Recommend a cheap NVidia AGP card for HTPC

[cbuchach]

As the title states, I am looking to set up an old Athlon 1200 with Windows Media Center and an ATI TV Wonder 550 and need an AGP card that has decent TV output. The system currently has a Radeon 32DDR in it.

I usually buy ATI, but wanted to try an NVidia card this time as I am not a big fan of ATI's CCC and wanted to see what NVidia has to offer.

I am planning on getting a used card on EBay and am hoping to pay in the $20-40 range.

 

[Lord Banshee]

6200 AGP is the only one i can think of.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150107

but i guess if you have too a 5200 will work but that chip is slower than slow.

 

[cbuchach]

OK, I guess I am looking for one of the older/used NVidia cards. Would something like an old TI 4600 be usable?

 

[Lord Banshee]

i hear the the TV-Out of pre-FX days of nvidia card were not so good. If you are using VGA with HDTV then it wouldn't matter. But i never owned a Geforce 4 so i am not sure

I can tell you one thing though, a ATI 9800 Pro has better clarity than a Geforce 2 GTS, GeforceFX 5200 and a Geforce 6200 using s-video out. But the difference in the 6200 and the 9800 isn't that much but i can see one.

 

[cbuchach]

Originally posted by: Lord Banshee
i hear the the TV-Out of pre-FX days of nvidia card were not so good. If you are using VGA with HDTV then it wouldn't matter. But i never owned a Geforce 4 so i am not sure

I can tell you one thing though, a ATI 9800 Pro has better clarity than a Geforce 2 GTS, GeforceFX 5200 and a Geforce 6200 using s-video out. But the difference in the 6200 and the 9800 isn't that much but i can see one.

I remember hearing about problems with NVidia TV-out a few years ago. Might you all recommend an ATI card then for the price range I am looking?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Since you just need good TV out PQ Should do fine since you aren't looking for gaming or the driver support that entails.

 

[cbuchach]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Since you just need good TV out PQ Should do fine since you aren't looking for gaming or the driver support that entails.

I not overly comfortable with that chipset manufacturer and maybe some other suggestions?

 

[cbuchach]

Well, I ended up going with the Asus Radeon 9550 with the 64-bit memory interface. I should be able to use the ATI DVI-component output to display on the television.

Got it for $45 shipped new from Newegg. Should work well as a HTPC card.