 8, 2006.
>
>The ATI OCUR product opens a crucial barrier to making the PC ubiquitous for
>the ultimate entertainment PC. According to the Consumer Electronics
>Association, almost 68 per cent of the North America market is served by
>cable operators(1), and now these end users will be able to access premium
>content. This new OCUR product is designed to support any cable television
>system in North America on the PC.
>
>"We're working with Microsoft and other industry leaders to drive Media
>Center PCs to be more intuitive, powerful and robust than standalone
>consumer electronics devices," said Godfrey Cheng, director of marketing,
>multimedia business unit, ATI Technologies Inc. "The forthcoming OCUR PC
>receiver is powered by ATI's Avivo(TM) technologies which means that not
>only will the Media Center PC have a new level of functionality but also the
>highest available video quality. ATI is proud to work with Microsoft to
>demonstrate this new OCUR PC receiver for a new era of media PCs."
>
>"Microsoft strives to provide our customers with the most compelling TV
>experience possible on Windows Media Center," said Dave Mendlen, director of
>Windows Consumer Marketing at Microsoft Corp. "We're excited to work with
>ATI on this project, based on the company's industry-leading expertise in
>both multimedia PC solutions and the digital TV marketplace."
>
>ATI will exhibit its solutions at International CES 2005 at booth 30779 at
>the South Hall, Upper Level, Las Vegas Convention Center, January 5 to 8,
>2006.
>
>Microsoft Windows Media Center delivers advanced computing plus easy-to-use
>integrated digital entertainment, including live and recorded television,
>movies, music, photos and radio, that consumers can enjoy when and how they
>want. It provides a central hub for digital entertainment and productivity,
>accessible on either a PC monitor or TV display, using a single remote
>control.
>
Hot-fsckin'-dickety-dog!!!

Now - how do they handle encoded material? I don't give a rat's behind about
on-demand (ok, I do, but...), but if I wanna watch (ok, I wanna record it
too; duh) HBO or HDNet etc, how will they do it?

Thanks for the HU; more research to do now. OCUR? Hmmm...

--
StewRat `8^Þ

I don't know about that, but I am pretty excited about this new product!
I really would like to use my media center to watch and record HDTV shows!



"StewRat" <> wrote in message
news...
> On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:03:55 -0500, in
> <CBhvf.40982$> "Idiscuss"
> <wonderfalls-removethis-@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>>MARKHAM, Ontario, Jan 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ATI Technologies Inc.
>>(TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced a preview of the revolutionary
>>(HD)
>>digital cable PC receiver. Available later this year, the ATI OCUR (open
>>cable uni-directional receiver) product will allow Media Center PCs that
>>run
>>on the forthcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to receive
>>High
>>Definition premium digital cable TV content on the PC, ushering in the
>>next
>>level in functionality and opening new avenues for PC entertainment. The
>>new
>>device will also offer traditional analog TV and free-to-air HD broadcast
>>reception to the PC. ATI demonstrated this new technology at the 2006
>>International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 5 to 8,
>>2006.
>>
>>The ATI OCUR product opens a crucial barrier to making the PC ubiquitous
>>for
>>the ultimate entertainment PC. According to the Consumer Electronics
>>Association, almost 68 per cent of the North America market is served by
>>cable operators(1), and now these end users will be able to access premium
>>content. This new OCUR product is designed to support any cable television
>>system in North America on the PC.
>>
>>"We're working with Microsoft and other industry leaders to drive Media
>>Center PCs to be more intuitive, powerful and robust than standalone
>>consumer electronics devices," said Godfrey Cheng, director of marketing,
>>multimedia business unit, ATI Technologies Inc. "The forthcoming OCUR PC
>>receiver is powered by ATI's Avivo(TM) technologies which means that not
>>only will the Media Center PC have a new level of functionality but also
>>the
>>highest available video quality. ATI is proud to work with Microsoft to
>>demonstrate this new OCUR PC receiver for a new era of media PCs."
>>
>>"Microsoft strives to provide our customers with the most compelling TV
>>experience possible on Windows Media Center," said Dave Mendlen, director
>>of
>>Windows Consumer Marketing at Microsoft Corp. "We're excited to work with
>>ATI on this project, based on the company's industry-leading expertise in
>>both multimedia PC solutions and the digital TV marketplace."
>>
>>ATI will exhibit its solutions at International CES 2005 at booth 30779 at
>>the South Hall, Upper Level, Las Vegas Convention Center, January 5 to 8,
>>2006.
>>
>>Microsoft Windows Media Center delivers advanced computing plus
>>easy-to-use
>>integrated digital entertainment, including live and recorded television,
>>movies, music, photos and radio, that consumers can enjoy when and how
>>they
>>want. It provides a central hub for digital entertainment and
>>productivity,
>>accessible on either a PC monitor or TV display, using a single remote
>>control.
>>
> Hot-fsckin'-dickety-dog!!!
>
> Now - how do they handle encoded material? I don't give a rat's behind
> about
> on-demand (ok, I do, but...), but if I wanna watch (ok, I wanna record it
> too; duh) HBO or HDNet etc, how will they do it?
>
> Thanks for the HU; more research to do now. OCUR? Hmmm...
>
> --
> StewRat `8^Þ

