Frame rate improvement

If that card is 3 years old it doesn't have 512mb ram, it's probably a 128-AGP, not sufficient.
Check this out to be sure.

entirely possible Radar Man. I'm not at home right now so I can't check. Thats why I put it in brackets, maybe I should have explained that part

Yup RadarMan, the card is only 128 Mb. So it's worse than I thought.

Graphics card then?

Yes, that card (if you do a search of the 2004 general forum) was a bummer for FS9 and using it for FSX won't give you any performance.

That's a AGP card so with the motherboard you have your probably stuck having to buy another AGP card because it doesn't have a PCIe slot.
Find the best one around (they don't make them any more) and get it.
You should be able to find a new one at a very good price seeing that they are disappearing from use.

Note the dates of these posts.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/174813-29-what-card

Prices.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=agp&image122.x=7&image122.y=13

Ok. I've read the links.

So in essence what it looks like is I am asking the wrong question.

I should be asking "should I just start crying now, or wait till I'm alone in bed"

cpltom wrote:

Ok. I've read the links.

So in essence what it looks like is I am asking the wrong question.

I should be asking "should I just start crying now, or wait till I'm alone in bed"

😂 Don't know which to buy or don't want to spend the $...or both of the above.

Well, the prices on a few of those cards are in my range (still have to save for a couple months), but it lookes like I'm just puting a band aid on a major wound when it comes down to my computer as a whole.

It's mostly CPU driven do a 3 year old machine will get you some results, maybe default on everything but AI. Keep the clouds as low as possible, the autogen the same.
You should enjoy it.

CplTom -

Can you give us the full specs. on your current PC? Do you know how to build a computer? If so you can save yourself some money. Perhaps piece it together month by month. It would be a great project. My computer is about 2 1/2 years old now and I run FSX pretty well, but not near to its true ability. I built mine and loved doing it myself. My specs are in my signature below.

You can get nice computer parts to run FSX starting from $400 with a descent card. e.x. 8600GTS. There are solutions out there for you. Your more than likely motherboard restricted on your current rig especially with AGP. I know I had to make the change to PCIex 16 at a time where money was tight too.

Hey Astrosteve,

Here is what I could come up with for you.

ADM Sempron 2300+
1.58 GHz , 1 Gig of ram
Nvidia GeForce FX 5200
Soundblaster something card (sound is good enough for me)
Standard FSX

CplTom -

The computer was built (clone), or do you have a make and model number? Some would say it's a 'essentials' PC. Not really designed for sims or gaming. The 5200 is certainly not up to par even for FS9 let alone FSX. Heck, even my 7800GT's are breathing very heavy running FSX.

If your not ready to piece a new PC together check by check, I would invest in a new vid card. Your more than likely AGP. For under $100 you could get this card and be much better off with FSX. At least you would be able to enjoy some of the graphic qualities of FSX with a card like this. The 5200 must go.

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141026

Hey again astrosteve,

Yeah, the computer was built localy by the guy who runs my ISP. It was always supposed to be just an essentials computer. Both because of what it is mostly used for, and my budget. Going back to school on VA disability benifits is VERY limiting on budget.

I have talked to the guy who built it and he sais he can get me a 7800 for under $100. I will probebly take him up on this, but even that is a couple months of saving. He also suggested I get a new monitor (10 year old 17 inch) but that is WAY out of the question right now.

As for building my own, well, I can put a card in, or memory chip; but enything beyond that is beyond me.

I may be mistaken, but almost positive there is no 7800 series in AGP form. I believe the highest would be around 7600 series. The GT in that series would be the best in the series, but a GS is not bad either. Anything of an improvement over the 5000 series.

Keep us posted on what you get and how it improved FSX. I would start after installing it to visit Nvidia's website and download the latest drivers for the card. Usually the driver the vid card comes with is a little dated.

Here is the egg's AGP 7000 series and prices.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%20106790717%201069609639&bop=And&Order=PRICE

cpltom -

Here is a couple of photo's of the rig I built a few years back and still has some life left in it. You can see the dual 7800GT's with the SLI bridge adapter connected to the 2 vid cards in the second image. I'm most proud of the wiring.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j275/astrostevem51/IMG_0276.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j275/astrostevem51/IMG_0248.jpg

Yep, I keep the drivers fairly up to date. As for 7800 or 7600, oh well, people knew what I meant. I will look at your pics after I am done with some homework.

Hey CplTom,see what you might be able to pick up on Ebay, Some people get stuff and dont use it, best place to pick up a bargain.

Here is a great place to start.....

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&dfsp=32&catref=C6&from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=7600+AGP+graphics+card&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=ZIP%2FPostal&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=32&fsoo=2

Thanks astrosteve, bidding now.

CplTom -

Any updates on your success on ebay getting a new video card???

No such luck yet. Every time it gets close the same couple of guys bid it up to high. When counting in shipping and everything I can get a new one for what these guys are bidding it too.

Ok, I got my card and all I can say is " Have you guys been able to see all this stuff all along?" WoW!!

I can fly with buildings and trees and not take 20 minutes too get down the runway on take off (ok, so thats an exageration, but you get my point). And having those little yellow sighns on the taxi ways is a great help when tryin to figure out where the heck your going.