onboard video vs video card

[shortydigital]

First here are my up and running linux MCE specs:

Core/ Hybrid
Intel Celeron 340 2.93Ghz 533FSB Socket 478
Aopen s661GXm-U Socket 478 Motherboard
3 pci slots, 1 agp
SPDIF
2 Hauppauge 150’s

MD 1 option 1
Compaq D310v
1.8 ghz
1 g.b. ram
1 agp.
3 pci


MD1 OPTION 2 ( cheezy, yet faster)
Gateway 310 s
2.4 ghz celeron 
1 g.b ram
478 socket
Intel® Extreme Graphics controller
3 pci slots
No pci-e, no agp
No spdif



I need some help understanding how on board video cards compare to a dedicated video card. I have never game’d so the video card specs are fairly new to me. I know many are using various integrated nvidia 6100, 7150, m705,  cards with much luck. I also know that the suggestion for hd and UI2 blending is a 6200 with a least 128 on board.

 Q1. How does that compare to an onboard nvidia. I never see any onboard memory ( ie 128 or 256) listed for an integrated chipset. Does it just use the mobo’s memory?

 Q 2 if so is there a performance difference. I would think that dedicated onboard memory of a card would be better then sharing system memory. I’m at a point where I need to add video cards to enable UI2 and hd so I can and add a hd tuner..  My problem is that a 6200 in agp is around $55. I see many mobo’s mentioned on this forum such as a AN-M2HD for under $80 that include integrated nvidia, hdmi/dvi and digital audio out ( optical or coaxial). If I’m gonna spend $55 on just video, I may as well just get new mobo’s and not have to worry about audio. Problem is I can’t find a mobo with integrated nvidia, hdmi/dvi and digital audio out that supports my celeron processors. Adding a processor to the AN-M2HD or such is another $70+.  I’d hate to have to upgrade mobo’s, processors, and memory, especially since my processors are fast enough to support this system that is running, yet i want UI2 blending.

Q.4 Should I upgrade video cards, or bite the bullet and upgrade mobos. I don’t want to fight a losing battle. Suggestions?

TIA Shaun

[orionsune]

Q1
I have used a motherboard with onboard nvidia 6200, it only had a vga out connector, but I used ui3 with this setup fine.  It was shared memory, and was laggy at times, but other than that it worked.

Q2
There is a HUGE performance difference between cards with dedicated memory and cards using shared memory.  Stay away from shared memory unless your on a budget and don't plan on using any graphic intensive applications or games.
Also, if you need a motherboard with dedicated video memory, you are looking at more than 80$
In addition, if you go with an onboard video card and need dvi/hdmi out, you are still looking at way more than 80bux...
The motherboard you describe needing if you don't go with the nvidia, is going to cost you way more than 80 bux, less you go on ebay and find a used one...

Q4
My opinion, if your motherboard you have no problems running mce (in ui1), and just needs a video card.  It's going to be alot less headache for you to just upgrade the video.  If you get a new board, you are risking some incompatibilities.  A friend of mine bought a board for an lmce box, and come to find out the on-board sound card was unsupported by linux.  Have to watch things of that nature when looking for a new motherboard.  My friend ended up buying a creative labs sound card for his sound.

[Blackhat]

I'd like to append to that, that you'll need to research out what video card you want too.  Make sure it's got the connectors you want or can take an adapter to give you what you want (make sure you know what can be adapted to what.  VGA will go to DVI-A, DVI-D will go to HDMI, etc.) and for most fun make sure the card is well supported (usually the 1-2year old cards are best for just video stuff and support).

just my 2 cents.  I wouldn't wish the nvidia 8x00 series problems on anyone =P