Upgrading old graphics card on old pc

[Richard Hunt]

Here's my specs:

K6/2-400MHz
256Mb 133MHz RAM, 64Mb 100MHz RAM
Creative Labs Graphics Blaster 3D Riva TNT 1 (detonator 5.32
drivers-later ones impact considerably on performance)
Diamond S90 Sound card (au8820)
Windows 98/Vector Linux 4.3 (currently, but I will use whatever works


The motherboard is branded aopen, but I seem to remember that it uses
some kind of VIA chipset. I can't remember the model, but it is from
late 99 - mid 2000.

Anyway, all I am looking for is improved dvd performance (in windvd
performance
is quite acceptable, except for a slight pause every 30mins or so; in
linux---where the nvidia drivers were developed too late in the day
for acceptable speed for the Riva TNT1, it's not even listed as
supported on the driver website ---it could only be described as
barely watchable). I am looking
at the dabsValue Geforce 2 MX 400 64Mb (~£15.00, probably worth about
the
same in dollars, despite exchange rates . I am pretty sure it will
at least
work, but here are my questions:

1) Does the geforce2 have better hardware DVD support than the Riva
TNT?
2) Will the switch from 16mb to 64mb be relevant to dvd performance?
3) If I do upgrade is there another (cheap) card that would be better?
(I would definitely prefer good linux support)

Hope someone bothers to read this, and any other comments will be
appreciated.

Thanks,

Richard

[Some other less important questions:
1) Is this card supported much better in the linux drivers?
2) Is this card compatible with d3d 8/9? I've had all sorts of
problems with the Riva TNT after I install dx8 or dx9]

 

[DaveW]

Your CPU speed is ALSO a large bottleneck for acceptable DVD viewing.