Would love graphic chip advice!

[BeezNeez]

Hello,
I have tried reading up and researching graphic chipsets, accelerators, etc and I have finally thrown in the towel after realizing that understanding this stuff is beyond me! I just bought a used desktop strictly for Adobe Premiere Pro to edit videos on...I have a Windows 7 OS, and it does not support my graphics chipset, reverting back to a standard VGA graphics adapter, which makes HD editing unbearable.

Willing to buy anything needed under $150, but keep in mind this is just a spare computer that sits in the corner and is used only when I am bored and want to tinker with video-editing.

Here are my computer Specs:

Gateway Support - E-4300 6-Bay Computer Specifications

Thank you so much for any assistance that you can lend me!

-J-

[ShyguyXPC]

assuming this isn't a slim form factor case getting a new PSU to run the card, something like this:

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER eXtreme Power Plus RS500-PCARD3-US 500W ATX12V v2.3 Power Supply

and either one of these GPU's (which ever Premiere Pro supports better)

Nvidia GPU: Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1441-KR GeForce GT 440 1024MB (Fermi) DUAL DVI PCI Express 2.0 x16 Video Card

ATI/AMD GPU: Newegg.com - XFX HD-657X-ZHF2 Radeon HD 6570 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

For tinkering with the software and editing, their both probably a bit more than you need, but I have no idea how much you consider tinkering.

I'd bank the rest of the money, or if you haven't already, load up that PC with its max amount of RAM you can install (4GB).



A bit less in price and still just as good: Newegg.com - Refurbished: PNY RVCGGT2401D3XXB GeForce GT 240 1GB GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

Newegg.com - Refurbished: EVGA SuperClocked 512-P3-1242-RX GeForce GT 240 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

[BeezNeez]

ShyguyXPC.

Thank you very much for your quick response. I did take the initiative to max out the RAM on the PC, which did helped out a lot, but still would take 20 min to render a 15 sec clip...
That being said, I think having a workable video card will at least make it bearable to work on footage, and be able to use 3D graphics. And since I don't know up from down when it comes to video-cards, your reply was very helpful.

I will order a card tonight and see if it does the trick.

Thank you again,

-J-

[ShyguyXPC]

yeah, a dedicated Video card should help out a lot, especially if the Software can actually render the final product with the GPU. though if it only helps with the editing process and the CPU does the final render job, it may still take a while since those old Pentiums by todays standards are still slow.

but I'd say the graphics chip on your system is the current weak point.

I know at some point Premiere Pro implemented GPU rendering support, but I can't remember which version it was, I know at one point it was ATI Radeon cards, and more recent versions were Nvidia GPU's.

On my end, I use 2 Programs, Corel Video Studio Pro X4, and Badaboom 2.0, the latter for Video transcoding, using an Intel Sandy Bridge Based CPU, or Nvidia Geforce 8 series or newer GPU.

Its just amazing how fast a high end $200-300 video card can transcode a video though, sometimes depending on the settings, half the time it takes to watch the video in normal time.

I've only used Corel software a few times for some small basic video editings, but its much faster at rendering than it was years ago (4 or 5 years back) using my old Core 2 Quad Q6600 using an Older version of Premiere Pro.

Of course I was running a Quad core, with 2 or 3 GB of RAM in the PC at the time.


But GPU accelerated software is a godsend for rendering stuff, be it Video, 2D or 3D graphics, etc.


just keep in mind, you will probably want to upgrade the PSU, the GT 240/440, and 6570 are not that power hungry, but you will want a new reliable and Quality PSU in that PC, when running one, as the current PSU may not be stable enough to run it. considering the age of the system, its even more important to replace it.

if the PSU dies, it could potentially fry the entire PC, depending on the quality of the PSU, if its lacking any sort of circuitry to prevent damage from overload, or anything.

better to play it safe than sorry.

[BeezNeez]

Hey Shyguy, one more quick question when you get a chance...

