Adding my pleas to those other newbies out there for some guidance in video card selection....
I've been running an HTPC for a couple of years now. I've primarily dedicated it to music server status until now. A few months ago, I lost the use of my stand-alone Denon 3800 DVD player for a while and discovered that TheaterTek 1.5 was a really nice piece of playback software for my DVDs.
I'd like to move more fully into the video playback area of HTPCs. I've read many threads on video card recommendations, ffdshow, etc., etc. I've managed to eke out a small list of things I think I would like to do, but am baffled on how to actually select a new video card.
I'm really a hard-core Macintosh user. There, we take what video card Steve gives us and we LIKE it.
I'm currently running:
Asus P4B-533VM motherboard (AGP 4x, 3PCI slots)
1.8GHz P4
Radeon 7000VE (VGA & composite outs)
M-Audio Delta DiO 24/96
512MB RAM
80GB Barracuda IV
120GB Barracuda V
Windows 2000 SP4
ATI Catalyst 4.9 drivers
Everything is packed into a relatively small "equipment-style" case. The motherboard is mATX (micro-ATX) form factor, and I like that everything is so compact. The setup drives a standard 15in monitor, my basic 20in TV & my Sanyo PLV60HT (native resolution 1368x768--generally run as 1360x768)
I'm primarily interested in upgrading the video card and possibly the processor. I like the size of things the way they are configured now. I'm also happy with my thermal/noise performance. I find I only need to run the CPU heatsink fan with my setup--and that is generally undervolted. My PCI slots are filled with the sound card, a FireWire card, and beginning tomorrow, a 1000base-T ethernet card.
Anyway...all the NVidia quality threads have me drooling to move to at 6800-class card, but I'm afraid it might be overkill. The 6600-series aren't available in AGP versions yet, and I can't even find a 6200-series card for sale. I get utterly lost in all the variations of the 5x00-series cards (to say nothing of the Radeon 9x00 series).
My goals are:
1) VMR9 playback--forum consensus being that if you can achieve it, it's the best.
2) Maximizing TT2 picture quality
3) Possibility of using DVI connections when I upgrade my display(s)
4) Multi-head driving. Ideally, the same picture on all 3 displays (meaning converting a DVI connection to a 2nd VGA). Less ideally, a way to quickly switch the primary display to any of my 3 devices and have the resolutions switch automatically.
5) Ease of driver upgrades/testing. I always seemed to have problems with the ATi driver upgrade process...
6) ffdshow usage (although this would be primarily a processor upgrade issue)
My concerns are:
1) Cooling a current video card in my small case
2) Keeping fan noise to a minimum
3) How will limiting myself to a 4x AGP bus impact my desire to run VMR9?
4) Fitting a current-generation video card in my case
VMR9 usage would push me in the direction of the 6x00-class cards, but is it worth it considering my old AGP slot? If not, what then? Searching on newegg for just 6x00-class cards gives me more that 30-40 choices! How do PC users differentiate between all the different ones? Pointers are greatly appreciated! I'd even love to find an easy way of figuring out which is the "highest-end" card in a given manufacturer's series (for example Nvidia's 6800Ultra->6800GT->6800->6600GT->6600->6200).
Thanks,
Brad
I've been running an HTPC for a couple of years now. I've primarily dedicated it to music server status until now. A few months ago, I lost the use of my stand-alone Denon 3800 DVD player for a while and discovered that TheaterTek 1.5 was a really nice piece of playback software for my DVDs.
I'd like to move more fully into the video playback area of HTPCs. I've read many threads on video card recommendations, ffdshow, etc., etc. I've managed to eke out a small list of things I think I would like to do, but am baffled on how to actually select a new video card.
I'm really a hard-core Macintosh user. There, we take what video card Steve gives us and we LIKE it.
I'm currently running:
Asus P4B-533VM motherboard (AGP 4x, 3PCI slots)
1.8GHz P4
Radeon 7000VE (VGA & composite outs)
M-Audio Delta DiO 24/96
512MB RAM
80GB Barracuda IV
120GB Barracuda V
Windows 2000 SP4
ATI Catalyst 4.9 drivers
Everything is packed into a relatively small "equipment-style" case. The motherboard is mATX (micro-ATX) form factor, and I like that everything is so compact. The setup drives a standard 15in monitor, my basic 20in TV & my Sanyo PLV60HT (native resolution 1368x768--generally run as 1360x768)
I'm primarily interested in upgrading the video card and possibly the processor. I like the size of things the way they are configured now. I'm also happy with my thermal/noise performance. I find I only need to run the CPU heatsink fan with my setup--and that is generally undervolted. My PCI slots are filled with the sound card, a FireWire card, and beginning tomorrow, a 1000base-T ethernet card.
Anyway...all the NVidia quality threads have me drooling to move to at 6800-class card, but I'm afraid it might be overkill. The 6600-series aren't available in AGP versions yet, and I can't even find a 6200-series card for sale. I get utterly lost in all the variations of the 5x00-series cards (to say nothing of the Radeon 9x00 series).
My goals are:
1) VMR9 playback--forum consensus being that if you can achieve it, it's the best.
2) Maximizing TT2 picture quality
3) Possibility of using DVI connections when I upgrade my display(s)
4) Multi-head driving. Ideally, the same picture on all 3 displays (meaning converting a DVI connection to a 2nd VGA). Less ideally, a way to quickly switch the primary display to any of my 3 devices and have the resolutions switch automatically.
5) Ease of driver upgrades/testing. I always seemed to have problems with the ATi driver upgrade process...
6) ffdshow usage (although this would be primarily a processor upgrade issue)
My concerns are:
1) Cooling a current video card in my small case
2) Keeping fan noise to a minimum
3) How will limiting myself to a 4x AGP bus impact my desire to run VMR9?
4) Fitting a current-generation video card in my case
VMR9 usage would push me in the direction of the 6x00-class cards, but is it worth it considering my old AGP slot? If not, what then? Searching on newegg for just 6x00-class cards gives me more that 30-40 choices! How do PC users differentiate between all the different ones? Pointers are greatly appreciated! I'd even love to find an easy way of figuring out which is the "highest-end" card in a given manufacturer's series (for example Nvidia's 6800Ultra->6800GT->6800->6600GT->6600->6200).
Thanks,
Brad