Cheap PCI Video Card?

[Tahnok]

I'm looking for the cheapest PCI video out card that I can find. I am tired of loosing the ones on Ebay. Does anybody know where to buy a PCI video out card. I don't care if it is composite or s-video (can't be component).

In the past I have been given the name of some cards, but I can never find them. I really need a site that will sell me something.

Thanks!

[Harry Potter]

PCI Video card?? What's that?  

Just kidding.

PCI video cards are somewhat of a rarity and the only company I know of that still make or support them would be Matrox. You can get their G400/450 series in PCI. Don't know if it's cheap, but it should have composite output with a dongle (going from memory here)

Here is the link for the G450:
http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/mill_g450/home.cfm

Otherwise you'll have to try computer shops, some of which will have boxes full of this junk for next to nothing.

Good Luck

[MonitorGuru]

Actually they're NOT quite as rare as you think.  AGP is essentially DEAD with the advent (and shipping) of PCI Express.  

Companies like Dell who sell their low end 2400 series that has a really crappy on board video solution (Intel Graphics Extreme 1) and NO AGP slot have actually kept the market alive for decent PCI solutions, along with people who want dual monitors without replacing their existing AGP card.

There are ATI and nVidia solutions available. One of the more popular ones is the FX5200 using a GeForce chip.  You can find them under relabelled makers like "Mad Dog" and others at office/computer stores like Office Max, CompUsa, etc..  

You can also get good PCI cards from NewEgg.com too.

Now.... to find one with TV out... that's gonna be harder and you're gonna pay more for them, unless you can find some old ones on ebay. The problem is, those old ones usually had pretty crappy output compared to the current crop on AGP.  (The tv out hardware wasn't quite baked yet in the rush to get them out)

In the long run, I think it's cheaper to convert a TV into an arcade monitor ($65 for 19" and $95 for 25-27") and connect to even the cheapest video output and use Advance Mame and you get an awesome picture and more resolutions, depending on your card, than the single resolution a TV out card can give.  But of course you need to have knowledge to do the conversion.

[JoyMonkey]

There are 44 PCI cards listed on NewEgg, here's a link. The cheapest with tv-out seem to be around $42.

[Lilwolf]

ebay will still be what you want...  

keep looking and you will get one...  Just watch out for shipping.

btw, what do you want it for?   Have any requirements?  (hwstretching?  any 3d games or emulators?)

[GodSend25]

Are you looking for something to run in your mame cab only?  I have a ATI 3D Rage II+DVD PCI card sitting right infront of me.  I has both SVIDEO and Composite out (no dongle needed either).  I think its only a 2 meg card, but I was using it in an old mame machine and for divx to my tv last year.  Looks identicle in tv-out quality to my 64 meg ddr Ati All-In-Wonder.   Let me know if you are interested.