Suggestions Needed

[sixSICsix]

oK, i'm want to get a new video card. I've currently got an all in wonder 7200, and i love it... so i really want to keep the TV in / Tunner bit. My intentions are to play a few games (not a hard core gamer) i mainly want to play halo2 and counter strike. I also intend on installing windows xp media center 2k5.

So here's my dilema,

Do i buy myself a good TV Tuner card (hauppage 250 PVR) and then get a 3d card, or should i go all out and buy an all in wonder 9800 pro?

I'm leaning towards buying 2 cards right now....

-S

 

[BuckingFastard]

To be honest, it probably doesn't matter. In my opinion, you should just get the 9800 All-In-Wonder. You can buy it here and it's also the retail version so it comes with all the cables and software.

The normal 9800 Pro is about $150 - $200 depending on brand. I guess it really depends on how much you want to spend for a TV Tuner.

 

[$|!m]

hm.., Halo2 will be a real beast, and its not comin out for AGES, so im sure u will have 2 upgrade when that comes ouy anyway. If you just want to play a few games, i advise gettin a consul, the new ps2 mini editino is out soon, and the Xbox's price (along with the gamecube) has dropped considerably. BUT, if u choose to stick to PC gaming, the best thing would be to get 2 cards. You can pick up TV cards cheap. When you said you wanted to play counter strike did you mean cs 1.6 (shite grafix) or the new one, counter strike source?
What are you other computer specs, cos its a little hard to advise you if we dont know (i have sig off, so i mite not b able 2 c)
A good card to ply just normal counter strike is the 9600, if ur thinkin of the noew counter strike source (and ut2004, far cry etc) a good card!! is the x800 pro, but if u cant stretch 2 that, the x700 xt is coming out soon, and its rlly good value for money.
gd luk

 

[BuckingFastard]

i can get you a deal visit the store www.savemypc.net

One look at this site makes me not only want to throw up, but to not buy anything from you. Newegg is the best site for buying parts. Period. No discussion necessary.

Also on you're website you mentioned you're A+ certified. I hope you realize that A+ isn't what it once was. It doesn't mean that much anymore. All it means is that you know what you're doing when it comes to 98 and DOS (for the OS exam) or you know how to plug in cards (hardware exam).

You mentioned "affordable web design" on your site. If anyone looked at your site and thought "wow this guy is good at web design" I would recommend that they be summarily executed. You don't even have text on your site...they're all just images of text! It's like your site is a big joke.

if u choose to stick to PC gaming, the best thing would be to get 2 cards. You can pick up TV cards cheap.

He said he wanted to get a nice TV card which can run well above $50. Like I said, it might be worth getting the 9800 AIW, it might be worth getting 2 cards. Compare prices before you buy.

A good card to ply just normal counter strike is the 9600, if ur thinkin of the noew counter strike source (and ut2004, far cry etc) a good card!! is the x800 pro, but if u cant stretch 2 that, the x700 xt is coming out soon, and its rlly good value for money.

The x700 and x800 are good cards, but unnecessarily expensive especially for Half-Life 2, UT2k4, and FarCry. I know many people, including myself, that manage just fine with a 9800 Pro and play all those games at 1280x1024 with details and AA pumped way up.

However, $|!m is right. Since Halo 2 won't be coming out for a while, you should get 2 cards. That way if you have to upgrade your card for Halo 2, you won't have to buy a TV tuner as well.

 

[sixSICsix]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I actually meant Half Life 2, not Halo 2... got me games mixed up. i'm gonna go price out online some cards. i'm in canada, so i gots to start saving my money, 9800 AIW is still 500 bux

thanks again
-s

 

[BuckingFastard]

Order from Newegg. They ship internationally. Even if you have to pay $30 for shipping, you'll still be saving boat loads of money.

 

[BuckingFastard]

I lied. Newegg doesn't ship internationally. But if you look within the US I'm sure you can find one that does.

 

[ShoobieRat]

NewEgg will ship internationally, but there's only two ways to do it. One, if you're in the military. Two, if you have a special circumstance (such as a defective product that you bought here and now use in another country).

As for the cards, I would suggest getting the best video card you can afford, then getting a tuner card seperate. Not that the AIW cards aren't good, but they tend to be expensive. Also, with the way TV is advancing today, I'd be more inclined to get a seperate card so I could easily switch it out, upgrade, etc. A specialized tuner card can also offer some features that the AIW cards can't.

That's just my philosophy, though. If I want the TV on my PC, I buy a card that is designed for doing that, not a card that has that as a feature. This sounds like bashing on the AIW cards, but I'm not.

Anyway, on the subject of A+ certification, I'm more likely to buy from someone who has it, than someone who doesn't.

As for the website, it is pretty weak (especially the image of the text which has the alternate text saying everything on the image. This is a HUGE waste of bandwidth. Still, I have to admit that for the type of site it is, it's better than some I've seen (at least from a viewing standard).

 

[$|!m]

well i recoment the 9800pro, and you can get it for 150 quid from tekheads.co.uk i ordered mine from there, and it came the next day

($|!m here btw)

 

[BuckingFastard]

I would rather buy from a real company who know's that they're doing instead of an A+ certified guy working out of his basement. I cannot believe that this site is not a joke. This guy says he's offering cheap web design. Yea looks like you did real well on this site buddy.

And yes, I agree with ShoobieRat. Buy two seperate cards.

And unless you live in the UK, don't order from there. At least ordering from the US doesn't have to cross an ocean, only a boarder line.