Best Video Card for Optimal Sage PVR

[broderp]

I want to remove my ATI 9600XT AIW card (pointless since I don't use the tuner) and replace it with a new card.

Ive read alot over at the HTPC forums, and all I did was get confused. There is so much about VRM9, MPEG, OVERLAY, 3d ACCELERATION, DX9 support, OPEN GL etc..... Aside from from the "AIW" part, the 9600XT is great. SHould I get like performance with a SAPHIRE card using the 9600XT chipset? Newegg seems to have some for about $126, with a silent cooler or for $96 with the standard fan setup. But for that price I can get a Saphire 9800PRO ($127) as well, is it a better card for this application? Then there's the GEForce series of cards, the 6600, 6600gT the 6800 etc.....I'm not sure of the price of these, but do they make a better card for a aPVR?

I'm fighting the urge to buy a cheap $40 video card, as I use a transcoder anyways, but ATI has a new CATYLIST coming that will put the ATI chip cards back on track with HDTVs, and remove the need for powerstrip, hence my leaning towards an ATI card.

I suppose I'm looking for one card that supports EVERYTHING, wont break the bank and has decent software for scaling and HT use as well as be a good GAMER card for teh occational Madden NFL or Nascar race game on the big screen.
What are you guys using?

[Kanati]

I don't think there's a magic bullet for what card will be best... I'm quite happy with my radeon 9550, but it won't do VMR9 very well at all at the resolution I'm running (1920x1080i)... I'd get the 9800 pro myself of the ones you listed...

[mlbdude]

Until Sage gets full screen exclusive renderless VMR9 going you will be better off with an ATI. Even the latest nVidia cards will struggle with it.

[judoGTI]

Originally Posted by mlbdude

Until Sage gets full screen exclusive renderless VMR9 going you will be better off with an ATI. Even the latest nVidia cards will struggle with it.

I wonder how many people are waiting for this to happen? I know I am one!

[JUC]

i have a powercolor 9600XT and love it. Does everything i need at this point and runs pretty cool. Other than the the fact that you don't need the tuner anymore--why upgrade? Just use what you have. Not sure what your setup is but the 9800Pro runs alot hotter than the 9600XT.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by broderp

I want to remove my ATI 9600XT AIW card (pointless since I don't use the tuner) and replace it with a new card.
...
Aside from from the "AIW" part, the 9600XT is great.

As much as I like to recommend upgrades , why do you want to? It sounds like you're happy with your 9600, what's wrong with it having a tuner?

[Ryokurin]

Theres not much else higher in AGP. you got the 6200, 6600 on the nvidia side and the x800 on the ati side. if its doing the job then why upgrade unless theres something there that you are missing like the nvidia's video acceleration.