New Video Card

**pblack00** · December 15th, 2009, 07:43 PM

So, I'm considering upgrading my video card (it's a little old - MSI Nvidia 64mb). Any recommendations on a affordable 8x AGP video card, looking to spend $50 or so. Mostly just looking to get something that makes Hulu work well. I don't 1080p or even HD (just have a standard def TV), just has to have s-video output.

Thanks

**judgeschambers** · December 15th, 2009, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by pblack00

So, I'm considering upgrading my video card (it's a little old - MSI Nvidia 64mb). Any recommendations on a affordable 8x AGP video card, looking to spend $50 or so. Mostly just looking to get something that makes Hulu work well. I don't 1080p or even HD (just have a standard def TV), just has to have s-video output.

Thanks

Hmmm, AGP? Wow, not much available for that anymore. You have an older XP rig like me.
Abit AN7, AMD Athlon 3600 2.1 ghz 400 fsb, 1 gb 400 ram, Gforce FX5200 256 mb vid card.

Well, to get Hulu to play well, you'd need fast CPU and a Gforce FX 5200 or 5500 card (what I have and newegg carries them for $50+). It will play, but our CPU is not fast enough to keep Hulu from jittering. And your CPU is slower than my unit. So, it may be laggier than mine is. It may play ok in IE, but in Boxee it will laaaaag bad. Sorry, I'm there now.

Or Better yet get a video card that handles Flash acceleration. But in AGP? I don't think that is possible because our systems are too old. Hell, I'd get one for my rig if available, but it does not look good. See below.

Here is list of Nvidia cards that offer GPU Flash Acceleration, but you'll have to find one that is AGP. I looked on Newegg.com and found no cards in the Gforce GT or 8000 9000 series that were AGP.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/gpus_su...dobeflash.html

**Kyusaku** · December 16th, 2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by judgeschambers

Or Better yet get a video card that handles Flash acceleration. But in AGP? I don't think that is possible because our systems are too old. Hell, I'd get one for my rig if available, but it does not look good. See below.

Here is list of Nvidia cards that offer GPU Flash Acceleration, but you'll have to find one that is AGP. I looked on Newegg.com and found no cards in the Gforce GT or 8000 9000 series that were AGP.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/gpus_su...dobeflash.html

NVIDIA has basically abandoned AGP, but there are actually some ATI cards with GPU acceleration with AGP input.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...04000%20series

At the moment the ATI Catalyst drivers only support GPU Acceleration with Flash Beta on HD 4000 series, HD 5700 and HD 5800 series(There are no HD 5700 and HD 5800 cards with AGP at the moment)

Although it seems a little out of your price range.

GPU Acceleration of H.264 video content using Adobe Flash
Player 10.1 Beta
This release of ATI Catalyst™ supports the new Hardware Acceleration features of
Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Beta for video encoded in the H.264 format. Adobe Flash Player
10.1 Beta introduces hardware-based H.264 video decoding to deliver smooth video
playback, reduce system resource utilization, and preserve battery life. Adobe Flash
Player 10.1 Beta is expected to be available for download from Adobe Labs
(labs.adobe.com) before the end of the year. This feature is supported on the ATI Radeon
HD 5800, ATI Radeon HD 5700 and ATI Radeon HD 4000 Series of products.

**pblack00** · December 17th, 2009, 05:50 AM

Thanks! I'm not exactly sure what my price range is at this moment, so it may be OK. I'll take a look at those cards and see if something works. I was afraid that this might be the case, maybe I'll get some Christmas money and just build and Ion machine!

pblack00

**judgeschambers** · December 17th, 2009, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Kyusaku

NVIDIA has basically abandoned AGP, but there are actually some ATI cards with GPU acceleration with AGP input.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...04000%20series

At the moment the ATI Catalyst drivers only support GPU Acceleration with Flash Beta on HD 4000 series, HD 5700 and HD 5800 series(There are no HD 5700 and HD 5800 cards with AGP at the moment)

Although it seems a little out of your price range.

Nice find, Kyusaku! Thanks for the info.

**jmk_428** · December 17th, 2009, 07:25 AM

Not sure you should spend anything on a rig that old... Throwing good money away... you could take that $100 and buy an old referb that is a complete computer faster than your current one.

**mickbali123** · December 19th, 2009, 06:19 AM

Hi.
New version of card has hit the market with direct x 11 support through with you can enjoy the games with tesellation insted of old paraflox inlusion with true 3 d gaming presently the only graphic cards of ati 58 series are in market which suppoorts the direct x 11 technology.

**Kyusaku** · December 19th, 2009, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by jmk_428

Not sure you should spend anything on a rig that old... Throwing good money away... you could take that $100 and buy an old referb that is a complete computer faster than your current one.

I might have to agree with this post, as the CPU and Motherboard might also need replacing to play any decent content. I imagine the Athlon is the old single core chip. While there's quite a bit of talk of GPU off-loading, you still need a decent CPU for general content.

**pblack00** · December 19th, 2009, 08:58 PM

Yes, it's an old machine...at this time I have no plans to upgrade to an HD TV setup...it's just not in my budget. It plays local content very well, no problems in fact (well except the the Beta and XP I only get a white screen, but that is being worked on!). I appreciate all the link, and will take a look at them. I think some of the ATI cards are a possibility.

Thanks for you input!
pblack00