Cheap card with good tv out

[beatle]

I'm looking to build a cheap HTPC, basically just to play downloaded and captured avi files as well as mp3/ape. I don't have a brand bias, just so long as the card is capable of decent svideo output. Fanless would be a bonus, otherwise I'll have to mod it myself. 3d speed is not an issue.

 

[beatle]

Little help?

I did a search in the archived threads for tv out, but I only got this in return:

"Your search contained ignored words, ignored words are words like a,and,to,between.Please re-construct your search without these ignored words."

 

[AristoV300]

What is your price range of "cheap"? Are you looking AGP or PCI?

 

[beatle]

As cheap as possible, provided it has a decent tv out for watching fullscreen avi. I'm not looking for theater grade, but I'd rather it not be garbage.

AGP/PCI, it doesn't matter to me.

 

[AristoV300]

So are you looking for a card that captures TV? Then I would say AIW 9000Pro is the cheapest I can think of if you can still find them. They have dual S Video and TV Capture ability. SHould be able to get on for a little over $100. Oh forgot if NVidia is prefered the FX5200 should be in the same price range.

 

[beatle]

No, I'm already able to capture video on my main rig. I just want a card with TV OUT to play it back in my living room.

 

[AristoV300]

Oh sorry... Well still the regular ATI 9000 Pro or Nvidia FX5200 should be under $50, can't get much cheaper than that and still has S Video out.

 

[beatle]

Reving this thread because I actually have my HTPC up and running now.

I was a fool not to pick up the 9600se in the FS/FT forum, so I'm considering other options under $50. I see Newegg has a refurb Radeon 7000 for $26 shipped, and there's a 9200SE for $34 shipped. I don't really need DVI right now, and they're both fanless. My main goal is for the s-video out to be at least as good as a standalone DVD player. Are my expectations of these cheap cards reasonable?

 

[Peter]

9550SE cards are inside your price range now. SVideo output quality is as good as it gets. H.I.S. are even offering one that does have VIVO, which is quite rare in this market segment. This one is slightly more than $50 though.

 

[beatle]

Thanks, so the 9550SE would be a marked improvement over the 9200SE? If so, I'll stretch a bit.

 

[Auric]

As far as TVO the 9200 should be equivalent but the 95xx is compatible with the component out adapters and has slightly higher performance.

I wouldn't bother with something as lowly as a 7000, since the 3D performance is so dated and heck you may like to run a "screen saver" like aquarium or other visualizations to accompany music. If I recall, the 8500 and up (numerically) have slightly improved video quality too.

 

[PookyBoy]

Also the 7000 only has 800x600 max tv-out resolution. The 7500+ onwards can do 1024x768. And to be safe, get the ATI cards not Sapphire or other brands etc. I've read some models of Sapphire cards have bad tv-out quality.

 

[beatle]

I don't see any 9550se cards that are "built by ATI." Where did you read the other manufacturers use inferior tv-out?

 

[PookyBoy]

Here http://www.meedio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2558

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: PookyBoy
Here http://www.meedio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2558

Dayum! I just bookmarked that page. Nice.

So an encoder card would produce, by far, the best results with 9500+ and FX5700+ producing the best video card only results? Personally, I tried using a 9500 Pro and found the results not satisfactory at all.

 

[beatle]

Wow, that thread was quite eye opening. The discouraging comments about the SE cards had me putting my cc back in my wallet. Now I'm not sure who to believe.

 

[Auric]

Sapphire is the manufacturer of ATI branded cards. I have not heard of crap TVO with any. However I do remember one from another manufacturer that had a VIA TVO chip which may have meant a defective core so beware of that (TVO is integrated and the VIA did not add video in).

I have never had a problem with a variety of ATI TVO cards themselves. However a common problem with any PC to TV is an inadequate cable or ground loop.

 

[Peter]

Originally posted by: beatle
Thanks, so the 9550SE would be a marked improvement over the 9200SE? If so, I'll stretch a bit.

Yes it is - it's faster, it's DX9 hardware, and it'll do "component" HDTV with the adapter that has been mentioned.

Mind that TV resolution is ALWAYS 480 lines for NTSC and 525 for PAL - simply because the signal timing is standardized to that, no alternatives, no options.

So if you're running a higher resolution, you'll get that scaled down onto this physical resolution.

The card doesn't need to be built by ATi. Brands I've had good experience with are Sapphire, HIS, ECS/Abit (same stuff). Currently typing this looking at output from an HIS 9550SE-VIVO-128.

 

[beatle]

Speed isn't really a concern. I won't be gaming, and I won't be doing much video processing (nothing my 1700+ can't handle on its own). By the time I have a TV that will be able to take advantage of processing and component output, I'll have a newer video card as well. S-Video quality is about the only thing I'm considering this card for.

 

[kamranziadar]

i am selling 9200SE PCI for $60 plus shipping.

 

[beatle]

As this is not the FS/FT forum, I'll crap on your $60 price.

 

[Cawchy87]

I have an mx440 and I use a 15 foot s-video cable and the quality is inbetween dvd and vhs. Closer to DVD the better quality the file is.

 

[beatle]

I just picked up an FX5200 Plus from CompUSSR today for $30AR. I hooked it up to the 32" JVC in the living room and it looks pretty darn good! :thumbsup: