Sound and Video Cards ... which to get?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert TV
  • Start date Start date
R

Robert TV

Hi all,

I'm putting together my final order for a new PC im going to build ... and
I'd like some advice on three topics:

1) Sound Card: Audigy 1 or 2? Is it worth paying an additional $40 for the
second version? P.S. my speakers are crap and I only have desktop satelites
(2 speakers, no sub)

2) I'm going with the ATI X800 Pro. There are a few different manufactures
of the card itself. My retailers sells the MSI brand. Should I be looking
for this card by a specific manufacturer? And what means "Vivo Model"? P.S.
I'm going with the Pro version for now because I have been unable to secure
a XT PE.

3) Once all of the system is put together and my OS/Driver updates
installed, I would like to ghost my C: drive. Can another reccommend
reliable hard drive ghosting software? I'd like to do this so if I need to
re-install my OS in the future, this might be easier. I was told a while ago
that ghosting software of my brand is not entirely reliable ... is this
true? P.S. Thanx for your response on this non-hardware issue. It's very
important to me.

TIA!

Robert
 
Hi all,

I'm putting together my final order for a new PC im going to build ... and
I'd like some advice on three topics:

1) Sound Card: Audigy 1 or 2? Is it worth paying an additional $40 for the
second version? P.S. my speakers are crap and I only have desktop satelites
(2 speakers, no sub)
Click to expand...

with only 2 crap satellite speakers you may be content with
motherboard-integrated sound... i'd put off buying sound card
till you feel it's needed, later. Then again, might be a good
time to upgrade the speakers, IMHO it's better to have decent
speakers with onboard sound than poor ones with great sound card.

2) I'm going with the ATI X800 Pro. There are a few different manufactures
of the card itself. My retailers sells the MSI brand. Should I be looking
for this card by a specific manufacturer? And what means "Vivo Model"? P.S.
I'm going with the Pro version for now because I have been unable to secure
a XT PE.
Click to expand...

VIVO = video in, video out (S-Video, adapter can make it
composite with RCA jack)

3) Once all of the system is put together and my OS/Driver updates
installed, I would like to ghost my C: drive. Can another reccommend
reliable hard drive ghosting software? I'd like to do this so if I need to
re-install my OS in the future, this might be easier. I was told a while ago
that ghosting software of my brand is not entirely reliable ... is this
true? P.S. Thanx for your response on this non-hardware issue. It's very
important to me.
Click to expand...

What does "ghosting software of my brand is not entirely
reliable" mean? Ghost 2003 or newer should do that.
 
Robert TV said:
Hi all,

I'm putting together my final order for a new PC im going to build ... and
I'd like some advice on three topics:

1) Sound Card: Audigy 1 or 2? Is it worth paying an additional $40 for the
second version? P.S. my speakers are crap and I only have desktop satelites
(2 speakers, no sub)
Click to expand...

Use the onboard audio. If you use it for a while and don't like it you can
always add a soundcard later.
2) I'm going with the ATI X800 Pro. There are a few different manufactures
of the card itself. My retailers sells the MSI brand. Should I be looking
for this card by a specific manufacturer? And what means "Vivo Model"? P.S.
I'm going with the Pro version for now because I have been unable to secure
a XT PE.
Click to expand...

It must be nice to be rich... I avoid MSI as I've had problems with their
mainboards. Sapphire is a good brand if you don't want to buy genuine ATI.
VIVO means Video In & Video Out.
3) Once all of the system is put together and my OS/Driver updates
installed, I would like to ghost my C: drive. Can another reccommend
reliable hard drive ghosting software? I'd like to do this so if I need to
re-install my OS in the future, this might be easier. I was told a while ago
that ghosting software of my brand is not entirely reliable ... is this
true? P.S. Thanx for your response on this non-hardware issue. It's very
important to me.
Click to expand...

Norton Ghost has been the most reliable for me. Need the latest version to
deal with XP and NTFS. I expect that the latest won't work when Longhorn
finally comes out.

A ghost image of an install is a good idea, but so many things can change
between the time you install and the time you need the image. Once you
reload the image you have to reinstall anything that you did after creating
the image, update drivers, do Windows updates, etc... It's not really worth
it. The image is great if you're going to do a lot of experimenting, but if
it's been more than a month since you installed, the image won't be much
good.
 
with only 2 crap satellite speakers you may be content with
motherboard-integrated sound... i'd put off buying sound card
till you feel it's needed, later. Then again, might be a good
time to upgrade the speakers, IMHO it's better to have decent
speakers with onboard sound than poor ones with great sound card.
Click to expand...

There have been lots of sales on speakers recently. Not sure if there
is one now but if you search around or wait the guy will probably find
one.

I bought the Logitech 640z for $49 , its been selling at many places
for the same price off and on the last 3 months. When its not on sale
though they sell it for much higher. Its a decent set for a PC
speaker. I think they are getting ready to phase them out since theyve
been out fora while.

Also got the Altec Lansing 4+sub set for $29 and Ive seen it lower on
line and some places. This gets OK surround sound for games but the
power and sub is a bit marginal. Still better than many cheapo 2
speaker + sub systems but its sort of on the borderline between the
tinny cheapo systems you see everywhere with sub for $29-39 and the
decent more robust systems for usually $59-100+ that have decent power
and bass. Way better than the two speaker cheapos with no sub though.
You notice it more with music than with games unless you are games
connoisseur and can tell that the explosions dont have enough dynamics
to them or something.

Ive seen some sales on more decent two speaker with sub systems lately
for some reason . A while ago there were tons of sales of 4 and 5.1
systems.

Cant remember how much you were going to spend but they are selling
the Audigy 2Z at Compusa for 79 less 30 rebate this week.

The Audigy 2 ZS is 7.1 and the Audigy 2 Ive seen for around 70 online
bulk version - which 5.1 and then theres the Audigy LZ which I bought
for $30 after rebate which some say is more like an Audigy 1 - relies
on your CPU more and cant load more sound fonts and doesnt have the
latest EAX version 4.0 I think.

Another way to get way better sound though not surround sound unless
you have a surround sound system. If you have a boom box with aux in
or a stereo rec you can plug the sound out on the card to the aux in
on the stereo amp and use those speakers, Generally most audio
speakers are way way better than PC speakers which tended to be super
cheap small paper full range speakers in a plastic box.

Compared to that anything sounds better so the improved full range
paper cones and and even two ways and puny 6-8" "subwoofers" sound
great nowadays on the better systems.

But a ministereo though generally very low in the stereo quality
hierachy generally sounds much better compared to many PC speakers.

Ive got some Paradigms and a tube hyrid amp I was using for both music
and my PC but I got sick of the hassle of switching the lines since
there arent that many inputs for the source on my minimalistic amp so
I got the Logitechs. They sound OK.
 
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