Video Card for a 200MHz Computer

[AgentMojo]

I was wondering that if a new video card for my computer (which runs a 200MHz Intel Pentium processor) would work to play DivX on my computer, or just buy the REALmagic Xcard that people have recommended in an earlier post ("DivX for 200MHz Computer"). Please provide any information that you have about it!

Thanx,
AgentMojo

[AgentMojo]

I know it probably won't be DivX compatable, but any video processing card could do the trick, but i am a newbie with video cards. I was looking at an ATi Radeon and I saw one model only needs 32MB SDRAM. I may still have those SIMM cards but I have 64MB RAM, so Im very optimistic. Please help!!!!!

[Bob W]

Look on eBay for a 3dfx VooDoo3 (V3) PCI card which works well on a 200MHz computer IMO. You should be able to get one real cheap (like $5-10).

[lordsmurf]

Rather than try to upgrade an antique, why not buy a new one. Built from cheap parts, you can make a system for $100 or so.

All-in-one Mobo (sound, LAN, video, USB, etc) with ~1.5 Ghz Duron/Celeron CPU = $65
40-gig HD = $30 (or take the HD from you 200mhz system, making it $0)
new ATX case = $25
stick of PC100 SDRAM RAM = $10

Total cost about $130 (or $100 if you have HD already).
Maybe a few rebates involved, but not many and not for much.

You can get all this from Fry's Electronics (or online at outpost.com)
Just watch sales. It's goes up for sale all the time.
Fry's has new sales twice per week.

How much was that Divx card you're looking at?

This is a better option, and at least 4x the system you have now.

[AgentMojo]

The card new (REALmagic Xcard) is about a $100 bucks new, and on eBay, I can only find it for $88 bucks w/o shipping, so it comes out to the same deal. I am just worried that the DivX card will not work as it saws Windows 98SE for its lowest OS, which I have just Windows 98. I feel that I do not want to waste $100 or so to improve the computer. At most, I would want to pay $50, even if it is for a loss.

I just wanted to see some recommendations to help aide me in what to do. I figure that any video card should be able to handle DivX, not just the REALmagic Xcard, because after all, it is still just video.

I also just wanted to see if there was a cheaper solution. I mostly use this computer to do school work and the such, but occasionally I do like to view an episode of a tv show I missed (because of my school work). I may get a card from eBay for just $5-$10 though.

Thanx,
AgentMojo

[AgentMojo]

Oh, and will the 3dfx VooDoo3 (V3) PCI card work with DivX? I can already view MPEG fullscreen, but will it allow me to view DivX fullscreen?

[fmctm1sw]

I kind of leaning with lordsmurf on this one my friend. I think you'd be just as satisfied (at the very least) with a decently upgraded setup as you would be with a new PCI video card. I've had integrated video all along and its fine IMHO. And the speed increase will be significant especially of you are encoding...

[Alan69]

I agree, rather than spend even $15 (after shipping etc) on a video card you'd be ten times better off to use that as part of the money to upgrade the system. Even just $100ish for a ~1 GHz system with integrated video should play the Divx with no problems, it isn't just a 5X increase since there's a processor jump or two involved in the 1 to 1.5 GHz range. You'll be much better off than just a video card, not even sure the video card will be enough to make a 200 MHz system do Divx full screen ok. My 450 couldn't handle it really, and only $225 got me to an XP 2400+, it's around 25 times faster than my old 450. For that $100 ish you'll be around 25 times faster than what you have now, so it'd do the video and also be much better for about anything else you do with it..

Alan

Not affiliated but http://www.alvio.com was where I got my new system, was very near the cheapest off pricewatch but a bit better than the absolute cheapest. Like what I got very much for the money..

[thayne]

The Xcard has hardware DiVX decoding, but it's not a video card. It's a TV out card. You still need a video card in addition to it. It has VGS pass-thru so you can watch video's on your monitor.

I don't know if the drivers will work with your OS or not. If you had a supported OS it would play divx on a 200MHz computer cause it does all the processing on board.

I figure that any video card should be able to handle DivX, not just the REALmagic Xcard, because after all, it is still just video.

That's not true, as I said above the Xcard decodes the video on it's own, a normal video card uses you CPU to decode. Divx take more CPU power than Mpeg-2 and I'm pretty sure a 200MHz Pentium can't even decode that fast enough...

[AgentMojo]

Thanx for the info, I may just get the REALmagic Xcard, as it does do all the processing onboard. Although, I did find some of those 3DFX Voodoo Cards that would definately work with my computer, and some posts even describe it as good if you have a slower and older computer. If I get one of those cards for $10-$20, I'll try it. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work and I'll get the REALmagic Xcard. I'm also in high hopes, as I can play MPEGs fullscreen flawlessly, so I'm hoping just a better video card (or something that's optimized for my computer) will work. Oh, and if the Voodoo 3 does not work, I'll then use that with the REALmagic. I do not think there will be a problem with Win98 and the Win98SE for the REALmagic card because I make sure I get all of the Microsoft Updates the computer recommends, and it is not much of an OS change.

Thanx a lot guys,
AgentMojo