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#1
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What video card should I buy
I am willing to spend about 300 for the card. I would use it to play
games like Doom3. I would also like to be able to watch TV on my computer. I have seen ads for cards with TV out but my guess is that I need TV in. I have a 2G cpu TIA |
#2
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' wrote:
wrote in message oups.com... | I am willing to spend about 300 for the card. I would use it to play | games like Doom3. I would also like to be able to watch TV on my | computer. I have seen ads for cards with TV out but my guess is that I | need TV in. | | I have a 2G cpu | TIA _____ 300 what? US dollars, AUS dollars, NZ dollars, Canadian doallars, euros, pounds? And a 2G cpu is a 2 GHz CPU? To watch TV on your computer monitor, * you need either [Video In] connector on your video card and a separate TV that has a [Video Out] connector (plus an [Audio Out] connector on the TV to connect to the [Audio In] connector on your audio card or motherboard) OR * a TV Tuner installed in your computer. If you install a TV Tuner in your computer, then you don't need a [Video In] connector on your video card and don't need a TV, just connect the antenna or cable to the TV tuner card. Watching premium cable or satellite programming has to be done by connecting the video and audio out from the converter box to the [Video In] connector a video card and the [Audio In] on your audio card or the on-board [Audio In] connector. Phil Weldon wrote in message oups.com... I am willing to spend about 300 for the card. I would use it to play games like Doom3. I would also like to be able to watch TV on my computer. I have seen ads for cards with TV out but my guess is that I need TV in. I have a 2G cpu TIA |
#3
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300 what? US dollars, AUS dollars, NZ dollars, Canadian doallars, euros, pounds? And a 2G cpu is a 2 GHz CPU? 300 US To watch TV on your computer monitor, * you need either [Video In] connector on your video card and a separate TV that has a [Video Out] connector (plus an [Audio Out] connector on the TV to connect to the [Audio In] connector on your audio card or motherboard) OR * a TV Tuner installed in your computer. If you install a TV Tuner in your computer, then you don't need a [Video In] connector on your video card and don't need a TV, just connect the antenna Watching premium cable or satellite programming has to be done by connecting the video and audio out from the converter box to the [Video In] connector a video card and the [Audio In] on your audio card or the on-board [Audio In] connector. Does this mean that you can get a card with a Video In that does not come with a tuner? Do any cards have a TV tuner? I would not want to have to change channels from the converter box. I was just planning to connect a splitter to my cable modem and my computer. I kind of get the impression that it might be better to select a video card for games and put in a separate tuner card for watching TV. There are so many choices for video cards my head starts spinning when I try to compare them. Thanks |
#4
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'' wrote:
| Does this mean that you can get a card with a Video In that does not | come with a tuner? | | Do any cards have a TV tuner? I would not want to have to change | channels from the converter box. I was just planning to connect a | splitter to my cable modem and my computer. I kind of get the | impression that it might be better to select a video card for games and | put in a separate tuner card for watching TV. | | There are so many choices for video cards my head starts spinning when | I try to compare them. _____ Please be clear on the difference between VIDEO IN and RF IN. RF IN Television signals from an antenna, cable service, or satellite dish are RF and us an 'F' connector. These signals must go through a tuner or converter box before they can be displayed. Television sets have tuners built in. VIDEO IN Video signals are selected (tuned in) and decoded from a television RF signal by a television set, tuner, or converter box. A video card (display adapter card) can have a [VIDEO IN] connector. That means you can hook up a VCR or DVD [VIDEO OUT] to the card and see the television image on your monitor, perhaps even in a window. If your TV set has a [VIDEO OUT] connector, you can also connect this to your video card. (The audio also needs to be connected.) Most cable or satellite convertor boxes also have [VIDEO OUT] and [AUDIO OUT] connectors. If you have a video card installed in your computer, and it has a [VIDEO IN] connector, then it can display Video signals on your monitor. A TV tuner card is separate card, and has an [RF IN] that can be connected to an antenna, to a cable connection (without requiring a converter