ATI All In Wonder RADEON 8500 DV @ Tom's

AGodspeed

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2001
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The 8500DV is a feature rich card, but it takes a lot of balls to purchase this thing for $400 if it's only clocked at 230MHz. The DV probably performs about the same as a Ti200.

I guess if you're all about those features, jump on this card (assuming you have $400).
 

CQuinn

Golden Member
May 31, 2000
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$100 more than I paid for the previous AIW Radeon when it first came out,
about the same that adding the remote and firewire ports would cost separately (retail).

I'll let you know if it was worth it. ;)

 

FreshPrince

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2001
8,361
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this card is such a disappointment....it's clocked much lower than the 8500, no hardware video encoding, and costs much higher than say a GF-ti200 + TV tuner combo.

sigh, another disappointment from ATI :(
 

GL

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,547
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The great thing is I'm going to try adding my own remote to my AIW Radeon. The 8500DV uses a X10 remote and MMC 7.5 can be installed with this support. When I get around to it I'll let you know how it works...but I'm sure somebody with more time on their hands will get around to this earlier than myself;) I even offered to buy the remote separately at a mom & pop shop and they said "maybe...we'll see". So I might save myself some time and effort when OEM 8500DVs start hitting the shelves.
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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Jeez, such harsh criticism.

I received a shiny new 8500DV a few days ago and I've been 100% pleased. The latest drivers are pretty decent (not great, but decent), and the card has some kick-ass 3D performance in addition to the plethora of VIVO features the Radeons are famous for. The RF remote is a dream come true as well.

Yes, it is clocked lower. 230 core, 190 mem by default. I've been running rock solid @ 250/200 with no problems. 3D performance is great.

And $400? They're already down to around $315 and expect them in the $275-290 range after Christmas.
 

ed21x

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2001
5,411
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<< this card is such a disappointment....it's clocked much lower than the 8500, no hardware video encoding, and costs much higher than say a GF-ti200 + TV tuner combo.

sigh, another disappointment from ATI :(
>>



well, i wouldn't necessarily call it a disappointment.... since the core remains the same (400 mhz ramdac), we should be able to OC the processor speed to retail 275, while the 5 ns memory we can get to about 400 using powerstrip. but yeah, i'd rather just get the OEM 8500 (flash bios to retail + overclock core/mem tp 290/580, about $190) and a tv tuner card for much less money :)
 

Rand

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,071
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Rather disappointing they only use 2 benchmarks, 3DMark 2001 which is known to be quite friendly to the R200 core, and Quake 3 which is also reasonably friendly to the R200... at least when using the latest drivers that have improved performance and removed the "Quack3" thing.

Very disappointing that it's clocked so much lower then the regular Radeon 8500. Still, it does what it needs to remain the most feature filled graphics card available, and even clocked as low as it is it should still be a very fast card.

I'm sure it's great for ATi though, as all the cores that can't hit at least 250MHz for the OEM 8500's can be easily re-used on the 8500DV as it's cloced quite a bit lower.
 

Soccerman

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,378
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I'm impressed that it actually BEAT the GF3 Ti200, which has superior memory bandwidth (200mhz if I remember correctly) AND a better memory architecture..
 

LukFilm

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
6,128
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<< Only the tuner problem somewhat dampened the positive impression that we got from it. Granted, we used the North American version, which could very well be incompatible to European standards >>



DUH!!!
 

nortexoid

Diamond Member
May 1, 2000
4,096
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almost no point in introducing additional benchmarks since the original 8500 has been thoroughly benched...the AIW will be lower, but nothing exaggerated...

anyway, the card seems to be a rather good value for $315...the mini breakout box and RF remote are sweet...
 

gimlids

Member
Aug 20, 2001
125
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Finally an 8500DV thread...:)



<< I'm not going to pay an extra $157 for a card that's no faster than a Ti200. If you think it's worth an extra $157 for those features, go right ahead and buy this card. I won't. >>



I'm all for it, especially when it drops below 300 after Christmas: 200 Graphics w/ VIVO + 50 tuner + 50 firewire (30 at least) + remote ~40 = >310, and it's all integrated seamlessly so it's worth the extra 20 now, or you save after Christmas. OK, I admit it may not be so seamless given ATI's drivers, but eventually it should be...

