Considering a Video Card Upgrade

[malchihi]

I'm looking to increase the performance of my DVR box, looking to spend about $100, and restricted to AGP.

I've been looking at two different chipsets, with 2 different specific cards in mind.

PNY GeForce 7600 GS 512mb
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/PNY-GeFor...tDetail.do

Saphire Radeon HD 2600 Pro 512mb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814102709

Maybe these cards are overkill, but if you can suggest a cheaper card that will ensure no HDTV juddering in PVRx2, then i would be open to suggestions. If not which of the two cards would be optimal for a DVR PC. I don't have power, noise, or heat restrictions. I will mainly be using DVI as output, but i also have a DVI-HDMI converter.

Thanks in advance!

[5058]

I just upgraded from a 9200SE to a X850XT and it it amazing- It's a pretty high end card but they are cheap now as they aren't the card of choice for gaming anymore. Xvid and Mpeg2 are so clear it's not funny compared to the old card.

[stustunz]

yeah im waiting for the next nvidia card to come out so i can get a 8600 cheap
anything below that i dont think is worth it
if you are only going to watch HD stuff the 2600 would be good but from what ive read they dont do mpeg(SD) very well

edit bugger the highest agp nvidia card looks like a 7800

[malchihi]

Yeah 5058, you are right. I can get an x850xt PE 256mb for about 40-50 bucks on ebay. That is ridiculously cheap for a really nice card. I know you said that you said video quality on mpeg2 and xvid is awesome, but do you have any experience with HDTV? I want to make sure that i can at least watch 1080i content live in PVRx2, which is what I'm currently having a problem with.

[bogyver]

In another thread it was mentioned that a member was able to playback HD with a x600 (if i remember correctly) so I would think that the x850xt should be fine. personally I use a x1550 to play back HD, pvrx2 in -fse, (I'm still on the old version, was out of town for a job interview when sub released the new version, have to what for this weekend to do the upgrade.)
I believe the x1550 can be had for around 50 dollars maybe less.