[Justin Morgan]

Hi,

I am looking for the best value card. The video card will be primarily used for DVD playback using the nVidia NVDVD player on a 7" CRT projector (also I will use a Hauppauge 401 for TV playback with DScaler).


My current list of choices includes the following...which is the best?

A) Radeon 8500 (I already have one of these in my current PC)

B) GeForce2 MX (I have one of these lying around somewhere)

C) Radeon 9000 (appx $75 for 64MB OEM version)

D) GeForce4 Ti4200 (appx $120 for 64MB version)

E) Other? (eg, Radeon 9500 for $150 OEM version, Radeon 9700, etc?)


(Currently, I am leaning toward the GeForce4 Ti4200.)


Many thanks for any info.

 

[Namlemez]

I would have to guess the Radeon 9000, since it shares most hardware with the top of the line 9700.


The other problem I see is that you want to use NVDVD with non-nVidia products. That might prove problematic?

 

[New B]

My son and i have gotten a few different ATI things for the computer such as a TV Adapter Card and Radeon 8500. Installing is a complete hassle. There are problems with the drivers, and both times it wasnt simple "plug-n-play"... After the hassle the cards were worht it but, definetly not for something out-dated. Also be cautios with the newer stuff for the come with bad drivers, very bad... That was mostly the case with these to products.

 

[Justin Morgan]

Quote:

The other problem I see is that you want to use NVDVD with non-nVidia products. That might prove problematic?

Good point. I checked into that. According to the nVidia NVDVD page , the NVDVD player supports ATi Radeon cards (and all GeForce cards way back to the GeForce 256).

 

[Justin Morgan]

(Just a quick follow-up in case anyone is following in my footsteps, searching through past posts. )


I tried both of the cards that I already own (Radeon 8500 and GeForce2 MX). The picture created by the Radeon with WinDVD 4 was much MUCH better on my 7" CRT projector, compared to the picture from the GeForce2 MX.


I also tried NVDVD 2, but that didn't seem to pass the S/PDIF signal correctly from my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 (my Lexicon pre/pro didn't lock onto the DD 5.1 S/PDIF signal with NVDVD 2, but it worked flawlessly with WinDVD 4's S/PDIF signal). Subjectively, I'd say that NVDVD looked just slightly better than WinDVD, but it's important to get accurate sound in addition to great picture, so I will go with WinDVD for now.


Hard to say whether the GeForce4 Ti4200 or Radeon 9000 would look better. For now I am satisfied that the Radeon 8500 looks GREAT!


Pentium3 800MHz - 384MB RAM

ATi Radeon 8500

M-Audio Audiophile 2496

Windows XP Pro

WinDVD 4 Platinum

DScaler 3

 

[alchymie]

ATI must have listened. Previously they had like half a dozen different files you had to install in a certain order. With no intelligent set of instructions.


Now when you go to their download website, they still have the files, but at least they now have some useful installation instructions. (At least for my 8500DV card.)


Still, its best to install immediately after a clean install of your operating system. This is fine for a new computer. If you already have an up and running system it can be a real nuisance.


Another negative, after I installed the 8500DV, my ATA controller card started acting flaky. I had to buy another brand of controller card.


The video card can negatively impact other PCI cards that interact with the BIOS. This can be specific to the motherboard. Everything could work fine on another platform. Make sure the vendor has a generous return policy. I've purchased most of my computer stuff using American Exress Blue card. It has a return protection guarantee. Its saved me a lot of money.


That's the problem with building your own system versus buying a pre-built one. You're going to run into device incompatibilities.