Time I got a new graphics card

[Lenny_Nero]

I think its about time I got a new graphics card, my Radon 9250 se not being up to much now a days, the thing is that I am not a game player. But I have started to get asked about converting all the families videos and stuff like that. So what I want is a card in the £100~£150 range that is good/better in that area more than high fps in quake.

Would I be better getting a capture/TV card as a separate card ?

I have an aux board that comes with the mobo (ASUS a7n8x-vm400 running AMD) that has a S-video TV out, I also have a freeview box that has mPeg2 outputs and I was hoping to get a cheaper capture card as well that could use this as an input, because this box has hardware mpeg encoding in it and letting the graphics card just do its thing.

Can I even do this ?

Its an nForce motherboard so I would think that nvidia boards would work better with this chipset, but I dont know this for sure, it is also an AGP card that I want, I'm not intrested in PCI-E as yet.

Having the ability to over clock the thing in the future would be nice as well as I do like to play in that area, but not a deal breaker.

Thanks for any help, or ideas.

[harley2ride]

Your graphics card has nothing to do with capturing video. You need to look at the Capture forum. You want a capture device that will capture via firewire, and with the necessary inputs (composit, component, s-video) for whatever you are capturing from. There are internal PCI cards, and their are external devices.

[Lenny_Nero]

Thanks for the reply, I will be getting a capture card as well, I understand that, but I just want to know if anyone knew what cards (ATI, Nvidia etc) are better at playing video.

I want to use this box to stream, hold and do all my video work (just converting my own stuff and encoding my DVD collection to the hdd's) no matter how many reviews I read they are all 99% about game playing and often only say 'plays video well'.

But if the gpx card has nothing to do with video stuff then that must by why the reviews say so little.
Looks like I will have to work this out on my own.

[SingSing]

Consider DVD recorder.

[ROF]

I'd keep your 9250. Unless you are an extreme gamer this card will competently play video. It's not worth buying another AGP card. I'd save your money for a new core, board, RAM, and VC.

[harley2ride]

I agree.. Unless you are into gaming, a TI4200 is more than enough for everyday use, streaming video, etc...

[edDV]

What format are these "family videos"? You will need a capture device to fit.

The 9250 has basic MPeg playback acceleration features. The full "Theater 200" playback features come in the 8500, 9550 up ATI cards. The additional capability mostly applies to HDTV or 480p playback. I recently got a 9550 for $38 after rebate (newegg.com).

The new x1xxx cards are beginning to offer MPeg4 playback assist but do not yet have full hardware decoding. I'd wait for real H.264 hardware decoding and lower prices.
http://www.ati.com/technology/H264.html

Don't fall for the ATI hype. H.264 DVD playback will be important in a couple of years not now. NVidia is scrambling to catch up but will be ready when this is important.

[zoobie]

Just put a 9250 in my box about a year ago ($47 newegg) then bought a dell ultrasharp fp monitor

[Lenny_Nero]

What format are these "family videos"? You will need a capture device to fit.

I dont know as yet, it was a conversation a while back, and the extended family has talked about collation of the 'family videos' from over the years that will include VHS (NTSC & PAL) and I think Hi8. I have only been told that others thought as my farther and I both work with computers he was asked last time he was in Canada about if the family this side (UK) could get copies and do swaps with what they have.

This area (capture/TV cards) are something new to me, as I just did the odd bit of re-encoding of stuff I found here and there, and thought it about time I up' ed my spec, I've also thought about building my own media centre type of PC for my own family. This will be the main use of this PC but it will also be used to do the other (conversation) work on its own as, and when needed.

If the capture card does the work then this is what I need to know and would ask for some pointers in these areas.

[edDV]

What format are these "family videos"? You will need a capture device to fit.

I dont know as yet, it was a conversation a while back, and the extended family has talked about collation of the 'family videos' from over the years that will include VHS (NTSC & PAL) and I think Hi8. I have only been told that others thought as my farther and I both work with computers he was asked last time he was in Canada about if the family this side (UK) could get copies and do swaps with what they have.

This area (capture/TV cards) are something new to me, as I just did the odd bit of re-encoding of stuff I found here and there, and thought it about time I up' ed my spec, I've also thought about building my own media centre type of PC for my own family. This will be the main use of this PC but it will also be used to do the other (conversation) work on its own as, and when needed.

If the capture card does the work then this is what I need to know and would ask for some pointers in these areas.

I wouldn't waste money on a display card unless game performance is an issue. You have all you need.

Best if you split the capture load into PAL and NTSC. The external hardware is the expensive part.

Some basic decisions up fromt.

1. Are you expecting to do heavy effects and editing tricks?

If so, capture uncompressed or DV format.

If not, capture to MPeg2 (e.g. Hauppage PVR-250 or PVR-USB2) You will need one for NTSC and another for PAL.

2. What is the target for playback?

If computer, then both can play.

If playable DVD, then PAL will need convertion to NTSC to be viewable on standard equipment. A NTSC DVD will usually play on a PAL player.

[Lenny_Nero]

There will not really be any effects or edit tricks, apart from basic cutting and wiping, unless anyone asks for something, but I very much doubt that.

The plan is to put everything on to DVD, most of our kit (TV's, videos and DVD) over here (UK) can do both NTSC and PAL its because we have had this problem in the past with video tapes sent from Canada. There is also people in Spain this is something I have to check on. I know my mum and dad have some of our old stuff out there which will be PAL, but as for the ones that live out there I dont know if there is a difference in the play back, I know that UK TV sets cant get a picture tuned into the Spanish channels, just the sound, not that I know what that means.

I have been looking at some Hauppage gear yesterday and it looks interesting, I have heard some good and bad things about USB kit and audio sync problems, but I dont know how true this is.
All I had thought about is PCI cards, but USB adds the ability, and ease of being able to just unplug it and use elsewhere.

[edDV]

I have been looking at some Hauppage gear yesterday and it looks interesting, I have heard some good and bad things about USB kit and audio sync problems, but I dont know how true this is.
All I had thought about is PCI cards, but USB adds the ability, and ease of being able to just unplug it and use elsewhere.

The Hauppage PVR-USB2 encodes audio along with video in the external box avoiding the sync issues.