Doesn't play sim game

It seems as if I've struck out trying to find an answer to my problem, I think I mentioned that I had played the sim game for quite some time previously, so I'm making an assumption, hopefully not in error, that my video card is bad, although the graphics in the introduction are displayed.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could suggest an upgrade video card that would not overload my present system, but would also allow me to play the sim games.

Thanks for any help anybody can furnish. 

Grant,

Thanks much for the comeback Email, if possible, I'll try & pick up one of the high end video cards, the GeForce 4 played the Sim with no difficulty, but the cockpit graphics could have  been clearer, so I hope to correct this feature also.

Thanks again

 

 

If your GeForce 4 played it, an NVIDIA 6200 (AGP-only) card should play it even better. The cards are relatively cheap, anywhere from $40 for the standard card to $70 for one with active cooling and 256MB RAM. Listed here are a number of the "6-Series" AGP NVIDIA cards - any of these will work, with the most expensive ones providing the most frills (like the 6600GT and 6800 series cards).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Page=1&N=2010380048+1069609639+106790703&Submit=ENE&Subcategory=48

Grant

If you want to go ALL-OUT, there's the 7800GS that is made in AGP format as well. It may be one of the last high-end AGP cards made. Other than the incredible job of rendering beautiful graphics, it requires less power than most of the 6800-Series cards. But it will cost you $284~$309:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048+1069609639+106790717&Subcategory=48&description=&srchInDesc=&minPrice=&maxPrice=

Grant

Grant,

Thanks again for your Email, that card is certainly not cheap. I'll certainly give it some serious consideration, tho

 

Grant,

In trying to do a little research on the video cards you mentioned, I find that my PSU for my unit is 250 watts &

I think the two cards I'd like to consider using, either the 6600 or the 7800 preferbly  require either 350 or 400 watts

would require a different power supply, am I correct? It seems to get more involved as I go along (plus a power

dongle?? from the card to the motherboard)

 

Yes, both cards require an available power dongle (most new cards come with a Y-cable, anyway). My 8200 has been running without a problem for about 1½-2 years using the stock power supply to run the 6800 card. By using different PSU calculators online, it looks like the 7800GS requires only 14 more watts than the vanilla 6800, and the stock Dell 250W psu, has been 'real-world' tested around 345W (Dell underrates their psu's, unlike most companies). I can tell you that there's never been a problem with my 8200 running the 6800, and I would try to run the 7800 in it before spending any money on an aftermarket psu. Check these sites out:

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp
http://carpc.kyferez.com/Tools/PSUWattageCalculator.php
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/

If you ever decide to get another psu, though - get one from www.pcpowerandcooling.com - because trying to stuff most any other psu in an 8200 is hateful task. (I put an Antec in an 8300 for my younger brother - it took about 6-8 hrs of power-tool modding).
Grant

Grant,

Thanks again for your speedy & informative return Email, especially regarding the PSU's,that definitely would be a last resort. Right now I'm between the 6600 GS & the 7800, my requirements are not for playing any of the latest  games, I'm not into them. All of my game playing is with Flight sims which don't seem to be in vogue these days. I did a little fast surfing at a supplier (www.Tiger.com). Price is not the overriding factor but it is a consideration. Tigeer had the  following cards I'm considering:

XFX GEForce 6800 extreme,256MB GDDr3, AGP8x, $149.99

NVIDIA GEForce 7800GS CO/256MB GDDR3 AGP8x, for $264.99, allegedly only requires 350W.

NVIDIA GEForce 6600 256MB, AGP8x, $109.99

A fast look at Newegg: 3D Fuzion GEForce 6600 3DFR66256, $85.99, allegeldy needs only 300W.

Leaning slightly to the 7800GS, what the heck, in for a penny, in for a dollar.

 

 

Even if you are not worried about the high-end cards, I still wouldn't go with anything lower than a 6600GT - it'll run circles around the 6600 for just a little more $$$. Then again, $150 for the 6800 and $250 for the 7800GS both blow my mind. I paid $250 for my first 6800 and $300 for the 7800GS!
Grant

Grant,

I really hate to keep pestering you for information, but you were the only one that responded to my request for help. As you have used several of the video cards in a 8200 computer, I'm going to solicit your opinion. Disregarding the price factor, does the 7800GS perform sufficiently better than the 6600GT to warrant paying the price differential between the 6600GT & the 7800GS? Incidentally, in a fast surf of both Newegg & Tiger,com, I found 6600 & 6600LE & one 6600 Extreme. Does Newegg usually have 6600GT's? 

No problem answering anything - I love it here! First off, the 7800GS does perform better than anything else I've tried. It may only be marginally better than the 6800UltraOC, but it requires less power, less space and make less noise. There would be no comparison between the 7800GS and any 6600 model (due to the 7800 having a 256bit interface & 256 MB of fast RAM, whereas the 6600 has only a 128bit interface)- it makes a huge difference when you crank up all of the eye candy and detail while playing at higher resolutions.
Neweggs AGP 6600GT's:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?SrchInDesc=6600GT&Page=1&N=2010380048+1069609639+106790703&Submit=ENE&Subcategory=48

TigerDirect only stocks the PCI-E 6600GT's apparently.
You could find some on eBay for ~$80-$140, but that's kind of a crapshoot.
Grant

Message Edited by AromaShockTherapy on 06-02-200606:41 AM

Grant,

Well, I ordered the 7800GS from Tiger this afternoon, I will then likely be back looking for more

advice regarding installation, that power dongle is a complete new one on me, i opened the case

&couldn't find a plugin on the motherboard, but I'm sure there must be a connection around

somewhere, hoepfully there will be an instruction sheet with the card when it gets here.

 

It will plug in to the power supply wiring, not onto the motherboard. It's a fantastic card.
Grant

Grant,

I've got the new 7800 card & am going to try the install tomorrow. Will have to delete the old drivers, but do I do this before or after I plug the new card in & the only place I know of to get a driver cleaner is from Google.com, is there anywhere else to get the cleaner? If past performances are any indication, thing will not go smoothly, hope so tho.There are some real horror stories in the forums.

Grant,  or anybody that can help, I need help as usual, regarding the power dongle. I have the EVGA geforce 7800GS for my Dell 8200, the card has a 4 prong male receptacle in the rear of the card, I have a 4 prong line going to the CD-ROM, which is a 4 prong female going to a 4 prong male fitting on the CD-ROM, also have an identical setup going to the 1.44 floppy disk drive. I am assuming that both are power cords. About in the middle of both cords is a 4 prong female receptacle with rubber like cap. At the back end  of the 7800GS  card is a round female receptacle for what certainly appears to be a USB connection. In the package is a USB cord, for which I can find no information either at Nvdia or EVGA, no mention of any USB cord or connection. Do I need an adapter for that 4 prong female fitting in the middle of CD-ROM power cord, in the package was a power splitter cord with a single female fitting on one end & 2 seperate power cords about 6" long with 4 prong female plugs on the ends. Haven't tried to install the card yet. Thanks to one & all, certainly one of the best things about computers, THE FORUMS.