Whats the best card for dvd and hdtv

[jonnygus]

Which card is the best for my needs? Should I buy ati 9500, 9500+, 9600, or 9600+.

The internet said that the 9500 and 9500 plus are better than the 9600 and 9600 plus. The 9500 is secretly a 9700 with some of the parts turned off?

I have a zalman heatsink i can use in place of a fan on any of the cards.

I want the one that is best for video like DVD and HDTV. i need direct express 9 and maybe 8x agp. it will be used in a sprindale based system. the only video game i play is mindsweep beginner level. which one do you guys think is the right one to buy?

[GlowStick]

Originally posted by jonnygus
Which card is the best for my needs? Should I buy ati 9500, 9500+, 9600, or 9600+.

The internet said that the 9500 and 9500 plus are better than the 9600 and 9600 plus. The 9500 is secretly a 9700 with some of the parts turned off?

I have a zalman heatsink i can use in place of a fan on any of the cards.

I want the one that is best for video like DVD and HDTV. i need direct express 9 and maybe 8x agp. it will be used in a sprindale based system. the only video game i play is mindsweep beginner level. which one do you guys think is the right one to buy?

If you dont play video games then you dont really need any Gameing power, so a 9500 would work, but you 'MAY' beable to get a 9600 cheeper, in withc case id go with that.

BTW are you useing TV out to watch the movies? Or on your monitor.

[madthumbs]

BTW are you useing TV out to watch the movies? Or on your monitor.

-You would'nt use "tv-out" for your hdtv unless it was to play some games that wouldn't accept the unusual resolutions.

As stated, you really don't need a high performance card. You may want to look into what comes with the card, and how to hook it up. I had to buy a dvi to rgb and an rgb to component converter to hook my tv up. Now I hear that some cards come with component outputs, and some tv's with rgb/ and dvi inputs!

[jonnygus]

The PC will be used with a CRT projector. Think of it as a 100" VGA monitor at 1280x1024. (The PJ takes a standard VGA video card output.) I currently have a Gforce 3, but the ATI cards are supposed to be much better for DVD and HDTV. I hear that 9500/9700 generation is more powerful than 9600/9800. But the newer generation has improved versions of the goodies that aren't directly related to power. ATI gives them encrypted names like hyper smooth video shader deluxe plus.1 But the new cards lack some of the goodies that the old cards have. Like Z-mething
and others. I have no idea what any of this means, but I understand that it is the goodie-set and filters of the 9500/9700 cards that makes them good cards for DVD/HDTV. Does the better build quality of the older cards with their older but larger goodie-set and more power win, or the new generation with its weaker power, fewer goodies, but improved remaining goodies win? I think the prices will be similar because the old card prices might drop when the new cards come out. And I don't think he
difference is big enough if one card is better. I also think that the procards are not necessary for me because they are only better for complicated games?

[GlowStick]

Alright, first of the 9800Pro is better than the 9700Pro. But since you wont be doing any gameing, that isnt a problem, and none of those cards should be considerd.

On the video quality issue, the thing is, that will be completely subjective, but i have a plan, i like to call it the GlowStick Plan!


First, get a cuple of diffrent type of moives that you LIKE (some with special effects, and some with bright collors, some dark etc)

View certin chapters on your current setup, maybe with someone else and try to rember how it looks and feels.

Then go to a place with a very nice retrun polocy (circuit City has ones) and buy a your next video card (id recomend a 9500 regular if you want one NOW, or a 9600 if you are gonna wait)

Install it, and install the ATi Media player so you can turn the extra post processing stuff on! (make sure you make sure its on in the options)

Then view the same movies with the same sceens and see if you like it better.

The quality will be competely subjective, so you have to test witch one you like better, its your choise. Just abuse the return polocys : )