Video Card + Tuner

[Markpyro]

I'm looking for a video card within the range of $30-$90 that I can use for playing WoW and possibly similar games in the future, and that has a TV tuner. I'm getting ideas for around Christmas (I never know what I want at the time >_<) and I was rather looking for something newer.

I'm rather unexperienced in buying video cards and the features they may/may not include, though I do have an extra monitor and I would possibly like to set the second up along with the first, to watch TV or use as a seperate desktop space, so if there are improvements that help in that area, suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
MP

[ZeroDarkStar]

ATi All-In-Wonder series. Decent for gaming, pretty good for TV tuning.

http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9600/aiw2006/index.html

just a bit above your price range (they retail for ~$130).

[Markpyro]

Hey, actually, even a TV tuner (pci/external) would work. I currently have a mediocre video card that works pretty well with my system, but I could save that upgrade for later. Really, I'm concerned that I'll need more than my price range to get a good video card. Like I said, I have little experience with them, and that includes buying. anything over $100 is a bit pricey for a gift :/

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[xodkrm]

I recommend a 6600GT.

Edit: Opps, doesn't have a TV tuner.

[ZeroDarkStar]

I recommend a 6600GT.

...6600GT doesn't have a TV tuner....

[TimP]

You can get a decent dedicated PCI capture card (i.e. not a replacement for your video card) for only $30-$50. I personally prefer a separate video card and capture card because they can be upgraded separately if needed.

[Markpyro]

Okay, I've been thinking it over a bit, and I'm planning on buying a video card and tuner together, but It'll be a while before I get them.

So, the specifications I want are:
-TV tuner
-TV out port
-Two Monitor outputs
-PCI express Card
And, within the range of $80-$130

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[TimP]

PCI video cards are obsolete. The latest PCI cards that I know of are about 4-5 years behind current AGP/PCI-Express cards

[Markpyro]

Okay then, PCI express (x16?) since I so coincidentally happen to have one :P


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[Jeff]

I don't know if you're going to find a good PCI-X video card with a TV tuner in your price range. Search NewEgg though, maybe there are some.

If you really want a good TV tuner then I personally would recommend it be seperate from your video card. The ones with hardware encoding are the best because they're the highest video quality and don't take up much CPU power at all. The problem though is that they're usually in the $100-150 range. I currently have a WinTV-PVR-350 (http://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_pvr350.html), but their 250 is good too. The cards with software encoding are a lot lower in price, so maybe an option is get a regular video card and a seperate TV tuner which you would then have the option of upgrading later.

I do think that either way you go, it's going to be difficult finding something decent for under $90.

[Markpyro]

I upped my pricerange to around $130. I was hoping I would be able to find one with a tuner that came with it, otherwise I'll just have to deal without.


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[TimP]

I don't know if you're going to find a good PCI-X video card with a TV tuner in your price range.

You probably won't find any PCI-X video card and if you do it will probably cost several hundred or thousand dollars. PCI-X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-X) is not the same as PCI-Express (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-Express). PCI-X is generally used in servers for SCSI controllers and other bandwidth intensive peripherals that require more bandwidth than the plain old 32-bit PCI bus provides. So make sure you look for PCI-Express and not PCI-X.

Some history: PCI-X is newer than PCI, but older than PCI-Express. As far as I know, PCI-Express on the larger buses provides everything PCI-X does, so PCI-X will probably fade away with PCI.

[Jeff]

You probably won't find any PCI-X video card and if you do it will probably cost several hundred or thousand dollars. PCI-X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-X) is not the same as PCI-Express (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-Express). PCI-X is generally used in servers for SCSI controllers and other bandwidth intensive peripherals that require more bandwidth than the plain old 32-bit PCI bus provides. So make sure you look for PCI-Express and not PCI-X.

Some history: PCI-X is newer than PCI, but older than PCI-Express. As far as I know, PCI-Express on the larger buses provides everything PCI-X does, so PCI-X will probably fade away with PCI.

Bah. You know what I meant :)