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Need Opinions

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  • Graphics Cards
  • Graphics
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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February 11, 2001 7:21:49 PM

Hey everybody, this is my first post. I’d like your opinions on what I should get for a graphic/video card. I don’t know anything about them basically. I would like to keep this thread friendly if possible. I am asking for opinions, everybody has one, most are different, none are necessarily wrong, I’d like to hear them all. Primary importance is COST. I would like to keep it down at the expense of performance. I don’t want a total piece of crap either though. I am building a computer now and have decided on an AMD 900 Tbird, ASUS A7V133 Board, Crucial 256 cas2 RAM. I am taking the Burner and extra HD out of my current computer, which will then serve it’s extended life in my daughters room, constantly searching endlessly online for Backstreet Boys Pics and info (Uggghh)
What I need in this card is decent 3D performance, I am not too picky. I will NEVER watch T.V. or DVD’s on my computer although I may wish to edit video’s etc at some point in time but I was hoping I could buy another card specifically for that purpose when the time comes. I use Photoshop a lot if that matters, usually working on 5-6 jpg’s at a time, cutting and pasting etc between them, each usually 15- 25 mb. I also usually have 3 or 4 programs open at a time, like Photoshop, Word, AOL, Front Page and I bounce around between them if that matters. Did I buy enough RAM ? That’s all the info I can think of that would help you to help me. I also have not decided on a case yet so any opinions on that are welcome too. I would like to have a mid tower w/300 watts, 3-4 5.25” & 2- 3.5” ext. bays w/ a few internal bays also, plus large enough that air flow is good, with usb ports on front and firewire(?) and hopefully screwless but I’ll probably end up with 2- 5.25 and 2- 3.5 ext bays 300 watts and that’s it .HAHA While I’m at it. How come mother boards haven’t incorporated firewire ports into the boards yet and how come, if your lucky, you can sometimes find a case with usb up front but nothing else (like Mic, headphone, rca jacks, firewire. Is it just me or is it a pain to pull out computer to plug something in that is temporary. Anyways, thanks for any help in any of these matters. Please let everyone have their opinion without starting a war Thanks, Ron rfh1234@aol.com
PS If you know of any good websites that sell cards or cases cheap, please let me know.
PPS As far as games go, I am not an avid gamer. I don't even own Quake (Oh No!)and all winter I almost exclusively play flight sims (Falcon 4.0)if that makes a difference on card selection. All spring, summer, and fall I go outside and fly my Hang Glider!<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by rfh1234 on 02/11/01 04:41 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

More about : opinions

February 11, 2001 7:42:26 PM

Right now, the entire public has no use for firewire- that's why it's not in boards. You can get Firewire cards for like $60. Umm, if you want a price/performance ratio then consider a GeForce 2 MX or Radeon DDR. It really depends on how much you want to spend.

-MP Jesse
February 11, 2001 8:12:48 PM

Well with an ASUS A7V a radeon should work rather well. For the price of a Radeon LE (less than $90) you get a 32mb DDR board in the USA. It is hard to beat for the performance in high Res 32 bit games for the price. Just remember this card is clocked at 148mhz vice 166mhz for the standard Radeon 32 and 183mhz for the Radeon 64 Vivo Retail. Confusing yes. Except the Radeon LE will overclock to 166mhz and with a fan added to the Radeon chip heat sink the LE overclocks even better. Accomplish by using PowerStrip 2.75 or above. PowerStrip3.0 beta build 114 is built around the Radeon chip which adds many custom settings. 2d quality is top notch with superb 32 bit game quality for the Radeon. 16bit game quality and speed is not good compared to any of the Geforce line of cards. Geforce MX line for the price is also a good deal which not only does it play games well but supports W2k with same performance as Win9x drivers. Supports linux a hell alot better also than the Radeon, at this time as well. Most trouble free cards and ease of installation is probably the Nvidia chipset cards. That doesn't mean you won't have problems with either but in general I believe the Nvidia cards tend to have less installation problems. Support wise, Nvidia cards will depend on the manufacturer you buy from, the Radeon you depend on ATI only (good or bad). I never had a problem with ATI myself they have always been somewhat responsive to my E-mails and request. Now if you move up then there is the 64meg Radeon ViVo (retail 183mhz, OEM 166mhz) for less than $190 which you could do vidio editing because it has ViVo. I use the Video In to watch TV while I browse the internet. I have recorded in Mpeg 2 at 640x240 16bit stereo cd quality sound without any frame loss on my machine 75% cpu usage. Max I can record without loosing frames is 480x480 95% cpu usage, mpeg2, cd quality sound on my 800mhz Athlon system. Now you have the GeForce II GTS line which are great gaming cards with stable drivers, hard to beat FPS screamers. Quality of 2d will vary between who manufacture the card but most people have no complaints about the 2d quality. So unless you are picky like myself about 2d quality it should be a non-issue. Then you get into the real screamers, GTS PRO and ULTRA. If you want to play 1600x1300x32 at over 60FPS on virtually any game well here you go. Radeon may have a somewhat better future capability due to more directx8 hardware support, 3 texture pipeline but by the time games really take advantage of that may be a mute point. You may already be on another graphic card by then. Don't forget about the NV20, I recommend either a cheap Radeon LE or GeForce MX then a NV 20 when the price goes down. Right now it doesn't look like anything will be able to match the NV-20. Radeon II may make a good run for the money but who knows when ATI will release this contender.
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February 11, 2001 8:49:37 PM

That sounds like an excellent assessment of the current video card scene, at least for the ATI and nVidia cards.

Well done.

You seem to be very knowledable of ATI products. Would you happen to know if there is an improved video capture program for my old ATI All-in-Wonder (not Radeon, not Rage Pro nor 128)? The capture program I have only captures MPEG or AVI with sound problems. I would like MPEG2 even if I have to use very low resolution.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 02/11/01 05:51 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
February 11, 2001 10:11:28 PM

Your right I forgot to mention Matrox which for alot of people would be the best choice, stable drivers, best 2d for those who rarely do anykind of gaming what so ever. Also ATI is advertising the Radeon VE which would be Matrox competition in the business world as well as the GeForce II MX.
<A HREF="http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/radeon_ve/index..." target="_new">http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/radeon_ve/index...;/A>
I really don't know of an improve capture program for the original All-In-Wonder. Will look around ATI site and net and get back with you if I find anything.
Anonymous
a b U Graphics card
February 11, 2001 11:56:59 PM

Radeon 32 meg DDR all the way. <$90 and performs the same as the GF2 GTS!
http://www.hardocp.com/reviews/vidcards/ati/radeon

What's with you, hang gliding? That's something real! Get out of here you looser! :) 
Anonymous
a b U Graphics card
February 12, 2001 12:59:32 AM

buy an ati all in wonder card its nice and cheap and will do everthing
!