I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than genuine
ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some of these brands
have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard enough to keep track of
all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself (Pro, XL, GT, etc) let alone
map which subsets of those submodels' features are implemented by different
sub brands. What exactly is ATI's strategy here? Don't they worry about
losing control of their brand and its perceived quality?

In any case, I'm seeing Sapphire clones of the X1600 Pro 512MB PCIE units
for sale (primarily Sapphire) for under $180. I don't see how that is
possible when its the most recent technology RADEON technology. Is this a
real market price for that model?

--
Will

Will wrote:
> I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than
> genuine ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some
> of these brands have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard
> enough to keep track of all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself
> (Pro, XL, GT, etc) let alone map which subsets of those submodels'
> features are implemented by different sub brands. What exactly is
> ATI's strategy here? Don't they worry about losing control of their
> brand and its perceived quality?
>
> In any case, I'm seeing Sapphire clones of the X1600 Pro 512MB PCIE
> units for sale (primarily Sapphire) for under $180. I don't see
> how that is possible when its the most recent technology RADEON
> technology. Is this a real market price for that model?

I would'nt worry about 3rd party cards especially those made by Sapphire, as
they make the "genuine" ati cards anyway.

"Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than
> genuine
> ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some of these
> brands
> have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard enough to keep track
> of
> all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself (Pro, XL, GT, etc)

do just that, keep track of the chipset models
1300 1600 1800 is it ??
and sub models pro XL GT XT etc
if you learn the difference between those you know what you are buying
try tomshardware, they normaly have a nice list comparing all chipset
combo's

3rd party making buys chips, puts em on a boards, sell product
being that is, they buy the gfx chip, memory chips, resistors, caps etc
stick on all the board, sell it

why don't ATI and nvidia and others do that themselves?
go read up about a company called 3dfx.....

I've purchased clone ATI cards before that were absolute garbage, simply
because the card builder skimped on components and did a lousy job building
the card.

If farming out non-essential manufacturing is essential for simple
economics, then ATI should at least put some kind of stamp of approval on
cards to let users know they tested the card and found it to be a worthy
implementation of a card that uses their GPU. Right now on eBay even if
you identify a clone vendor like Sapphire that makes good ATI card, a lot of
the cards being offered are Sapphire clones not made by Sapphire. There is
a huge market in falsely advertised copy products on places like eBay.

I don't think it would be hard to develop a certificate of authenticity
program that would tie a unique identifier on the COA to a card serial
number, and ATI could set up a web site that allows users to type in a card
serial number and COA number, and ATI would indicate if the numbers match,
and if the card is already registered to another user.

--
Will



"Geoff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than
> > genuine
> > ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some of these
> > brands
> > have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard enough to keep track
> > of
> > all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself (Pro, XL, GT, etc)
>
> do just that, keep track of the chipset models
> 1300 1600 1800 is it ??
> and sub models pro XL GT XT etc
> if you learn the difference between those you know what you are buying
> try tomshardware, they normaly have a nice list comparing all chipset
> combo's
>
> 3rd party making buys chips, puts em on a boards, sell product
> being that is, they buy the gfx chip, memory chips, resistors, caps etc
> stick on all the board, sell it
>
> why don't ATI and nvidia and others do that themselves?
> go read up about a company called 3dfx.....

Sapphire is OEM for ATI........stick with them.

"Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've purchased clone ATI cards before that were absolute garbage, simply
> because the card builder skimped on components and did a lousy job
> building
> the card.
>
> If farming out non-essential manufacturing is essential for simple
> economics, then ATI should at least put some kind of stamp of approval on
> cards to let users know they tested the card and found it to be a worthy
> implementation of a card that uses their GPU. Right now on eBay even
> if
> you identify a clone vendor like Sapphire that makes good ATI card, a lot
> of
> the cards being offered are Sapphire clones not made by Sapphire. There
> is
> a huge market in falsely advertised copy products on places like eBay.
>
> I don't think it would be hard to develop a certificate of authenticity
> program that would tie a unique identifier on the COA to a card serial
> number, and ATI could set up a web site that allows users to type in a
> card
> serial number and COA number, and ATI would indicate if the numbers match,
> and if the card is already registered to another user.
>
> --
> Will
>
>
>
> "Geoff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> "Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than
>> > genuine
>> > ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some of these
>> > brands
>> > have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard enough to keep
>> > track
>> > of
>> > all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself (Pro, XL, GT, etc)
>>
>> do just that, keep track of the chipset models
>> 1300 1600 1800 is it ??
>> and sub models pro XL GT XT etc
>> if you learn the difference between those you know what you are buying
>> try tomshardware, they normaly have a nice list comparing all chipset
>> combo's
>>
>> 3rd party making buys chips, puts em on a boards, sell product
>> being that is, they buy the gfx chip, memory chips, resistors, caps etc
>> stick on all the board, sell it
>>
>> why don't ATI and nvidia and others do that themselves?
>> go read up about a company called 3dfx.....
>
>

"Andy C" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e66If.9354$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sapphire is OEM for ATI........stick with them.
>

Too bad they don't make AIWs.



