[mythtv-users] Cheap Video Card

[Brian Wood]

On Friday, December 10, 2010 11:55:55 am Steven Adeff wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 10:59 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> > OK, it does have a fan, but:
> > 
> > http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-
> > details.asp?EdpNo=5677177
> > 
> > According to the WiKi this is a feature set "C" card. It will fit
> > in a case requiring a low profile card, if you supply your own
> > bracket.
> > 
> > Much as I HATE rebates, it does appear to be a good deal (assuming
> > the rebate materializes).
> 
> if the rebate is through tiger direct, run like the hills. if it's
> through EVGA it shouldn't be so bad, I've done 2 or 3 rebates through
> them and they've all come within the 6-8week window.
> 
> that said, this is a GT210, which is not worth purchasing for Myth,
> if I remember correctly, it's not fast enough to properly decode
> higher bitrate stuff. you'll want a GT220 or GT4xx series card. I've
> got a few GT220's in service, one in my theater room machine and one
> in my parent's, and they work great.

The WiKi simply lumped all "2XX" cards into one category, perhaps that 
page was written before the 210s came out, but if the 210s are not 
useful for Myth, maybe there should be some sort of note in the WiKi to 
that effect?

I have an 8400GS, a 9500 and an ION (9400M I think). I haven't bought 
any "2XX" cards, yet.

I agree Tiger can be problematic. I saw a scathing comment on the Asus 
forums about a mobo/CPU combo they sold that had incompatible parts (the 
mobo would not support the CPU), and of course everyone started blaming 
Asus (the mobo maker), leading to the moderator saying publicly that 
Tiger "doesn't know which way is up".

In that case Tiger may have had some excuse, apparently AMD sells two 
different CPUs, both called "9750", and they are NOT the same, one draws 
90 watts and the other 135 watts, and the mobo could not supply that 
much power, but did list "9750" in the supported CPU list, but did not 
specify which one.

Intel and AMD seem to be in a contest to see who can come up with the 
most confusing CPU nomenclature, not sure who is winning.

But Tiger sometimes does have very good prices, if you are careful. I 
never buy anything with a MIR, and sometimes send a note to the vendor 
telling them WHY I did not buy the product, I want to discourage such 
marketing crap. Futile perhaps, but it makes me feel better.