Do I need a new video card or new OS?

[PS85]

Dell Optiplex 170L, Win XP home 1.25RAM

When watching videos this machine really doesn't keep up with resolutions over 240. Had an Acer netbook with an AMD that had a separate video processor and win7, and it handled graphics higher than that very well.

Is it the winxp that is at fault for low resolution or do I simply need a new video card?

 

[Arkaign]

Unfortunately, the 170L does not have a PCI Express or even AGP slot, so you're limited to PCI cards, which don't always work very will with those chipsets (it can be difficult to point the Bios/OS to boot with the add-in card reliably). But PCI is just terrible for video cards. The CPU you have is either a Celeron or P4 socket 478, and that's also just too old with that configuration to be worth messing with.

The good news is that you can almost certainly find some source around there to sell you a dramatically better PC for cheap. Around here you can find 2006-era Core 2 Duo Dells/HPs for $100ish, usually with 2GB, and the onboard video will probably be good enough for 720p (it still would be advisable to make sure it has a full-length PCI express slot so you could add a 5450/6450/GT610 kind of card if you needed to).

That's about as low-budget as you can get, and it sounds like you would rather not spend much $$ if you don't have to.

 

[Arkaign]

Oh, and no, WinXP isn't at fault here. With a C2D and almost any GPU from 2007+, you can watch 480p/720p with no issues, and even 1080p if it's decent enough.

 

[VirtualLarry]

WinXP might be partially at fault. I built a HTPC with a 1.8Ghz dual-core Athlon II X2, or maybe it was just an AM2 X2 CPU. Anyways, it had a single 2GB DDR2 DIMM, and a 780G chipset with HDMI out to my 32" LCD TV.

I was attempting to play back 1080P HD-DVD rips, and not having any success under XP, even though the chipset supported doing hardware decoding. I tried several different version of MPC-HC and VLC.

But then I installed Win7, and voila, everything "just worked"... beautifully.

I would invest in a PCI 8400GS (with the newer VP featureset), or a PCI 5450, and possibly Win7. 2GB RAM wouldn't hurt either.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JATON-Video...703?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item3cde8f14df

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814139070

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500262

 

[SPBHM]

simple idea, can you just buy a Celeron 1037U motherboard for around $70 + 2GB of memory and fit into the old dell case using the same PSU and HD (if it's sata) this would definitely run 1080P videos, a lot better than your P4, even with a PCI VGA can... and just be overall way faster, using less power.

PCI cards are bad for youtube, at least is what happens with my 8400GS PCI, it's only good for DXVA (using MPCHC) or XBMC (using pixel shader, actually using XBMC it runs 720P youtube videos well, but using the browser I'm lucky when 360P is playable).

PCI bandwidth will give you around 60-100MB/s real performance PCIE 2.0 16x (what a regular 8400GS or 5450 uses) over 5GB/s this reduction affects things like video playback (without DXVA).

 

[Maximilian]

Turf the whole PC and get a new one. :thumbsup:

 

[Techhog]

simple idea, can you just buy a Celeron 1037U motherboard for around $70 + 2GB of memory and fit into the old dell case using the same PSU and HD (if it's sata) this would definitely run 1080P videos, a lot better than your P4, even with a PCI VGA can... and just be overall way faster, using less power.

PCI cards are bad for youtube, at least is what happens with my 8400GS PCI, it's only good for DXVA (using MPCHC) or XBMC (using pixel shader, actually using XBMC it runs 720P youtube videos well, but using the browser I'm lucky when 360P is playable).

PCI bandwidth will give you around 60-100MB/s real performance PCIE 2.0 16x (what a regular 8400GS or 5450 uses) over 5GB/s this reduction affects things like video playback (without DXVA).

Either this or buy a new PC. Not much you can do with what you have. Your computer lasted a long time. It can finally rest.

 

[Arkaign]

WinXP might be partially at fault. I built a HTPC with a 1.8Ghz dual-core Athlon II X2, or maybe it was just an AM2 X2 CPU. Anyways, it had a single 2GB DDR2 DIMM, and a 780G chipset with HDMI out to my 32" LCD TV.

I was attempting to play back 1080P HD-DVD rips, and not having any success under XP, even though the chipset supported doing hardware decoding. I tried several different version of MPC-HC and VLC.

