ATI AIW 9600 vs ATI AIW 9800

[furanomycin]

Howdy,

Happy Holidays Everyone. A while back I posted a request for recommendations for capture cards. Thanks for the responses. Anyway, after further review, I've settled upon one of the ATI All in Wonder Cards. (Mostly because I can capture in AVI or MPEG2, with hardware assisted encoding).

The two AIW cards I'm considering are the 9600 (newer) and the 9800.

What are the major differences between the two? Are there differences in the way the two cards capture? Are there quality differences between the two?

The 9800 is the better graphics card for video games etc. and is more expensive (~$400).

The 9600 is newer and cheaper (~$250)?

Bottom line is the 9800 worth the extra money for video capture and manipulation, or is the price difference due to the better graphics processor?

Thanks for your help

Furanomycin

[PolarBearWY]

One notable feature with the 9600 is that it is dual-head. That was a feature I didn't really care about, and I ended up with the 9800.

FYI -- The 9800 Retail is $350 shipped, or less. The 9600 is about $100 less. There's gotta be something packed into the 9800 for an extra $100, but I am having a hard time comparing the two.

[elmotheteapot]

Both have same AIW features (same purple breakout box, cables, tv tuner etc)

the 9600aiw is as you said newer and contains a voucher for HL2 (this may occurr on some never model 9800aiw but check first)

the 9800aiw (for hardcore gamers) will walk all over he 9600 pro in gaming but the 9600pro is still a very good gaminf card, capable of running todays and tommorrows games decently.

It all comes down to what you consider gaming (minesweep and soltare) or (counterstrike, UT 2003) all balzingly fast.

I do believ the two aiw models you refer to are pro, the aiw does not come non pro.

[duhmez]

Should be identical capturing. The extra $$ is for the more powerful gaming.

[rb26dett]

Like everyone said if you don't need maximum gaming power go with the 9600. It's just a slightly nerfed 9600, and the 9800 has a bit better support for some new directX games.

But for capping shouldn't make a diff.

[lordsmurf]

Some 9600 cards have Theatre 100 (aka Theatre Rage aka Rage Theatre) chips. The 9800 cards have Theatre 200 chips for capture.

[furanomycin]

LordSmurf,

From what I've read, all the 9600's have the Theatre 200 chip, the same as the 9800.

What gives..

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[ronnylov]

How about a AIW 9800 SE? The price in Europe is about the same as a All-in-wonder 9600 pro.

Here's the specifications: http://europe.hercules.com/showpage.php?p=88&b=1&f=1

[ironwood321]

LordSmurf,

From what I've read, all the 9600's have the Theatre 200 chip, the same as the 9800.

What gives..

Furanomycin

Pipelines are closed down giving the low spec card. Some may have been originally the 9800 but failed so they shut them off and made it into a 9600. Or there nothing wrong with them and they turned it into a 9600. YMMV

There are mods scattered around the internet to turn 9600 to 9800 by using replacement card BIOS and other tweaks but if you have a defective card it might not be too successful.

[furanomycin]

This is the first I've heard of this. How would you know if you've gotten one or the other?

Thanks

furanomycin

[ronnylov]

I think it's the 9800SE models that can be turned into 9800 by enabling the disabled pipelines. I don't think it's possible to change a 9600 to 9800.