AutumnWave OnAir GT HDTV Receiver Review

Installing the HDTV is a dream compared to other HDTV tuner cards.  Solutions from other vendors tend to have flaky Vista support and frustratingly long install times, but the AutumnWave worked flawlessly right from the start, even on the 64-bit version of Vista (no other tuner we’ve tested works 100% in Vista 64).  The tuner is immediately recognized in Media Center, and begins working instantly.  Having a no-hassle tuner far outweighs perceived advantages of other tuners.

The included software has a LOT of features, but just aren’t very polished.  There are several included tools to measure the antenna gain and other utilities, but the included PVR software isn’t very useful beyong watching live TV.  You have to set up recordings by time (just like your old VCR), and there didn’t seem to be any guide support.  Using the tuner in Windows Media Center is far more satisfying, which is what most users will end up using.

Although it is a little more bulky than other competing products, it is a dream to install and works flawlessly.  The next generation of this product should include a higher-gain antenna, more polished software, and a smaller and sexier package.  Regardless of these minor usability issues, the tuner performs better than any other on the market currently.

	REPORT CARD : AutumnWave OnAir GT USB HDTV Receiver category rating comments Quality 3 Antenna and packaging just not as “sexy” as other products Innovation 4 Could have been made more compact and portable Performance 5 Excellent video reception and quality Installation 5 After one time through, you know the entire story. Value 4 Expensive for a USB OTA HDTV tuner, but you get some of the best quality FINAL VERDICT: 4 out of 5 stars