Video Card Upgrade??

[Early B.]

OK, first of all, I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about video cards, so please forgive the simple questions --

Is there any value to purchasing a video card? Right now I'm using the motherboard's video chip. My computing needs are simple - mostly e-mail, DSL Internet and word processing. I don't play games, either. However, sometimes when I view a video (like the ones currently posted in the Clubhouse), it'll lock up for several seconds, then resume. I'd also like to get better resolution on pictures and videos, especially when viewing in full screen mode. Will an inexpensive (i.e., <$50) PCI video card offer these advantages? If so, what is the minimum amount of memory I should shoot for?

Thanks.

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

Video card isn't really going to help you with those things. When you're watching something that's already rendered (i.e. a movie or video clip) - your CPU is actually doing the majority of that processing, your memory is also a factor...

As for the video locking up, that could either be because of your connection, quality of the video, or CPU and memory in your machine.

As for the resolution, that's really dependant on the source file. My $400 GeForce 7800GT won't make a 320x240 video look any better than my wife's $50 video card.

The only thing a video card is really going to do for you (besides giving you more connection options) is give you more real time rendering ability, which is basically only going to apply to games, CAD software, and animation software...

[Early B.]

Thanks, PM.

[Josh]

RAM!!

What are your specs? CPU, RAM, Windows Version?

[Early B.]

256 Mb, 1.3 Ghz, XP. The problem could be the connection speed. I primarily use the slower computer that is on a home network.