ATI All In Wonder 9800 PRO vs ATI All In Wonder 9600 PRO

[kdbrier]

Can anyone tell why I should spend $400 for the ATI All In Wonder 9800 PRO

or go with the $160 ATI All In Wonder 9600 PRO.

I just want a good fast VHS to DVD capture.

Does anyone have the 9800 pro?

[jdizzy40]

If you also want to game with the best then get the 9800. If you don't play the big high speed stuff and just want a good dual purpose card then get the 9600. Your statement about a good fast VHS to DVD is also going to depend mainly on your system. CPU speed, amount and type of Ram, harddrive etc. Have a weak link in the chain and you end up with less performance.

[LanEvo7]

If you just want to capture and already have a video card, I'd suggest that you get the ATI TV Wonder or another good capture card. If you need a good video card also, get them seperately. Its easier because most people do not need to upgrade their capture cards, but in order to play the newest games, you need a new video card about every two years.

[Sulik]

Where did you find the 9600AIW at $160 ?
That might get me to upgrade (my AIW8500 is starting to show its age, and I want to be ready with Half-Life 2 around the corner).
Seems like a great deal.

I personally always prefer the AIWs vs standalone capture cards (less compatibility issues and I never had any problem - my past 2 cards have been AIWs).

[antonv]

To Sulik: Look in CompUSA or CircuitCity. ATI AIW 9600s are $169.99 - $20 rebate till, I think, 8/31

[lordsmurf]

The 9800 is an all new chipset for both graphics AND capturing. It is better, though not worth the money to me. More of the MPEG encoding is done in hardware (higher assist level that previous Radeon cards), letting up even more CPU usage, and the graphics is much better.

The 7000-9700 cards had the same capture chipset (for the most part) and slightly increased graphics chips with each release.

For the record, I have two 7200 cards, and I'm fine with them.