Agp hdcp video card?

chadwixx

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Dec 15, 2006
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I have an old 2.53 p4 with a gig of memory ive been using hooked up to a hdtv (720p). I currently have a 5200fx in there and was wondering if there are any better choices. My cpu goes up in the 90's from time to time and it seems to lose a few frames. Can anyone recommend a good agp card for hd playback (no games). The computer has a earthwatts 430 power supply.

Another alternative is getting a new mobo/cpu. I was looking at a motherboard with a hd3200 hd onboard with a new 45 watt 2.3 processor. Is the motherboard worth buying with the hd3200, or will i end up putting a video card in anyways?

Thanks

 

emp

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An AGP card will run you for about $100-120 and you will feel very little improvement over your old configuration, that's why I'd recommend paying, like you said, a little bit more for a far more capable system that will work wonders for you, something along the lines of this:

GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2H AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128090

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103774

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211066
 

Hard Line

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emp just quoted an excellent system for your needs..I have that same mainboard.. and I have to say it is excellent... I did however throw my 8800gt in it.. but for you it would work great.. the integrated graphics decodes HD very nicely....and the board has HDMI out along with firewire and headers for front usb, firewaire and audio at around 100 bucks.. can't go wrong... and it is the only am2+ 780g board that can handle cpus over 125W... the other brands skimped on voltage regulators...

 

emp

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Honestly it's really pointless to spend that much for that CPU, especially since it's only slightly faster than the one I mentioned at a $25 difference. The stock CPU fan can be low enough so it can be silent/near-silent as long as you don't OC, so noise is also a moot point. I'd go for the cheapest X2 you can find, and well the X2 4000+ was the cheapest I found on newegg.
 

chadwixx

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The reason i like the other one is the 45watts and 1meg cashe. Yours is much cheaper and free ship so still cant decide.

The problem i read with that mobo is the north bridge gets very hot and the video playback becomes pixelated. They do have this very similar board at new egg for a dollars more

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128335&Tpk=GA-MA78G-DS3H

It looks like the made the heatsink alot bigger. Go tri crossfire with some crappy low end ati cards too :)

http://tw.giga-byte.com/Products/ViewImage.aspx?ProductID=2800

vs

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?Image=13-128-090-18.jpg%2c13-128-090-20.jpg%2c13-128-090-19.jpg%2c13-128-090-14.jpg%2c13-128-090-15.jpg%2c13-128-090-16.jpg%2c13-128-090-17.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&WaterMark=1&Item=N82E16813128090&Depa=0&Description=GIGABYTE+GA-MA78GM-S2H+Micro+ATX+AMD+Motherboard

Thanks