box), or to a convertor box or the RF output of any television device. I'd say you are correct when you write "I kind of get the impression that it might be better to select a video card for games and put in a separate tuner card for watching TV." BUT the convenience of use and the programs you watch will affect your choice. IF you use a convertor box to receive premium programming, you will need to use the convertor box to tune to the premium channel. IF you use a Tuner card, then a splitter is all you need to distribute the TV RF signal to your Tuner card and other TV tuners. IF you use [VIDEO IN] on a video card, then you will need a switch to change the signal between devices. IF you don't view preminum programing and don't have a satellite connection, then the TV Tuner makes sense because you can select channels from your computer. IF you want to record televison programming, then a video card with VIDEO IN will likely give better quality images. A TV tuner card does not need very much muscle to display a tv programming through your computer. Recording TV programming requires either special added hardware on the video card or a powerful computer that can do the work with software. Also keep in mind HD TV. Some TV Tuner cards (ATI makes one) can tune in and display HD TV through your computer. You really need to read up on the choices to decide how view TV on your computer. Ease of use, scheduling recordings, ... The selection of a card for gaming is easier - at $300 US, a card based on the nVidia 6600GT is probably doable. On the other hand, if your CPU is a 2 GHz Pentium 4, then performance may CPU limited with an nVidia 6600GT. Your money, your tastes, your decision. Phil Weldon wrote in message oups.com... 300 what? US dollars, AUS dollars, NZ dollars, Canadian doallars, euros, pounds? And a 2G cpu is a 2 GHz CPU? 300 US To watch TV on your computer monitor, * you need either [Video In] connector on your video card and a separate TV that has a [Video Out] connector (plus an [Audio Out] connector on the TV to connect to the [Audio In] connector on your audio card or motherboard) OR * a TV Tuner installed in your computer. If you install a TV Tuner in your computer, then you don't need a [Video In] connector on your video card and don't need a TV, just connect the antenna Watching premium cable or satellite programming has to be done by connecting the video and audio out from the converter box to the [Video In] connector a video card and the [Audio In] on your audio card or the on-board [Audio In] connector. Does this mean that you can get a card with a Video In that does not come with a tuner? Do any cards have a TV tuner? I would not want to have to change channels from the converter box. I was just planning to connect a splitter to my cable modem and my computer. I kind of get the impression that it might be better to select a video card for games and put in a separate tuner card for watching TV. There are so many choices for video cards my head starts spinning when I try to compare them. Thanks |
#5
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wrote in message oups.com... I am willing to spend about 300 for the card. I would use it to play games like Doom3. I would also like to be able to watch TV on my computer. I have seen ads for cards with TV out but my guess is that I need TV in. I have a 2G cpu TIA The card that'll do the lot would be an All-in-Wonder such as http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...subcat_uid=711 the AIW 9800 Pro is still a decent card for games and ATI do provide decent software for TV viewing. Alternatively go for a separate TV card like http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51198 (make sure you get one that does nicam stereo sound) and then get a 9800pro separate http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...subcat_uid=709 and save some money too. A 2ghz CPU, 9800 Pro and 1gb RAM is still a decent rig to play Doom 3 on. |
#6
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Hi,
I'm just about to get a graphics card. I was thinking of a 6600GT. Do any of these have video in?? |
#7
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I think the model from MSI does.
DaveL "Interesting Ian" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm just about to get a graphics card. I was thinking of a 6600GT. Do any of these have video in?? |
#8
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Interesting Ian wrote:
Hi, I'm just about to get a graphics card. I was thinking of a 6600GT. Do any of these have video in?? What do you want video in for? After reading this I think going with a separate tuner is what I need. I just want to be able to watch basic cable on my TV. I am not interested in any capture stuff or playing computer images on TV. That 6600GT seems like it would do well for me to play Doom. |
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