I'll be buying after the holidays and selling my firewire & video cards (rage fury maxx, anyone?), so i'll pay around 200.
 

KrispyKremer

Senior member
Apr 2, 2000
864
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Pabster, I'm jealous... I think anyone who uses one of these cards with the included hardware for any extended period of time will realize just how great these ATI cards are. Sure, at $400 it is on the pricey side, but you can find it considerably cheaper online. When it hits the $250 area, that will be enough for me to upgrade my AIW Radeon.

I don't understand the mentality of one who expects a card like this to be released and be the fastest card on the market and still cost under $300??? Hardcore gamers are going to go the Nvidia route regardless and won't consider this card.

At this point, I can't see using a machine without the features of these cards - tv tuner, video capture, program listings, media library... the new mmc 7.5 is a great improvement, visually and feature-wise.

Great job ATI. I guess we have to wait another few years before these cards start including an hdtv tuner.
 

*kjm

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
2,222
6
81
I'm with you on that one Krispy. I just orderd it last weekend from Gateway for $319 with shipping. UPS shows that it will be at my house tomorrow so I should have it in sometime before the weekend. The thing that sealed the deal for me was I just got a digital camera for me and the wife. This is the next logical step into the digital editing realm for me.
 

yata

Senior member
Jun 2, 2000
746
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If I'm not mistaken, the 8500 series should have HDTV decoding capability. It just needsthe software to enable it and another HDTV receiver card. Because even the original Radeon core includes HDTV capability.
 

Gs400TRd

Member
Apr 18, 2001
142
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I should be getting this card from buy.com SOON (shipped yesterday). Do any of you that have this card already know if it supports 1600X1024 (apple cinema or SGI 1600sw)
thanks.
dang 2 more firewire ports! I have 2 with the audigy already....
I wonder if you can can pipe digital audio from the spdif on the video card to the SB audigy's spidif in...
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,475
6,022
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Those complaining about the speed of this card, are missing the point entirely.
 

gimlids

Member
Aug 20, 2001
125
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<< I wonder if you can can pipe digital audio from the spdif on the video card to the SB audigy's spidif in... >>


I'm wondering that myself...I have Sound Blaster Live! Value, which also has spdif in, but it's an internal input, right? how does that work...
 

Soccerman

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,378
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u might be able to force it to display that resolution.

If I'm not mistaken, the 8500 series should have HDTV decoding capability. It just needsthe software to enable it and another HDTV receiver card. Because even the original Radeon core includes HDTV capability.

well, sortof. the 8500 I think has the ability to decode MPEG2 (or rather accelerate), but whether or not it can decode the HDTV signal (I think there's some form of copyright encryption or something) is another matter.. then u need the software!
 

meister

Senior member
Nov 9, 1999
293
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ordered two of these today from newegg.

they're great to have all of those features.

Mark
 

Linux23

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
11,339
714
126


<< ordered two of these today from newegg.

they're great to have all of those features.

Mark
>>




you don't really need two of them now do you??? make my Christmas a happy one and donate that card to me. ;)

I really wish someone would come out with a card with all of the features of this card, but can accomodate the occasional gamer. the AIW Radeon does not accomplish this at all.
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
16,986
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What's ridiculous is that all these sites "reviews" are focusing on 3D Gaming. That isn't the primary purpose of the 8500DV. The VIVO functionality is. And it excels at that. Furthermore, the 3D performance is stunning -- even at the default 230/190 clocks. It most certainly can accomodate the 'occasional gamer' as well as the 'regular gamer'.

8500DV basically gives you a limitless PVR (ala Tivo) while allowing you to speed through the latest 3D titles. I honestly don't see how anyone could be disappointed with either side. Unless you want to discuss driver issues... that's my only gripe.