Video Card Recommendation

[nigfink]

What AGP video card do you recommend for TV out? I don't need to game or anything, just want to run Sage on a TV, so the less expensive the better. I'm having terrible sync issues with my and am very interested in getting a new one. Thanks for the help.

[insomniac]

Look into the X-Card (PCI hardware tv out card)

I.

Originally Posted by nigfink

What AGP video card do you recommend for TV out? I don't need to game or anything, just want to run Sage on a TV, so the less expensive the better. I'm having terrible sync issues with my and am very interested in getting a new one. Thanks for the help.

[korben_dallas]

Get a 9550 and component dongle from ati.com

[nigfink]

Well..what are you guys using to output to TV? I just want a chipset that will work. It seems that the FX5200 does this audio sync issue with every card. So, Nvidia or ATI chipset?

[korben_dallas]

Using S-Video out, the PQ of my 9800 Pro is hard to beat.

If I was buying a card for another computer, I'd go with (budget) an ATI 9550/9600 or (mid-range) a BFG 6600GT.

[insomniac]

I have no audio sync issue with my fx5200. This is the first that Ive read of such an issue. Got a link to other posts about this?

Originally Posted by nigfink

Well..what are you guys using to output to TV? I just want a chipset that will work. It seems that the FX5200 does this audio sync issue with every card. So, Nvidia or ATI chipset?

[insomniac]

seriously though...if you are outputing to SDTV and dont need a gaming rig, I dont know why you wouldnt consider an Xcard. You cannot beat hardware encoding. Look around the forums to get more opinions.

I.

[mlbdude]

5200 does not directly cause any sync issues.

[kevthor]

I agree, I originally has a 5200 and had no syncing issue. I did notice the fast motion blur/choppiness with my 5200. (Noticed mostly when watching Football or Hockey). Since the purchase of my PVR350 (hardware based) the PQ is great and no choppiness. So I agree with insomniac, go with a Xcard or PVR350.

[nigfink]

Well, if it isn't the video card, what else could it be causing the sync issues? Also, I don't want the Xcard or 350 because I want to view other things on the tv, not just Sage. I love the quallity of my FX5200 output, but the sync issue is terrible. It looks GREAT on my 21 monitor, but out of sync on the tv. I'll have to try and see if other video's are out of sync with Media Player and get back to you. Thanks for the help.

[insomniac]

I only recommended Xcard because you had stated in your request that all you wanted to do was view sage..

"What AGP video card do you recommend for TV out? I don't need to game or anything, just want to run Sage on a TV, so the less expensive the better. I'm having terrible sync issues with my and am very interested in getting a new one. Thanks for the help"

[Lucas]

From the ATI/Nvidia camp and my experience with them I 'd say either an Nvidia 5200 or ATI 9200. They offer the best value for money: STRICTLY for TV-OUT to SDTV via SVideo. Don't know about X-Card and the cost but its output(Svideo) is superior from the ATI/Nvidia camps.

If your TV has component inputs or DVI and you want to take advantage of these then it makes more sense to go higher up in the range.

When I wasn't as enlightened as I am now, I bought an ATI9600XT($200) to drive my Svideo SDTV. Well for $150 less I could have had a 9200 and money for an extra Hard Disk.

[RAKY0311]

the same happen to me,I buy a 5200 and look good in my monitor but when I connect to s-video in my rear proj. Mitsu. the quality of the picture is very bad,i try with diferent svideo cables with no dif. so I want to change my card,any suggest.? please!

[teedublu]

you cannot compare a video monitor connected to VGA to a SDTV connected to S-video! The 5200 is about as good as you can get with a SDTV. You're mostly observing the limitations of SDTV via S-Video. -- Although, do be sure to adjust TV's Sharpness control. You can probably improve some with a transcoder (VGA to component video inputs) -- but that usually brings on more setup complications (do some research).


regarding motion artifacts on 5200:

You don't want to enable hardware assisted decoding (DXVA) with the 5200 --you'll get motion artifacts. Why turn on hardware decoding when there is usually wasted CPU power just sitting there. Let the CPU do some work!

TW

[Wheemer]

I have tried a 9800se in comparison to my fx 5500. To me the 5500 was much better, the quality was smoother and sharper. The only way I was able to get the 9800se even close was to use that "video playback" mode?? I'm not sure what it's called or what it does exactly. It seemed to result in an extremely overscanned picture.

The adjustments for sizing and overscan are much easier in the nvidia drivers, the ati ones seemed to make everything hard.