jonnyz0109
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Looking for PCI-E + AGP support on a good MOBO
Here's my situation: I bought an ATI all in wonder about a year and a half ago, well knowning that I'd have to upgrade, just about in a year in a half (and here I am :) ). I have the AIW 8500 dv... which is a great card, but it's a bit of a bear and is showing its age with the newest games.
First, I don't want to part with the TV functionality that the card has (among other features), especially since my room is small and do not have the space for a full TV... also my monitor is 19" CRT flat screen... bigger then any spare TV that is lying around my house in the first place.
Second, I want to pay for a good graphics card, but don't really want to pay for another all in wonder, since those features of my existing card work great.
A friend of mine suggested that I get a new motherboard (currently have a Matsonic... a what?? Yeah, exactly, so I've been drooling over a new SATA-enabled Asus for a while now) that supports both the AGP and PCI-E standards, so I can keep both cards. And to make this solution even better, I'm going away to college soon and will be buying a flat panel in addition to my 19" (since there will be no room for the CRT in my dorm), so while I'm at home, I would like to be able to use both monitors - CRT for gaming, flat panel as the dual monitor.
My questions are: am I asking something that is currently unreasonable? Also, is there even a motherboard, Asus or not, that supports both the PCI-E and AGP standards? I don't care is AGP isn't 8x, as I think my ATI card only goes 4x (would have to check on it though).
Also, any good graphics cards that are reasonably priced and come in the PCI-E format? Reasonably priced to me is under $200...
Thanks in advance for any advice and definitive answers you can give me!
First, I don't want to part with the TV functionality that the card has (among other features), especially since my room is small and do not have the space for a full TV... also my monitor is 19" CRT flat screen... bigger then any spare TV that is lying around my house in the first place.
Second, I want to pay for a good graphics card, but don't really want to pay for another all in wonder, since those features of my existing card work great.
A friend of mine suggested that I get a new motherboard (currently have a Matsonic... a what?? Yeah, exactly, so I've been drooling over a new SATA-enabled Asus for a while now) that supports both the AGP and PCI-E standards, so I can keep both cards. And to make this solution even better, I'm going away to college soon and will be buying a flat panel in addition to my 19" (since there will be no room for the CRT in my dorm), so while I'm at home, I would like to be able to use both monitors - CRT for gaming, flat panel as the dual monitor.
My questions are: am I asking something that is currently unreasonable? Also, is there even a motherboard, Asus or not, that supports both the PCI-E and AGP standards? I don't care is AGP isn't 8x, as I think my ATI card only goes 4x (would have to check on it though).
Also, any good graphics cards that are reasonably priced and come in the PCI-E format? Reasonably priced to me is under $200...
Thanks in advance for any advice and definitive answers you can give me!
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Jonny,
Similar to Joey's comments, but depending on what the situation is where you live you can probably sell the old Radeon for a few bucks and pick up a PCI digital TV/radio tuner card. The majority of PCI-E boards out at the moment have PCI-E and the old PCI bus, so you can still add one on. Plus, Digital TV/HDTV, etc etc.. way better than the standard analogue TV and it would look very sweet on a monitor.
AVerMedia have a few of them available, but I am not sure on the quality since I've never had hands-on experience.
http://www.avermedia.com/cgi-bin/products_tvtuner.asp
In regards to a video card, the PCI-E cards are rare as hens teeth in Australia. I'd suggest aim around the Radeon x600 XT level, an Abit x600XT here is going for approx $260AU.
Similar to Joey's comments, but depending on what the situation is where you live you can probably sell the old Radeon for a few bucks and pick up a PCI digital TV/radio tuner card. The majority of PCI-E boards out at the moment have PCI-E and the old PCI bus, so you can still add one on. Plus, Digital TV/HDTV, etc etc.. way better than the standard analogue TV and it would look very sweet on a monitor.
AVerMedia have a few of them available, but I am not sure on the quality since I've never had hands-on experience.
http://www.avermedia.com/cgi-bin/products_tvtuner.asp
In regards to a video card, the PCI-E cards are rare as hens teeth in Australia. I'd suggest aim around the Radeon x600 XT level, an Abit x600XT here is going for approx $260AU.
ASKER
OK... so about my dual monitor thing. If I sell my old ATI and get a new low-end tv/radio tuner card, does a monitor plug into that? Or does it go through the mobo and work off the top graphics card? I'm really just looking to figure out if there is any way for me to have dual monitors. I guess it's a bit of a stupid question, but do I absolutely need two separate video cards to have two different monitors and take advantage of extended desktop, etc.
Reason being - if I am buying a flat panel for college, no way do I want to come back to my house and not use it... however there is no way I'm gaming on it either :) So while I'm up here it'd be nice to take advantage of the two monitors...
Thanks for your help so far!
Reason being - if I am buying a flat panel for college, no way do I want to come back to my house and not use it... however there is no way I'm gaming on it either :) So while I'm up here it'd be nice to take advantage of the two monitors...
Thanks for your help so far!
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You could even end up with three displays, since the large majority of videocards also have a TV-Out (usually a proprietory connector, they supply an adaptor to convert into RCA)).
The TV capture card will route the display to whatever display you choose (including hard drive for recording, if the card/software is decent). The video card will usually come with a DVI-RGB adaptor (remember, DVI signal is digital - better quality while, RGB, the old standard 15 pin monitor plug, is analogue).
Why don't you want to game on an LCD? The <16ms refresh monitors are excellent, and if you want to watch TV/movies on it you'll be better off with a fast refresh anyway. Something like the Samsung 172x, even though it is majorly over priced, is still an excellent alternative to a CRT monitor. I would give up my 19" CRT for a 16ms 17" LCD panel in an instant. :)
The TV capture card will route the display to whatever display you choose (including hard drive for recording, if the card/software is decent). The video card will usually come with a DVI-RGB adaptor (remember, DVI signal is digital - better quality while, RGB, the old standard 15 pin monitor plug, is analogue).
Why don't you want to game on an LCD? The <16ms refresh monitors are excellent, and if you want to watch TV/movies on it you'll be better off with a fast refresh anyway. Something like the Samsung 172x, even though it is majorly over priced, is still an excellent alternative to a CRT monitor. I would give up my 19" CRT for a 16ms 17" LCD panel in an instant. :)
ASKER
About gaming on the flat panel - the price is largely the reason :) Any flat panels that I can afford will likely not be good enough to game on :)
Joey - thanks for the response. I haven't seen the new cards and a visit to Compusa today (even before reading your comments) clued me in on the dual connector deal. In any case I am a happy camper, and have bought a radeon 9800 pro (on sale this week, after rebates its $170) along with an appoge (sp?) wintv go card (on sale this week, after rebates its $20)... so for under $200 I have all that my AIW offers, plus a bangin video card!
I will probably sell my old card... anyone want it? Anyway thanks for your comments, I'll split the points up once I'm sure this is what I'm going with.
- Jonny
Joey - thanks for the response. I haven't seen the new cards and a visit to Compusa today (even before reading your comments) clued me in on the dual connector deal. In any case I am a happy camper, and have bought a radeon 9800 pro (on sale this week, after rebates its $170) along with an appoge (sp?) wintv go card (on sale this week, after rebates its $20)... so for under $200 I have all that my AIW offers, plus a bangin video card!
I will probably sell my old card... anyone want it? Anyway thanks for your comments, I'll split the points up once I'm sure this is what I'm going with.
- Jonny
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Thanks for everyone's suggestions, everyone that commented here helped me, but I gave out points to the comments that were the most helpful.
- Jonny
- Jonny
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