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i am looking to buy one of these but i need to know 3 things...

how well do these cards improve graphics for gaming? i dont need the best out there. my computer came with a nvidia geforce 4 mx (64mb ddr SHARED video memory) this is not cutting it.

i want to be able to bring my home movies onto my computer but how well do these look?

lastly...if i record a show from tv using this on mycomputer...how will this look if i put it on a vcd?

thnx in advance...also would it be wise to wait a few months...i keep hearing that their are new cards coming out and this would bring the prices down on current ones.

www.rage3d.com

This is a fan site, but it is pretty objective and the ati devs post there frequently.

I have a radeon 9600 AIW card and I use it for video recording. You need at least a 2Ghz processor for it to look decent enough for capture at 30 fps, 640 x 480. I almost got the 8500 because it has DVI output but I opted for the 9600 instead.

As far as games go, I have an AMD 2400xp and can run Jedi Academy with all video options maxed out and resolution of 1024 x 768 with a decent framerate of 25-30 fps(a guestimate)

If you need better than that you should opt for the new 9600xt which runs about $300 but it's supposed to be slightly faster. Then there's the top of the line 9800 AIW but that runs about $400.

The coolest feature is that you can run 2 displays at once. This actively doubles your workspace. Oh, and the second coolest feature is the RF remote - it works through walls. I have an output from the card to my TV that is on the first floor and I use the remote to control the computer in the basement. It's freaking geeky ass sweet! I don't think the 9800 has dual display, though.

I use this to record tv. You can also hook anything you want to it via rca or s-vid.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...132&depa=0

the best deal is the 9800se cause you can soft hack it and it is bacicaly a pro

We're talking about ALL-In-One TV in/out features.

You're good with the 9600 AIW, but the 9600XT AIW comes with the new remote and better receiver with twice the range. either way you can't go wrong, they'll do exactly what you want them to do as far as tv capture/ VCR capture and burn to DVD or VCD.

thanks to all that replyed...

but what is the DVI output and what is it used for?
also does anyone record tv with any of the all in wonders? how does this look?

DVI is a connection for your monitor (if it supports it). Better quality than the normal RGB since it is a digital connection.

dvi is for lcd monitors,

Most HDTV sets also have a DVI input, mine does.

Originally Posted by CaptainObviousXl the best deal is the 9800se cause you can soft hack it and it is bacicaly a pro

yea do this and just buy a regular $50 tv tunner alot cheaper this way

The PCI TV tuners may not support capture at as good a rate as the AIW card. You're basically relying on the system bus and the CPU to handle the data throughput. The AIW cards are specifically made to optimize capturing. I'm no expert on this as I've never compared both ways in a benchmark test, but if this were the case, then I don't think people would be buying AIW cards at all.

will the price drop in a few months for the all in wonders?

i keep hearing how the graphic cards will be going down in a couple months because of the next generation cards coming out

The price just dropoped in the B&M stores, sort of. BB has the 9600XT AIW card for $299 with a $50 rebate=$249. They have the plain jane 9600 AIW cards for $199 now too.