Author Topic: I could use some graphics card upgrade advice. (Read 6393 times)

3M_Chang · « **on:** August 21, 2011, 08:32:15 PM »

Greetings! I need to upgrade my graphics card to run HD content. I have an Asus p5nd2 - SLI MOBO and currently run an ATI Radeon X1900XTX graphics card. My question is will a card like for example Sapphire HD 2600XT Pro ATI 512mb DDR3 Video Card work on such an old MOBO? I really need it for connecting the pc to the TV so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also any places with good prices and stocks would be appreciated too. Thanks.

Carigamers · « **on:** August 21, 2011, 08:32:15 PM »

Saxito Pau · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2011, 08:37:28 PM »

In a nutshell:

You have a motherboard with a PCI Express slots. ANY PCI Express Video Card you buy will work.

What budget are you working with?

You should take a look at this article to get an idea of what you should target:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-performance-radeon-geforce,2997.html

EDIT: I will assume your TV has HDMI input?

3M_Chang · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2011, 08:47:24 PM »

Thanks for the quick response SaxMan. I am not going high end at all. I just need stability and well once it will connect to the TV I good. I will check the article as I do intend to go the way of the enthusiast one day. What you think about PRW? I looking to go there.

W1nTry · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:20:06 PM »

I am curious that HD doesn't run on your current card? sure it won't have the hardware acceleration on the GPU but it'll just do the transcoding via the CPU. Cards as old as X800XT support 'HD' resolutions.

Be careful, HD content is just a consumer way of saying it runs at a certain resolution e.g. 1080p = 1920x1080 (on a monitor). And in fact PC video cards support MUCH higher than that natively.

3M_Chang · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2011, 09:11:13 PM »

Well it does run HD but it is "choppy" anything higher than 360 p causes a reboot of the card. Anything that is graphics intensive causes the card to reboot. Also it does not have HD out and I want to connect it to the television to view content on HULU

.

Carigamers · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2011, 09:11:13 PM »

W1nTry · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2011, 10:12:03 PM »

Have you tried the last driver update specified for your card?

3M_Chang · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2011, 11:09:23 AM »

Yes the drivers are up to date but they have stopped support for that card...it too ole.

phoenix31tt · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:58:18 PM »

is it me or something wrong with that HD choppyness... as someone already said the CPU is the standard for doing HD decoding... you can switch that to your GPU if it supports it.

My laptop does HD very well and its a "workstation" with no good GPU. Maybe you need to check the program you are using to do HD and also your codecs etc

3M_Chang · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:33:43 PM »

okay so r u saying I may need to also get a new CPU? I am running an Intel Pentium Dual Core 3 GHz. I think I need a new GPU because I see weird shapes when I play games on the pc and well the choppiness with HD content.

W1nTry · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2011, 12:32:46 AM »

Hmm weird shapes aka artifacting can be a sign the card is running to hot/fast. I was the owner of a X1900XT and had no problems, run a 3DMark or such and see if you notice spots or bright dots when the benchmark is running.

mailman166 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 24, 2011, 01:05:43 PM »

interested in a used 4670... she def handles HD content and has HDMI audio/video out via the second dvi

W1nTry · « **Reply #11 on:** August 24, 2011, 01:56:00 PM »

Mans ee sale opportunity XD, if it's HD content alone you're interested in, that card will more than suffice. And it should run a few games as well.

phoenix31tt · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2011, 02:39:47 PM »

did some checking... that CPU really does not handle HD (at least h264) decoding all that well.. so the options you have is to get an a good GPU and use a program that would let the GPU do the decoding (like XMBC or Media Player Classic/Core Codec) or upgrade your CPU to a Core 2 Duo or better

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2011, 02:46:27 PM »

When you say a reboot of the card, exactly what do you mean. Does the system reboot? In that case, you're looking at some hardware problem.

3M_Chang · « **Reply #14 on:** August 25, 2011, 10:29:35 AM »

Quote from: Captain Awesome on August 24, 2011, 02:46:27 PM

When you say a reboot of the card, exactly what do you mean. Does the system reboot? In that case, you're looking at some hardware problem.

No the card itself reboots. It is as though it powers down and then restarts. you hear the fan stop and restart and well the video stops and restarts as well. There is also a message from the management software (CATALYST) telling you that the card has restarted.

3M_Chang · « **Reply #15 on:** August 25, 2011, 10:32:11 AM »

Quote from: phoenix31tt on August 24, 2011, 02:39:47 PM

did some checking... that CPU really does not handle HD (at least h264) decoding all that well.. so the options you have is to get an a good GPU and use a program that would let the GPU do the decoding (like XMBC or Media Player Classic/Core Codec) or upgrade your CPU to a Core 2 Duo or better

WOW! Thanks for that. This changes things. It seems I am forced to rebuild the entire system as I doubt my MB could handle a newer CPU. I am running a ASUS p5nd2 - sli mother board.

3M_Chang · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2011, 10:35:14 AM »

Quote from: mailman166 on August 24, 2011, 01:05:43 PM

interested in a used 4670... she def handles HD content and has HDMI audio/video out via the second dvi

Given what Phoenix said I wonder if a video card is the answer for me. I don't know anymore. Interested though...given the price.

Carigamers · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2011, 10:35:14 AM »

Author Topic: I could use some graphics card upgrade advice. (Read 6393 times)

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