While strolling carefully through the minefield that is Usenet, on
Thu, 5 Jan 2006 18:03:55 -0500, "Idiscuss"
<wonderfalls-removethis-@sympatico.ca> wrote:

Snip lots of interesting info

That's pretty great to say the least, hopefully there will be a UK
specific model to follow fairly shortly thereafter.
The next question therefore is, how do you get that HDTV signal into a
HDTV from the PC?
--
Tsunami
If at first you don't succeed, give up skydiving!

well I guess I will throw out my 60 inch hd dlp so I can watch in on a
computer monitor
"Idiscuss" <wonderfalls-removethis-@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:CBhvf.40982$. ..
> MARKHAM, Ontario, Jan 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ATI Technologies Inc.
> (TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced a preview of the revolutionary
> (HD) digital cable PC receiver. Available later this year, the ATI OCUR
> (open cable uni-directional receiver) product will allow Media Center PCs
> that run on the forthcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to
> receive High Definition premium digital cable TV content on the PC,
> ushering in the next level in functionality and opening new avenues for PC
> entertainment. The new device will also offer traditional analog TV and
> free-to-air HD broadcast reception to the PC. ATI demonstrated this new
> technology at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las
> Vegas, January 5 to 8, 2006.
>
> The ATI OCUR product opens a crucial barrier to making the PC ubiquitous
> for the ultimate entertainment PC. According to the Consumer Electronics
> Association, almost 68 per cent of the North America market is served by
> cable operators(1), and now these end users will be able to access premium
> content. This new OCUR product is designed to support any cable television
> system in North America on the PC.
>
> "We're working with Microsoft and other industry leaders to drive Media
> Center PCs to be more intuitive, powerful and robust than standalone
> consumer electronics devices," said Godfrey Cheng, director of marketing,
> multimedia business unit, ATI Technologies Inc. "The forthcoming OCUR PC
> receiver is powered by ATI's Avivo(TM) technologies which means that not
> only will the Media Center PC have a new level of functionality but also
> the highest available video quality. ATI is proud to work with Microsoft
> to demonstrate this new OCUR PC receiver for a new era of media PCs."
>
> "Microsoft strives to provide our customers with the most compelling TV
> experience possible on Windows Media Center," said Dave Mendlen, director
> of Windows Consumer Marketing at Microsoft Corp. "We're excited to work
> with ATI on this project, based on the company's industry-leading
> expertise in both multimedia PC solutions and the digital TV marketplace."
>
> ATI will exhibit its solutions at International CES 2005 at booth 30779 at
> the South Hall, Upper Level, Las Vegas Convention Center, January 5 to 8,
> 2006.
>
> Microsoft Windows Media Center delivers advanced computing plus
> easy-to-use integrated digital entertainment, including live and recorded
> television, movies, music, photos and radio, that consumers can enjoy when
> and how they want. It provides a central hub for digital entertainment and
> productivity, accessible on either a PC monitor or TV display, using a
> single remote control.
>
>

On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 03:24:31 -0500, in <-cudnYTbMIGntCPeRVn->
"BigJim" <> wrote:

>well I guess I will throw out my 60 inch hd dlp so I can watch in on a
>computer monitor

You're joking, right? I have a whole store of HD DLP, D-ILA, SXRD, plasma
and LCD sets running on the component out of a Powercolor X800XL, playing HD
from WMV-HD discs and an Ati HDTV Wonder (and a *slightly* OC'd 3000+ A64).
Yeah, so we alternate w/ a DirectTV HD box, but you get the point, yes? All
of this first goes to the back of an H-K AVR for switching, and decoding of
the DD or DTS surround sound before it goes to the 7.1 JBL speakers. Playing
music, music videos, etc are also easily handled.

Now, if only someone could get me a way to record a component HD signal...