But then I installed Win7, and voila, everything "just worked"... beautifully.

I would invest in a PCI 8400GS (with the newer VP featureset), or a PCI 5450, and possibly Win7. 2GB RAM wouldn't hurt either.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JATON-Video...703?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item3cde8f14df

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814139070

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814500262

The problem (probably/possibly) is that he simply doesn't have enough CPU power to do that. Your X2 is a lot faster than the 170L even with the most optimistic possible CPU that could be in the 170L. Most of the ones I've seen have been : Celeron 1.8Ghz, Celeron 2.0Ghz, Pentium 4 1.8Ghz, Pentium 4 2.0Ghz, Pentium 4 2.26Ghz, and a handful of 2.4/2.66 models. Combo that with DDR1, a glacial IDE hdd, and PCI slots, and you're just looking at a mess.

As for GPU acceleration, yes, it can absolutely work in WinXP, but can also be a pita to get drivers+codecs in line with each other. I've had great luck just throwing CCCP on XP systems though, and can get reliable HD accel that way in combo with a good driver selection.

Win7 is definitely better when it's an option.

 

[SPBHM]

As for GPU acceleration, yes, it can absolutely work in WinXP, but can also be a pita to get drivers+codecs in line with each other. I've had great luck just throwing CCCP on XP systems though, and can get reliable HD accel that way in combo with a good driver selection.

Win7 is definitely better when it's an option.

it works that's for sure, but for example VLC have no support for DXVA on XP, only Vista+, current MPCHC also dropped support, you have to use 2.6.x to work... and with PCI bus it's more problematic.

and the nvidia video decoding works like crap with the PCI bus, worse or the same as software.

as for flash, it's kind of hard to get it to work, is a funny game between driver version, flash version and web browser, but even when I got it working on youtube (decoding and rendering), it was still pretty bad at higher quality/full screen because of the bandwidth I think.

still XBMC works pretty well, higher CPU usage than DXVA even when using the GPU, but still works fine with GPU acceleration and PCI bus, and with the youtube add-on it runs 720p youtube smoothly.

 

[Arkaign]

Yep, for all those reasons (single core netburst CPU of pre-golden days, PCI bus, DDR1-266, PATA drive, XP) combined that a $100ish C2D with Win7 (they practically flood CL these days) is the way to go for the OP.

So much easier, just update the drivers, update flash, grab CCCP, go to town. Literally everything will work, probably even 1080p. And if anything more is needed, a $20 used 6450 will do 1080p like a boss.

 

[shady28]

Oh, and no, WinXP isn't at fault here. With a C2D and almost any GPU from 2007+, you can watch 480p/720p with no issues, and even 1080p if it's decent enough.

^^ This

You can get refurbished GX760s - Core 2 Duo with 2GB RAM, Win7 Home Premium, 80GB HDD - from Microcenter for ~$120

That's actually quite the deal considering the OS alone, if purchased separately, would be ~$100.

These are by no means speed demons, but they will easily do light web surfing and HD video playback, plus the build quality is very good compared to "retail" PCs (Optiplex PCs are meant for heavy business use - they do not look cheap).

 

[VirtualLarry]

^^ This

You can get refurbished GX760s - Core 2 Duo with 2GB RAM, Win7 Home Premium, 80GB HDD - from Microcenter for ~$120

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24&ignorebbr=1

 

[Insomniator]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24&ignorebbr=1

Crazy thats WITH an OS.

OP, do not spend any more money on that machine in any way at all. Don't even dust it off. Throw it away.

If you have the money for a new OS or Video card, scrape together the extra dollars to spend 100 bucks on something like posted above. If you really just need to play videos you could get a roku or something for 40 bucks and play em off that.

 

[PS85]

appreciate the suggestions of getting a new computer, but I'm still using this one, for better or worse. Can't stand the video anymore, found some PCI video cards for this Dell Optiplex 170 . Here's one I'm thinking of getting. Only thing is I read somewhere this card needs a 240 Watt power supply. As the Dell Optiplex has a 36 Watt supply I'm sure they are not talking the same electrical measurement. Can this thing work in an Optiplex, yes I realize I should have put this thing to rest a long time ago?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaton-Nvidi...e013125&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=171909357683

 

[redzo]

It is a piece of junk. You need a current GPU with a current hardware video decoder in order to assist the CPU at video decode. That Geforce MX4000 belongs to a hw museum.

