Need video card for HD playback
#1
I have an old pc which I use for XBMC, but it cannot run the latest versions of XBMC or play HD videos. I don't currently have a HDTV, but I do hope to get one in the future. I want to know if it would be possible to upgrade my video card, so I can play HD videos in the future but also have connections so I can use it with my current SDTV. My current tv has component and composite inputs. My pc specs are

Asus A7N266-VM
Athlon XP 2000+
1gb of ram
ATI All in Wonder 9000 pro

I'm running Win XP SP3 and my mobo has an AGP 4X slot. I don't have much cash at the moment but I do have a 100 gift card for Amazon so my choices are limited to Amazon.com. Thanks in advance.
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#2
My first thought is are 8x cards backward compatible with 4x slots been a while since I looked at agp. Secondly if they are will the video decode still work with 4x. May need more bandwith for video decode.

For agp

Radeon 2600 comes to mind granted I dont know if they strip there video decode off of the agp version. Note radeon=windows only.
http://www.amazon.com/VisionTek-Radeon-2...367&sr=1-1

Then I think 8400gs is another option. pci or do they have that as agp also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purevideo#T...HD.29_GPUs
Look at the above for a break down of generations
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-nVidia--GeFor...185&sr=8-1

You can get a new pc for pretty much around 100. Nothing fancy but more powerful than that. Granted I also see the want to just do a limited upgrade

For low price
http://www.amazon.com/Biostar-MATX-AMD-M...887&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Sempron-Socket...gy_e_img_b
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006I1...PDKIKX0DER

Comes out to 121+tax+ship, does amazon tax?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_700_chi...d_graphics
Looking at that the mobo will do decoding for you but only under windows.
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#3
soulnothing Wrote:Then I think 8400gs is another option. pci or do they have that as agp also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purevideo#T...HD.29_GPUs

Yep, I think for AGP mobos a PCI 8400 GS (a 512mb version mind you) is the best option to get 1080p.

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#4
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Seems weird going back to pci after using agp. But I guess it doesn't matter as long as I can play HD.
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#5
soulnothing Wrote:My first thought is are 8x cards backward compatible with 4x slots been a while since I looked at agp. Secondly if they are will the video decode still work with 4x. May need more bandwith for video decode.

For agp

Radeon 2600 comes to mind granted I dont know if they strip there video decode off of the agp version. Note radeon=windows only.
http://www.amazon.com/VisionTek-Radeon-2...367&sr=1-1

Then I think 8400gs is another option. pci or do they have that as agp also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purevideo#T...HD.29_GPUs
Look at the above for a break down of generations
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-nVidia--GeFor...185&sr=8-1

You can get a new pc for pretty much around 100. Nothing fancy but more powerful than that. Granted I also see the want to just do a limited upgrade

For low price
http://www.amazon.com/Biostar-MATX-AMD-M...887&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Sempron-Socket...gy_e_img_b
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006I1...PDKIKX0DER

Comes out to 121+tax+ship, does amazon tax?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_700_chi...d_graphics
Looking at that the mobo will do decoding for you but only under windows.

Thanks for all the info and with the links. I could try to update some more, but I'm very limited on funds at the moment and I think the psu needs to be replaced. So, I might need to use the left over money on a new psu. I think one of the rails is putting out too much current and the overvoltage protection is making it shut down. Seems to be happening less in the winter now, I don't know if the cold weather has something to do with that. Still happens occasionally though, it just shuts down out of nowhere with no errors or anything.
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#6
slyder0244 Wrote:Thanks for the suggestions guys. Seems weird going back to pci after using agp. But I guess it doesn't matter as long as I can play HD.

AGP aged very poorly.

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#7
poofyhairguy Wrote:AGP aged very poorly.
Heh, I guess so I'm going from PCI to AGP and now back to PCI.
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