Radeon VIVO or DVD Decoder or ????

[tigereye]

Looking to build my new system, and am stuck on the choice of video card. Basically, I want to be able to have decent tv out (able to watch DVDs on the TV). Video in would be a useful feature, but it is really just an afterthought.

I'm trying to decide if I should spend the money and go for a 64-vivo or get a radeon LE, and stick in a dvd decoder or some other sort of video out solution (which I hear will have better output quality for less money). Or, am I overlooking something?

Thanks,

Michael

 

[Workin']

If you decide not to go with the Radeon VIVO, I would consider an external scan converter instead of a DVD decoder card. You can then have TV-out with any computer.

The bad thing about the DVD decoder card TV-out is that it will only output DVD video. Not Divx or games or your desktop or anything else.

The TV-out quality of the Radeon is as good as you can get (if it's properly set up it is at least as good as a DVD decoder card), but it is slightly inconvenient because you have to set your screen resolution to 800x600 @ 60Hz to use the TV-out.

 

[rbV5]

At the price for the 64mb radeon, you can't go wrong. I doubt your going to beat the radeon for picture quality without just getting a set top box. The benefit for playing Divx titles and streaming video, as well as gameplay on my TV is what turned me to the Radeon, I got the AIW Radeon for the better video capture and the TV tuner and I feel it was worth the extra for me.

 

[Quaker]

Another vote for the radeon... i love mine

 

[hans007]

yeah, with the radeon vivo going for $165 shipped, really you cant lose. Well then again if you dont need the tv stuff just get a radeon LE , which is what i have, and you can save half that money and buy a scan converter, that you can carry along with all your future cards

 

[RobsTV]

Another vote for a scan convertor, at a price from around $70 to $200.
Higher resolutions, more features, NO DRIVERS or software needed, and a permanent solution, unlike a video card with built-in TV out, that will require constant driver updates.

 

[tigereye]

Workin/Robs, can you recommend a scan converter to look at? Sounds like the DVD card is not the way to go for an add on device.

Hans, where do you come up with $165 shipped for the vivo, I am still getting around 180-190 shipped.

 

[Workin']

There are several different brands available. I would look for something that fits your budget and buy it from a place that will let you return/exchange it. Some people like the Averkey imicro, it's probably the least expensive (<$100) halfway decent one out there. RobsTV can probably suggest a few others.