ATI 8500le vs Matrox G550 at DVinfo.net

Dylan Couper · September 9th, 2002, 06:55 PM

At the computer store today, I was inquiring about better dual monitor cards than the Matrox G550 in the same price range. The guy there came up with the ATI 8500 LE. It's about $30 more than the Matrox, but has 128mb RAM instead of 32mb, as well as TV out, which I want for previewing video on a TV.
He said something about the card having one VGA out, the TV out, and a video out for an LCD monitor that has an adapter to let you use it as a 2nd VGA out.

Can anyone here verify that this will work perfectly with no fiddling around?
Does anyone use this card here, and if so, any feedback?
And finally, the big question... Is this card compatible with Avid DVXpress 3.0??

I want to go buy either it or the Matrox tomorrow morning, so I'd really appreciate any immediate feedback you can give.

Thanks!

Alex Ratson · September 9th, 2002, 09:31 PM

I have used the ATI card a few times before on a Targa 3000 machine , and it is all that the salesman stated to you, however I can not verify if it will work with your Avid system. Avid is really picky with any thing hooked on your computer, so id try and find out if it will be compatible before you buy. On one of my schools Avid MCExpress Machines they have a Matrox Millennium card so the 550 should work, but its not nearly as nice as the ATI

alex

Bill Ravens · September 9th, 2002, 10:15 PM

I've got a Radeon 8500DV on my Tyan duallie machine....together with Vegas Video 3. I will say that the 8500DV is pretty problematic. If you're wanting a good video card for video editting, stick with Matrox whose 2d performance is the best on the market. If you want gaming and other 3d features, go with ATi. The truth of the matter is that NO ONE makes a video card optimized for video editing. Why? marketting pressures!! Anyway, while the Radeon gives a very nice picture, the drivers are a nightmare to upgrade and have compatibility issues with some mobo's. Go with the Radeon only if your experienced at playing with your OS. The best thing about the Radeon is that I can preview my edits on VV3 full screen on my NTSC monitor, as well as play avi files on the NTSC monitor. It's a great feature.

Dylan Couper · September 9th, 2002, 10:39 PM

Thanks!
The main thing I wanted the ATI for was the TV out so I could hook up a monitor or TV to it. The G550 doesn't have this feature. I hear there is a Matrox that does, but for $250 or so.

I'll likely stick with the Matrox, but what other options do I have to get TV out on my computer?

Bill Ravens · September 10th, 2002, 06:49 AM

I think nvidia makes a TV-out board. Vegas video has the capability to stream the preview window out thru the firewire port, but, you need a DV camera or VCR to connect thru.

Dylan Couper · September 10th, 2002, 01:03 PM

I decided to go with the ATI card. It looks like Avid supports the ATI 8500 series cards. And I really want the TV out to hook up to an NTSC monitor. They were about the same price anyway,

Bill Ravens · September 10th, 2002, 01:28 PM

Dylan....

Don't hesitate to ask me for help if you run into any probs. I've been running this radeon 8500DV board since it was released and can baby-sit it pretty well. Also, a great forum for help is at:

http://www.rage3d.com/board/forumdisplay.php?forumid=24

It's really a pretty nice board and give me a great picture on my NTSC monitor. If you're running win XP and the latest Radeon Catalyst 2.2 drivers, you won't be able to get TV output. The 2.2 drivers are problematic...stay with the catalyst 2.1 drivers.

Dylan Couper · September 10th, 2002, 01:33 PM

Thanks Bill!
I'm probably going to stick with Win2000 rather than XP, since I think when the time comes I will be able to get Avid XDV 3 for W2k much cheaper than XDV 3.5 for XP. Will I likely still have problems with W2k?

Whats the difference between the 8500Le and the 8500DV?

