Upgrade A Graphics card

jeffk

I recently bought a new tv with a vga connector and made the jump from xp to 7. I have an intergrated graphics card in my dell dimenson 3100c, and im looking at a better one to improve the look of 7 and add a second vga or even a hdmi to use tv as a monitor.

The current one I have is a DELL E156FP @ 1024x768 Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family. Im tryin to do this as cheap as possible, its really only for the above, there wont be any big games or the like running on it. There are two pci slots in the usual place.

Thanks for any help!

ricman

That pc has a pci express slot,get one like this ,

http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/product/ZKB_01COM/10_GRPCARD/04_PCI-E/productdetails/15426718/Sapphire_RADEON_HD_4670_Ultimate_Edition_/11138_15_20R/default.aspx 70 euro,
it has vga and hdmi,you can use a vga cable to connect to tv,or a hdmi.
SET resolution to 1024 x768 ,or 720x576 on the pc,pc refresh to 60mhz max.
A HDMI CABLE IS ten euro in most shops.
YOU SHOULD be able to just open pc, insert card in pci-e slot.
Connect it to a monitor.
first knock off pc, remove pc,power plug from the esb socket, theres still power going thru pc when its knocked off.

if card works ok,reboot pc, go to bios, disable intel graphics card.
the tv manual ,will have info,on recommended resolution settings for connection to pc thru vga or hdmi.

the older pci slot is designed for network cards etc, not graphics cards.

ricman

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-install-new-pci-e-video-card-190488/
watch this.

jeffk

Thanks for the reply/video, is that the cheapest no ebay knock of id get? Im just curios as I know nothing about the price of these.

I assumed its the slots where you screw of a plate, sit the card in and it sticks out at the back of the pc ala usb/lan etc connections.

marco_polo

jeffk wrote: »

I recently bought a new tv with a vga connector and made the jump from xp to 7. I have an intergrated graphics card in my dell dimenson 3100c, and im looking at a better one to improve the look of 7 and add a second vga or even a hdmi to use tv as a monitor.

The current one I have is a DELL E156FP @ 1024x768 Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family. Im tryin to do this as cheap as possible, its really only for the above, there wont be any big games or the like running on it. There are two pci slots in the usual place.

Thanks for any help!

A new graphics cards won't make it look any better though, the only benefit of a discrete graphics card would be if you need HDMI/DVI, or you are definately getting a second monitor, or if you need a more powerful card for gaming.

If Win 7 looks like crap it may be that you have not reinstalled the drivers for the onboard GPU and it is running at the lowest possible resoultion as a result.

If you do need a basic card then the HD4350 would be a cheaper option than a HD4670 (Nothing wrong with the HD4670 this is just cheaper ).

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/2633005/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-4350-512-mb-ddr.html

(EDIT: The one linked has 2 DVI outputs but you can get versions with VGA and or HDMI)

This one has DVI/HDMI/VGA

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-HD4350-512MB-DDR2-Graphics/dp/B001R5IJSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291982038&sr=8-1

jeffk

This is what lead me to looking @ upgrading:

http://picasaweb.google.com/117994264212038034728/MyPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCN7kmtSmyu-0kgE#5549019598255203938

The tv connection would be for football and that isnt great picture in the first place, so making it fit a 32" might only make it worse.

marco_polo

jeffk wrote: »

This is what lead me to looking @ upgrading:

http://picasaweb.google.com/117994264212038034728/MyPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCN7kmtSmyu-0kgE#5549019598255203938

The tv connection would be for football and that isnt great picture in the first place, so making it fit a 32" might only make it worse.

The windows score only really applies to 3D applications such as gaming, etc, so it is not important for regular 2D applications such as watching DVDs, TV streams etc. For that sort of functionality onboard graphics works just as well as a card worth a couple of hundred euro.

I am not sure what the maximum resolution of the graphics adapter in the Dell is but VGA standard itself can support up to 2048 X 1536 so that may not be a problem (The resolution options you see in display properties will limited by the max resolution of your current monitor resolution of course).

Either way if you have only one port and two display devices you will need a new graphics card.

If you want to use a TV though then a HDMI card would be your best bet, the real bonus being that it can carry the sound through to the TV so you don't have to use on the computer speakers.

jeffk

I have a small and medium setting and the medium was huge, but the small text is a bit to small. Getting used to using 7 eventually.

