New Video Card? or not.....

[dave8311]

I run a P4T533-C with a P4 3.06 Hyper Thread enabled, and 1 Gb of R800 RAMBUS.

I don't plan on upgrading that part for some time.

I use a ViewSonic PF790, 1280x1024 @ 85 Hertz, but plan on an upgrade to a ViewSonic flat panel in the near future.

I don't play any 3D games at all.

I do a lot of digital video capture, edit, encode and burn, and the regular web surfing, email, etc.

I currently have an ASUS Ti-4200/128.

Is there a better video card for me, something with better 2D?

Budget is around $150 US

Thanks in advance.

 

[UsandThem]

I wouldn't waste my money on an upgrade if you don't game.

The RAMDAC (2d) of the Asus' cards always looked very good to me.

Save your money or spend it on another upgrade.

 

[araczynski]

well, if you're not seeing any obvious video slowdowns in your current setup then there's probably no reason to upgrade, however when you get the flat panel you might want to upgrade the card if only for the DVI capability which you'll want on the LCD. but from what i remember there's a good chance the 4200 already has that if i'm not wrong. in which case, yeah, upgrade some other component you might find more usefull.

 

[Oyeve]

I have a simular setup except I use 1 gig of R1066 ram. That card is fine if you dont do any gaming.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Get a dual dvi graphics card from a previous generation to keep cost down and get two digital LCD's and go to dual monitor goodness

 

[dave8311]

and go to dual monitor goodness

I still have not figured out how having two monitors is a good thing.

Maybe if I saw someone using them in a practical situation, I would change my mind.

 

[3LEMENT0]

if you do a lot of work requiring multiple windows it's really good. At work I have a dual monitor setup, one window for emails, spread sheets, company messenger and the other one for software and stuff I work on. At home I don't think I need a dual setup though since i don't get important mails and messages and stuff like that....

 

[Paratus]

Are you using your Asus vid card to capture the video? I'm just guessing because most of their current cards are VIVO enabled.

If you are you may want to checkout the Asus 9600XT TVD it's VIVO enabled,, has a nice software package and is DX9.0 and OpenGL 2.0 enabled. Plus its about 181 from newegg unlike the 350 and up 9800 Pro/XT versions.

 

[Paratus]

-- Duplicate Post Doh! ---

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

email and surfing on one monitor and video editing on the other. Or watch the effects of your video editing on one monitor without previewing back and forth on the same monitor. Watch your changes in real time. I am going dual monitor here soon. In no way am I telling you this is better for you; for you know best your needs.

 

[dave8311]

Are you using your Asus vid card to capture the video?

No chance.

I use a Canopus ADVC-1394, and capture in DV.

Then re-encode with either Canopus Procoder, or CCE 2.67

 

[Slugbait]

I still have not figured out how having two monitors is a good thing.

Once I did it, I couldn't believe that I used to think the same way as you do now. For Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, etc, I move all my toolbars to the other monitor, so that I have more space to view and work on the project itself. When I have a bunch of windows open, there are usually at least two I would like to have top-most at all times, which can't be done with a single display system. My secondary monitor is hooked up to a KVM, so I can easily switch to my second machine and run a task, while still being able to continue reading thru some doc or webpage on my primary machine.

Ehhh, once you do it, you'll never go back...

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well if you dont do any games and you do everything you listed then a Matrox card is awesome!! They are the undisputed leader in that category. (Not talking about worstation and highend, talking about 2D IQ and encoding (etc)).

-Kevin

 

[dave8311]

Thanks for the input, all.

I decided on the Matrox Millennium P650.

Got one from Newegg for less than $100.

Hope it lives up to all the hype.

 

[3LEMENT0]

Dual monitor are nice...I have Matrox Mil at work too with 2 CRT's...works well for me