Help with purchasing upgrade to Video card in Dell 4550

Hi Everyone, We want to purchase an upgrade to the video card in the Dell
Dimension 4550 (we currently have a 64mb Nvidea). I was told by Dell
support that the ONLY 128mb card available for that model is ATI Radeon
Model 9700 and their price is $435 plus shipping and tax. That's a lot,
isn't it???

Can anyone tell me if there is any other video card that would work with
that model 4550 or if there is a web site that will show me compatible video
cards for this Dell Dimension 4550, other than the Dell site, which doesn't?
Seems we can only call Tech Support which is insistent that we make a
decision right now, to buy the ONLY one they say is available.

Or is it possible that Dell is giving me the run around as to compatible
video cards for this model just to sell me a $435 video card?

Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high speed
from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with Dell
upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft MovieMaker. I
am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He does
have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one has
been completed because 'it's taking so long'.

Please can anyone help us either by confirming that this ATI Radeon 9700 is
the ONLY video card that will work in this Dimension 4550 or..... where
there might be a web site that will help us find any other 128mb or 256mb
graphics card for this model.

Thank you so much for listening and can you please help????
PKV & Katy

Good grief no.

It will accept any 4x AGP card.

My 4550 has a retail ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. Lots more card than the 9700.
The power supply is vastly underrated, so it will support pretty much any
card.

Tom
"Katy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi Everyone, We want to purchase an upgrade to the video card in the
> Dell
> Dimension 4550 (we currently have a 64mb Nvidea). I was told by Dell
> support that the ONLY 128mb card available for that model is ATI Radeon
> Model 9700 and their price is $435 plus shipping and tax. That's a lot,
> isn't it???
>
> Can anyone tell me if there is any other video card that would work with
> that model 4550 or if there is a web site that will show me compatible
> video
> cards for this Dell Dimension 4550, other than the Dell site, which
> doesn't?
> Seems we can only call Tech Support which is insistent that we make a
> decision right now, to buy the ONLY one they say is available.
>
> Or is it possible that Dell is giving me the run around as to compatible
> video cards for this model just to sell me a $435 video card?
>
> Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high
> speed
> from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with Dell
> upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft MovieMaker.
> I
> am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
> lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
> snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
> negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
> lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He
> does
> have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one
> has
> been completed because 'it's taking so long'.
>
> Please can anyone help us either by confirming that this ATI Radeon 9700
> is
> the ONLY video card that will work in this Dimension 4550 or..... where
> there might be a web site that will help us find any other 128mb or 256mb
> graphics card for this model.
>
> Thank you so much for listening and can you please help????
> PKV & Katy
>
>

Here is a much better video card for half the price.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-286&depa=0.
Newegg is a very reputable supplier.

I think you have the solution to the lockup problem. Cure your husband's
impatience. Rendering video is very slow.

"Katy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi Everyone, We want to purchase an upgrade to the video card in the
> Dell
> Dimension 4550 (we currently have a 64mb Nvidea). I was told by Dell
> support that the ONLY 128mb card available for that model is ATI Radeon
> Model 9700 and their price is $435 plus shipping and tax. That's a lot,
> isn't it???
>
> Can anyone tell me if there is any other video card that would work with
> that model 4550 or if there is a web site that will show me compatible
> video
> cards for this Dell Dimension 4550, other than the Dell site, which
> doesn't?
> Seems we can only call Tech Support which is insistent that we make a
> decision right now, to buy the ONLY one they say is available.
>
> Or is it possible that Dell is giving me the run around as to compatible
> video cards for this model just to sell me a $435 video card?
>
> Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high
> speed
> from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with Dell
> upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft MovieMaker.
> I
> am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
> lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
> snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
> negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
> lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He
> does
> have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one
> has
> been completed because 'it's taking so long'.
>
> Please can anyone help us either by confirming that this ATI Radeon 9700
> is
> the ONLY video card that will work in this Dimension 4550 or..... where
> there might be a web site that will help us find any other 128mb or 256mb
> graphics card for this model.
>
> Thank you so much for listening and can you please help????
> PKV & Katy
>
>

"Katy" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high
> speed
> from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with Dell
> upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft MovieMaker.
> I
> am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
> lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
> snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
> negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
> lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He
> does
> have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one
> has
> been completed because 'it's taking so long'.

