Tag: Video Cards

New SDHC Video Cards Launched in India

Transcend has announced the launch of new SDHC video cards in India, designed for recording, storing, and playing back high definition video content. Weighing 2gm, the SDHC HD Video Cards are fully Class 6 compliant, which means they provide extremely fast data transfer speeds (guaranteed minimum write speed of 6MB/s) to assure quick reaction time when used in digital cameras and camcorders.

Transcend’s Class 6 SDHC HD Video Cards cater directly to digital camera and HD camcorder users by allowing faster image and video saving for improved overall camera response. Now available in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB capacities, the Video Cards are fully backed by Transcend’s 3-Year Warranty.

When recording in high quality 1920×1080 AVCHD format at 13Mbps compression rate, a 16GB Transcend SDHC HD Video Card can store 2 hours and 40 minutes of video content. Moreover, if slightly lower quality settings are used, the same 16GB card can record up to six full hours of high definition video.

It is compatible with SD 2.0 standards and features built-in Error Correcting Code (ECC) to detect and correct transfer errors. The video cards supports Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM), allow In System Programming (ISP) for updating firmware, support auto-standby, power-off and sleep modes, mechanical write-protection switch, and are RoHS compliant.

Transcend’s SDHC HD Video Cards (4GB) is priced at Rs 1,000, (8GB) at Rs 1,800 and (16GB) at Rs 3,500.

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Phobos Performance Gaming/Home Theater System

Here is a PC worthy of a gamer’s needs. The new system is the Phobos Performance Gaming/Home Theater System which comes with two graphic cards for standard models. According to BFG, the dual graphics card set up makes for a serious improvement in performance. The Phobos Performance Edition includes a liquid cooled Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz processor, the dual graphics cards that run in NVIDIA SLI, one touch overclocking, free installation and more.

Such powerful specs for this appealing system which is sure to be the eye for most people looking for powerful PCs to enhance their gaming and graphics-related needs. But the question is would the specs be enough? A lot of this is due to the fact that game developers and advanced programming have become demanding as far as specs are concerned and apparently the Phobos PC aims to answer all those issues in one deal.

It is actually available now. The whole lot costs a whopping $3,000.00. Not that easy to buy considering one would think first before spending a fortune on such a PC bundle with no assurance that system requirements may soon buck a higher demand. Besides, it has been a trend to see such PCs depreciate in time and for the wise buyers, chances are they will wait a little bit more before buying this crazy device.

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Nvidia Unveils GeForce 3D Vision System

3D is the new battle cry for most game enthusiasts and with the new wave of graphical requirements today, Nvidia is not about to be the last one to come up with graphics card to accommodate that growing specifications as far as gaming is concerned. And to enhance the 3D gaming experience, PC users who purchase this new video card from Nvidia get a pair of glasses as well.

Nvidia’s GeForce 3D Vision system ($199) consists of software and special glasses that connect wirelessly to your PC. This approach is called stereoscopic because the computer sends separate images to each eye. Objects in the two images are slightly offset from each other—a gap the brain interprets as depth, resulting in a compelling 3D illusion.

This development was expected. As games become more sophisticated with their vast improvement as far as graphics of in-game play is concerned, it is apparent that video card manufacturers have to adhere such a need.

The price for this latest installment by Nvidia graphics card may be a bit hefty for the hardcore gamer but basing it on experience, such a price is practically a non-issue. PC enthusiasts and gamers will go at nothing to spend for their gaming requirements and at a set price of $199, it is practically nothing as long as they get the fulfilling game experience.

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NVIDIA ION aims to Boost Atom-based PCs

Here is something that most graphics aficionados are bound to love. We all know that PCs are being dragged towards providing better graphics resolution and while some PC types like Atom-based PCs seem to be having issues with some gaming solutions, the NVIDIA Ion seems to have this area covered as well.

It promises to boost up to 10x the speed for graphics and video transcoding in netbook and All-in-one PCs with Atom CPUs and integrated video. With the advanced development of programs and latest improvements to graphics rendering software for pictures and videos, it looks like most PC users will not take long to check out this new technology offered by NVIDIA, a known brand name in the world of graphic cards and quality rendition.

Just check out the new NVIDIA Ion features:

The new Ion features:

• Full support for Windows Vista Premium as well as Windows 7, Premium DirectX 10 graphics with advanced digital display connectivity
• CUDA technology unlocks the processing power of the GPU to accelerate video transcoding and run the most compute-intensive applications
• Premium 1080p HD video with true-fidelity 7.1 audio

So for the millions of PC users that have this Atom-based PCs, here is a good solution to your computer graphic woes. It is bound to provide you with better visualization and PC performance, particularly the ones who have to make do with the current technology that they have as far as graphics rendering is concerned.

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Save Buying New PC Parts for Later

When it comes to fixing a certain part such as perhaps a PC video card, there is no doubt that they are getting cheaper as video card vendors are slowly coming out with new ones today. While many would consider buying a new video card, trying to make do with old ones (assuming they are still functioning properly), would be best done until the time you consider buying at least a brand new CPU with parts that are advanced than your new one.

There was a previous post before about changing the auxiliary fan of video cards for the time being while saving the cost of buying a new video card. The price disparity is glaring considering that a well-fitted auxiliary fan would cost about 10% of a brand new video card. With some changes to the fans, you may be surprised at how much you can save for now rather than buying a new one which may have cases as not being compatible with new motherboards once you finally decide to upgrade.

There is no doubt that some video cards and peripherals are flexible. In fact, you can go as far as using them again in the future. There are usual AGP or PCI slots common in most motherboards and before you buy a new one, you know the slots of the motherboard needed to entertain your old specs.

