Okay, I've tried reading up on this and haven't gotten anywhere.
I'm looking for a video card (if I even need one) that has a TV out option so I can hook my PC up to a high definition tv. My computer is a Windows XP Professional and it comes with a ProSavageDDR KM266 graphics card. Now, from what I've read you can use get a connector if you have a DVI card. I don't really know what a DVI card is, but when I looked at my ProSavage card (in the display settings) it does have a dark 'DVI' option - I'm assuming if something extra were connected to my computer that monitor picture would light up. But I don't think the card itself is the sort I'd use to connect to a television.
I'm really lost. I've read about all sorts of connectors and VGA converters (not really sure what those are either), but I think I'll have to actually get a different card. If I *do* need a new card, I'd rather have one that will get the best quality when hooked up to a high definition television. Any advice or recommendations would be sorely appreciated. ^_^; All Windows XP can tell me is that if I'd bought the 'Media Center' computer instead of Professional then I'd be set. That's no help.
need video card advice for windows xp
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Arigatomina
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 3:04 am
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klinky
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2001 12:23 am
- Location: Cookie College...
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DVI is usually a white port on your video card that is used to hook in to LCDs. DVI stands for Digital Video Interface. CRT monitors are analog devices and require the digital data from the video card to be converted to an analog signal that it can use. LCDs have a fixed grid array of pixels, which is very close to how video data is stored on the computer. No digital to analog conversion is needed for LCD displays. Infact it's bad to do a conversion. It's akin to encoding a divx file twice 
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Here's a picture:
From what I've read it looks like many HDTVs have DVI input ports on the back, so all you'd need is a DVI cable running from your computer to your TV. You might need to adjust video card settings once it's hooked up.
I've never done it, so I can't offer you much help.
DVI ports are optional and a rather recent addition to video cards. So your card might not have one, but the drivers might have been written to take advantage of one, if one was on your card. Check the back. If you do have a DVI port, but it doesn't allow you to change any settings, then you may want to update your drivers or actually try hooking something in to the port.
If you do not have a DVI port then you can purchase a new card that has one.
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 7000 Video Card, 32MB DDR, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 4X AGP -OEM $32.00 @ NewEgg.
Good 2D, crappy 3D. But if all you need is to play videos then it'll work fine.
.Here's a picture:
From what I've read it looks like many HDTVs have DVI input ports on the back, so all you'd need is a DVI cable running from your computer to your TV. You might need to adjust video card settings once it's hooked up.
I've never done it, so I can't offer you much help.
DVI ports are optional and a rather recent addition to video cards. So your card might not have one, but the drivers might have been written to take advantage of one, if one was on your card. Check the back. If you do have a DVI port, but it doesn't allow you to change any settings, then you may want to update your drivers or actually try hooking something in to the port.
If you do not have a DVI port then you can purchase a new card that has one.
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 7000 Video Card, 32MB DDR, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 4X AGP -OEM $32.00 @ NewEgg.
Good 2D, crappy 3D. But if all you need is to play videos then it'll work fine.
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TaranT
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2001 11:20 pm
It's not clear from your post, but I assume this hi-def TV has a DVI connector on the back of it (?). And if you had a DVI port on your PC, you could connect it to the TV.
On your PC's video card, there can be two types of connectors. A blue, 15-pin connector is the standard, decade-old VGA port for PC monitors using an analog signal. A white connector, about 1-inch long, having two sets of holes in rectangular groups, is a DVI - digital - connector.
The blue connector is slowly being replaced by the DVI connector, but is still in wide use even for flat panel TVs and monitors. In other words, an LCD TV or monitor can use either the blue or the white.
Before choosing a card, you need to decide if you want this hi-def TV to be the main PC monitor, or if you want it to be the secondary in addition to another monitor.
Here's some basic info on multiple displays:
http://www.matrox.com/mga/multidisplay/home.cfm
The Matrox G550 is an older and very reliable card that has some flexibility for multiple displays. It has a DVI port and a standard 15-pin port that can also be adapted to do a normal (non-DVI) television connection. It's cheap - about $100. But there are many other options these days. Which is one reason to figure out your desired configuration beforehand.
