Help me choose a new VIDEO card

[Guest]

Here's what i'd like:
-I want to be able to watch TV on my computer
-I want to record off the TV onto my computer
-Tv out, so i can play games etc on my television.
-As best 3d quality/speed as possible..
I've been looking at a ATI All In Wonder Radeon 32meg DDR but is there another, better choice? money isnt a problem, but around 300-350 would be a reasonable price.

thanks for your feedback,

 

[Guest]

what do you guys think about a ATI Radeon 64med DDR VIVO for this situation? my friend reccomended it, any feedback?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

I would definetly recomend a NVIDIA GeForce card over an ATI anytime. There´s a lot of new models coming out at excelent prices and with tons of features. Asus and CardExpert (Aka. Gainward) has good ones but there are a ot more. Hope this helps you.

 

[Guest]

Check out the ATI site and see if it has all the features that you need. Though ATI's cards can't go head to head with the fastest gforce cards (gf3, 2ultra, etc) on fps, they certainly do not lack in speed or quality. If the card has what you need, go for it. You won't have any regrets.

/Please God... Change the Sig O' the Week/

 

[Guest]

Could someone just assure me that it can cover all my needs, such as:

Me being able to watch Television through my computer.
Me being able to record off the television, like ripping TV shows
Me being able to view my desktop/play computer games on my TV (tv out)
And the ability to have 3d graphics support..

BTW, what kinda outputs am i going to need from my VCR that will plug into the video card. Cause right now i've just got a coaxial cabel coming out of the VCR, it's an old VCR, so will i have to buy another new VCR aswell?

 

[HonestJhon]

i think the ati all in wonder radeon will come equipped with coax in, and probably for the output, you will have Svideo. my geforce2 pro has tv-out and that is Svideo, which has better quality than regualar rca cables, and coax. but i think that for what you want to do, go for the radeon all in wonder. as with the name, it has all you need in one wonder.
-DAvid
-i say that, not being a major ATI fan -

 

[Guest]

Yeah, i've considered that aswell... But the downside in going with the ATI Radeon AIW is the 3d capabilities and the price... The Radeon 64 VIVO would have slightly better 3d graphis (im not sure to what degree) and would be cheaper.. BUT, without a coaxial input, i'd need to buy a VCR aswell, since mine is really old.. Am i correct?

So, putting this all together...

ATI Radeon AIW = coaxial input, no need for a VCR, lower quality 3d support, higher price.

ATI Radeon 64 VIVO = lower price, Higher quality 3d, but i'd need to buy a VCR...

So basically, if i'm on track, the price of a VCR that would support a OUTPUT RGB Composite plug (to attach to the VIVO) would be the differing factor while deciding on which model to buy, am i correct?

 

[HonestJhon]

i think you are correct. and you would probably want a new vcr anyways. new vcr's have better quality recording also. does the vivo have the Svideo input, or it it RCA?
-DAvid

 

[HonestJhon]

plus, i think that if you hook it up with a vcr, then you will be able to use your vcr remote to change the channel, instead of the mouse or te keyboard. so i think if you are planning to play 3d games, or 3d graphics at all, then go for the vivo. you should be pretty set.
-DAvid
oh yeah, what connectors does the vivo actually have?

 

[Guest]

Im not too sure, i suggest you take a look for yourself, here's the product page ) thanks alot for your help BTW

http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/radeon64_ddr/index.html

 

[HonestJhon]

looks like it should be good..
and no prob for the help...i have gotten plenty of help from here myself, and right now, i am trying to figure something else out! my gefore2pro card is not working. i just got it in the mail, and it wont install right...it just locks up. really frustrating!
-DAvid

 

[Guest]

Another option is to go get a decent graphics card, and then pick up an ATI tv-wonder pci card. They are cheap and has direct input for cable etc... Lets you use your comp as a vcr, you can capture screen shots, watch tv etc...



/Please God... Change the Sig O' the Week/

 

[Guest]

Hi,

I have an ATI Radeon Vivo and it's great for games....it has svideo out and rca in/out. So your old vcr will work fine. To watch cable tv on ur computer have cable line into vcr then using coaxial cable output into radeon card input. Picture quality is pretty good. So i suggest u should buy it...It's the best all in one out there except for the AIW.

 

[Guest]

Well blackwolf, that does make sence.. Since it would make upgrading in the future alot easier, because of the free AGP slot.

Would the ATI tv-wonder pci card do all the things i listed above? and does it have a coaxial input?

 

[noko]

I watch TV all the time on my computer with my Radeon 64 VIVO. I have my cable box connected to my Radeon VideoIn input (composite in using RCA jacked cable). The sound is connected to my soundcard. Right now I have a resiziable window on top of my browser watching MSNBC. You have three choices for the Radeon 64 when viewing the video, in a window, background of desktop (pretty cool, sits behind all desktop icons and windows or full screen. Can record in a number of formats (AVI, Mpeg, MpegII) with many different resolutions. Really an awesome feature which I am disappointed that the new Radeon 8500 doesn't duplicate by not having a VideoIn. Since the Radeon will do Adaptive De-interlacing on any video if selected by the drivers, you get an outstanding clear view that beats any TV set that I'ver ever seen. Anyways it works very well for me. I would recommend the Radeon 7500 which supposenely will have this same feature with a much supped up version of the Radeon chip clocked at 270mhz with 230mhz ram. Its price is less then $200 out of the door. The old Radeon prices should start to drop rather sharply once the new Radeons start to ship. I am very impressed and been very satisfied with the Radeon performance and quality in all areas (2d, 3d, video, DVD) for virtually a year.

 

[Guest]

but how do you feel about the ATI tv-wonder pci card?? Since that would eliminate me having to buy a VCR, and i could buy another hardcore AGP graphics card to go with it???

Another question, what's a good card that'll go with the ATI tv-wonder pci card??

 

[Guest]

y do u have to buy new vcr when you already have one?

 

[Guest]

because the VCR i have know if from like 1992, and has a coaxial output.. therefor cannot be hooked upto the radeon VIVO.....

i thought i already mentioned this....

 

[arsend]

I have the AIW Radeon, and it has served me well.
It has the following features: S-video in/out, Composite in/out, Antena in, SPDIF output (for Dolby digital movies) and includes connectors for sound input/output. You can record TV shows, has a great picture (as long as the source is good though) and runs 3D games, ok. If you want to have a faster card, and are not worried about losing the SPDIF output or using more IRQ's, you can purchase the Radeon VIVO and hook it directly up the the ATI TV card, but I would highly recommend the AIW. Here is the site to get more <A HREF="http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon/index.html" target="_new">info</A>.

If it works for you then don't fix it.

 

[Guest]

yes the tvwonder has coax input and tv out(don't know if its coax out or rca). You can always goto radio shack and get A converter box from coax to rca for your cable and use a card with non coax input.

/Please God... Change the Sig O' the Week/

 

[noko]

You need to get an adapter to get Video Out (RCA) and the two sound channels (that is if your VCR is stereo) or a new higher quality VCR (they are cheap) with video out.

 

[AMD_Man]

Wow! VCRs? I haven't used a VCR since the release of the DVD. They seem like ancient technology now. Seriously, I have an ATI TV Wonder and I record shows and movies on CDs and watched bought and rented movies on DVDs.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor