Video Cards

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-13 15:22

I know this may not be the best place, but I was hoping I could get some feedback on the newest Video Cards. I am in the market for one, and I want to hear all of the good and bad news about each one.

I have done my homework. But you may want to be specific for those that haven't.

So far, I want to spend no more than $200. The ATI 9700 Pro is a little out of my range. But, feel free to try to convince me to buy it...if you have had good experience with it.

Please, only Nvidia and ATI.
Thanks.

Twink · Post by **Twink** » 2003-08-13 19:43

The 9500 pro and 9700 standard are good candidates, the 9500 pro is basically a 9700 underclocked, so you can overclock it to very nice speeds. Similarly with the 9700 standard, its very overclockable. However these cards are getting harder to get now, as ATI bring out the 9600 series, which as far as I've seen so far doesn't even beat the 9500 pro, and its specially designed to stop overclocking (ATI thought the 9500 pro sales were bringing the 9700 ones down)

nVidia styles, I hear the 5900 Ultra or something is meant to be really good, however that's very expensive. The lower nVidia cards dont match up to the corresponding ATI ones.

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-13 21:05

Yeah, I'm not familiar with Nvidia at all. The 9500 pro is a gem. They DISCONTINUED the 9500 pro because it can easily be overclocked to surpass the 9600.

If I remember correctly, the 9600 doesn't even have a fan. Man, is that right? I can't remember now.

Anyway, thanks for the input.

Twink · Post by **Twink** » 2003-08-13 22:26

I was under the impression that the 9500 pro bet the 9600 pro without overclocking, and could come close the 9700 standard when overclocked.

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-14 07:42

..................................RADEONÃ¢â€žÂ¢ 9600 PRO.....RADEONÃ¢â€žÂ¢ 9500 PRO
Frame Buffer. .................128MB DDR................. 128MB DDR
Memory Interface................ 128-bit ......................128-bit
Rendering Pipelines.................. 4 ...............................8
Pixel Fillrate (Gpixels/sec).........1.6............................ ?
Engine Clock (MHz)................. 400 .............................275
Memory Clock (MHz)...............600 ............................540
Price.......................................$150-185...................$200

OK, the 9600 pro has a fan...but one of the models I was looking at didn't have a fan.

Oh, and you better have at least a 300watt power supply!

tetsuokin · Post by **tetsuokin** » 2003-08-14 14:18

if you can get a 9500 with the memory chips arranged in an "L" shape around the heatsink, then it can be overclocked so that it is the same as a 9700 Pro, inc upgrading the pixel shaders from 4 to 8..

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-14 14:30

That's what I just read. Seems there is some software needed...or is it some type of bios update? Can't remember, but it seems that you have to do something to unlock it.

Do you know what I'm talking about, and if so, where to get it?

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-14 14:45

Ok, I just reread your post...did you mean 9500pro or just a regular 9500?

I have never actually seen the L formation of memory chips, but just to make sure the 9500 black PCB versionand 9500Pro red PCB versionaren't configured like that, right? (I only see ram along one side of the GPU).

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-14 15:47

Ok, it looks like it IS the 9500 that has the L shaped mem chips. Am I right>

tetsuokin · Post by **tetsuokin** » 2003-08-15 08:57

yeah, it's the 9500, as i said previously.... not the pro version.....

You can unlock the graphics pipeline so that you have 8 instead of the 4 pixel shaders normally..

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-08-15 10:38

Yes. Yes. You are correct. I've been doing some reading lately...and I now understand most of the ins and outs.

I'm in the process of getting one, but it's a hit or miss game. It is pretty hard to find one, but I have found 5 different ones now. But, like I said, it may not fall through.

Anyways, it's kind of a gamble, because opening those other pipelines cause checkerboard defects. The theory is that the 9700 PCB and GPU were used for the 9500 because some of the 9700 GPUs had defective pipelines (one of those four that are disabled). Hope I get a good one. *crosses fingers*

I don't guess you know of one that is KNOWN to work?

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-10-31 06:48

Hi
I have XP Home Ed which doesnÃ‚Â´t support duplicate monitors, that is needed if I want to watch my dvd/mpeg/other on regular TV. I have the cables and TV-out and all so itÃ‚Â´s very frustrating...

Do I have to install XP Pro (if I get it for free...

) or is there any plugin/apps/other to install that can compensate this loss?

Anyone knows?

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-10-31 06:50

(I used this forum Ã‚Â´cos I thought it was close to the disc about Videocards...)

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-10-31 07:42

Delly wrote:Hi
I have XP Home Ed which doesnÃ‚Â´t support duplicate monitors, that is needed if I want to watch my dvd/mpeg/other on regular TV. I have the cables and TV-out and all so itÃ‚Â´s very frustrating...

Do I have to install XP Pro (if I get it for free... ) or is there any plugin/apps/other to install that can compensate this loss?

Anyone knows?

look for other video driver for your video card, probably the only install is not aware of the tv out feature.

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-10-31 08:57

But I have updated my drivers for my nVidia GF FX 5200 with TV-out! And the card came with the computer, installed and all.
Search for what, alternative drivers for the same card?

joakim_tosteberg · Post by **joakim_tosteberg** » 2003-10-31 09:07

You have checked the advanced prefrences for your graphic card?
You usually find the by righ click on your desktop->properties->settings->advanced

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-10-31 09:27

Yes, I followed the settings under the videocards settings for dupl mon for the Viceocard (by clooning monitors). When I do so, the same frame/picture should appear on TV, which it doesnÃ‚Â´t. When searching for troubles it indicates that Home Ed doesnÃ‚Â´t support the feature!

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-10-31 09:43

if you have the settings for it in your vdo card settins, XP should have what it take to make it work.

make sure you're in the right display mode.
ex: it might work in 800 X 600 32Bits colors and not in any other mode.
check your vdo card specification, and doc that came on the drivers CD.

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-10-31 09:50

IÃ‚Â´ve tryed all that.
but thanx anyway.
IÃ‚Â´ll continue my struggle....

/D

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-10-31 09:50

Delly wrote:But I have updated my drivers for my nVidia GF FX 5200 with TV-out! And the card came with the computer, installed and all.
Search for what, alternative drivers for the same card?

sometime reseller don't take the time to install the drivers that came with the vdo card (drivers available in XP) or install generic one (because of cloning).
make sure it's the one that came with the CD and that it's really support tvout in XP.
if not try to find alternative on the net.

peksa · Post by **peksa** » 2003-11-04 04:47

Delly wrote:IÃ‚Â´ve tryed all that.
but thanx anyway.
IÃ‚Â´ll continue my struggle....

/D

check your drivers you should have two drivers on for each display before that check that you have connected the cables to your tv so that the video card can reconais it, i had some problems with the tv out too and driver update worked (for radeon 9600pro)

Delly · Post by **Delly** » 2003-11-04 06:49

Do you mean that I should have one driver (= drivrutin in swedish?) for each monitor, one for comp.monitor and one that is specific driver for TV? How do I separate them....?

Are those drivers not the same as for the one to my videocard?
The cables are in place...
And drivers for my nVidia GeForce FX 5200 is updated.

But no picture on TV...

joakim_tosteberg · Post by **joakim_tosteberg** » 2003-11-04 08:22

I think it is the drivers for the sreen he menas, you do have a driver for the screen that makes it work corecctly.

TheNOP · Post by **TheNOP** » 2003-11-04 10:10

the important point here is, (if you use tv out)

peksa wrote:check that you have connected the cables to your tv

new driver settings should be available then.
check that the tv is set for the right video input.
check the cable is good.
if you don't have directX9 install do so.

tv out on the 5200 can work at up to 1024*768, real colors mode only(24 or 32 bits)

spamfritter · Post by **spamfritter** » 2003-11-04 13:40

Ok, ou've all been slagging off the 9600 series but I have something you may be interested in. I have 2 PCs running, 1 with a 9500 Pro (not overclocked) and a 9600 PRO and I can say the 9600 is v much quicker.

The 9800 Pro is out now though and has an F-Buffer which makes stuff much faster but is v expensive.

The 9600 PRO is a great card and also beats nVidia's nearest offering (the FX5600) hands down.

Ben

Lambda · Post by **Lambda** » 2003-11-21 06:56

So jbyrd if want to pay about 200 bucks, it's definetely Radeon 9600pro & 9500pro. I'm not very familiar with nVIDIA cards, but afaik, the GeForce FX series are flop, FX 5600 would be comparable with Radeon 9600 Pro in price but it's definetely slower. The GeForce 4 Ti were quite good I think, but the Ti ones which beat 9600 Pro are much more expensive.

The Radeon 9800SE costs 200-250 bucks if I remember right, and some of the 9800SEs can be changed to 9800 PRO. 9600XT is a very good choice too, not expensive but remarkably faster than 9600 Pro.

I recommend buying a Hercules 3D Prophet Radeon or Connect3D Radeon cards, I really don't really trust those Club3D and sapphire ones, they're so cheap :/

BTW, you shouldn't trust me 100%, as not anyone else talking about what's the best video card.

jbyrd · Post by **jbyrd** » 2003-11-21 08:17

I got a 9500, and softmodded it to a 9700...then OCed it to a 9700 pro.

It does sorta conflict with my MoBo (Giga 7vrx), but it runs all my games extremely well. I'd recommend it.

BTW, I have no artifacts. I guess I lucked out.

DC++

Video Cards

Video Cards

XP Home and Duplicate Monitors?

duplicaded monitors

Re: XP Home and Duplicate Monitors?

video card

Re: video card

video card