AGP in an Intel D815EFV

[Grinder]

A friend of mine has the mobo and has run into difficulty running a
mission-critical app--Zoo Tycoon 2. The video card requirements are
that it must have 16 Mb, and be DirectX 9.0 compatible. Apparently the
onboard video does not suffice.

Q1) Does anyone know if the video does not have enough RAM, or if it's
the DirectX compatibility, or both?

http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d815efv/sb/CS-013096.htm

I can't tell from the link above.

At any rate, it looks as if some sort of video enhancement must be done.
The specs for the board indicate that it has, or can have, an AGP
slot. I see the spot on the board, but there is no connector there.

Q2) Can the connector be installed?
Q3) If so, how much of a PITA would that be?

Thankfully there are a couple of PCI slots open, so I have some sort of
out if AGP is not an option.

Q4) Given the aforementioned conditions, what card in the $40-$50 range
would you recommend?

Thanks for, as always, your excellent advice.

 

[Grinder]

Q4) Given the aforementioned conditions, what card in the $40-$50 range
would you recommend?

Having done a little bit of homework, at NewEgg, a pattern emerges.
Apparently, the nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 is one of the few chipsets that is
DirectX 9 compatible, and used on PCI cards in my price range.

Side question: Is the GeForce FX5700LE signficantly different than the
FX5700?

Which of these would you recommend?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Chipset > 64MB DDR

GAINWARD FX PowerPack! Pro/660 TV/DVI PCI, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-128-163&depa=1
$69.50 + $2.99

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Chipset > 128MB DDR

XFX PVT64KNT, TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-040&depa=1
$67.50 + $1.99

Prolink VTV-5200-128PD, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-108-129&depa=1
$68.00 + $2.99

Jaton Video-228PCI-TV, 128-bit, TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-143&depa=1
$69.00 + $1.50

APOLLO BLOODY MONSTER 3 GEFORCE FX 5200 PCI, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-140-027&depa=1
$69.50 + $2.99

CHAINTECH P-FX20, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-055&depa=1
$74.00 + $2.00

Jaton Video-228PCI-Twin, Dual VGA
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-144&depa=1
$77.00 + $1.50

APOLLO APV-P5700LE 128M, FX5700LE Chipset, DVI/TV Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-140-041&depa=1
$89.00 + $2.99

PNY Verto GeForce FX5200 PCI(VCGFX52P-PB), Dual VGA/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-133-068&depa=1
$96.00 + $4.99

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Chipset > 256MB DDR

XFX PVT64KUA, DVI/TV Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-061&depa=1
$88.50 + $1.99

CHAINTECH P-FX20, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-087&depa=1
$97.00 + $1.99

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > ATI RADEON 9200 Chipset > 256MB DDR

XTASY VTK9200256CANP, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-129-028&depa=1
$104.50 + $3.99

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks for your input.

 

[Grinder]

Q4) Given the aforementioned conditions, what card in the $40-$50 range
would you recommend?

Crap, I forgot to limit the previous list to items in stock. What's the
best option from:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Chipset > 128MB DDR

Prolink VTV-5200-128PD (DVI/TV-Out) $68.00 + $2.99
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-108-129

Jaton Video-228PCI-TV (128-bit, TV-Out) $69.00 + $1.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-143

Apollo Bloody Monster 3 (DVI/TV-Out) $69.50 + $2.99
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-140-027

Chaintech P-FX20 (128-bit, DVI/TV-Out) $74.00 + $2.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-055

Jaton Video-228PCI-Twin (Dual VGA) $77.00 + $1.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-144

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PCI Video Cards > nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Chipset > 256MB DDR

Chaintech P-FX20 (128-bit, DVI/TV-Out) $97.00 + $1.99
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-145-087

 

[Paul Murphy]

A friend of mine has the mobo and has run into difficulty running a
mission-critical app--Zoo Tycoon 2. The video card requirements are that
it must have 16 Mb, and be DirectX 9.0 compatible. Apparently the onboard
video does not suffice.

Q1) Does anyone know if the video does not have enough RAM, or if it's the
DirectX compatibility, or both?

http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d815efv/sb/CS-013096.htm

I can't tell from the link above.