But ask yourself first if you would make use of old video cards when you get a new one. For sure you will be getting a new since a new CPU would tempt you to get it as a whole anyway. So with that in mind, what would you do with the old video card? Sell it perhaps? Maybe but then again, consider the cost analysis. You may have been better off fabricating your old one instead.

Why do you need a Video Card with TV-out

One thing you will notice in most video cards today is that they come with a TV-out option. Question, do you need it? Apparently some people find it a bonus to have one but do they actually use them?

For PC owners who don’t have the luxury of having a separate DVD player or perhaps want to use a television set in lieu of their monitor, it is an advantage. The interface for some does not always exist and depending on the wires available, you may be surprised at how some people can actually make use of their PC to come out on a TV set.

Presentations can be a good way to make use of such TV-out video cards. Though the resolution may not be that great compared to the actual CD or DVD where some people burn it, the main purpose here is projection. So with you PC being hooked to a TV, you can imagine how easy it would be to make presentations of any sort using the traditional PC software we use.

Powerpoint or video presentations can be used via this connection. It makes life easier compared to having to use a variety of conversions to be able to do so. So for marketers and presenting groups are concerned, having this option in selected video cards can be a benefit. That is assuming you have to wires to connect them but these can be purchased from any electronics store you come across.

Wise Spending on Computer Buying Needed

Place the famous bailout plan of the US and add the eco-friendly requirements needed today and you are bound to come up with the sum of it all as the cost-efficient green computer. Saving on energy is synonymous to saving on cost and apparently having these two factors the next time you buy a computer categorizes you towards the socially responsible citizen the world is looking for today.

As far as cost is concerned, you don’t really have to spend on excess peripherals that you don’t need. For example, why get a 1 Gigabyte capable video card if you are plainly going to use it for word processing or Internet browsing? The difference in dollars is considerable and for sure wise spenders would do well to lay off the unneeded peripherals if not needed. It is a different case however if it is included in a package set, something familiar in stores today.

Now this may seem like I am trying to discourage people from enjoying the fruits of technology. It is apparent that anyone is free to buy anything as they wish. But just spend wisely. The credit crunch is no laughing matter. It is for real and while it has not set in yet, it can surely do so in a couple of months.

You can enjoy the benefits of a powerful desktop. You just have to time it on when you really need it. Wise spending is a requirement these days even in buying new computers.

Check out Computer Packages after a Month

Technology means fast evolution of parts and this includes introduction of new parts and peripherals that are far better than initially offered parts. Hence, the issue of knowing when to buy and when to wait is something most seasoned computer buyers normally get used to. Observe and you will see that people normally wait a month to a year before they consider buying a new computer part of an entire PC for that matter.

Why is that? For one, the value of a certain computer part depreciates fast. Unlike the traditional depreciation methods of assets, computers depreciate faster. For example, if a car depreciates according to the number of years, computers and parts may as well be seen to depreciate faster in a couple of months. You can see the price discrepancies and how the demand for them increases over time. There is simply a big difference.

PC parts come in all shapes and sizes and while that is true, you can bet that a new PC only retains its overall value for a couple of days. The next thing you know a new part like a video card or memory chip will be available in the market possessing higher value and demand. That is how fast the technological evolution process takes place.

Hence, the wise PC buyer would normally buy one after a couple of months when he notices a significant drop in prices. It may be a hard task especially for the enthusiastic PC buyer but you can just imagine at how much savings he can get by waiting just a little bit.

Cheap Video Cards: Is there Such a Thing?

It has always been believed that the lesser cost would mean inferior quality in anything that you may purchase. The same holds true for computers and any part or peripheral you may want to replace. Video cards and chips vary in prices and while they may seem tempting, it is best to take a second look. Do not be driven by prices. It is best to study the actual specifications and if possible, ask the vendor why it was priced at such.

The way I see it, lower priced video cards can occur because of two things:

1. Old Stocks
2. To create a new product line for customer preference.

If the reason for lower priced video cards are due to old stocks, then you are buying an outdated but brand new card. The only downside in this area is that you are buying something new that was in demand some months back. However, when it comes to performance and actual use, you can be assured that such video cards will perform satisfactorily and perhaps for a longer period unless defects crop up.

As far as new products offered cheap, performance is bound to dip and the reliability may be in question. Video cards are known to last for a longer number of years but based on their production and use, it may dwindle in useful life numbers considering that wear and tear applicable to these cards is evident.

Replacing them may be easy but if you want to save on needed replacement of video cards, then buying the high-end ones seem to be the logical choice when you make investments.

Upgrading Incrementally and Wisely Today

Wise spenders include the people who invest largely in their computers. Unlike years way back, a person could easily change any computer peripheral when they buy it separately. But considering prices are not that consumer friendly these days, you have to control that urge and wait for the right time to really change a computer part. In short, living in today’s world needs wise spending including changing computer parts which go at the rate that technology is changing.

Apparently this can be seen at how frequent people are now getting when it comes to upgrading or changing a specific part. Making do with what they have in the form of processors, video cards and hard disks will have to do for the meantime. Gone are the luxury days when a new product would be introduced in the market where a computer owner can just take out the old one and install the new as easily as its plug and play feature.

But the cost of these peripherals is no longer easy to suffice. A mere hundred dollar worth of computer part can be used for another more needed cause. Evidently, wising up to the finance set forth today is a must and people should know better than to spend them unwisely. In short, computers can wait but needs cannot.

Think of it this way. Computers are better off bought as a whole. Part by part you will still get to the point where you will get the same parts in the end. So why spend now when you can get them more advanced later.