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
 

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/Prod [...] 6813128090
 
 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/Prod [...] 6819103774
 
 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/Prod [...] 6820211066

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...
 

Crap, that was the mobo i was looking at, only last week it was 89 with free shipping
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103256
 
Thats the cpu i was looking
 
Thanks for advice so far, glad to know a new video card wouldnt help that system much.

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.

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/Prod [...] 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/V [...] uctID=2800
 
vs  
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Show [...] otherboard
 
Thanks

AGP? Maybe a 3850...

They are buggy and cost almost as much as the whole system would.
 
If they were like $80 id do it.