Do I really need an ATI 8500 or GF4 for DVD playback on an XP1700?

[Tanner]

Title pretty much says it.

I'm building a system for my sister who's leavin' for college this summer. She can't have a TV, but she can have a DVD player in her puter. So, I'm building that in there...but I was wonderin' am I going to need to put something like one of those big boys in there for her to just watch DVDs on her monitor? (think I'm gonna get her a 955DF) Anyhow, I was just hoping that I could stick my GF2 GTS 64Mb card in there and she'd be set. What do all you vid. experts think?

TIA!

God Bless
TAnner

 

[AnAndAustin]

A GF2GTS would waste the potential of the CPU but would play DVDs 100% fine.

A GF3TI200 or Radeon8500LE are the cheapest cards that CPU deserves, at around $100 they aren't cheap, but are worth it. Otherwise you might as well stick a Duron800 in there (also more than capable of decoding MPEG2 & DVDs).

 

[MithShrike]

Maybe an AIW 7500 or 8500 if she wants TV in for TV...

 

[AnAndAustin]

I agree Mith, the Radeon AIW/DV are excellent for VIVO & TV type options and also perform very well as well as having great image quality.

The Radeon7500 equals the GF2TI/GTS. The Radeon8500 equals the GF3 cards.

Better cards are a much better use of the fast CPU.

 

[powerMarkymark]

Second vote for an ATI All-In-Wonder. Great for DVD playback And gives her the TV tuner also.

 

[Peter]

Good heavens folks ... for viewing DVD, a K6-2/300 and an SiS 6326DVD card are totally sufficient. This is early 1998 hardware.

With that much CPU power, you don't need a graphics card with DVD assisting hardware. And if she doesn't have a TV set to watch on, but watches on the computer monitor, she won't even notice the inferior TV-out on the NVidia cards.

regards, Peter

 

[dude]

She can't have a TV? Says who, your parents or the school?

If the school says no, then you'll probably not have any cable so you might as well not get an ATI AIW.

 

[JungleJoe]

Your GF2 GTS will do the job for your sis.

 

[Tanner]

YOUall are the BEST! Thanks for all of the helpful info! This place is so marvelous for this kind of information...all FREE WAHOOOOO!

She can't have a TV? Says who, your parents or the school?

If the school says no, then you'll probably not have any cable so you might as well not get an ATI AIW.

yeah, it's the skewl. you're right...she won't need the AIW cards...but it's good to hear that they've improved from what they used to be! So, now...the new quest...what do I buy for MYSELF since she's getting the GF2GTS now hmmmmmmmmmm..... any suggestions (price DOES matter - i don't have $$$) heheheh

Thanks AGAIN guys! I really appreciate it! oh, and check out my new thread about the "quiet drives"

God Bless
Tanner

 

[JungleJoe]

Tanner, get yourself a nice Geforce 4 Ti 4200....

 

[AnAndAustin]

The 4200 is a great card, excellent value. But still a little rich for a lot of people's blood.

If you're on a tighter budget the GF3TI200 and Radeon8500LE are still great cards. The Radeon has better image quality and VIVO and possibly a slight edge on speed, even when o/c is taken in to account.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

for dvd playback, a $30 xpert 2000 pro is good enough.

 

[Woodchuck2000]

for dvd playback, a $30 xpert 2000 pro is good enough.

Seconded... With anything above an athlon 800 or so, the graphics card is pretty much irrelevant in DVD playback. It sorta begs the question: Why does she even need an XP1700? Unless she's intending to play games or do something complicated, a duron 1200 would be more than adequate.

 

[alexruiz]

I think that is she is going to be typing and surfing, a combo duron 1000 / sis 740 or nforce are more than plenty. Even for "extreme gaming" (solitaire at 1280x1024) that is more than enough.

I suggest a Radeon 8500. I don't know if the configuration of the machine with the 1700+ is wrong, but the machine with the radeon 8500 (1800+, omega tweaked drivers 9030) spanks it handily in Serious Sam.....

Build her a combo with integrated video (save $$$), sell the GF2GTs (get $$$) and use that $$$ to get a Radeon 8500.

PD. to watch DVDs, the minimum needed is a 266 MHz CPU if the video card doesn't have IDTc, 200 MHz if the video card support IDTc or any kind of hardware acceleration. Not full screen though.

 

[Eagle17]

ARRRG This thread is frustrating ...


your sister will probably not notice the difference in the gf2 or an ati when it comes to watching dvds on a monitor from a few feet away... however if she plans to use her desktop to wright papers at any reolution above 1024x768 than get her a cheap ati 7500 or 7000 these can be had for less than $60 and have a VERY noticable picture quality improvement over any GF card (so far). Also the improvements on DVD's (and other MPEG based video) are not limited to unloading processor. The ATI has long been the king of picture quality when it comes to watching any video source ... ATI uses higher quality DAC resulting in better color saturation and sharper desktops, also for video playback ati include more than just IDCT, you have MUCH higher quality de-interlacing,, and again theres the higher color saturation due to better dac's... If you are interested in what video card to use for watching TV than go to www.avsforum.com in the HTPC section you will find many people who hate ATI but use their cards because they are just simply that much better...


Buy the WAY MATROX has great 2d quality as well due to the fact that they also use high quality DAC's...

anyway I hope you still get to buy yourself a new card... if your main purpose is gaming then Get the GF4 4200... That card Rocks!

 

[gregor7777]

I just put a Radeon 7000 into a guy computer and I was REALLY impressed with the 2d quality. Got it for like $30 at newegg. Can't go wrong there if she's not playing any real 3d games.

 

[AnAndAustin]

I agree that the Radeon7xxx are fine cards, decent (GF2) performance, good DVD playback (but irrelevant with even entry level CPUs) and can play all but the most modern games perfectly well.

However, ATI being better than nVidia cards is certainly NOT true any longer. Matrox are the king, ATI have always been very good, GF2 & GF3 cards are poor in comparison but GF4 cards have excellent image quality. Up there with Matrox (non Parph512 cards) and better than Radeons. We are talking small difference now between GF4, Matrox & ATI cards and most people are unlikely to notice any difference. It largely depends upon the quality of the monitor anyway.

Outside the US & Canada ATI cards are a total rip-off. A Radeon7500 is equivilent to a GF2 GTS/Pro/TI/Ultra. A Radeon8500 (inc 8500LE) is equivilent to a GF3. GF4MX cards are slighlty suped up GF2 cards, better AA, dual view and image quality. GF4TI cards are fantastic, a GF4TI4200 64MB is a real bargain and the least an AthlonXP1700+ deserves.

Look at your req, look at the prices and make your choice.

Image quality of GF4, Radeons & Matrox

 

[EdipisReks]

what kind of school is she going to where she can't have a tv? well, to answer the question, i would stick with the geforce2 gts. plenty good for what she needs.