Bill Ravens · September 10th, 2002, 01:44 PM

I'm running a dual boot system, using w2k and wxp, both. So far, the w2k system looks the best!!...stable and reliable. The 8500DV has an onboard TV receiver as well as analog capture capability. The 8500LE has no TV receiver and TV-out only...no capture capability. The other difference is that the 8500DV has 64 Mb DDR while the LE has 128 Mb DDR. Both borads have dual display out...one to a monitor and one to a TV(NTSC monitor)

Dylan Couper · September 11th, 2002, 11:29 AM

Just a point of confusion here...
Does it have two monitor outs and one TV out? Or just one monitor and one TV, but you can adapt the TV to run a second monitor?
I want to be able to do the first, two monitors and a TV.

Bill Ravens · September 11th, 2002, 12:06 PM

Radeon supports two output....total. One output is either a computer monitor or an LCD display, the other output is S-video composite to a TV monitor. Two computer monitors are not supported.

Dylan Couper · September 11th, 2002, 12:17 PM

Well, it's certainly going to be interesting when I go pick my computer up with it installed. I specifically told the computer guy I wanted two monitors and a TV out. (insert profanity here)

Well, I don't know which is more important or useful so I'll take a quick poll...

Guys, which would you rather have for video editing?

Two monitors?
or
One monitor and a TV for previewing?

Bill Ravens · September 11th, 2002, 12:23 PM

It's possible to install a second video PCI card, like an ATi Rage theater, that will give you a second monitor capability. It's a little tricky to find a video PCI card that won't conflict with the AGP slot, tho.

Dylan Couper · September 11th, 2002, 10:24 PM

Well, I have the new computer sitting next to me here. They installed an ATI 9000 card in it since they couldn't get an 8500 in time (so they say). It does indeed have three outputs. One CRT, one S-video, and one DVI which has an adapter to convert it to CRT.

On the way home from the computer store I bought it from, I stopped at Future Shop (our version of Circuit City) to pick up two NEC 19" flat monitors that were on sale, which I had put aside for me yesterday. After looking for twenty minutes, the witless bastard that was trying to help me gave up looking for them. So here it sits next to me, cold and silent, until I get some monitors for it tomorrow. They wouldn't even give me the next model up at a discount. Plenty of other places in town that will though.

Bill Ravens · September 12th, 2002, 07:01 AM

that radeon 9000 sounds sweet. i've been thinking of a 9700 as soon as the prices drop.

September 9th, 2002, 06:55 PM	#1
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	ATI 8500le vs Matrox G550 At the computer store today, I was inquiring about better dual monitor cards than the Matrox G550 in the same price range. The guy there came up with the ATI 8500 LE. It's about $30 more than the Matrox, but has 128mb RAM instead of 32mb, as well as TV out, which I want for previewing video on a TV. He said something about the card having one VGA out, the TV out, and a video out for an LCD monitor that has an adapter to let you use it as a 2nd VGA out. Can anyone here verify that this will work perfectly with no fiddling around? Does anyone use this card here, and if so, any feedback? And finally, the big question... Is this card compatible with Avid DVXpress 3.0?? I want to go buy either it or the Matrox tomorrow morning, so I'd really appreciate any immediate feedback you can give. Thanks!

September 9th, 2002, 09:31 PM	#2
Alex Ratson Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Squamish, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 149	I have used the ATI card a few times before on a Targa 3000 machine , and it is all that the salesman stated to you, however I can not verify if it will work with your Avid system. Avid is really picky with any thing hooked on your computer, so id try and find out if it will be compatible before you buy. On one of my schools Avid MCExpress Machines they have a Matrox Millennium card so the 550 should work, but its not nearly as nice as the ATI alex

September 9th, 2002, 10:15 PM	#3
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I've got a Radeon 8500DV on my Tyan duallie machine....together with Vegas Video 3. I will say that the 8500DV is pretty problematic. If you're wanting a good video card for video editting, stick with Matrox whose 2d performance is the best on the market. If you want gaming and other 3d features, go with ATi. The truth of the matter is that NO ONE makes a video card optimized for video editing. Why? marketting pressures!! Anyway, while the Radeon gives a very nice picture, the drivers are a nightmare to upgrade and have compatibility issues with some mobo's. Go with the Radeon only if your experienced at playing with your OS. The best thing about the Radeon is that I can preview my edits on VV3 full screen on my NTSC monitor, as well as play avi files on the NTSC monitor. It's a great feature.

