ViperLair reviews the ATI TV Wonder USB 2.0, a sort of low-rent option for those you want to add a TV tuner or video-in to their machines, but would prefer an outboard piece of equipment instead of cracking open their case and dropping in a daughter board. Don’t expect huge features out of the $100 brick, though, as the inputs are limited to coax, s-video, and composite – the higher-quality component video is not to be found. On the upside, the inclusion of USB 2.0 in this new model allows it to transfer encoded video to your computer with far less compression than earlier, USB 1.1 models, meaning your signal will travel from outside to your hard drive relatively unscathed, analog warts and all.
For a quick solution, especially for something like a laptop that can’t even get a better quality bit of hardware, it’s probably worth taking a look at. A “Pro” version should be out soon that includes a remote.
Read – ATI TV Wonder USB 2.0 [ViperLair]
