9600XT Ultimate or 9600 Non-Pro?

[rotaryracer]

I want to get a DX9 compliant video and am looking at the Sapphire 9600XT Ultimate Edition ($175 @ Newegg) or the Sapphire 9600 Atlantis ($95 @ Newegg).

I don't do any gaming on my HTPC, but I want to make sure I'm not selling myself short like I did with my poor 9200SE. I'd like to turn on VMR9 in Sage 2.0 and not have any issues with running 1280x720 resolution via DVI to my HTPC.

Some day (and hopefully Sage will support it), I may look at getting a Fusion III HD card, so I want to make sure whatever card I choose would have the horsepower to handle that as well.

Any thoughts? I'd rather not spend an extra $80 if I can avoid it, but will if I have to.

Thanks!

Jason

[mls]

Not sure about the specific cards you mention, but in general an ATI 9600 Pro would be a good choice. Stay away from the low end SE models.

Likewise, you may want to avoid the "Ultra" models also. They have an extra power connector and therefor require a larger power supply and generate more heat.

Also, be aware that until something major changes in video card design, you most likely will only be able to get good VMR9 and 3D Acceleration on the main (windows desktop) output connector. Maybe tolerable with the desktop cloned on 2nd output, but still not a good as just the one output along might do.

If you want to run a monitor on one out, and SageTV out the other you will most likely be limited to only overlay (without the fancy transparent OSD).

What was your problem with the 9200SE?

[rotaryracer]

I didn't realize the 9200SE wasn't DX9 compatible. My understanding (and it may be flawed) is that a DX9 card is needed (or preferred) to do VMR9. Bad info?

I'm outputting via a DVI connection to my HDTV, so I'm not too worried about more than one desktop.

The 9600XT Ultimate is essentially a 9600XT Pro with a passive heatsink and heatpipe; the 9600 Atlantis is last year's 9600 Non-Pro with a heatsink.

[mls]

It's not so much if the spec say it is DirectX 9.0 or not. It's whether or not they ever put out an updated driver that supports X 9.

Did you try the latest drivers for the 9200SE? As I said, I'm using a 9000 and it work (although I'm not pushing that high a resolution though either).

[stanger89]

Actually my advice would be to get a Geforce FX 5900, they can be had for about the same price as a 9600XT but with a 256-bit memory interface. I know the 9600s are right on the edge of being able to do VMR9, while the 5700s seem to have more success, so the 5900 should have no trouble.

[kny3twalker]

you can get a 9800 PRO for about 15 dollars more than the 9600 Ulitimate
I would go that way

[rotaryracer]

Yeah, I almost thought about replacing the 9800 Pro in my gaming box with a X800XT, but it would be scary expensive and I'd still need to hang a monster Zalman off it to passively cool it. The reason I liked those two ATI cards is that they're both passively cooled and should give better performance than my 9200SE.

I'm using Catalyst 4.3 drivers on my current card - when I do run DXDIAG, it shows DirectX v8.1, though (even though I intalled DX9.0b). I'm assuming it defaults back to whatever the highest level is the card will support.

Stanger, I checked out the 5900 cards at Newegg....do you know if any that are passively cooled? I'm trying to get away from spending $100-150 on a card and then another $30 getting it to be quiet. That's why I liked the 9600XT Ultimate - passively cooled from the factory, using a solution that doesn't take an extra slot, and a free copy of HL2 when/if it ever releases!

[stanger89]

Not that I know of.

[kny3twalker]

well my 9600 XT sucks at VMR9 with most decoders
elecard, intervideo, and the non css do fine
but ati cyberlink, NVDVD, sonic are horrible
too much stuttering for me
does pretty good for gaming but not as good as a 9800 PRO I am sure or even close to an X800 series
I know slickdeals,net have been running specials on X800s and 6800s for about a hundred off retail but you have to act quick if you want one
(well the deal for a x800 XT was 400 for almost a month (now they are 500))

[salsbst]

My 9600 non-pro does a little tearing at 1080i... not enough to make me switch back to overlay, and not enough to make me replace the card early, but if I were buying a card today, I'd buy one with more pop.

[dagar]

Anyone have the tearing problems with a 9700/9800 Pro?

For that matter. Is anyone using same and have any feedback or results to share?

[thatdude90210]

Originally posted by dagar
Anyone have the tearing problems with a 9700/9800 Pro?

For that matter. Is anyone using same and have any feedback or results to share?

I have a 9700pro on one of my pc's. This pc just runs Sage Client on the secondary monitor (18" lcd), using Ultramon to redefine it as primary. Running Elecard decoder, DXVA deinterlacing bob & weave. I normally use overlay because I feel that the brightness is better, but I just spent the last 10 minutes with vmr9 trying to spot tearing and can't see any.

Specs:
9700pro - cat 4.7
p4 2.53
512MB ram
SB audigy2

[jmeeks]

I replaced my ATI8500AIW with a ATI 9800 Pro. The results were amazing. My wife & kids thought I cleaned the monitor screen. The details were so crisp and clear.

Don't exactly know what you mean by tearing.....I can't find anything to complain about with the 9800 Pro though. Can't wait to hook the whole thing up to a projector as the primary display.

[kny3twalker]

elecard does not work with DXVA so not very intense on a video card
try out sonic decoders with DXVA or NVDVD
I found any decoder will play back smooth with VMR9 rendering as long as DXVA was not enabled or not supported like elecard
also the DXVA(hardware deinterlacing makes VMR9 nice and watchable but my video card is not fast enough to do it consistently without a skipping)
I like overlay better for that reason
I am able to use DXVA

[dagar]

Hmmm... I suppose I'll have to use my 9700 pro and buy a new card for my gaming