Generally speaking, I would not advise you to purchase a brand new GPU for that machine.

 

[Shmee]

For a computer like that, I would recommend the 8400GS as mentioned, and Linux.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you were watching the AT Hot Deals forum this past week, cbn posted some great complete refurb PC deals from ArrowDirect for as low as $27 with Windows 7 included.

I posted a thread on the ECS 1037U mini-ITX mobo for $44.99 + $2.99 ship. Add a $20 stick of 4GB Team brand DDR3, and you could replace your PC's guts completely.

Between those two deals, and the 160GB WD refurb (but zero POH) HDD for $14.99 FS at Newegg (still a valid deal), you could have had essentially a new PC for $83. One that would play 1080P pretty effortlessly.

Edit: Or just get an HP Stream 7 tablet on ebay for $80 or less.

 

[fralexandr]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...00007562 600490386&IsNodeId=1&IsPowerSearch=1
a filtered list of all pci graphics cards on newegg capable of HD decode
there's a 5450 for $30-$10 MIR +$4 shipping = $24
and some 210 for $27 no MIR
and a 6450 for $40 -$10 MIR +$4 shipping = $34

the 6450 adds some more features, but the 5450 and 210 provide most of what's important
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_PureVideo#Table_of_GPUs_containing_a_PureVideo_SIP_block
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Video_Decoder#UVD-enabled_GPUs

anandtech htpc review of 210
http://www.anandtech.com/show/2939/2
anandtech htpc review of 5450
http://www.anandtech.com/show/2931/4
anandtech htpc review of 6450
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4263/amds-radeon-hd-6450-uvd3-meets-htpc/3

----------
I agree with most of the above posters that it doesn't really make sense to upgrade your computer. It's too bad the stream 7 doesn't have video outputs, there're others that do though, like some winbooks.
http://www.amazon.com/Winbook-TW700...2393178&sr=8-1&keywords=windows+8+tablet+hdmi

 

[zambien1]

Dell Optiplex 170L, Win XP home 1.25RAM

When watching videos this machine really doesn't keep up with resolutions over 240. Had an Acer netbook with an AMD that had a separate video processor and win7, and it handled graphics higher than that very well.

Is it the winxp that is at fault for low resolution or do I simply need a new video card?

You have a couple free options you can try.

1. Download Media Center Classic. This should have all of the codecs needed to run videos well.
2. Download and configure Kodi (XBMC). This also has everything needed to watch videos.

If neither of these work you may need to upgrade.

 

[zambien1]

The good news is that you can almost certainly find some source around there to sell you a dramatically better PC for cheap. Around here you can find 2006-era Core 2 Duo Dells/HPs for $100ish, usually with 2GB, and the onboard video will probably be good enough for 720p (it still would be advisable to make sure it has a full-length PCI express slot so you could add a 5450/6450/GT610 kind of card if you needed to).

Can confirm. I just sold a GA-965P-DS3 with 2GB RAM and an E6400 for $60 on ebay.

A better alternative might be to go with an H97 board, G3258, and a single 4gb stick. This would meet your needs as it has on-board video and would only cost you around $150. It would also be upgradeable in the future. Of course if you need a new PSU, HD, case, etc the costs start to add up.

 

[Denithor]

I will give a warning - many, many of the Dell boxes are either BTX layout or some funky custom layout and WILL NOT HOLD the typical ATX/mATX motherboards most often for sale in retail/consumer space. Make absolutely sure your case will hold an ATX/mATX format board before trying to upgrade the innards.

You are also going to find, in many cases, the powersupply is highly restrictive on available connectors to power your components. They customize the ends to match EXACTLY what is used in each machine (why add extra molex connectors you aren't going to use, at a cost of $0.10 each, when you are selling millions of units?). So even if you rebuild, you may also need a new powersupply, which also may not fit - many OEM cases use custom size/shape PSUs...

Rebuilding an ancient machine is just asking for trouble, basically. You would be far better off getting one of the off-lease business machines with Windows 7 and copying all your files & stuff onto that.