September 9th, 2002, 10:39 PM	#4
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Thanks! The main thing I wanted the ATI for was the TV out so I could hook up a monitor or TV to it. The G550 doesn't have this feature. I hear there is a Matrox that does, but for $250 or so. I'll likely stick with the Matrox, but what other options do I have to get TV out on my computer?

September 10th, 2002, 06:49 AM	#5
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I think nvidia makes a TV-out board. Vegas video has the capability to stream the preview window out thru the firewire port, but, you need a DV camera or VCR to connect thru.

September 10th, 2002, 01:03 PM	#6
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	I decided to go with the ATI card. It looks like Avid supports the ATI 8500 series cards. And I really want the TV out to hook up to an NTSC monitor. They were about the same price anyway,

September 10th, 2002, 01:28 PM	#7
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Dylan.... Don't hesitate to ask me for help if you run into any probs. I've been running this radeon 8500DV board since it was released and can baby-sit it pretty well. Also, a great forum for help is at: http://www.rage3d.com/board/forumdisplay.php?forumid=24 It's really a pretty nice board and give me a great picture on my NTSC monitor. If you're running win XP and the latest Radeon Catalyst 2.2 drivers, you won't be able to get TV output. The 2.2 drivers are problematic...stay with the catalyst 2.1 drivers.

September 10th, 2002, 01:33 PM	#8
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Thanks Bill! I'm probably going to stick with Win2000 rather than XP, since I think when the time comes I will be able to get Avid XDV 3 for W2k much cheaper than XDV 3.5 for XP. Will I likely still have problems with W2k? Whats the difference between the 8500Le and the 8500DV?

September 10th, 2002, 01:44 PM	#9
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I'm running a dual boot system, using w2k and wxp, both. So far, the w2k system looks the best!!...stable and reliable. The 8500DV has an onboard TV receiver as well as analog capture capability. The 8500LE has no TV receiver and TV-out only...no capture capability. The other difference is that the 8500DV has 64 Mb DDR while the LE has 128 Mb DDR. Both borads have dual display out...one to a monitor and one to a TV(NTSC monitor)

September 11th, 2002, 11:29 AM	#10
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Just a point of confusion here... Does it have two monitor outs and one TV out? Or just one monitor and one TV, but you can adapt the TV to run a second monitor? I want to be able to do the first, two monitors and a TV.

September 11th, 2002, 12:06 PM	#11
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Radeon supports two output....total. One output is either a computer monitor or an LCD display, the other output is S-video composite to a TV monitor. Two computer monitors are not supported.

September 11th, 2002, 12:17 PM	#12
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Well, it's certainly going to be interesting when I go pick my computer up with it installed. I specifically told the computer guy I wanted two monitors and a TV out. (insert profanity here) Well, I don't know which is more important or useful so I'll take a quick poll... Guys, which would you rather have for video editing? Two monitors? or One monitor and a TV for previewing?

September 11th, 2002, 12:23 PM	#13
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	It's possible to install a second video PCI card, like an ATi Rage theater, that will give you a second monitor capability. It's a little tricky to find a video PCI card that won't conflict with the AGP slot, tho.

September 11th, 2002, 10:24 PM	#14
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Well, I have the new computer sitting next to me here. They installed an ATI 9000 card in it since they couldn't get an 8500 in time (so they say). It does indeed have three outputs. One CRT, one S-video, and one DVI which has an adapter to convert it to CRT. On the way home from the computer store I bought it from, I stopped at Future Shop (our version of Circuit City) to pick up two NEC 19" flat monitors that were on sale, which I had put aside for me yesterday. After looking for twenty minutes, the witless bastard that was trying to help me gave up looking for them. So here it sits next to me, cold and silent, until I get some monitors for it tomorrow. They wouldn't even give me the next model up at a discount. Plenty of other places in town that will though.

September 12th, 2002, 07:01 AM	#15
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	that radeon 9000 sounds sweet. i've been thinking of a 9700 as soon as the prices drop.