While the other posters are correct in that pretty much any AGP video card
will work in your machine (not just the one Dell recommends), from your
description it sounds like the video card is not your problem. A video card
upgrade isn't going to help at all with Windows Movie Maker. It sounds to
me like you might have hardware overheating problems. Whatever it is, it's
not the video card.

Regardless, $435 is absurdly expensive for a Radeon 9700 card. Don't pay
it.

"Eddie Aftandilian" <> wrote in message
news:Fs8%c.138172$Fg5.122191@attbi_s53...
> "Katy" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>> Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high
>> speed
>> from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with
>> Dell
>> upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft MovieMaker.
>> I
>> am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
>> lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
>> snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
>> negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
>> lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He
>> does
>> have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one
>> has
>> been completed because 'it's taking so long'.
>
> While the other posters are correct in that pretty much any AGP video card
> will work in your machine (not just the one Dell recommends), from your
> description it sounds like the video card is not your problem. A video
> card upgrade isn't going to help at all with Windows Movie Maker. It
> sounds to me like you might have hardware overheating problems. Whatever
> it is, it's not the video card.
>
> Regardless, $435 is absurdly expensive for a Radeon 9700 card. Don't pay
> it.
>


I should have read the detail more closely and not just answered the
specific question.

More video memory is worthless when rendering video. Video takes a LONG
time. ON a 4550 (don't know your exact speed), figure about real-time -- 10
minutes to render 10 minutes of video. Let it run overnight.

Shouldn't lock up, but Moveimaker is an entry level program from MS, so....

Are you running the latest version rom Windows Update?

Tom

Thank you everyone for your replys!!!!

We Greatly appreciate the advice that it's not the video card, but how
may we help with the overheating problem? Do you have any recommendations?
I remember seeing a System Monitor in Win98 where the monitor could reside
on the Taskbar which I really loved. But is there any way in XP to get this
'taskbar monitor'? or is there something else we could install to alleviate
or monitor the overheating? It does make sense because of the intensity of
the video rendering but how can we reduce the heat?

Thanks for ANY advice! Upgrading to a larger PC with more pre-installed
fans is not feasible right now but is there any upgrade fan size (maybe we
could replace existing fans?) without buying a larger case? The computer
room is air conditioned, the case is within the desk with a backboard, could
this be reducing fan efficiency? Do you have any suggestions on how to keep
the PC heat that is generated, down?

Thank you Again!!! These ideas are SOOOOOOO helpful, you have no idea!!!

PKV and Katy


"Tom Scales" <> wrote in message
news:H7udnSS0JIkTEqDcRVn-...
>
> "Eddie Aftandilian" <> wrote in message
> news:Fs8%c.138172$Fg5.122191@attbi_s53...
> > "Katy" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> >>
> >> Our computer has 1gb of RAM from Dell, 2 hard drives (1 is 120gb high
> >> speed
> >> from Dell), everything but our 64mb video card has been upgraded with
> >> Dell
> >> upgrades and we are locking up creating videos with Microsoft
MovieMaker.
> >> I
> >> am thinking a higher megabyte video card could 'help' us avoid these
> >> lockups. My husband uses it more than I do for creating videos from
> >> snapshots & negatives he scans with a Dell scanner specifically for
> >> negatives but he has to shut down about every hr. or 2 to avoid these
> >> lockups. I just think an upgrade in graphics card might help him. He
> >> does
> >> have a tendancy to click on another command before the the previous one
> >> has
> >> been completed because 'it's taking so long'.
> >
> > While the other posters are correct in that pretty much any AGP video
card
> > will work in your machine (not just the one Dell recommends), from your
> > description it sounds like the video card is not your problem. A video
> > card upgrade isn't going to help at all with Windows Movie Maker. It
> > sounds to me like you might have hardware overheating problems.
Whatever
> > it is, it's not the video card.
> >
> > Regardless, $435 is absurdly expensive for a Radeon 9700 card. Don't
pay
> > it.
> >
>
>
> I should have read the detail more closely and not just answered the
> specific question.
>
> More video memory is worthless when rendering video. Video takes a LONG
> time. ON a 4550 (don't know your exact speed), figure about real-time --
10
> minutes to render 10 minutes of video. Let it run overnight.
>
> Shouldn't lock up, but Moveimaker is an entry level program from MS,
so....
>
> Are you running the latest version rom Windows Update?
>
> Tom
>
>

