Which Video Card

[lcdguy]

Basically i need help on finding a decent fairly cheap videocard to be used in my PVR/HTPC/Movie PC.

Basically all it needs to do is display movies, tv, divx videos, etc. I also don't need a tv out or something like that as it will be hooked up to my projecthrough through an analogue monitor cable.

My budget is around 50-70 Bucks Canadian. Preferably Nvidia. Also it has to be AGP. This is the only part i need to complete it as my current card for fried and is also out of warranty

 

[margag_]

Can i suggest you this....
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1010679&CatId=0

or this

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=988528&CatId=0

You should not be affraid to go ati you know

 

[lcdguy]

here's why i am iffy to go ATI.

i have only ever bought 1 ATI card ever and about 6 nvidia cards.

my one and only ati card has been RMA'd twice and was never fixed till the warranty ran out. All 6 of my nvidia cards have never as much as hiccuped let alone die on me twice. So you can see why i am iffy around ati cards. But ya. i will check those cards out.

now that mx4000 is looking pretty slick. another question which would give better performance the mx4000 or an FX5200.

 

[margag_]

usually both brands are very well .....

You bought the spoiler one... or two...

there is always a bad apple in a basket...

could tell you about my step brother but...

ok ill skip the details

 

[lcdguy]

right but that doesn't answer my question

"now that mx4000 is looking pretty slick. another question which would give better performance the mx4000 or an FX5200."

please. as it will save me a couple of bucks or not

 

[margag_]

like you can see here : http://www.tomshardware.com/2003/12/29/vga_charts_iii/page6.html

Gaming wise both are alike for old games...

But for the price and considering your application (movies) i would go for the cheapest possible.. gf4 mx4000 and possibly overclock it a bit if you want to play classic games like halo or call of duty etc...

 

[lcdguy]

nah no gaming on this system. thats what my 6600 GT is for

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

nah no gaming on this system. thats what my 6600 GT is for

Then go for at least an FX5200, better/faster RAMDACs means better resolution and colour depth options. Also many video progams are now requiring DX9 capable cards to run some features, now whether the FXseries counts or not is another question.

I would recommend a GF6200 if you could find on cheap enough (but your budgets a bit low for that I think), as it would allow you additional features.

Really if you're not averse to the R9550 or R9600 they would likely do a far better job than the FX5200.

 

[lcdguy]

ok thanks for the input, i think i can make a decision now.