Anyone an expert on video cards?

[N_Jay]

I am looking for a cheap card that will run Halo.
Does not have to run it well, or fast, just run it without crashing.
It has to be PCI or AGP (not 4x/8x)

It can be a discontinued model.

Any suggestions?

[CMasten]

I would think the Halo website would give you min requirements, if not Im sure its on the Read me or the small cover the disk comes in. I have it if you need me to look. Any of the Nvidia G Force 3 or 4 PCI cards would run just fine, I used them when Halo first came out.

[xGS]

Recently, Staples has had the PNY GeForce FX5500 PCI version on clearance for under $20.
It might be worth a few phone calls to see if you can still find one.

[http://www.pny.com/products/verto/value/5500pci.asp]

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by xGS
Recently, Staples has had the PNY GeForce FX5500 PCI version on clearance for under $20.
It might be worth a few phone calls to see if you can still find one.

[http://www.pny.com/products/verto/value/5500pci.asp]

Thanks.
I already ordered an ATI 9250 based card from Newegg.

[Caf2461]

Amazon has the 9550 for $24 AR shipped.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FH2S8U/...m&linkCode=as1

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by Caf2461
Amazon has the 9550 for $24 AR shipped.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FH2S8U/...m&linkCode=as1

Already received the one from Newegg.

I am also mot sure that will do non-4x/8x AGP.

Went with a PCI

[seadog]

My new Viewsonic 20" monitor is to be delivered tomorrow and I'm getting a little concerned that it may not be a simple plug and play. Today I learned that the original Intel 82810 graphics controller on the Windows Me OS may not support the recommended 1400x1050 resolution on the VG2021m monitor. In fact, the Intel website does not list this as a supported resolution but I do not understand the following statement: Additional digital display modes: 848x480 screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. 1400x1050 reduced blanking mode screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. Does the last sentence offer any prospect that it will work? If not what are my options besides returning the new monitor? Thanks.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by seadog
My new Viewsonic 20" monitor is to be delivered tomorrow and I'm getting a little concerned that it may not be a simple plug and play. Today I learned that the original Intel 82810 graphics controller on the Windows Me OS may not support the recommended 1400x1050 resolution on the VG2021m monitor. In fact, the Intel website does not list this as a supported resolution but I do not understand the following statement: Additional digital display modes: 848x480 screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. 1400x1050 reduced blanking mode screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. Does the last sentence offer any prospect that it will work? If not what are my options besides returning the new monitor? Thanks.

If you are happy with 810 graphics, just get the cheapest card that does 1400x1050, and you will be thrilled.

If you get AGP, it will disable the internal video.
If you get PCI it will allow dual monitor.

[BubbleSparkxx]

Originally posted by seadog
My new Viewsonic 20" monitor is to be delivered tomorrow and I'm getting a little concerned that it may not be a simple plug and play. Today I learned that the original Intel 82810 graphics controller on the Windows Me OS may not support the recommended 1400x1050 resolution on the VG2021m monitor. In fact, the Intel website does not list this as a supported resolution but I do not understand the following statement: Additional digital display modes: 848x480 screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. 1400x1050 reduced blanking mode screen resolution for digital displays that support this mode. Does the last sentence offer any prospect that it will work? If not what are my options besides returning the new monitor? Thanks.

Ugh dood. Do yourself a favor and dump ME. I would take 2k over ME (maybe even NT). If you intend on keeping your current setup, get yourself a stick of ram and upgrade to XP now.

I believe you are correct in thinking that you will have an issue runnin that monitor in its native resolution of 1400 x 1050 with WinME. The monitor and your machine should run at the reduced resolution but that would be pretty pointless to run a sweet 20 incher at senior citizen resolution.

ugh - i can't believe that people are still runnin ME. I swear that MS dropped their support for that OS a few months back.

[seadog]

A tad tardy but thanks for the replies.

Before the new monitor was delivered, I checked for any updates for the integrated video graphics. There was so I downloaded it. That was a mistake! Screen constantly flickering. Tried to do a system restore; would not complete. So, did a hard-drive scrub and reloaded the OS.

