MSI StarForce GeForce 2 GTS, 32MB DDR w/tv out for $140. !!!RETAIL!!!

[DoobieOnline]

K-factor, I think your settings are messed up. The Pro runs at 200/400 from the factory. Might not be a Pro after all, but if it is you creamed 'em on that deal

 

[Bfavre444]

In the Geforce pro thread for $200, people are saying that that pro is a "repacked" Leadtek. Any chance this MSI GTS is repacked? Anyone actually got this GTS from newegg yet?

 

[manly]

I own the Hercules Geforce2-MX card w/ TV-out, which is provided by an S-video port. I only have an older 27-inch Sharp TV with RCA-plug connectors, and when I used the included S-video to composite video cable, the quality was disappointing. It's watchable after some tweaking (through the TwinView settings), but I'd much rather watch movies directly on my 19" monitor where it's crystal-clear. I suspect if I had a modern TV w/ S-video input, the quality would be good (or better) but for older TVs, I think an affordable standalone DVD player is a much better choice. Note my TV is by no means ancient; it's just not a Sony WEGA or anything like that.

In short, the Geforce2-MX TV-out feature should be an afterthought in your purchasing decision, and not a critical need. As an aside, Hercules throws in the capable software DVD player PowerDVD, although it's the older 2.55 version which doesn't have the latest nVidia optimizations.

 

[K_Factor]

slvrbullet

My card is running fine. No problems so far. I don't know what the deal is with the memory speed setting. Maybe MSI tested this card and it didn't pass their memory tests at 400 MHz, so they underclocked it to 366 MHz and sold it as a GTS (they dont offer a 64 meg GTS). I have the memory clocked at 400 MHz right now, and haven't had any problems yet.

 

[EtOH]

I just got the one I ordered in today. I wasn't lucky enough to get the pro in the box but at $140 I can't really complain, plain jane MSI GTS 32mb DDR 333Mhz. So far (just testing with 3dmark2001) I have gotten the memory up to 390 without any problems, haven't pushed the core yet. Not a bad board for the money.

EtOH

 

[geckojohn]

I have a P3 500 and a Voodoo3 2000 16 meg video card right now. I am thinking about upgrading to a better vid card... Will I see significant improvements if I get this 32meg Geforce2 GTS? I play sports games like NBA Live, and Triple Play as well as first person shooters such as counterstrike. Thanks for the help...

 

[Wolfgang]

Manly,

Just FYI, the Radeon LE offers, like every TV-out Radeon, fairly HQ TV-out. The attribute that struck me most about it was the color depth: every other TV-out I've used resulted in banding and splotching of color gradations, particular in dark AVI or DVD scenes. The Radeons don't do that. It's as if everyone out there uses 12- or 14-bit color depth for their TV-out (I called MSI, and they said their TV-out is the same one everyone else uses -- that's why I didn't buy) EXCEPT ATI with the Radeon (I also have a new very low-end ATI 3d Pro Turbo PC2TV: its tv-out is mediocre...) and probably Matrox, who apparently use 32-bit color.

But I imagine the Geforce 2's WAY out-game my Radeon LE in 16-bit mode, certainly. Probably a bit closer in 32-bit HQ modes, though I'm not yet getting nearly the performance out of it so far that some others are. (Not yet sure why.)

But for $89 for a Radeon LE, shipped, with HQ TV-out, I'm not about to complain. (And my old Voodoo3 3000 has found a nice home, too. :^>)

 

[teraeric]

you'll see a substantial improvement in both quantity (frame rate) and quality (2 and 3d resolution)... i own both cards...

 

[Bfavre444]

Have you seen any benchmarks of the Radeon 32MB? It sucks so badly.