Can you use two video cards at once? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

DonnieBoy · 10-12-2004, 08:51 PM

Hey all I got a question about Video cards.

My wife wants to get a card that has video capture capabilities. We own a dell and it has a ATI Radeon 9800. Its not the all in wonder and its not the Pro so I don't think it can capture video. I play alot of video games so I need a good card in that area and I am happy withthe 9800.

My question is can I just go out and get a cheapy card that has video capture abilities and install it in addition to the ATI 9800 I already have?

I have no experience with video capture but what my wife wants to do is put alot of our family videos that are on VHS on the computer and edit them and then put them on DVD. I am assuming I will need a video capture card to do this...

I am starting to research this alittle because she would like this for a xmas present. I don't have alot of money to spend on a better graphics card with the video capture capabilities. So I am looking for a cheaper alternative without losing graphic qualities in my games

I need ma games!

My computer is a Dell Dimensiuon 8300
It has the following

P4 2.66
512 ram
ATI radeon 9800 128ddr ram video card
sound blaster audigy

Any help would be appreciated and if anyone knows of a good site to read up on this pass it along please. I use google but never seem to have any luck finding what I am looking for...

DB

Dilbert1234567 · 10-12-2004, 09:11 PM

theoreticly yes, but in reality, radeons dont play nice with other cards, i have a 9800 pro, and i could not get a second card to work, i just use a DVI to dsub converter so i have dual heads and do it that way.

bitrunner · 10-12-2004, 09:52 PM

If all you want to do is capture video there are other options besides a video card. Have a look at this http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPa...27&Langue_ID=7 i

poopermcgraw · 10-12-2004, 10:23 PM

Heh you're in luck. Capture is one of my current hobbies. To make a long story short, that guy above was right in that there are numerous "tv" capture cards available, from $30-hundreds. It's very possible to capture from a VCR, depending how you connect it (regular cable or RCA/composite). I have a ATI TV Wonder Pro at the moment with a Radeon 9500 working the graphics side, and it came with a USB attachment that handles composite and svideo, and it works with a VCR. I'm not absolutely certain hooking the vcr to the cable input on the tv card would work, but it should. There are numerous brands besides ATI, hauppage being the most popular. Whatever card you get, the program that comes with should work fine. however, doom9.net has lots of good guides about video capture and editing video, especially in their forums. good luck.

namnori · 10-13-2004, 12:11 AM

I've got a Pinnacle DV500+ PCI capture card. That's made to work alongside other video cards. Something I would consider doing is getting a DV bridge (some DV camcorders have this functionality) which lets you take analog signals and "bridges" them to DV so you can capture on your computer with a Firewire card like a DV tape.

And besides Pinnacle and Hauppauge, look up Canopus products too.

oblar · 10-13-2004, 07:21 AM

i would echo the statements here.. Don't bother spending the money on a cheap graphics card and put it in there. Even though it is possible to have two graphics cards at the same time, most systems don't play nice and it will cause major headaches.. It just isn't worth it.

DonnieBoy · 10-13-2004, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitrunner

If all you want to do is capture video there are other options besides a video card. Have a look at this http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPa...27&Langue_ID=7 i

cool bitrunner... this is just what i am looking for... it looks easy to use too. I didn't know they made something like this. I am gonna look in to this some more.

DB

pottsynz · 10-14-2004, 04:12 AM

You have several options:

1) A firewire card, pretty cheap...but you need firewire output on your source..and VHS doesn't

You could however borrow someone's DV cam that has analogue inputs on it, thus using the camera as a D/A converting and giving your computer a nice striaght digital feed to work with.
2) A cheap analogue capture card. Most don't have hardware compression...which is a good thing these days cuz CPUs can more than handle the compression...and you can use lossless codecs like HuffyUV. Go with he brooktree/connextant chipset.
3) Trade in your card and get a VIVO version. Vivo is mucho nice

The hardware is the cheaper part these days, the editing software is the pincher. I recommend Vegas Video 5.

Hope that helps.

10-12-2004, 08:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
DonnieBoy Insane	Can you use two video cards at once? Hey all I got a question about Video cards. My wife wants to get a card that has video capture capabilities. We own a dell and it has a ATI Radeon 9800. Its not the all in wonder and its not the Pro so I don't think it can capture video. I play alot of video games so I need a good card in that area and I am happy withthe 9800. My question is can I just go out and get a cheapy card that has video capture abilities and install it in addition to the ATI 9800 I already have? I have no experience with video capture but what my wife wants to do is put alot of our family videos that are on VHS on the computer and edit them and then put them on DVD. I am assuming I will need a video capture card to do this... I am starting to research this alittle because she would like this for a xmas present. I don't have alot of money to spend on a better graphics card with the video capture capabilities. So I am looking for a cheaper alternative without losing graphic qualities in my games I need ma games! My computer is a Dell Dimensiuon 8300 It has the following P4 2.66 512 ram ATI radeon 9800 128ddr ram video card sound blaster audigy Any help would be appreciated and if anyone knows of a good site to read up on this pass it along please. I use google but never seem to have any luck finding what I am looking for... DB

10-12-2004, 09:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	theoreticly yes, but in reality, radeons dont play nice with other cards, i have a 9800 pro, and i could not get a second card to work, i just use a DVI to dsub converter so i have dual heads and do it that way. __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

10-12-2004, 10:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
poopermcgraw Upright	Heh you're in luck. Capture is one of my current hobbies. To make a long story short, that guy above was right in that there are numerous "tv" capture cards available, from $30-hundreds. It's very possible to capture from a VCR, depending how you connect it (regular cable or RCA/composite). I have a ATI TV Wonder Pro at the moment with a Radeon 9500 working the graphics side, and it came with a USB attachment that handles composite and svideo, and it works with a VCR. I'm not absolutely certain hooking the vcr to the cable input on the tv card would work, but it should. There are numerous brands besides ATI, hauppage being the most popular. Whatever card you get, the program that comes with should work fine. however, doom9.net has lots of good guides about video capture and editing video, especially in their forums. good luck. __________________ Bye.

10-12-2004, 09:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
bitrunner Crazy Location: Ohio	If all you want to do is capture video there are other options besides a video card. Have a look at this http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPa...27&Langue_ID=7 i

10-13-2004, 12:11 AM	#5 (permalink)
namnori Upright Location: Tx	I've got a Pinnacle DV500+ PCI capture card. That's made to work alongside other video cards. Something I would consider doing is getting a DV bridge (some DV camcorders have this functionality) which lets you take analog signals and "bridges" them to DV so you can capture on your computer with a Firewire card like a DV tape. And besides Pinnacle and Hauppauge, look up Canopus products too.

10-13-2004, 07:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
oblar Über-Rookie Location: No longer, D.C	i would echo the statements here.. Don't bother spending the money on a cheap graphics card and put it in there. Even though it is possible to have two graphics cards at the same time, most systems don't play nice and it will cause major headaches.. It just isn't worth it.

10-14-2004, 04:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
pottsynz Crazy	You have several options: 1) A firewire card, pretty cheap...but you need firewire output on your source..and VHS doesn't You could however borrow someone's DV cam that has analogue inputs on it, thus using the camera as a D/A converting and giving your computer a nice striaght digital feed to work with. 2) A cheap analogue capture card. Most don't have hardware compression...which is a good thing these days cuz CPUs can more than handle the compression...and you can use lossless codecs like HuffyUV. Go with he brooktree/connextant chipset. 3) Trade in your card and get a VIVO version. Vivo is mucho nice The hardware is the cheaper part these days, the editing software is the pincher. I recommend Vegas Video 5. Hope that helps.