According to the Premiere Pro graphics requirements, it says it requires a:
1280x900 display with OpenGL 2.0-compatible graphics card

And then also has a list of supported NVIDIA graphics cards for GPU acceleration:

• GeForce GTX 285 (Windows and Mac OS)
• GeForce GTX 470 (Windows)
• GeForce GTX 570 (Windows)
• GeForce GTX 580 (Windows)
• NVIDIA Tesla C2075 card (Windows)/Maximus configuration
• Quadro FX 3700M (Windows)
• Quadro FX 3800 (Windows)
• Quadro FX 3800M (Windows)
• Quadro FX 4800 (Windows and Mac OS)
• Quadro FX 5800 (Windows)
• Quadro 2000 (Windows)
• Quadro 2000D (Windows)
• Quadro 2000M (Windows)
• Quadro 3000M (Windows)
• Quadro 4000 (Windows and Mac OS)
• Quadro 4000M (Windows)
• Quadro 5000 (Windows)
• Quadro 5000M (Windows)
• Quadro 5010M (Windows)
• Quadro 6000 (Windows)
• Quadro CX (Windows)

I guess my question is: are the cards that you sent me links to inclusive of the "Open GL 2.0 graphics"? I would have to say that since I am currently working with an unrecognizable graphics chip and the software does run (just slow and jittery), that these things are not "required" but "reccommended". But regardless, given this, which of the cheap chips that you reccomended would be my best bet?

[Hezx]

Yes those cards he provided are actually OpenGL 4.0 capable. So it would pass the expectations really.

But if it says that those card SPECIFICALLY are the only ones supported... then.... I dont see any in the list that would work in a low profile computer... Also kinda stupid not to provide any support to Radeon HD Cards.....

[stroyal]

Actually the later 2 are 3.2, and 3.1 respectively. the first 2 are 4.1, but yes they should cover any program that needs 2.0.

Open GL, and DX are like shortcuts, that the program can take advantage of, speeding, and smoothing thing out.
That is about as technical as I can get though.

I have my doubts, that these cards listed have any thing special that the program needs, as long as you get one equal of better.

Those are just the ones they tested, and that list is typically short.

[ShyguyXPC]

Not quite, GT 440 is OpenGL 3.2 only: nVidia GeForce GT 440 GDDR3 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

nVidia GeForce GT 440 GDDR5 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

Same with the GT 240:

nVidia GeForce GT 240 GDDR3 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

nVidia GeForce GT 240 GDDR5 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

Radeon 6570 is 4.1 Compliant:

AMD Radeon HD 6570 GDDR3 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

AMD Radeon HD 6570 GDDR5 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

In any case their all 2.0 or better compliant.

But I would certainly go for the Nvidia card based on that list of supported chips.

If it were me, based on what they have listed I would go for a much more powerful, Nvidia GPU, higher than what I listed, at least a Geforce GTS 450, if not GTX 550 Ti, though that would leave very little for the PSU upgrade.

I don't think the CPU would be as much of a bottleneck on the GPU with this type of work, like it would be for gaming, as the speed at which the CPU has to feed the data isn't as fast and demanding, so a higher end GPU would be ok.

The Coolermaster PSU went back up in price again it looks like, one of these is better priced, but similar output performance.

Newegg.com - Antec VP-450 450W ATX 12V v2.3 Power Supply

Newegg.com - Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W Continuous Power ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply



but a Geforce GTS 250 would be ok, since its 2.1 Compliant: nVidia GeForce GTS 250 Video Card - Reviews, Specifications, and Pictures - GPUReview.com

Newegg.com - Refurbished: PNY RVCGGTS2501XXB GeForce GTS 250 1GB 128-bit PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Though that card is a gimped normal GTS 250, since its a 128-bit Memory bus, rather than 256bit.


Best deal I would suggest is this PSU: Newegg.com - Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply

and then the GTX 275 listed on EVGA's "B-Stock" Web page (Recertified Products) for $90.

EVGA | Products | Product List

EVGA GeForce GTX 275 Superclocked Part Number: 896-P3-1171-RX

Still currently in stock. That card would only be a hair under the GTX 285 listed in that list above.

Its also OpenGL 2.1 Compliant.

Keep in mind its a LONG card, so it might not fit in your case. But its the best combination of parts I can suggest given the budget.

Unless you can add another $10-20 to the budget, in which case I'd recommend a Geforce GTS 450 or GTX 550 Ti (both are less over all gaming performance than the GTX 275, but use vastly less power, run cooler, and smaller in size, but should yield similar if not better Video editing performance) , and one of those 400W Antec PSU's above.

[ShyguyXPC]

otherwise the GT 440 and one of the Antec 400W range PSU's will work too.

[BeezNeez]

Thank you guys very much! You were more than helpful, I really appreciate it.

-J-

[stroyal]

Welcome.