You can try it since you've got an AGP slot and the card is AGP. It doesn't pull much power, but your PSU is pretty weak. Plus, if it's some off-brand unit—which it almost certainly is—and it's old... I don't know... give it a shot. 😁 But if you notice anything weird happening, shut it down immediately and swap out that power supply.
Honestly, that AOC monitor is pretty decent—better than most people give it credit for. Between the features they pack in and all the actual user feedback out there, plus that solid 3-year warranty... it's a good call.
redsailor15 said:Can someone please recommend some cheap PCIe graphics cards that have an HDMI output? thanks
Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that...
Look, just list your specs. CPU, power supply, and your monitor resolution—those are all vital. Might as well throw in your motherboard and how much RAM you're running... also, what part of the US are you in? Makes finding local shops easier.
And tell me your budget...
edit:
I can't exactly hand out physical gift cards here... 😬
If you're just sticking to the basics like ABC, PBS, FOX, or maybe a local news station, then you're looking at standard over-the-air digital TV. You'll need a digital tuner. In that case, you just hook up an antenna to a receiver or grab a cheap DVB-T card, like this one or this one.
Now, if you're getting your TV through one of those cable providers—say, Xfinity, where you get a massive lineup of 30+ channels—and you're just plugging an antenna directly into the TV, then you want something like this.
If you're trying to juggle both setups, look into "hybrid" TV cards...
And honestly, if you're watching via IPTV over the internet, you probably wouldn't even be messing with an antenna in the first place.
@ rustycrane86: Honestly, it doesn't matter... pick whichever one you like better, there isn't much difference. Maybe the Samsung just uses a Philips tuner, since those are everywhere... 😁
@ Robert Martin3: If your motherboard has a PCIe slot, then you're golden—you can grab any card you want. But if you're stuck with AGP, you'll have to scour Craigslist or eBay for some used hardware...
It’s been ages since I’ve even looked at a monitor like that... nobody really buys them anymore. I’m not sure what the quality is like these days, but back in the day, those TV panels felt a bit subpar when you picked them up at a place like Best Buy—though I doubt that's still true. Even the cheapest LCD panels have come a long way lately...
But honestly, the other reason I wouldn't touch a monitor with a built-in TV tuner is because it’s a one-trick pony. All you can do is watch TV. Plus, this specific model doesn't even come with a remote, so you can't just kick back on the couch and relax... and given the size, you'd want to. The version with the remote is way more expensive. Not to mention there's a massive selection of regular monitors and other brands out there, whereas only a handful of companies even make these tuner models...
If I were you, I'd just grab a standard monitor and a TV tuner card. That way, you get features like time-shifting and recording, which is way more convenient. Besides, even the budget tuner cards usually come with a remote... though it would be nice if you had a dual-core processor to handle everything...
Anyway, I guess it just comes down to personal preference.
Oh, and by the way—that graphics card is a bit weak for a high-end monitor like that. It’s going to struggle with HD resolution, especially if you actually plan on gaming. If you aren't planning on upgrading your rig (or at least the GPU) anytime soon, maybe stick to a lower resolution like 1680x1050...
Honestly, doesn't matter which one you pick... though maybe go LED since the tech is newer and it comes with 72hrs of AppleCare...
A TV and a monitor aren't the same thing, and you can't just plug them together. Sure, there are monitors with built-in tuners so you can watch shows on them, but I think that's a subpar way to go. The screen quality usually sucks, plus you can only watch live broadcasts—you can't record anything.
It’s much smarter to just get a TV tuner card for your PC; then you can watch or record whatever you want right on your monitor.
Connecting a computer to a TV only makes sense if you're trying to push specific content, like a movie you have saved on your hard drive, onto the big screen. In that case, you'd hook your PC's graphics card directly to the TV...
You’re actually pretty lucky you have a decent motherboard that still has some upgrade potential. Your issue isn't just the graphics card; it's a whole chain reaction: the CPU, the RAM, the GPU, and the power supply all need attention.
Basically, if you want to plug in any modern graphics card that can actually run today's games, you're going to be forced to swap out your power supply because your current one is weak, and your processor isn't fast enough to keep up with a better GPU. Plus, your RAM is pretty much ancient by today's standards.
First, check your BIOS to see if there's a final update available. Then, let us know your budget and where you plan on shopping so we can give you a real recommendation...
To give you an idea of what things cost, here's a breakdown:
1 x Intel Core i3 Processor, socket AM3, BOX, 1.5MB, 3.1GHz 1 x DDR2 2048MB ( 2GB ) PC6400 Kingmax, 800MHz, CL5, KLDE88F-B8KB5 1 x Sapphire HD 5670, 512MB GDDR5 128bit, VGA+DL-DVI-I+HDMI, PCI-X 1 x FORTRON 400W Power Supply, FSP400-60APN, Super Silent, 12cm
total: $557 - this is basically the bare minimum for something somewhat playable... anything more than this would be even better...
You should probably give us more details about the rig. What kind of CPU and motherboard are we talking about? Also, what’s the PSU and how old is this thing... or at least tell me if the GPU is AGP or PCIe...