Best Performance to Cost Ratio

[The Dancing Peacock]

I am in the process of upgrading my system. I had been running a p3 450 with a voodoo3 3000 for too long. I picked up a duron 1.2 and ecs mobo from frys on monday for 110. My next step is to get a new vid card setup. What I desire from my video setup.

1. Tv tuner/capture
2. good 2d. Mostly web,email,divx,DVDs
3. I don't game often, but if I pick up a new game, I want it to be able to perform decently, not be a bitch and not want to run the game or run it poorly that it makes me not want to play. (the V3 did great with Max Payne. I obviously had to play on low settings, but it was more than tolerable, especially considering the cpu)
4. I don't upgrade often, so I want something that is going to last me for a while.
5. Not necessary, but it would be nice to have some DDR Ram on the card.


Seemingly, the best combo the gets me most of that is picking up the TV Wonder PCI for about 77 shipped. and getting the VisionTek Geforce 2 GTS-V for ~60 shipped from Newegg. The Radeon 7500 looks attractive, but it seems a little expensive. I think it was Rand who posted in here that ATI makes the board that the Powercolor 7500 is on and they use 4 ns RAM, making they pretty similar in performance.

The AIW Radeon is about 160 shipped, maybe for less some places. Is this a better performer than the seperate TV card and Vid card? The seperate combination has the advantage of letting me upgrade the video card and keeping the TV tuner capability. The AIW 7500 seems very good, but since it is relatively new, the price is still quite high, 185 or so shipped.

I'm not in a real big hurry to get it, If I was to wait a month, would the prices for either 7500 drop enough to make it more palatable? If not, how long before it drops?

 

[rbV5]

Only the AIW 7500 has video input with the 7500 series of cards. I just paid $110 shipped for an AIW Radeon from a member here, It is a great package IMHO would offer better functionality and performance than the Geforce 2 GTS-V and TV wonder combination. Personally, I got my AIW a week before they announced the AIW 7500, I would have waited and got one instead. I would think in a month or so, the AIW 7500 will hit the online retailers and drop a bit in price making it a bit more attractive. Another alternative would be to pick up a Radeon 64DDR VIVO, and use a VCR for a tuner. I have used both for video capture, and I prefer the AIW, but the VIVO is certainly capable and Newegg has refurbs.

 

[The Dancing Peacock]

The VIVO and the VCR is an option, just running RCA's to the computer, and not having to deal with coax from the cable company. The cable run sucks, it's split 2 or 3 times before it gets to the modem on my desk, having to split it one more time I think would be a mess. I could actually take the time and make it better, and neater, but that would be too much work. Problem with the VIVO, Is that I would either have to put a VCR on my desk, which isn't big enough for it, or go outside to change channels, so that's been ruled out, I think.

I like the 7500 over the regular radeon simply for it's longevity factor, spec-wise it seems like a better card that might last longer than the radeon. The remote is nifty too

 

[Stevem627]

Without a doubt, from your requirements, the Radeon 7500 is the card to go with. EXCELLENT all around performer that will play any games you want and give you the TV output and 2d that ATI is known for. I would get the AIW version to get TV tuner. You'll like it alot.

 

[The Dancing Peacock]

Any idea why it takes so long for it to get to online retailers? How much of a difference in price can be expected once it hits them? At least compared to past card rollouts?

Thanks.

 

[Willoughbyva]

I used to have a gforce 2 mx and an Hauppage wintv go card. I went and bought a AIW7500 about 2 weeks ago and the AIW is so much better. The 2 D is amazing after looking at the gf2mx for so long. I really have not used the VIVO functions, but have done a little tv capturing and it has worked great so far.

I paid the full retail at Best Buy at 199.99.

I haven't used the included rf remote, but I figure it should work ok.