AIW Radeon 8500DV 64Mb Q's

**Bob The Great** · May 13th, 2002, 01:28 PM

I was thinking of buying an AIW 7500, but I kept reading reviews saying it was to slow for major gamers. Though it is faster then anycard I have previusly owned this has spooked me. I don't want to buy a card and then see a new game come out the next day that plays badly on it. So I started looking at the AIW 8500DV 64Mb for about $50 more.

I've had some conflicting reports about it. I would like owners of the card to clear up for me.

1. Some reviews say this card runs at 275core and 275 mem, while others say 230core, and 190mem. Which is right?

2. Some reivews (most notably tomshardware) says the TV decoder is messed (though the review did mention the card they got was a beta and may just not work with German cable.

3. Some of the reviews so a card that has no Firewire, and look basicly if not exactly like the AIW 7500. Mistake I hope.

Also opinions on this card and if it's worth $235 (after shipping) for a seriuse gamer and someone who would like some nice video features.

Thanks

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 01:33 AM

Any ideas or links that might answer my questions!?! I'm really researching this next card, and I want to know everything before I buy it (BTW anyone know what company makes the transistor on the top right, because it doesn't seem to have a...j/k

)

Thanks!

**ben-the-slacker** · May 14th, 2002, 01:40 AM

If you got the money, I'd say go for the 8500. I don't know how 7500 compares with other cards, but from what I've read, the 8500 can whoop a GF3's butt.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 01:49 AM

Preformance wise the 7500 comes in just below some GF4 460's (though it does beat them sometimes), but doesn't even touch the GF3. I didn't mind that, but when I the 8500 for just $60 more that can beat the GF3, the GF3 Ti, and fight the GF4! Well I just had to have!

The downside though is what I've said. The core speed (Newegg does list it at 275 though), and such.

**ben-the-slacker** · May 14th, 2002, 02:11 AM

Yep. Go for the 8500.

Just checked Newegg. For the retail, it's 275/275. For the OEM, it's 250/230.

**Phynix** · May 14th, 2002, 02:13 AM

I own one, and I'm more then happy with it.

It does have fire-wire right on the adapter cable. I'm not sure if the 7500 had the extension cable thing or not. Sometimes it's a cool feature, and sometimes it just gets in the way. I could probably rearrange my computer so it doesn't get in the way if I tried.

I havn't tried cable (I don't have it), but my PS/2 worked fine on the coax input. The video quality wasn't exactly what I'd call crystal clear, but it was certainly good enough to play. I have since switched the PS/2 to a S-video out and use the S-video instead of the Coax, and it's much more clear.

I have no idea what the freqs are. I don't really care that much. But if you tell me how to find them out, I'll let you know what my card is running out.

Gaming needs?

Quick System Rundown: (It is not overclocked)

Athlon XP 1700+
Soyo Dragon + KT266a
768MB DDR PC2100 Ram (Crucial I believe, can't remember)
Maxtor 20GB IDE 7200RPM and Maxtor 40GB IDE 7200RPM (games and applications are stored on the latter mostly, both have their own IDE Channels)
Stock Retail Raedon All-In-Wonder 8500 DV

3dMark 2001 SE - 7000 marks
3dMark 2000 - 9421 marks

Can't remember what I get in Quake 3, it's insanely high though, plenty adaquate for gaming.

It's stable and though I have had to tweak a few settings, it runs beautifully. Make sure to change your aperature size in the BIOS to 128. With any other setting on my board, it ran horribly (2500 marks in 2001 SE). I'm not even sure what my settings are, I might be able to squeeze out higher benchmarks if I changed the settings around some. But it's more then adaquate for me, so I'm happy.

Let me know if I can answer anymore questions regarding it.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 02:13 AM

I'm going with Retail (comes with Half-Life, and a bunch of editing software)

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 02:19 AM

Have you tried downloading the latest drivers for your card? I have heard tons of storys about people getting 400+ extra 3dmarks!

Thanks for the info. It sounds awesome though I am kinda let down about the coaxl thing. That is basicly what the reviews have said (though Tomshardware didn't get anything probably due to how germany incodes cable).

**ben-the-slacker** · May 14th, 2002, 02:27 AM

Hmm...doesn't look like 8500DV has a tv-out port. That's important to me, but you probably won't need it.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 02:30 AM

If it doesn't have it on the card it probably has it on a connector or something. I think it has everything. wait! No can opener! I'm not getting this card!)

**Phynix** · May 14th, 2002, 02:30 AM

It was easily watchable. I just wanted to see if I could get better with S-Video. It also has some neat features, like you can make it semi-transparent so you can see other programs while you watch TV, or you can minimize it, and it'll play as the background on your desktop.

I have tried the record features, and those are easy to use. DVD playback is also high quality on it. I should pick up a temperature probe and see how hot the card is running at.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 02:35 AM

DVI-I (15 pin VGA adaptor included)
Stereo audio, S-video and composite video inputs and outputs
External stereo connection to sound card's line input and output
Dolby® digital stereo audio output (S/PDIF)
Two external IEEE 1394/iLink™/FireWire® ports*

**Phynix** · May 14th, 2002, 02:35 AM

TV Coax In and Out. (Only one function at a time, on the card not the cable)

On the cable:

S-video In and Out
Composite in and out
Firewire and Spdif

One side of the adapter is input, the other is output. So you can input from a cable and output to a TV. You can even use a TV as a second monitor I believe.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 02:36 AM

Sweet Thanks for the info Phynix!

This card looks like the one!

**ben-the-slacker** · May 14th, 2002, 02:38 AM

I've been looking at the card and can't find out what kind of port the one between the DVI and the Firewire one is. Anybody know what kind it is??

http://65.119.30.151/productimage/14-102-195-02.JPG

BTW Bob, why not get one of these??

**Phynix** · May 14th, 2002, 11:04 AM

That is the port that the custom cable plugs in. A quick estimation shows the cable to be 3 feet long (I don't wanna exactly measure it, it's not in a convienent spot). It's uuu...purple. I would have prefered black. No idea why they made it purple. The cord is pretty thick too, 1/4" diameter. It comes with some double sided sticky foam stuff so you can mount it on the side of your case if you want too. I didn't.

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 12:35 PM

Mommy hide my eyes! What is the monster!

That is funky card! What is it!?!

Any way. Yah Phynix is right about that plug. It allows for the Firewire that is built into the little external plug thing, and all the TV features in that also. Neat idea if you ask me!

I keep forgeting how nice that card looks

**Bob The Great** · May 14th, 2002, 12:37 PM

Never mind. I suddenly realized what it was!

ATI FIRE GL4 128MB DDR

That is one wicked card (comes standered with a wicked price too

)

**MegalosSkylaki** · May 14th, 2002, 12:47 PM

YIPES ! Bob da Graet I was about to say "Always go RETAIL when it comes to stuff with complex chips cause the failed ones go to OEM --but then you showed your GRATENESS by figuring out da Retail . Anyhows, the SW is often what makes da card--like options in a car.

YIPES ! What is that thing behind you ? Is that you ?

DOOOOOG