Need video card recommendations

[2canSAM]

OK I been out of the hardware scene for a LONG time. Back when I use to game a 64mb Geforce2 was a really nice card. Right now I am running a modded xbox with XBMC and using it to stream videos, music and pictures. Also play a game every now and then. I am looking at building a HTPC to replace the Xbox, so I can set up the DVR side of it. I already have all the components for the PC minus the video card. I need something that will let me run some of the 2nd gen games on a budget. I would love to get away as cheaply as possible. Wont need alot as this will be output to a SDTV via S-video and will run in 800X600 from what I understand. An example of some of the games I play are

NFS Most Wanted
POP The Two Thrones
Halo and Halo 2
Splinter Cell
Forza Motorsports


Right now looking at Geforce FX5200 or Radeon 9250. Other PC Components are P 4 2.4, 1gb pc3200

 

[snoturtle]

AGP or PCI-e?

If AGP I would say a passively cooled 9600
if PCI-e maybe a x1300

 

[2canSAM]

Sorry it would be AGP

 

[acegazda]

If you're just building this system, i'll go ahead and assume you have pci-e. That being said, my recommendation is thus: If you don't already have a pc tv tuner card, get this. Its the x1900 all in wonder, available for $265 shipped...thats a pretty sweet deal w/o a MIR.
If you already have a pc tv tuner card, go for this. It's the x1800xt, available for $225 shipped after MIR. Awesome card, awesome price. You'll be happy with either, especially if you're only playing at 800x600. Just make sure you're on maximum video settings.

 

[acegazda]

whoa....while i was typing the post, someone came in and posted... ok, when did you build this system? You can't play halo with a 9600.

 

[2canSAM]

It was actually done about two years ago. It is the guts of a Dell GX280 Desktop. acegazad I do already have a PCI TV tuner. Do I really need a 225.00 video card to play halo at 800X600? Would this card compare to the quality of the Xbox?

 

[bob4432]

are you sure it is 800x600? i thought sdtv was only like 720x480 or 640x480....

 

[2canSAM]

Originally posted by: bob4432
are you sure it is 800x600? i thought sdtv was only like 720x480 or 640x480....

not 100% sure. Right now I have a radeon 7000 32mb AGP card and It will let me choose 640x480 or 800x600 when I select output as a TV.

 

[alimoalem]

i don't think you need a $225 card...you're playing at 800x600 resolution. i think the x1300 would be good but u can't use it. the problem with agp is even the crap cards cost a lot these days. anything => x1300 should be fine

 

[snoturtle]

Originally posted by: bob4432
are you sure it is 800x600? i thought sdtv was only like 720x480 or 640x480....

Most SDTV's can do 640x480 and 800x600 some can even do 1024x768

No you don't need a 200+ card to play at 800x600

And yes a 9600 pro or even a 9800 if it can found cheaply should have no problems playing those games at 800x600

 

[acegazda]

actually a $100 9800 pro would be a good choice, no you actually don't need to drop $250 on this if you're only playing those games, but comparable to xbox, the x1800xt is only a little better than the xbox gpu which i think is based around x800 architechture.

 

[snoturtle]

Originally posted by: acegazda
actually a $100 9800 pro would be a good choice, no you actually don't need to drop $250 on this if you're only playing those games, but comparable to xbox, the x1800xt is only a little better than the xbox gpu which i think is based around x800 architechture.

xbox video chip was based off of the Geforce 3

can't remember whats in the 360

 

[Oyeve]

9800 Pro used would be your best bet.

 

[acegazda]

actually I think a company called focus developed the newest version of it, srry I don;t know why I thought ATi had anything to do with them, although ATI did produce the graphics chip for the xbox 360. Here is the link to the xbox graphics chip.

 

[acole1]

Originally posted by: acegazda
whoa....while i was typing the post, someone came in and posted... ok, when did you build this system? You can't play halo with a 9600.

I can play Halo with a 9600Pro 128MB... settings on high 1280x1024. No special lighting is the key. (I forgot the name of the setting.. I havn't played in a while.)

 

[bob4432]

also the last time i hooked up a computer to a t.v. the colors looked all washed out....

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Feeding a standard-definition 480i TV anything over 640x480 is waste IMO. As suggested by Oyeve, a used 9800Pro or other older card is your best bet - if you're going for the silent side of things, maybe a passively cooled 6600. Just make sure your case has sufficient airflow to provide the cooling. With that card and pushing only 640x480 (800x600 if the game won't go any lower, or the HUD/UI is horribly obscuring the view) you should be able to turn up all the eyecandy and enjoy some mighty fine gaming.

Originally posted by: acegazda
actually I think a company called focus developed the newest version of it, srry I don;t know why I thought ATi had anything to do with them, although ATI did produce the graphics chip for the xbox 360. Here is the link to the xbox graphics chip.

Focus made TV encoder chips for some Xbox models; they had nothing to do with the graphics core itself.

- M4H

 

[slugg]

an xbox has a geforce 3... so you dont need much at all.

 

[acegazda]

oh......i feel like an idiot.

 

[2canSAM]

Great I will keep my eyes peeled for a 9600Pro or 9800Pro. Another question though. I already have MCE2005 installed on this PC and using the S-video out of the Radeon 7000 looks awful. Not the just the windows side of it but when I am running the Media center app too. I went through the setup telling it I was using a Traditional TV but it still looks horrible. Is this going to be a limitation of my video card or my TV?

 

[tjpark1111]

well, feeding signals through s-video won't look good at all, especially on an SDTV which can't display much of the details and will look crappy, and you probably can't read text too well on the SDTV.