ATI Card Choice

[jleevitt]

I am building a new system. I am not a gamer but will probably play some games once this is built but it won't be extensive.

Mostly what I want a gpu for is to take my dvd encoding load somewhat off of my cpu to help let me multitask and do other things while encoding and burning dvd's.

I think the ATI Sapphire ATI 4830 fits my needs but I just don't want it to be overkill.

Just wanted to see if I could get someone elses thoughts on this

Specs:
AMD 64x2 7750 (stable 3.2 overclock, stock voltage)
AsRock A780GXE Mobo
WD 500gb hd
Raidmax Smilodon Case
600w psu
g.skill 4gb ddr2 1066

Thanks

 

[bestliu]

How about HD4670 or HD3870 , the previous generation top end ~
and the question is which kind of game do you usually play?

 

[amdfangirl]

Right now the HD 4830 is the same price as the HD 4670 after MIR... rather more power for free! =P

 

[jleevitt]

it will mostly be to free up my cpu on encoding projects of the sort

if i do any gaming it will be online mmorpg - and some weak rc simulators

probably the most powerful gaming i will do is Shaiyra or Warhammer/WoW stuff on no more than 1680x1050 reso

mostly a console gamer, need more firepower for ripping, encoding and burning while doing other tasks (i.e. internet, media player, word processor, all at once)

I'm not a real "geek" I'm not looking for the cutting edge I am just looking for something that will work for me that is fast and efficient.

 

[amdfangirl]

Yes, it should be fine with Ati Stream... Probably alot faster than your COU but you might consider buying a Quad-Core. GPU accelerated video conversion is nice, but you gotta know that most video formats and codecs are supported still by only CPUs.

 

[jleevitt]

most all if not all my video formats are .avi files - i dont know if that makes any difference

i have considered a quad-core - most likely an upgrade for the future
right now i am just getting into a multiple-core to feel it out (running a celeron d right now)

so lets try to put this into perspective because i really dont know....
with my specs on a dual core - am i going to be able to burn a dvd and do other stuff at the same time or do i really need a quad core right now?

i haven't bought everything yet, and my mobo i chose completely supports am+ processors

 

[salem80]

Dual core CPU will not help in video converting that much
the GPU video converter software still not that good .
Quad Core CPU will give u more Power right now then the GPU .
i think Phenom II 920 are enough for u .
their is alot of freeWare video converter Like this
'Any Video Converter Freeware' (have alot of formats)
http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/
'Free Video Converter ' Test it and work great
http://admin.u15194059.onlinehome-server.com/cgi-bin/mysql/dl.pl?dbname=FH&table=Home_and_Hobby&ID=1277
'Bytessence MPxConverter' (i test it's work but max out res are 320*240)
http://www.bytessence.com/bmpxc.html

 

[amdfangirl]

most all if not all my video formats are .avi files - i dont know if that makes any difference

i have considered a quad-core - most likely an upgrade for the future
right now i am just getting into a multiple-core to feel it out (running a celeron d right now)

so lets try to put this into perspective because i really dont know....
with my specs on a dual core - am i going to be able to burn a dvd and do other stuff at the same time or do i really need a quad core right now?

i haven't bought everything yet, and my mobo i chose completely supports am+ processors

Oh ok, if so then the HD 4830 is perfect for you. You can burn DVDs and multitask, on a dual core, believe me, I've tried.

It should be perfectly ok. Just make sure it supports the Am3 PhII just for later.

 

[jleevitt]

i just wish someone would just stop and think for a minute

not everyone is hardcore-quad core

i just need it to work the way i want it.

 

[4745454b]

A GPU will not help you convert faster. As mentioned, the GPU transcoding tools suck for the most part, and a strong GPU won't help in a CPU only task. If this activity is taking to long, you need a better CPU and/or more ram. You already have four gigs, so if its not fast enough you need a better CPU.

You might want to download CPUz and see if your Asrock board is running things right. Perhaps you have some bad settings. Double check that you are using both cores in windows.

 

[Raidur]

+1 4830. Will crush Warhammer/Wow and if you decide to up the games in the near future you won't be let down.

 

[jleevitt]

ok just to clarify - this system is not together yet, those parts are on order though.

but ok so if the gpu isn't going to help much in encoding and such, then is my dual core going to allow me to encode/burn a dvd and do other things at the same time without lag?

right now i am totally obsolete (celeron d 2.93ghz 256ram)
it takes me nearly 2 hours from start to finish on encoding an .avi to dvd in nero
and it maxes out my cpu and i cannot do anything else

im sure anything i do is going to be a huge upgrade for me, but i want to make sure i am going to be able to do other things even if it doesn't speed up the encode/burn process

 

[anarchy4sale]

I think you are fine with an am2 + mobo, a dual core, and a 4830. the motherboard will allow you to upgrade to quad core later no problem, and the video card will work great especially with what you are playing. I am runnning dual core right now with no problem

 

[salem80]

ok just to clarify - this system is not together yet, those parts are on order though.