Hooked the new monitor up. Wow, that 20.1 inch screen is much larger than the previous 15 inch CRT I have been using for the past 6? years. I wanted to get it hooked up primarily to check for stuck or dead pixels planning to go back to the ole 15 incher until I purchased a new computer. But, the display is not that bad using 1280X1024 True Color (24 bit) resolution.

Anyway, I ordered a Dell Dimension E521, AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual-Core 4200+, XP Media with free Vista Upgrade, 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533mHZ-2DIMMS, 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM) w/DataBurst Cache, 16xDVD=/-RW Drive, NVIDA GenForce 6150 LE Integrated Graphics GPU, Dell USA Keyboard and 2-button Scroll Mouse, MS Works (no Word), 56K PCI Data Fax Modem, Integrated 10/100 Ethernet, and 1 yr warranty for $309 delivered. In fact, UPS just delivered it as I was typing this. Can't wait to fire it up!

[whizmo]

With any of the new LCD displays, it's absolutely vital that you run them in their native resolution; otherwise you get scaling and they look like hell. This does set the requirement that you need to confirm that the video card you are using supports, both hardware and software driver, the native resolution of the card.

With CRT's this wasn't much of a problem as it was an analog device that would scale smoothly up to its limiits.

That's a hell of a system for $309. Your only major issue will be removing all the crap that Dell puts on every system these days.

- Mark

[Kalbo607]

Originally posted by seadog
A tad tardy but thanks for the replies.

Before the new monitor was delivered, I checked for any updates for the integrated video graphics. There was so I downloaded it. That was a mistake! Screen constantly flickering. Tried to do a system restore; would not complete. So, did a hard-drive scrub and reloaded the OS.

Hooked the new monitor up. Wow, that 20.1 inch screen is much larger than the previous 15 inch CRT I have been using for the past 6? years. I wanted to get it hooked up primarily to check for stuck or dead pixels planning to go back to the ole 15 incher until I purchased a new computer. But, the display is not that bad using 1280X1024 True Color (24 bit) resolution.

Anyway, I ordered a Dell Dimension E521, AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual-Core 4200+, XP Media with free Vista Upgrade, 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533mHZ-2DIMMS, 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM) w/DataBurst Cache, 16xDVD=/-RW Drive, NVIDA GenForce 6150 LE Integrated Graphics GPU, Dell USA Keyboard and 2-button Scroll Mouse, MS Works (no Word), 56K PCI Data Fax Modem, Integrated 10/100 Ethernet, and 1 yr warranty for $309 delivered. In fact, UPS just delivered it as I was typing this. Can't wait to fire it up!

Seadog, how is the new system running are you using Vista or XP? I am looking at getting a similiar set up to you.

Thanks

[seadog]

Was one of the occasional bargains for AAFES (military) eligibles.

How do I like the Dell? Well, the first one "locked up" for lack of a better term. After downloading Charter's Security Suite and running it the first time, the OS just slowed to a crawl and each time it was rebooted the less further I could get into the program. Ultimately it was essentially non-responsive.

Gave Dell C/S a ring - to India. After about an hour of switching connections, hitting keys in various sequences, etc. etc. the rep tells me they will be sending me a new computer. Much to my surprise, they air freighted it. Have not yet hooked up the second unit. Our entire household has been down with the full force of the bionic flu.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by seadog
Was one of the occasional bargains for AAFES (military) eligibles.

How do I like the Dell? Well, the first one "locked up" for lack of a better term. After downloading Charter's Security Suite and running it the first time, the OS just slowed to a crawl . . . .

Go buy MS OneCare live or McAfee.

[switch]

Originally posted by whizmo With any of the new LCD displays, it's absolutely vital that you run them in their native resolution; otherwise you get scaling and they look like hell. This does set the requirement that you need to confirm that the video card you are using supports, both hardware and software driver, the native resolution of the card.

And if running WinXP, try using ClearType fonts. It usually looks better.