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I Google'd ProSavageDDR KM266...looks like this is a motherboard chipset, not a graphics card as such; i.e. the graphics is built into the main circuits and cannot be unplugged - although it may be possible to disable it. You'll need to open the PC (or check the documentation) to find out if the PC has an AGP slot. Some graphics cards will support the more common PCI slot, but they're fewer in number. AGP is generally what is used.
On your PC's video card, there can be two types of connectors. A blue, 15-pin connector is the standard, decade-old VGA port for PC monitors using an analog signal. A white connector, about 1-inch long, having two sets of holes in rectangular groups, is a DVI - digital - connector.
The blue connector is slowly being replaced by the DVI connector, but is still in wide use even for flat panel TVs and monitors. In other words, an LCD TV or monitor can use either the blue or the white.
Before choosing a card, you need to decide if you want this hi-def TV to be the main PC monitor, or if you want it to be the secondary in addition to another monitor.
Here's some basic info on multiple displays:
http://www.matrox.com/mga/multidisplay/home.cfm
The Matrox G550 is an older and very reliable card that has some flexibility for multiple displays. It has a DVI port and a standard 15-pin port that can also be adapted to do a normal (non-DVI) television connection. It's cheap - about $100. But there are many other options these days. Which is one reason to figure out your desired configuration beforehand.
********
I Google'd ProSavageDDR KM266...looks like this is a motherboard chipset, not a graphics card as such; i.e. the graphics is built into the main circuits and cannot be unplugged - although it may be possible to disable it. You'll need to open the PC (or check the documentation) to find out if the PC has an AGP slot. Some graphics cards will support the more common PCI slot, but they're fewer in number. AGP is generally what is used.
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klinky
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2001 12:23 am
- Location: Cookie College...
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TaranT
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2001 11:20 pm
I knew I was racing somebody for the first reply. 
Good picture, though. I couldn't find one quickly, or I would have linked to one.
BTW, Ari, DVI cables are very expensive. I found a 6-foot at a discount place for $32 (!). And double-check the connector styles at both ends of a DVI cable. They're standardizing on one style now (I think), but last year there were at least two different types.
Good picture, though. I couldn't find one quickly, or I would have linked to one.
BTW, Ari, DVI cables are very expensive. I found a 6-foot at a discount place for $32 (!). And double-check the connector styles at both ends of a DVI cable. They're standardizing on one style now (I think), but last year there were at least two different types.
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DaNuKa_SAN
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:19 pm
- Location: Most probably sleeping...that or in front of his comp...
OHOH!!
If u want power go with this little puppy man...
l337 craft my man...pure l337 kR4f7....
now if ur on a tight budget this next one I highly recommend...outoess the other 9600 b4 by leaps and bounds which most ppl dont realise...im runnin Half Life 2 Beta on it at 1600*1200 no slow down! (except maybe at one explosion or two but still its understandble^^)
they also both come with HL2 so that doesnt hurt either^^
heres how they sum up against the competition...
the 9600 XT aint there but its in the same league as the 9700,better by a bit actually, ive run my own benchmarks.
look at that FPS on 1600*1200^^
If u want power go with this little puppy man...
l337 craft my man...pure l337 kR4f7....
now if ur on a tight budget this next one I highly recommend...outoess the other 9600 b4 by leaps and bounds which most ppl dont realise...im runnin Half Life 2 Beta on it at 1600*1200 no slow down! (except maybe at one explosion or two but still its understandble^^)
they also both come with HL2 so that doesnt hurt either^^
heres how they sum up against the competition...
the 9600 XT aint there but its in the same league as the 9700,better by a bit actually, ive run my own benchmarks.
look at that FPS on 1600*1200^^
"Why is it I get my best ideas while shaving?"
- Albert Einstein
- Albert Einstein
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DaNuKa_SAN
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:19 pm
- Location: Most probably sleeping...that or in front of his comp...
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DaNuKa_SAN
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:19 pm
- Location: Most probably sleeping...that or in front of his comp...
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klinky
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2001 12:23 am
- Location: Cookie College...
- Contact:
No they really need to get an X800 @ $418 ;d