but ok so if the gpu isn't going to help much in encoding and such, then is my dual core going to allow me to encode/burn a dvd and do other things at the same time without lag?

right now i am totally obsolete (celeron d 2.93ghz 256ram)
it takes me nearly 2 hours from start to finish on encoding an .avi to dvd in nero
and it maxes out my cpu and i cannot do anything else

im sure anything i do is going to be a huge upgrade for me, but i want to make sure i am going to be able to do other things even if it doesn't speed up the encode/burn process

that's what quad core cpu made for "More multi tasking"
as i see ur mobo are AM3 CPU Ready so u have no probleme with Phenom II
and the Integrated GPU are great HD 3200 with 128 MB DDR3 side port memory
and u will see huge different between Athlon64X2 7750 and Phenom 2
even in games
the Ph2 920 beat Q6600 an some tests Q9450 in video converting
http://74.125.95.102/translate_c?hl=en&sl=el&tl=en&u=http://www.hwbox.gr/showthread.php%3Ft%3D3189%26garpg%3D16&usg=ALkJrhiH9PRGwJQI7KcbpFOdPVW3s38osA

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/phenom-ii-x4-920-overclocking_9.html#sect0

 

[4745454b]

I used to use a S939 3500+ AMD single core CPU. It would take me 3hrs to convert and burn (at 4x speed) a 1.4GB .avi file that runs for just under 3hrs. I also had one gig of DDR1-400 ram. I have now moved to a Dual core E6600 with 4GBs of DDR2-800 ram, and it now takes me just over one hour to convert. (I'm using Nero 7) So that I don't get coasters, I don't use my machine at all while burning. I don't do anything demanding while converting, just surfing or the like. I don't get any hick ups, nor do I get complaints on my burns.

If you haven't bought these parts yet, you're probably good to go. The 7750 isn't the fastest chip out there, but you should be able to convert and do something else while your doing that. Celeron's or horrible, I'm not surprised at how long it might take to do something. I'm not thrilled about that board, I would try to get something else instead.

 

[Just_An_Engineer]

I'll throw in my $0.02 worth on this. As has been mentioned already, the GPU transcoding programs (AVIVO for ATI cards and Badaboom for Nvidia cards) are pretty underwhelming. However, we are starting to see some decent encoding programs enable GPU acceleration. The recent versions of TMPGEnc enable GPU acceleration if you have a newer (G92 core or newer) Nvidia card. http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/te4xp.html#tabs I have not personally tried this as the most recent Nvidia card I own is only a 7600GT, but apparently TMPGEnc uses the GPU to speed up some of the filters, which would definitely be nice if it works. I suspect something similar will be available for ATI cards sometime in the near future.

 

[jleevitt]

i read an article about the latest greatest dx11 (which i assume will be released around the same time windows 7 is) is going to also have an architecture for encoding processes. Will post more info when I find the site again.

 

[Just_An_Engineer]

i read an article about the latest greatest dx11 (which i assume will be released around the same time windows 7 is) is going to also have an architecture for encoding processes. Will post more info when I find the site again.

I find it very hard to believe that DX11 will have anything to do with encoding as it is a 3D API and media encoding is most certainly not a 3D application. I suspect what you are referring to was probably about OpenCL, which is the GP-GPU API that is supposed to be rolled out around the same time as DX11.

Having an open GP-GPU API that will work on all cards and not be restricted to just the products of a single company is the best chance for some quality GPU accelerated apps to appear on the market. As it stands now where CUDA only works on Nvidia cards and Stream only works on ATI cards, there is less incentive for developers to write programs using those API's as the market for each is limited. If OpenCL's implementation is as widespread as we are being led to believe it will be then there is a much better chance that more developers will use it. Should be an interesting 12 months or so coming up.

 

[salem80]

@Just_An_Engineer
some news said DX11 will support GPGPU too

DirectX 11 is expected to enhance support for both GPGPU functions and multithreading;

http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/10/ati-dx11-40nm-gpus-on-track-for-a-2009-launch.ars
but what GPGPU application we will see here if both company can't give us real application depending on GPU power not CPU .

 

[alvine]

if you encode videos why did you go for quadcroe?

 

[Just_An_Engineer]

@Just_An_Engineer
some news said DX11 will support GPGPU too

DirectX 11 is expected to enhance support for both GPGPU functions and multithreading;

http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/10/ati-dx11-40nm-gpus-on-track-for-a-2009-launch.ars
but what GPGPU application we will see here if both company can't give us real application depending on GPU power not CPU .

I stand corrected.

 

[Vivian89]

I agree with you. Recently, i have tried many converter tools including any video converter, and another converter tool is also commendatory--Sothink Free Video Converter.
http://www.sothinkmedia.com/video-converter/

 

[QMark]

its not that Good , buy 4850 ! if U want MaxOut & play all games so Smooth then go for ATI 6850 or 6870 or if you cant get them then go for 5850 ! but 4850 will cover your needs , it will run Crysis so smooth ( maxed out )