ATI All-In-Wonder X1900

With 3D graphics plus basic TV tuner capabilities, ATI's All-In-Wonder line has always been a safe bet for one-stop shopping. Unlike previous generations, however, the All-In-Wonder X1900 is hitting the market right on the heels of a next-generation ATI GPU. The Radeon X1900 XTX and the Radeon X1900 XT CrossFire Edition cards were released less than two weeks ago, so users looking for DVR along with their gaming don't need to wait long for ATI's latest graphics technology and multimedia features to be paired together.

The All-In-Wonder X1900 fits into a standard x16 PCI Express slot and includes DVI and VGA outputs, an SD coaxial connection, and an FM antenna connection. An A/V hub dongle plugs into the card, allowing you to connect a variety of adapters for component, S-Video, and composite inputs. You also get ATI's Remote Wonder for controlling the included Multimedia Center front-end software.

Upside: The All-In-Wonder X1900 offers support for all the latest video technologies, including H.264. Avivo is ATI's name for its next-generation collection of video technologies, and that includes HD-DVD and Blu-ray compatibility, for when those formats become common. The X1900 uses ATI's Theater 200 chip for analog-to-digital conversion, which in these pre-CableCard days is about as good as you're going to get.

The included ATI Multimedia Center software is a serviceable suite for recording TV programs and playing back all kinds of media files. You can even make the full-screen TV-viewing window semitransparent and work on your desktop while a program plays, even if that sounds more distracting than useful. Also included is Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and Adobe Premiere Elements 2.

We haven't run the card through CNET Labs' gaming benchmarks yet, but we'd expect to see scores in line with those of the Radeon X1900 XTX and the Radeon X1900 XT CrossFire Edition cards, which is to say fast; the X1900 XTX wrestled the crown away from the Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX. For more details, check out GameSpot's detailed run-through of the gaming aspects of the X1900 line.

Downside: All PC TV tuner cards force some level of compromise in terms of signal quality, especially if you're inputting the signal from a cable source, then outputting it to a TV monitor. The All-In-Wonder X1900's series of daisy-chained dongles may be a hassle for some users who want to connect a variety of media sources to the card. And they're not conducive to a clutter-free PC setup.

Outlook: Sporting a version of the latest and greatest 3D technology, plus ATI's well-regarded TV tuner hardware, the All-In-Wonder X1900 may prove a good choice for users with limited expansion space in their computer cases or people looking to upgrade their graphics and obtain TV and multimedia functionality in a single card. True power users might prefer a dedicated X1900 card (or even two of them in CrossFire mode) along with a stand-alone TV tuner card with dual tuners or over-the-air HD capabilities. At $499, the All-In-Wonder X1900 is the cheapest card in the X1900 line, coming in $50 less than the X1900 XT. Check back soon for our full review.