What AGP Card?

[Qdos]

I've got a feeling my Radeon 9600 is dying, suddenly got freezes and glitches in DVD playback that aren't evident when I switch to onboard video to test the system.

Have tried a baremetal restore with Acronis, and added on the catalyst drivers, no change. GPU is virtually cold when running which makes me think it's cooked.

So - time to refit. I have a Shuttle cube with AGP support, using Win XP Pro and a Northwood 3.2Ghz CPU. I cannot accommodate any card that exceeds single slot width. Silent running is important. Heaviest graphics are old games and DVD playback.

Suggestions on what Aria have available? I'd consider NV before ATi as I'm not very happy with ATi endurance, too many issues and I've been well impressed with the NvDVD software anyway.

What about the XFX GeForce 6200 256MB DDR2 AGP 8x Graphics Card for instance - any good?

I tend to build business type machines and am not up to speed on video by comparison. Don't want to spend more than £60 if I can help it. :?

[mac124]

6200's are pap tbh. If you can stretch to it the 7300gt is litterally leagues ahead and only £77 + pnp.

[Qdos]

I knew someone would tell me that LOL... but how noisy is the 7300gt, it must have a whizzy little GPU fan mounted on it I would imagine 8)

Edit: Hell no, I see it's passive if the Aria stock photo is correct! Hope it will prove compatible with a Shuttle SB61G2v4 machine though (FB61v4 mainboard)

[mac124]

Wouldn't take alot of notice of that picture if i were you on closer inspection thats a pcie card as it has the sli connector on top of the pcb.

It might be worth contacting someone from Aria to see if they can confirm if it is the same silent cooling on the agp version.

[Qdos]

I wouldn't rely on any piccy, but I'll try and find out for sure cos the PC has been kept almost totally silent and I would prefer to keep it so ;)

[t31os]

POV Nvidia 7300GT - 256Mb - AGP
[GCD-POV-7300-GT2]

Features Graphics Engine: NVIDIA 7300 GT GPU Video Memory: 256 MB Core Clock: 350 Mhz Memory Clock: 600 Mhz Memory Speed: 2.8 ns DDR 2 Memory Bus: 128 bit Interface:… (5+ in stock)
£65.95 ex, £77.49 inc.

Sounds AGP to me.

[Qdos]

The AGP specs are fine, but you can see the link connectors on the top of the card in the photographs as mac pointed out - so the photo is a library image of the PCI Express version and not the AGP build.

There may be a fan on the AGP build, depending on the memory speed and other build spec's, and the POV manufacturers link does not clarify things any further.

I'll phone sales next week and find out if anyone can tell me! 8)

[mac124]

I found it on a competitors site and the one pictured there does indeed have a fan on it. As to whether or not it is too noisey only you can make that decision i never regarded mine as noisey but then the stock fan only stayed on mine for long enough to make sure it worked ok then i ripped it off for a Zalmann VGA cooler http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=16702 which is pretty much totally silent and cools it a damn site better, but it does take up the pci slot next to it..

[Qdos]

I'd need a dremel to fit that cooler! :shock:

[mac124]

:lol: nah just run the pc with the case off :shock: it fitted my, pcie, 7300 perfectly 8)

[Qdos]

One day I'll post some pix of the Shuttle with the cooling mods I've done so far on it.... and maybe I will end up doing some further case chopping yet, gawd knows... I've hacked tons of metal off it already :lol:

[mac124]

In most of the reviews i saw the 7300gt ddr3 was as good as or better than the 7600gs, though i believe the ddr3 version of the 7300gt is only available on pcie.