--
StewRat `8^Þ

StewRat wrote:

> On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 03:24:31 -0500, in <-cudnYTbMIGntCPeRVn->
> "BigJim" <> wrote:
>
>>well I guess I will throw out my 60 inch hd dlp so I can watch in on a
>>computer monitor
>
> You're joking, right? I have a whole store of HD DLP, D-ILA, SXRD, plasma
> and LCD sets running on the component out of a Powercolor X800XL, playing
> HD from WMV-HD discs and an Ati HDTV Wonder (and a *slightly* OC'd 3000+
> A64). Yeah, so we alternate w/ a DirectTV HD box, but you get the point,
> yes? All of this first goes to the back of an H-K AVR for switching, and
> decoding of the DD or DTS surround sound before it goes to the 7.1 JBL
> speakers. Playing music, music videos, etc are also easily handled.
>
> Now, if only someone could get me a way to record a component HD signal...

I believe it's doable for a price--component to SDI and SDI to Firewire.
You're talking pro equipment though--IIRC you're going to have around $6K
sunk in it before you're done.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"J. Clarke" <> wrote in message
news:...
> StewRat wrote:

>> Now, if only someone could get me a way to record a component HD
>> signal...
>
> I believe it's doable for a price--component to SDI and SDI to Firewire.
> You're talking pro equipment though--IIRC you're going to have around $6K
> sunk in it before you're done.
> --

www.snazzishop.com has a ~$150 capture card with
component inputs, the "Snazzi* V DVD" , but it won't do
HD. To do anything besides play HD, you need a multi-
processor workstation anyway. They have other cards
and their "HDV Video Collection" that they list as $799-
$1,399. But it appears the "HDV" is only input via Firewire.
You could put something from www.promax.com (their
DA-MAX+ Converter, looks good at $1795 MSRP) in
front of one of them. Still >$3000, most likely. ( Not
counting the cost of a high powered workstation.)

Luck;
Ken

On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 13:40:21 -0500, in <> "J.
Clarke" <> wrote:

>StewRat wrote:
>
.....
>>
>> Now, if only someone could get me a way to record a component HD signal...
>
>I believe it's doable for a price--component to SDI and SDI to Firewire.
>You're talking pro equipment though--IIRC you're going to have around $6K
>sunk in it before you're done.

Ouch! I have not gotten into this very deeply, but have had fun as far as
I've gone. That sounds like way too much money for me. Will it only be
possible to capture this stuff if you are a professional? Once again, they
stop the regular guy, and leave the pirates in business. Still, I already
spent a small chunk of change - it takes a fairly good box to capture OTA HD
and to play the WMV in HD, and it helped get rid of banding when I went from
the Radeon 9600 to the X800XL. And, that is all I've tried. I should
probably take a serious look at other options, eh? DivX, H.264 (?) maybe?
I'm really totally clueless, obviously.

We have played w/ a couple of Firewire recorders (RCA, Mitsubishi, Toshiba)
but they definitely only work w/ a few TVs, and that is directly - There is
no other output but the firewire back to the set or another firewire. The
streaming server Samsung gave us has a scrambled YPbPr output, and the HDMI
apparently only works on the 6168W they intended it for. HDCP is the rule of
the day, and I don't imagine the studios etc want to make it any easier than
it is. After all, we shouldn't be able to share a 30mb/s ts version of
Gladiator, right?

Anyway, the only way to avoid the HDCP/Copy Flag/etc stuff is probably to go
analog, and that is why I want to see Component inputs on my PDVR. Probably
dreaming, eh?

--
StewRat `8^Þ

"StewRat" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 03:24:31 -0500, in <-cudnYTbMIGntCPeRVn->
> "BigJim" <> wrote:
>
>>well I guess I will throw out my 60 inch hd dlp so I can watch in on a
>>computer monitor
>
> You're joking, right? I have a whole store of HD DLP, D-ILA, SXRD, plasma
> and LCD sets running on the component out of a Powercolor X800XL, playing
> HD
> from WMV-HD discs and an Ati HDTV Wonder (and a *slightly* OC'd 3000+
> A64).
> Yeah, so we alternate w/ a DirectTV HD box, but you get the point, yes?
> All
> of this first goes to the back of an H-K AVR for switching, and decoding
> of
> the DD or DTS surround sound before it goes to the 7.1 JBL speakers.
> Playing
> music, music videos, etc are also easily handled.
>
> Now, if only someone could get me a way to record a component HD signal...

Why not record a Firewire signal and playback or monitor it using component?

Check www.169time.com for details. I've used the system and it works
absolutely great.

>
> --
> StewRat `8^Þ