I live in the boonies in NH. The only high-speed internet option around here is DirecWay, the two-way satellite service from DirecTV, which is way too expensive for what you get - long latency times, FAP (they clock the bandwidth back to 56K if your activity exceeds a punitive limit), etc. I can't even get DSL because there are load coils in the phone line which add enough distance to put me just beyond the range limit!
IOW, I think I'm stuck with the 56K modem for the foreseeable future. Your response makes me wonder if there isn't some other kind of option for that PCI modem, like using a USB external modem to free up the slot I need for the video capture card. Would that be a viable approach? Would it be cheaper to go to the All in Wonder card than adding an external 56K modem with the TV Wonder Pro capture card?
Here is another option, albeit a rather expensive one. Dazzle makes an external USB2.0 video capture card that you might want to consider getting instead of the 9800 AIW. The cheapest Radeon 9800 AIW I found was around $320 on www.pricewatch.com and www.newegg.com. Dazzle makes a product called the Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe. I personally haven't tried it, but I have heard nothing but good things about Dazzle products.
If these links do not work, go to pricewatch and type in "pinnacle deluxe." This is a pricey solution for what you want to do, but it is a lot cheaper than having the fastest video card on the market lying around collecting dust while you spend $300 on the exact same card with a few more bells and whistles.
Also, you can get a USB 56k modem. They are around $30. I only suggested the PCTV deluxe because of its additional software and capabilities. Here are some links for USB modems:
masteryoda
158 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 03:00
sell you 9800xt and you get a 9800AIW !!!
or you can take out you PCI telephone card if you are not really using it!!
Message Edited by masteryoda on 03-16-2004 09:08 PM
Almintaka
11 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 03:00
Hi Tank4ever,
I live in the boonies in NH. The only high-speed internet option around here is DirecWay, the two-way satellite service from DirecTV, which is way too expensive for what you get - long latency times, FAP (they clock the bandwidth back to 56K if your activity exceeds a punitive limit), etc. I can't even get DSL because there are load coils in the phone line which add enough distance to put me just beyond the range limit!
IOW, I think I'm stuck with the 56K modem for the foreseeable future. Your response makes me wonder if there isn't some other kind of option for that PCI modem, like using a USB external modem to free up the slot I need for the video capture card. Would that be a viable approach? Would it be cheaper to go to the All in Wonder card than adding an external 56K modem with the TV Wonder Pro capture card?
Have a good one,
Big Al Mintaka
Tank4ever
2 Intern
•
408 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 03:00
Big Al,
Are you really using that 56k modem on a system like that? I say box the modem up and free up a PCI slot for the capture card.
Tank4ever
2 Intern
•
408 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 15:00
Here is another option, albeit a rather expensive one. Dazzle makes an external USB2.0 video capture card that you might want to consider getting instead of the 9800 AIW. The cheapest Radeon 9800 AIW I found was around $320 on www.pricewatch.com and www.newegg.com. Dazzle makes a product called the Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe. I personally haven't tried it, but I have heard nothing but good things about Dazzle products.
I found cheaper prices than Dazzle's $199 at:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=190860 ($160)
http://www.sybercom.com/cgi-bin/sybercom/210100231.html?mv_pc=PriceWatch ($153)
If these links do not work, go to pricewatch and type in "pinnacle deluxe." This is a pricey solution for what you want to do, but it is a lot cheaper than having the fastest video card on the market lying around collecting dust while you spend $300 on the exact same card with a few more bells and whistles.
Tank4ever
2 Intern
•
408 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 15:00
Also, you can get a USB 56k modem. They are around $30. I only suggested the PCTV deluxe because of its additional software and capabilities. Here are some links for USB modems:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=25-134-003&depa=0 ($23)
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=FM-USB-COM&c=pw ($33)