Best/Fastest/Most Compliant Linux Video Card

[richjoyce]

I'm looking at buying a new video card (or asking for one for christmas) and i was wondering what you guys would recommend...I kinda want a lot out of this card...Here's what I want:

-Composite Video In that works with Linux
-Composite Video Out (For X) that works with Linux
-Fast Movie Decoding (obviously in Linux) (and by movie i mean mpeg/avi and DVD's)
-Fast 3D Gaming (did someone say UT2k3?)

Basically...I want to stop having to boot into windows to watch movies and put my output to the tv or get input from the TV

Anyone have any suggestions towards what I could get that they have and works for all of the above listed...any help would be appreciated

My current specs are:

Pentuim III 800 mhz
512 Mb RAM
60 gig HDD
DVD-ROM
CD-Writer
ATI Rage 128 Pro <- my current crappy (linux-wise) video card, I cant even get video in to work with it, or UT2k3 b/c of the S3TC thingy...

[sarah31]

ATI has some good cards but drivers generally suck even for windows. NVIDIA cards are pretty darn well supported and even have excellent driver made by nvidia themselves. I have a GeForce4 mmx440 and i am really pleased with it, but you would likely want a more expensive GF4 to get the other features you want.

despite being biased i do recommend NVIDIA.

[richjoyce]

how does the mmx440 go speed wise?

what other features would i have to get a more expensive card for? does this card fare well for the gaming and playing of movies? also does your card have TV Out...if so have you tried it?

EDIT: Since it looks like few cards have the video in feature, just video out, then i might buy a cheap tv card if it is cheaper...

[sarah31]

the mx440 plays movies just fine (avi and dvd) gaming is fine (from what i can tell) but not as good as the higher priced GF4's.

mine just has TV-Out and i have no idea if works as i don't need that feature. as for going with a more expensive one...you would get more video features and likely better gaming performance. and more oncard ram.

[richjoyce]

what do you guys think of this one:

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/vga/vga/pro_vga_detail.php?UID=361&MODEL=MS-8888

GeForce4 MX440 8x AGP VIVO (video in, video out)

saw it listed at a shop in my brothers town for 178 bucks (canadian)

i think it looks pretty swanky...how about what my fellow linuxers think?

Should i upgrade to the Ti4200 for another ~100 bucks?

[sarah31]

sounds pretty good. just remember that motherboards are not very good with the 8x AGP yet but at least your card has the option. i know for a fact that this card is very reasonalbly priced.

since my demands are low it is what i would get. (i don't do gaming that often and the extra vivo is not important at all to me). it is more reasonably price than most 8x AGP cards.

[Dun'kalis]

Anything nVidia is good.

[richjoyce]

Since (I doubt) my motherboard can't run at 8x will i be able to run this card at 4x or whatever?

[ASCI Blue]

IMO if you're gonna upgrade get the newest hardware, wait for the mid and low end nv30's to come out (the next equivalants to Ti42 and 4400) or wait for the Radeon 9500 since no significant changes are made to gpus except every other generation (eg gf1, gf3, gffx or radeon, radeon 8500, radeon 9700 with the 7500 and 9000 stuck between)

[richjoyce]

well i dont want to wait in excess of two or three months....

[sarah31]

despite not having 8x capability that card will work for you. if you don't want to pay the extra cash for the 8x MSI has the same card with 4x only and it should be cheaper even.

[richjoyce]

hey she's right..

i just didn't see it listed at that computer store's site, but I'm sure I could find that card for sale somewhere :-)

oh and when they say dual vga, that means i can output to two monitors right..but will the monitors show the same output or would it be like have a dual display?

[raz0rblade]

Originally posted by richjoyce
hey she's right..

i just didn't see it listed at that computer store's site, but I'm sure I could find that card for sale somewhere :-)

oh and when they say dual vga, that means i can output to two monitors right..but will the monitors show the same output or would it be like have a dual display?

ive never tried using dual displays but im sure you can get it to show as one big monitor.