At any rate, it looks as if some sort of video enhancement must be done.
The specs for the board indicate that it has, or can have, an AGP slot. I
see the spot on the board, but there is no connector there.

Q2) Can the connector be installed?
Q3) If so, how much of a PITA would that be?

Thankfully there are a couple of PCI slots open, so I have some sort of
out if AGP is not an option.

Q4) Given the aforementioned conditions, what card in the $40-$50 range
would you recommend?

Thanks for, as always, your excellent advice.

I'm unfamiliar with that game but rather than using a PCI card it would be
worth checking the shared VGA memory amount to ensure its enough (preferably
more than enough) - this is usually selectable in the BIOS for motherboards
with built in graphics. Usually games will run slower (but still run) even
though the graphics hardware doesn't fully support a given DirectX level in
hardware, this is because software emulation occurs. Be aware that Intel
Extreme onboard graphics chips are just about the slowest thing out there
when it comes to "recent" graphic hardware so once you get it working, it
*may* not look very good or provide smooth gameplay. Intel's integrated
graphics may have been a good idea for CPU sales though because people had
to buy a much faster CPU in order to get reasonable graphics performance
than they would have otherwise needed.

Paul

 

[Grinder]

I'm unfamiliar with that game but rather than using a PCI card it would be
worth checking the shared VGA memory amount to ensure its enough (preferably
more than enough) - this is usually selectable in the BIOS for motherboards
with built in graphics. Usually games will run slower (but still run) even
though the graphics hardware doesn't fully support a given DirectX level in
hardware, this is because software emulation occurs. Be aware that Intel
Extreme onboard graphics chips are just about the slowest thing out there
when it comes to "recent" graphic hardware so once you get it working, it
*may* not look very good or provide smooth gameplay. Intel's integrated
graphics may have been a good idea for CPU sales though because people had
to buy a much faster CPU in order to get reasonable graphics performance
than they would have otherwise needed.

Thanks. You may well be right.

Having spoken to M$ about the game, however, their rep seemed convinced
that I would need hardware to make it work properly. I believe him, and
my friend has opted to spend $100 for a new video card and power supply.
It's just a pity that the mainboard does not have an AGP connector.

 

[Paul Murphy]

Thanks. You may well be right.

Having spoken to M$ about the game, however, their rep seemed convinced
that I would need hardware to make it work properly. I believe him, and
my friend has opted to spend $100 for a new video card and power supply.
It's just a pity that the mainboard does not have an AGP connector.

I did a little research on it to and according to here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889368 the Microsoft website specifically
mentions the Intel 815 chip is unsupported (along with loads of other
graphics chips, some of which aren't that old).

Rather than the "dead end" upgrade of buying a compatible PCI graphics card
and new PSU, how about waiting a while, saving up and getting a new
motherboard as well which will permit use of an AGP card instead of a PCI
one. This will usually give you much better potential gaming performance
than any PCI VGA card could offer - or has your friend already made the
required purchase?

Paul

 

[Grinder]

I did a little research on it to and according to here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889368 the Microsoft website specifically
mentions the Intel 815 chip is unsupported (along with loads of other
graphics chips, some of which aren't that old).

Rather than the "dead end" upgrade of buying a compatible PCI graphics card
and new PSU, how about waiting a while, saving up and getting a new
motherboard as well which will permit use of an AGP card instead of a PCI
one. This will usually give you much better potential gaming performance
than any PCI VGA card could offer - or has your friend already made the
required purchase?

They've already made the purchase.

For their use, email, light web browsing, it's fairly good. When her
oldest hits the teens (in about 5 years), she might look to buy a new PC.

 

[jacoby]

Are you sure that board does not have an agp slot? I do not have much
experience with Intel products, but this where your link lead me.
http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d815efv/sb/CS-013102.htm

 

[Grinder]

Are you sure that board does not have an agp slot? I do not have much
experience with Intel products, but this where your link lead me.
http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d815efv/sb/CS-013102.htm

There is room and solder pads on the board for an AGP connector, but
there is no connector. If all of the AGP logic is on the board
somewhere, it's a bit like getting a car stereo without any speakers.