ABIT BH6 working with Radeon9600SE?

I have a ABIT BH6 board with Intel 440bx chipset and Celeron 633, 256 RAM.
I want to buy a video card that can work best with my setup. Nothing more
powerful then what my setup can work with, if you understand what I mean?
People have suggested me GeCube Radeon9600SE 128MB 64bit card. What do you
think would be best for me if I don't want to buy anything more powerful
then what my motherboard and processor couldn't process anyway? Should I go
for SE models because something better would be waste of money for my
CPU/motherboard or not?

And do you think that my setup can use 128bit (Video Output Data Width) card
better then 64bit card having in mind limitations of my motherboard and
processor?

P.S.: Does anyone knows a web site, forum or previous thread that deals with
this exact problem of choosing the right graphic card for the right
motherboard/CPU/RAM and so on? Thanks.

 

The specs of the graphics card you mentioned are here:

http://www.gecube.com/productCategory.php?proID=13

Your motherboard specs are in the manual here:

ftp://ftp.abit.com.tw/pub/download/fae//bh6-e.pdf

You'll notice that the card specifies as a requirement

"Intel® Pentium® 4/III/II/Celeron™, AMD® K6 /Duron™/Athlon®/Athlon XP®
or compatible with AGP 4X (1.5V), 8X (0.8v) or Universal AGP 3.0 bus
configuration (4X/8X)."

Whilst your systemboard manual specifies that it only supports AGP 1x or
2x mode with a 3.3V device.

Looks like they are incompatible to me. Try an Nvidia card, some of the
modern cards support AGP 2x.

As for the performance I would go for 128bit, because you could upgrade
that board with a 1.4 GHz celeron at some point.

 

Thank you for your very detailed reply. You helped me a lot! As for your
last sentence above: does this means that I can only install VGA that has a
3.3V device? I'm having hard time finding that exact part of the
specification for VGAs. So I'd like to know is this part important. I'm
aware that AGP 1x and 2x is important. Thanks.

 

Whilst your systemboard manual specifies that it only supports AGP 1x or

Are you sure that I can't install 1.5v VGA card on my BH6? It's a new card
on
the old board, and the card is using the power (1.5v) not the other way
around - example: old card (3.3v) on the new board that can only provide
1.5v. That could be the problem! But not 1.5v card on BH6's 3.3v. Am I right
or not? Doesn't that make sense?

 

Hi, Luka. 440BX motherboards only support AGP2X, which uses a 3.3V
signalling scheme. These motherboards are *not* compatible with video
cards that only support AGP4X (1.5V signalling) or AGP8X (0.8V signalling)
speeds.

The 9600 is an AGP4X/8X video card. As a result, it will only accept a
maximum of a 1.5V AGP signalling scheme. Therefore, the 9600 will
*not* work in a motherboard that only supports AGP2X (3.3V) operation.


Caveats, wrinkles and "gotchas":

The 9500Pro supports AGP2X/4X/8X operation. This board is compatible
with 440BX motherboards as well as all the later stuff as well.

The 9700/9800Pro also supports AGP2X/4X/8X operation, similarly to the
9500Pro.


The 9600 is the first of ATI's cards that no longer supports AGP2X. Because
you need full AGP2X support for your older 440BX motherboard, you have to
be *very* careful to confirm that the board you buy has full AGP2X support.

Note: In some cases, plugging an AGP4X board into an AGP2X slot will
cause damage to the motherboard, the video card or both, because
the board expects no more than 1.5V and the slot supplies 3.3V.

As a result, you need to be *sure* you've got all your ducks in a
row
on this topic before purchasing your new video card.


Finding a used 9500Pro in good condition is probably your best bet.
This card is actually slightly faster than the 9600Pro -- and it has the
AGP2X support you require for compatibility with your 440BX mobo.



Best I can do for now. <tm>


Bill

 

Thank you for your info. What do you think about buying a GeCube Radeon9550
128 MB DDR 128 bit 250 MHz 400 MHz? Do you think my motherboard might limit
this card's full potential?
BTW, what should I look for in the card when searching for the card that
won't be too powerful for my setup? Thanks.

 

The 9600 is an AGP4X/8X video card. As a result, it will only accept a

I've seen that 9600 supports AGP2X, as my board does, right? Here is a link
for the page where I've seen this:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-327&depa=1
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9600SE Video Card
BUS: AGP 1X/2X/4X/8X

How do you comment this?

 

Read the spec! The motherboard will limit the potential of the card in
as much as it won't work!

The 9550 is *not* 2x compatible.

As for performace, look at benchmarks on the web and choose what is
acceptable for you within your budget.

 

Hi, Luka. One of the problems you are having is that you
*want* this card to work for you. So much so that you're
willing to ignore the real possibility that this card will damage
your machine.

Pay attention. You DO NOT get to be in control of your
machine hardware. Nobody does. You accommodate the
hardware -- not the other way around.

You need to go to the ATI Website and check the specs on the
9600 Series. There, you will find that according to ATI, the entire
9600 series is AGP 4X/8X ONLY. I don't card what newegg say.

The ultimate arbiter is the manufacturer -- who say 4X/8X only.
And it stays that way until *ATI Themselves* say otherwise.

BTW, if you had checked the Sapphire site, and checked their
specs for their 9600 products, you would have found that even
Sapphire *themselves* say their 9600 products are 4X/8X only.


Consequently, you may wish to email newegg and point out to
them that their website info for this card is just plain wrong.



Best I can do for now. <tm>


Bill

 

This is by no means comprehensive but it does illustrate what both Bill
and myself have been saying.

http://www.ati.com/support/faq/agpchart.html

I would check the manufacurer's (*not* the retailer's) specs before
purchase to make sure the card is compatible with the AGP 2x, 3.3V board.

If you doubt anyone's specs, you can always email them to confirm it
before purchase. That will save you the hassle of an RMA etc.

 

Now I'm thinking of buying VGA SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon 9550 128 bit, 128 MB,
with tv out & DVI.
Do you know if R9550 supports AGP 2x, 3.3V board? I can't find specs for
that one anywhere.

If so, do you think my setup will be able to make the most out of this VGA
card? I don't want to buy something that won't work at it's best with my
current setup.
My other option is CLUB 3D or SAPPHIRE - ATI Radeon 9200 128 bit, 250 MHz,
128 MB. I think they both support AGP 2x, 3.3V board. Thanks.

 

Thanks for that. It's very helpfull.

 

What do you mean you can't find specs they are available on the Sapphire
site!!?

http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9550.asp

 

Oh yeah, sorry! I guess I didn't see it. I'm kind of going out of my mind
here trying to learn, inform myself about VGA cards, then choose what to ask
you guys. Sorry.

Now, on the link you've sent, I see that it supports AGP 4X 8X, but I don't
see 2X and voltages 3.3. For example, on their site 9200 card is labelled
AGP 8X, nothing else. And I know it supports 3.3V, 1.5V, 0.8V and 2X, 4X,
8X. That was my original question in the first place. Now, what can
understand from this? Are there any more detailed specs on this site? I
can't find them.

 

*lol*

If you had tried all of the links on the RHS of that page you would have
found this...

http://www.sapphiretech.com/broschure/9550.pdf

Anyway I would confirm this with an email, but that's just me.

 

Are you sure that I can't install 1.5v VGA card on BH6? It's a new card on the old board, and the card is using the power (1.5v) not the other way around - example: old card (3.3v) on the new board that can only provide 1.5v. That could be the problem! But not 1.5v card on BH6's 3.3v. Am I right or not? Doesn't that make sense?