ATI Multi-output Graphics Board

[AJL14]

Good morning all,
Tested a new ATI board yesterday - quite impressed. But did not have EDIUS to test with - just Blu-Ray playback with multiple display technologies. Anyone know about this card, and how it handles EDUIS and it's sometimes problematic overlays, etc.? This board seems to have it all, and at a great street price.
ATI Radeon HD2600 Pro - about $180. 400W Power supply recommeded.

PCIe x16 slot
256MB DDR2
Optimized for DirectX® 10 and Windows Vista™
ATI Avivo™ HD video & display technology
Hardware processed HD video acceleration (UVD)
Full Digital HD 1080p video playback
Built-in HDMI for one-cable audio and video connectivity
Component output
5.1 (AC3) surround sound
HDCP ready for Blu-ray and HD DVD playback
S-Video output

I've heard the Radeon boards are not as compatible with EDIUS as the Nvidia boards. Anyone using it yet? (Going to build with Asus P5K Delux MB).

Have a great weekend and thanks for any input.
Alan

[mike0130]

256MB DDR2

This is the problem of cheap cards. The memory is 128 bit only. Even old ATI X700- X850 has 256bit memory DDR3 and you can get them even cheaper.
If you want NEW model- go for X2900.
I use Sapphire X1950 Pro 512mb 256 bit- very good card olso. Great for Xplode.

[Angelo]

I'm guess your talking about the ATI HD2600Pro?

There was a thread on the 2600Pro, ATI X2600 PRO & Edius DVX.

Yes it works with Edius and my DVStorm but I found that Xplode for Edius and Pro was very slow, my X800XL (w/256MB) would playback and fill the buffer FASTER in HD than the HD2600XT (w/512MB) in SD. I also found the GPU fan too noisy at idle plus I had 2 blue-screen and returned the card.

...Angelo

[THoff]

If you want NEW model- go for X2900.

I don't know -- I just read this yesterday on another forum:

To make it clear: I AM NOT BIASED AGAINST ATI. I could not care less about the brand name. What matters to me is the value of the product. I have had Nvidia and Ati products before, Intel and AMD processors as well, whatever offers better value.

First, I never got it to work. I think that my 600W PSU is not powerful enough for this card.

But the card run, I mean the fan would spin. And this is the whole problem. This card is not extremally loud. It is worse than that. I dont know how to describe how loud it is. I would not be able to tolerate this card even if it worked 3 times better than my 8800 GTS. I do not understand why would Shapphire relase this product at all. I mean if your PC is in another room that is sound sealed, go ahead, buy it.

The pros would be that the card looks really nice. But if someone gave it to me for free to keep, I would sell it. To a deaf person.

I don't know if the fan noise problem is true of all X2900 cards, or this guy just had a bad card, but he obviously didn't like it.

[mike0130]

Got ATI HD X2600XT 512 Mb DDR3 today from Futureshop (canada)
I will bring it back. The card is small, not used additional power connector on the back. the price was $180 Can. (sale) This card is better then X2600 Pro with 256 mb DDR2, but also has a 128 bit menory bus.
Before installing it to my computer, I made a sequence in Edius with lots of Xplode and Vitascene transitions and few effects. It was running on my X1950 Pro in realtime, exept one Vitascene transition.
After I installed X2600 XT and reinstall same driver, I made changes in preferences of Xplode-s and opened same project.
NOTHING was in realtime... even some native edius transitions... There was no loud noise from the fan, but this card cannot be used for any serious editing system.

[AJL14]

Thanks everyone - and especially you, Mike. Needless to say, I will NOT purchase this card. You've saved me a bunch of time, effort and money, and I appreciate it. How to make the decision on my card I'm stuck between the Nvidia availables - the 8600 series and the more expensive 8800. Don't do any games - so the 8600 GT should be enough. Just want to make SURE I have a board which is HDCP enabled, HDMI out and component out.
Thanks again,
Alan

[STORMDAVE]

If I was building a new system, I would buy an nVidia card in a heartbeat. If Xplode was important to me, I'd buy one of the older ATI cards.

[AJL14]

Thanks, David. Much appreciated advice. I have pretty much settled on an Nvidia card - now just to chose between the 8600 GTS and 8800 GTS. Different dollars - different pluses. I don't think most of us need the "game" attributes, but the HDCP and HDMI readouts are important - and will become moreso with time. This forum has become a great stomping ground for manyof us - experienced and inexperienced.

Thanks to all,
Alan