> "Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I've purchased clone ATI cards before that were absolute garbage, simply
>> because the card builder skimped on components and did a lousy job
>> building
>> the card.
>>
>> If farming out non-essential manufacturing is essential for simple
>> economics, then ATI should at least put some kind of stamp of approval on
>> cards to let users know they tested the card and found it to be a worthy
>> implementation of a card that uses their GPU. Right now on eBay even
>> if
>> you identify a clone vendor like Sapphire that makes good ATI card, a lot
>> of
>> the cards being offered are Sapphire clones not made by Sapphire. There
>> is
>> a huge market in falsely advertised copy products on places like eBay.
>>
>> I don't think it would be hard to develop a certificate of authenticity
>> program that would tie a unique identifier on the COA to a card serial
>> number, and ATI could set up a web site that allows users to type in a
>> card
>> serial number and COA number, and ATI would indicate if the numbers
>> match,
>> and if the card is already registered to another user.
>>
>> --
>> Will
>>
>>
>>
>> "Geoff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> "Will" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> > I'm finding that there are far more ATI RADEON clones for sale than
>>> > genuine
>>> > ATI product. I find this extremely confusing because some of these
>>> > brands
>>> > have lousy quality and others decent, and it's hard enough to keep
>>> > track
>>> > of
>>> > all of the subtle variations on RADEON itself (Pro, XL, GT, etc)
>>>
>>> do just that, keep track of the chipset models
>>> 1300 1600 1800 is it ??
>>> and sub models pro XL GT XT etc
>>> if you learn the difference between those you know what you are buying
>>> try tomshardware, they normaly have a nice list comparing all chipset
>>> combo's
>>>
>>> 3rd party making buys chips, puts em on a boards, sell product
>>> being that is, they buy the gfx chip, memory chips, resistors, caps etc
>>> stick on all the board, sell it
>>>
>>> why don't ATI and nvidia and others do that themselves?
>>> go read up about a company called 3dfx.....
>>
>>
>
>

On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 21:11:28 -0600, "mxh" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>Too bad they don't make AIWs.

Get a seperate PCI tuner card then you don't have to buy an AIW
everytime you buy a new video card. Lot cheaper in the long run.

"Sean Cousins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 21:11:28 -0600, "mxh" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>Too bad they don't make AIWs.
>
> Get a seperate PCI tuner card then you don't have to buy an AIW
> everytime you buy a new video card. Lot cheaper in the long run.

Maybe, but I'd rather have the PCI slot a TV tuner would require, especially
since they are reducing the number that come with the new PCI-E boards but
aren't producing the PCI-E x1 boards as of yet. Also I plan on getting a
HDTV tuner card as well, which will require a slot. PCI slots are becoming
more valuable these days (at least until PCI-E x1 is a reality...).

Why not do the TV Tuner as a USB 2.0 accessory, the way Hauppauge does it?

--
Will


"Harkhof" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1CuIf.62495$bF.42202@dukeread07...
>
> "Sean Cousins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 21:11:28 -0600, "mxh" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Too bad they don't make AIWs.
> >
> > Get a seperate PCI tuner card then you don't have to buy an AIW
> > everytime you buy a new video card. Lot cheaper in the long run.
>
> Maybe, but I'd rather have the PCI slot a TV tuner would require,
especially
> since they are reducing the number that come with the new PCI-E boards but
> aren't producing the PCI-E x1 boards as of yet. Also I plan on getting a
> HDTV tuner card as well, which will require a slot. PCI slots are becoming
> more valuable these days (at least until PCI-E x1 is a reality...).
>
>

"Will" <westes-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:-KOdnZrMz5AbKG_eRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Why not do the TV Tuner as a USB 2.0 accessory, the way Hauppauge does it?
> --
> Will

I guess that's a thought, but I have no experience with them. Do you use
one, and if so, what has your experience been? How is the software and image
quality?

Thanks,
Hark


>
> "Harkhof" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:1CuIf.62495$bF.42202@dukeread07...
>>
>> "Sean Cousins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 21:11:28 -0600, "mxh" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >>Too bad they don't make AIWs.
>> >
>> > Get a seperate PCI tuner card then you don't have to buy an AIW
>> > everytime you buy a new video card. Lot cheaper in the long run.
>>
>> Maybe, but I'd rather have the PCI slot a TV tuner would require,
> especially
>> since they are reducing the number that come with the new PCI-E boards
>> but
>> aren't producing the PCI-E x1 boards as of yet. Also I plan on getting a
>> HDTV tuner card as well, which will require a slot. PCI slots are
>> becoming
>> more valuable these days (at least until PCI-E x1 is a reality...).
>>
>>
>
>