This is great information thanks! I have a media box and then the tv can play files off a memory stick. If I didnt have these, then I could use the pc to tv for much more than the football. So im thinking 70 for not doing much with my pc and then just to watch football might be a bit high.

It was one of those ideas pending the cost!

jeffk

@ marco_polo

Sorry for the delay, its a pity boards isnt set up to include edits to post as an email alert.

The price is definitely looking better, but is it cheaper to get a vga and then buy a long cable. or would it d be cheaper on a longer hdmi? Im in a box room and the pc and tv are on different sides of the room, ive gotten 5m cables before and they where long enough.

ricman

see here vga is cheaper ,http://www.lindy.ie/shop/Search.do?query=vga+cable&countryCode=EIRE&languageCode=en
they also do hmi long cables, t.if you buy hdmi you,ll need a card that has hdmi out.has your pc got rca out,svideo out at the moment,svideo =720x576 resolution.
3m hdmi costs 5 euro.

ricman

you could get 2 3m hdmi cables, join em up with female to female hdmi connector,cost 18euro approx.

marco_polo

If you search on amazon.co.uk there are long HDMI cables (5m - 10m ) that can be got for about £4 like this one. Don't really see any much longer than 2-3m in bricks and mortar stores.

jeffk

Thanks for all the replies!

It looks likely the video card with two vga connectors is the way to go. The cables are more or less the same price,whereas the card with a hdmi connection seems to be dearer.

Overheal

I wouldve just bought a new pc, really, before I put a new video card and OS into that thing. Celeron processor, 220 watt powersuply, single speed PCI-express? Even with a new graphics card theres not a guarantee that your playback isn't going to stutter or that your new card isnt going to require a new powersupply, and its not an ATX form factor, meaning you'll have to spend a little extra time looking, or you'd have to jerry-rig one in. It's still going to be your cheapest option, but not one I'd recommend.

Either way dont get the HDMI cable in the shops, they put a GP of 90% or higher on those in many places.

jeffk

Firstly lets just say I haven`t spent anything as of yet and ill leave that to your imagination.

I was looking @ that on the above video, is there anyway I can say yes it will work with my current set up or no ill need a new power source?

Overheal

Not really. Likely it will work if you get a low profile card, usually these are marked LE

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1920&bih=898&q=geforce++le&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=3463542801743506025&ei=x-MDTduVNIWClAfVkaj-Bw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CF8Q8wIwAQ#

example.

The problem is though Dell builds those machines to save costs and those PSUs are specced to just what is needed. It probably would run an LE card but it would push the PSU close to its maximum output, if not exceed it. And being an old PSU, you cant be sure its even capable of producing 220W anymore, as thats probably the peak output, not the mean output.

jeffk

So basically id be looking @ an older model of a video card that would be self powered and in turn maybe lesser quality graphics.

Im paying for picking a dell pc, I had similar problems when looking to upgrade the cpu. I think next option is a refurbished more up to date pc and upgrade that.

Overheal

Thats what I would do, yes. Which is why I cringe thinking that you already put 7 on it.

Really Processors are always a bitch. Even when you think you've got the latest and greatest socket-type, the next one is just another 2 years away. But yes, even on the same socket, upgrading that celeron would give you the same power problem.

jeffk

Ah sure I took a spare external drive disk and hooked that up and installed 7 on it, xp is still on its original disk in storage if I ever decide to go back.

Its all thoughts that come with new software or equipment and how can I use these now. The last major problem I had was converting mp4 to avi, but now the tv has the usb and codec support for mp4 thats gone. All that slows me down is the odd game of bejewled or converting music.

Ive learned a lot over various courses ive done and can look into upgrading parts with my dell case and mouse etc already there as an option in later months. Thanfully im long gone from the need a new pc buy a new pc frame of mind.

ricman

if you buy a vga splitter it saves,buying a new card, use 1 outlet for pc,2nd for tv,
see here http://www.amazon.co.uk/150mm-monitor-splitter-cable-HD15M/dp/B0000992PQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1292158135&sr=8-2
vga y cable 1 male vga to 2 female, so buy splitter plus 1 5m vga cable .vga male to male.cost around ten euro.from amazon. co.uk

jeffk

Brilliant idea thanks, ill run with that now.