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What video card should I buy



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 23rd 05, 01:55 AM
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Default 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  
Old July 23rd 05, 02:32 AM
Phil Weldon
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Default

' 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  
Old July 23rd 05, 03:50 AM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


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  
Old July 23rd 05, 04:36 AM
Phil Weldon
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Default

'' 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  
Old July 23rd 05, 08:25 AM
Sleepy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


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  
Old July 23rd 05, 02:26 PM
Interesting Ian
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Posts: n/a
Default

Hi,

I'm just about to get a graphics card. I was thinking of a 6600GT. Do any
of these have video in??


  #7  
Old July 23rd 05, 03:00 PM
DaveL
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Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old July 23rd 05, 06:55 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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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