Which Video Card?

I just can't seem to get my head around this whole video card thing.

I am running Windows XP, with a AMD Sempron 3000+,1.80 GHz Processor w/ 2GB RAM, on a MSI K8MM-V motherboard.

The motherboard has one AGP 1.5V 4x/8x slot and three PCI 32-bit Master PCI Bus slots. (support 3.3v / 5v PCI bus interface) Does not support PCI Express.

I installed the Matrox Millenium G450 16MB AGP 4x Dual Head Video Card, but when I tried to calibrate my monitor (using Monaco Optix xr) I got a message saying, Your display device or driver does not support color table correction. So I updated my drivers, no good. Time to upgrade my video card.

I use this computer only for editing and printing photos. I am using Photoshop CS2. I would like to upgrade this whole system sometime next year maybe.

Here's where I get lost.

AGP vs PCI, should I just go with a AGP card now and upgrade to PCI Express card with my new system? Or get a PCI card?

Do I need 512 MB memory, hard to find on AGP.

Is a dual head better than DVI dual output, or are they really the same as the tech from Monaco told me?

I don't want to spend big bucks on gamming technology that I'll never use.

Could someone please recommend a good card that will run CS2 and let me calibrate my monitor.

Martin McLean said:

AGP vs PCI, should I just go with a AGP card now and upgrade to PCI Express card with my new system? Or get a PCI card?

Click to expand...

AGP. It is faster than PCI and gives you more options.

Martin McLean said:

Do I need 512 MB memory, hard to find on AGP.

Click to expand...

No.

Martin McLean said:

Is a dual head better than DVI dual output, or are they really the same as the tech from Monaco told me?

Click to expand...

I am not sure I understand the question and the interfaces enough to answer helpfully.

Martin McLean said:

I don't want to spend big bucks on gamming technology that I'll never use.

Could someone please recommend a good card that will run CS2 and let me calibrate my monitor.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the following list and you will get some ideas. Then research them some more as I cannot make guarantees about the cards. But they should be reasonable.

Also, make sure you download Microsoft's Color Control Panel Applet for XP to use as your profile loader for dual displays.

hope this helps,

Sean

Maybe I should have been more clear. Must be dual head or dual DVI output to run dual monitors

A bit outdated but may help.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/02/16/dual_display_gaming_bigs_up/index.html

Martin McLean said:

Maybe I should have been more clear. Must be dual head or dual DVI output to run dual monitors

Click to expand...

All the cards in the e-commerce site (with which I have no affiliation beyond beind a satisfied client) are dual head. Most are D-SUB and DVI output cards. If you neeed dual DVI-D output, then it will cost you more money.

Just modify the search parameters to get dual DVI out.

OK, maybe this will work.

Can someome tell me if this video card will work with my system, do what I need it to, without being over kill?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2274914&CatId=2234

No advice from all the tech pros here at OPF.

I'm starting to feel like the unwanted stepchild here.

Please help if you can, as this has brought all photo work to a standstill for me.

Again TIA,

-M-

Martin McLean said:

No advice from all the tech pros here at OPF.

I'm starting to feel like the unwanted stepchild here.

Please help if you can, as this has brought all photo work to a standstill for me.

Again TIA,

-M-

Click to expand...

Hi Martin,

Three things.

1) Slow down. We all have lives too and what is given here is given freely.

2) No need to feel unwanted and now slight is intended by delay. Sometimes we just have to get other things done and sometimes we are working through other thoughts.

3) The card looks reasonable. Without doing research on the AGP 4x/8x standards I cannot comment on the voltage issue but would suspect it it okay. You might contact the card manufacturer via their website.

enjoy,

Sean