"Katy" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Thanks for ANY advice! Upgrading to a larger PC with more pre-installed
> fans is not feasible right now but is there any upgrade fan size (maybe we
> could replace existing fans?) without buying a larger case? The computer
> room is air conditioned, the case is within the desk with a backboard,
> could
> this be reducing fan efficiency? Do you have any suggestions on how to
> keep
> the PC heat that is generated, down?

One thing I can think of is to try temporarily moving the computer out of
the desk (so there's no backboard to obstruct the airflow) and see if it
still locks up when using Windows Movie Maker. If that fixes the problem,
then you can find a new place to put the computer.

Hope this helps!

> We Greatly appreciate the advice that it's not the video card, but how
> may we help with the overheating problem? Do you have any recommendations?
> I remember seeing a System Monitor in Win98 where the monitor could reside
> on the Taskbar which I really loved.

AFAIK MBM (Motherboard Monitor) works under XP, but development was
recently halted after over 7 years of making a great little utility.

http://mbm.livewiredev.com/

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

Thanks everyone for your replys and help!! I did download the MBM file and
we'll see how that works. It would be interesting to see how hot it does
get when working with MovieMaker. We've done the windows updates but not
sure if we have the latest version of MM, will look for that too. Maybe we
can even take the side off the computer while he's working on videos to see
if that keeps the temperature down, plus the operator slowing down should
help.

Sure appreciate everyone's help here!! Thanks so much for
everything......... katy and pkv

"Colin Wilson" <> wrote in message
news: t...
> > We Greatly appreciate the advice that it's not the video card, but how
> > may we help with the overheating problem? Do you have any
recommendations?
> > I remember seeing a System Monitor in Win98 where the monitor could
reside
> > on the Taskbar which I really loved.
>
> AFAIK MBM (Motherboard Monitor) works under XP, but development was
> recently halted after over 7 years of making a great little utility.
>
> http://mbm.livewiredev.com/
>
> --
> Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
> --- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

Won't work. The Dimension 4550 doesn't have a temperature sensor.


"Katy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Thanks everyone for your replys and help!! I did download the MBM file
> and
> we'll see how that works. It would be interesting to see how hot it does
> get when working with MovieMaker. We've done the windows updates but not
> sure if we have the latest version of MM, will look for that too. Maybe
> we
> can even take the side off the computer while he's working on videos to
> see
> if that keeps the temperature down, plus the operator slowing down should
> help.
>
> Sure appreciate everyone's help here!! Thanks so much for
> everything......... katy and pkv
>
> "Colin Wilson" <> wrote in message
> news: t...
>> > We Greatly appreciate the advice that it's not the video card, but how
>> > may we help with the overheating problem? Do you have any
> recommendations?
>> > I remember seeing a System Monitor in Win98 where the monitor could
> reside
>> > on the Taskbar which I really loved.
>>
>> AFAIK MBM (Motherboard Monitor) works under XP, but development was
>> recently halted after over 7 years of making a great little utility.
>>
>> http://mbm.livewiredev.com/
>>
>> --
>> Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
>> --- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---
>
>