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Technical Support CompuTrainer Video Card Information |
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The
"Virtual" Reality... Times Change and your PC has to change with it... Video Cards in Laptop and some Proprietary desktop Computers. - All Laptop computers and some desktop computers incorporate their video card as an integral part of the computer’s main board. This is commonly known as "On-board Video". Laptop computers to date have never been after-market upgradeable in this area. With some on-board video desktop computers, your on-board video card can be configured to borrow more video RAM from system RAM if required, or the on-board video can be disabled all together to allow the installation of a newer, faster, third party video card. Checking to see if you can increase the shared memory (if this is an option) on this type of computer can help eliminate the need to replace the computer or video card if it does not meet minimum system requirementsPCI (Personal Component Interconnect) bus video card - PCI bus architecture was first introduced in the later stages of the 486 computer and is still a standard used today for many peripheral "add-ins" such as sound cards, modems, network cards and so on. With the advent of AGP, PCI video card choices are becoming more and more limited. Thankfully, due to the continued development of low cost computers, which incorporate the video "on-board" (as noted above) we have found a resurgence of PCI cards in the marketplace. The problem is you can still find some of these older type PCI video cards for sale. Close attention needs to be taken as to what Video Chipset is being used when buying a PCI video card to verify whether the card is still being supporting with new video drivers etc. Most of the time they aren't. Buying a PCI video card in a major computer store is your safest bet. They will more likely only stock current cards. Buying over the Internet is an option, but do your research. This is where all the old cards are cleared out. You can usually check with the maker to see what support is offered before buying. Also, don't buy a video card just because it is cheaper on the Internet. Bottom line: Make sure it is not a card where support for it ended years ago. AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus video card - AGP was first introduced with the Pentium II computer. Typically the computer main board incorporates an AGP slot to plug in this type of card. AGP provides the fastest video frame rates due to its direct link to the main PC CPU. AGP is the foundation for all video cards being produced today, and may, in some cases, be the only way to get the latest and greatest video chipsets built today. Also, AGP has changed over the years and some newer AGP card will not work in older computers even if an AGP slot exists. This is determined by checking the multiplier used in the description of the card. AGP was released at 1X speeds and are now exceeding 8X speeds and different bus voltages. You may find you can't buy the latest and greatest card because your motherboard does not meet the video card minimum requirements. Another problem, when upgrading, is that just because the PC you own, or are about to buy, states it has AGP video, this does not guarantee the presence of an AGP slot to plug in a newer, or different, AGP video card should that some day be required. Many low cost computers do NOT have an AGP slot and are similar to the first type of computer mentioned having the video card integrated into the main board. You should check what your computer currently has before you lay down your hard-earned cash for any new video card. So, can you use your currently owned video card... *Known Video Card Issues for CompuTrainer 3D v3.0
*Note From the original CompuTrainer 3D software programmer: Thanks, J.D. Sachs
Page Last Updated:
February 23, 2006 |