ASUS Announces My Cinema-EHD3-100/NQA/FM/AV/MCE RC Dual Hybrid TV Card

[btarunr]

ASUS today proved that TV quality and CPU bandwidth do not have to be trade-offs with the launch of its new ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC PCI-express Dual TV card. Designed for users seeking to watch and record both digital (ATSC/QAM) and analog (NTSC) TV channels simultaneously without taking a CPU hit, the ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC is embedded with a MPEG2 hardware encoder that dramatically reduces CPU loading while guaranteeing high quality video. With the ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC PCI-express Dual TV card, any PC can easily be turned into a smart multimedia center.



The Premier Solution for High Quality PC TV Watching
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC allows users to watch and record high quality digital (ATSC/QAM) and analog (NTSC) TV programs on their PCs simultaneously. Utilizing the PCI Express x1 interface, it boasts transmission speeds of up to 500MB/s-almost 3 times faster than that of a conventional PCI bus which runs at 133MB/s-ensuring silky smooth pictures regardless of the broadcast content. The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also utilizes less CPU resources, thanks to its in-built MPEG2 hardware encoder, allowing users to watch TV while surfing the Internet without impacting the performance of either. Furthermore, the ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC is equipped with noise reduction technology, providing clearer images and delivering the best video quality, bar none.

Dual TV: Enjoy Digital and Analog TV at the Same Time
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC ingeniously integrates the capabilities of analog and digital TV receivers. With it, users will be able to view one digital or one analog TV channel, watch an analog or digital TV channel while recording another channel, or record two different channels at the same time.

A Multimedia Entertainment Center in a Card
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC is a total solution for home theater entertainment. It allows users to watch digital or analog TV channels, perform scheduled recordings, and easily edit and burn the recorded videos onto VCD or DVDs. It even supports FM radio playback, adding another valuable option to users who use their PCs as the primary entertainment platform. The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also comes with a Microsoft certified Media Center remote control which enables users to switch channels and record programs with just one convenient click.

Exclusive ASUS GadgeTV Technology for Windows Vista
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also offers a unique solution for users who love keeping a constant eye on what's going on on TV even while engaged in other PC-based activities. Dubbed ASUS GadgeTV, this nifty widget adds a small window on the Windows Vista sidebar, allowing users to watch, record and take snapshots of live TV directly from their sidebars. Users can easily enlarge the screen size by pulling the widget onto the main desktop. With ASUS GadgeTV, users will never miss a favorite moment.

Key Features at a Glance

• Utilizes the PCI-Express port for faster data transmission
• Enhances multitasking through an in-built hardware MPEG2 encoder that significantly reduces CPU load
• Delivers the best video quality through hardware noise reduction technology
• Enables users to watch analog or digital TV (or digital TV through a standard coaxial cable) and record another channel, or record two different channels at the same time
• Adds a convenient TV widget on the Windows Vista sidebar upon startup, powered by ASUS GadgeTV Technology
• Comes with a remote control kit for easy channel surfing
• Equipped with FM radio capabilities
• Sports dual AV inputs for capturing external sources
• Turns the PC into a private security system with ASUS VideoSecurity Online Technology

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Mussels]

PCI-E 1x is great, but not when the cards as long as a 16x slot.

 

[jamesrt2004]

still its better then running on PCI,

soon everything will be legacy free woohoo,,, wish more wi-fi cards where pci-e actually =(

 

[craigo]

looks like a well spec'd card and i like the look of the remote..would look okay next to my white Grundig remote

 

[Gzero]

Aww so close Asus. Lose the analog support and bring in DVB-S2 support then we'll talk.

 

[REVHEAD]

Hauppagee 2250 is the best in its class http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr2250.html, pity Asus waited 12 months to try and play catchup.

 

[WarEagleAU]

Is this their first Tv Tuner? If so, it looks very nice.

 

[jamesrt2004]

does this receive HD digital? or just standard def digital?

 

[Mussels]

does this receive HD digital? or just standard def digital?

when it comes to a PC, digital should include both. The only difference between SD and HD is teh resolution really, and i cant see why that would be limited by the card.

 

[jamesrt2004]

when it comes to a PC, digital should include both. The only difference between SD and HD is teh resolution really, and i cant see why that would be limited by the card.

Ahh you might have misunderstood me I mean receive HD tv, as in in the UK we have "freesat" which is a bunch of free HD channels when you buy the set-top box + have a satellite, I did see one which can etc..

sorry if I wasn't clear

 

[Mussels]

Ahh you might have misunderstood me I mean receive HD tv, as in in the UK we have "freesat" which is a bunch of free HD channels when you buy the set-top box + have a satellite, I did see one which can etc..

sorry if I wasn't clear

i dont know the UK system. i cant comment on that.

 

[Gzero]

It makes no mention of supporting the new HD standard (so probably only upto 1080i, in other words the same decoder that been out for ages).

And of course this product is not coming to UK since it doesn't match our broadcast standards.

The latest we get is: http://uk.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=15570

 

[jamesrt2004]

ok cheers

 

[Wile E]

What I want to know is, why are they sticking with mpeg2 harware encoders? Don't you think it's time we moved to H.264 or at least standard profile Mpeg4 encoders?

 

[Hayder_Master]

wow , this one is great i have an gigabyte one but it is not like this sure , and cool it is pci-e x1

 

[Mussels]

What I want to know is, why are they sticking with mpeg2 harware encoders? Don't you think it's time we moved to H.264 or at least standard profile Mpeg4 encoders?

agreed. people can talk about H264 acceleration on video cards all they want, but it never bloody works (exception being coreAVC on modern Nv cards).

it seems weird that its being ignored, despite the popularity of H264.