I'm always scared that I'm missing out on quality, so every now and then I'd like to know what's the best at the moment (within what I know and can afford - HTCP's, that is). So is there an agreement on what's the best graphics card for CRT right now? I have an nVidia 6600GT that's been there for two years, and I'm guessing that there may be something that whips it now. Or isn't there?

Tor, I'm having real trouble picking a card for my new HTPC.

It's currently running an Nvidia 6800GT I borrowed from a mate.

Problems with Nvidia:

- VRM9 tears like crazy and judders and jump as it gets the frame order wrong, unless you use Renderless Exclusive mode, which doesn't suit me

- Therefore I have to use Overlay, which stretches video levels to PC levels (banding)

- Powerstrip custom timings are a tiny bit different every time you change res...grrr. They jump around when you are trying to make a new custom res. (I want to use Powerstrip as I have it linked to Reclock to automatically change res based on source rate)

- HD-DVD doesn't work on this older card. (New ones would be fine)


Then I borrowed an ATi x1950 Pro.

HD-DVD works, VRM9 works, Powerstrip works perfectly...

- But Reclock doesn't work properly, especially if you run an interlaced res. 1080i 96hz is reported as 1080i 48hz. Sort of ok, but 1080i 72hz doesn't work at all, as 36hz is not a multiple of 24fps. Also, reclock was detecting suspiscously perfect round numbers such as 50.000hz and 48.000hz, which is not even close to what powerstrip is actually set at - for instance I really use as close to 47.952hz as I can, not 48.000hz


So I can have it all but Reclock is only half working..

I dunno what to buy....

Mark

Wow! Is it really that difficult? I use renderless exclusive on my 6600GT, and I have been using that since the start, so there's no tearing. But haven't you tried any of the later nVidia models? I thought the tearing problem would be fixed by now.

Also perhaps I should to change my signature to match yours?

"Driving a Chevrolet Suburban gas guzzling monster ... but since it guzzles LPG it doesn't pollute!" :D

I've tried a 7800GT and it was no better. If you can use Renderless Exclusive then do that with an Nvidia card. But I can't do that with my TV application.

And a Chevy Suburban? You should be ashamed ;)

Aha. But the new generation 8x cards you haven't tried? The 7800 has been around for two years now, and I would assume that some things may have changed.

And I was a bit ashamed of the Sub before I put the environmentally clean LPG (liquied propane gas) system in it, but now it's quite funny to be able to snap back at those "you pollute"-people: "My car is cleaner than your puny Toyota Corolla!"

It may well be an exceptionally clean way to run a car, but if you're really running it from pressurised cylinders of liquid propane, you wouldn't get me within a hundred yards of it. That would be one hell of a dangerous car. How do you afford the insurance? Now, running from liquified petroleumgas would be a different proposition....

You're right, I got the acronym wrong. But it does contain mostly propane and butane. The mixture varies, but in Norway the common mixture is as far as I have heard 75 % propane and 25 % butane. In the UK I believe it's 60/40.

Also note that profiles and the ability to create hotkeys to change resolutions doesn't seem to function any longer for Nvidia cards.

The drivers for the 8xxx series cards are some of the worst ever for any card btw. Gaming is great but for HT that's the worst card on the market still. The hope is with the release of all the new versions 8xxx cards will finally be capable for HT again. Don't hold your breath...

Renderless exclusive is not an option for me either. Far too restrictive when you want to multitask and run multiple monitors.

Troy

Yeah, I'm watching Mythbusters on the other monitor on this PC right now as I type this.

Exclusive is not an option..

I'm having all sorts of fun with this 6800GT.....for a HTPC my old Radeon 9500 was a much better card. I think I'll get an ATi card and live with the half working Reclock.