Power Supply and Video Card Concerns

[burnselk]

My old HP model 7955, 1.5GHz, has a mere 200 watt power supply. I'm getting into video capturing and have started having reboot problems well into the capture process. I was told my problem may be heat related (cpu or ?). Keep in mind, I'm a novice and not a gamer (nothing against you guys). I'm getting into digitizing analog vhs and 8mm tapes and burning the edited product to dvd.....and I need help....and lots of it.

I've looked at several video cards (to upgrade my nVIDIA RIVA TNT2 (mere 32MB card) because my computer indicated after the second reboot (via a dialog box) that my videocard driver needs to updated). But I was thinking about going with a 128MB card instead. But, here's the problem. Most all new video cards I've looked at require a minimum of 250 watt power supply (for instance the eVGA eforce FX5500 128MB or 256MB does).

Here are my questions: Can I run a video card that requires 250 watts on my 200 watt power supply without problem? Could this be my reboot problem? Is it difficult to swap out a power supply? Do I have to be concerned about anything in the power supply spec's besides wattage, like voltage and amps? Does my computer's motherboard (ASUS P4B-LA but I'm told it's really P4B-LU???) require a specific power supply with specific voltages and amperage? I need help here to decide what I need to do and why I need to do it.

I hope this makes sense. If not, please query me about anything you need in order to help me. I want to learn so I will be able to capture, store on hd, edit, and burn old tapes to dvd. I'm using "ADS Pyro A/V Link" with "Adobe Premiere Elements" to do this. I just bought it and am still learning! Adobe is tough to learn! The hardware is straight forward and easy.

Here's what happens when I use what my "lil ole" HP as it was shipped (no I upgraded the RAM to 512MB and added the 250GB HD....that's it): While I'm capturing video, after about 45 minutes (this time is likely to be different each time I capture) my computer reboots and I lose all of the captured video (it's still on my HD but it's corrupt and useable.....(won't open), so I have to rerun it again). I lost 9GB of video (45 minutes worth) in my first long capture (short captures didn't cause this reboot problem). I'm capturing video to a nearly empty new 250GB 7200 rpm, 8MB cashe WD HD. Keep in mind, I've only captured two video to hd (one 30 minute and 45 minute)....the shorter one didn't cause the reboot....only the 45 minute one.

Help please....and thanks.....sorry this is so long....but to me, it's worth the effort if I want good advice.

[CWR03]

To start with, your video card isn't in use during video captures (unless it contains the capture hardware), so replacing it won't change your crashing problem. It sounds like you ought to upgrade the power supply before you do anything else, since you've added a hard drive and you're probably already taxing it.

Can I run a video card that requires 250 watts on my 200 watt power supply without problem?
The answer should be completely obvious.
Could this be my reboot problem?
Have you updated your video card drivers, and has there been a change in the error message?
Is it difficult to swap out a power supply?
Not at all, but it's worthwhile to splurge on a bigger one than you think you'll need.
Do I have to be concerned about anything in the power supply spec's besides wattage, like voltage and amps?
Power supply voltages are standardized and are switchable for inputs of 120V or 240V so they're pretty much universal. Wattage (or amperage as it's usually rated) shouldn't be a concern unless you decide to add a bunch of neon or a liquid cooling system. My case's original 420 watt PSU had only an 11 amp 12V output - when it failed not long after adding a third hard drive I replaced it with a 480 watt one with a 24 amp 12V. I just saw a 550 watt one at a store with a whopping 36 amp 12V supply. I could run a 12V coffeemaker off that and still have plenty for the PC.

[burnselk]

I like the way you responded to my post. I can understand it better that way.

I have not yet upgraded current video card driver...but will most likely tonight or tomorrow.

I'm now clear that voltage and amperage should not be a mother board concern when upgrading the PSU to a larger wattage unit.

[Eretria-chan]

Beware, many PSUs can deliver too litte power on the right rail. But your computer is so old, it might be hard to predict how much or where you need it.
I guess you needn't be concerned with it since it is a little old...

[burnselk]

Do you suppose anyone at HP Chat (free) can answer this question Eretria-chan?

I don't have much faith in any of these computer tech support people....my experience with them thus far has not been good.....just a thought.

Appreciate your insight about this issue....maybe I need to persue it and get more input.

[foxyshadis]

I seriously doubt HP would support anything that old; it sounds about 4-5 years old, right? Even for new stuff they don't always support customer upgrades. If you're totally financially limited from picking up a new board and cpu (you can get good sempr0n kit+psu for under $200 if you shop around), a decent psu will be more power-efficient and sometimes make your system more stable, if you were stressing it.

[burnselk]

Guess what a HP tech told me on an on-line Chat the other day. He said the output voltage of my model 7955 HP Pavilion is 124 volts.....can you imagine?

I asked him if he was sure and he checked and came back with the same response.

Surely he's way wrong.......I can't imagine an input of 120 volts AC and an output of 124 volts....I don't feel I learned anything from that chat.....he can't be right about that. Tell me he's way off base someone.

[foxyshadis]

Well, if you had 124V going down your 5V or 12V lines I'm sure you'd know it by now... He could have meant anything, maybe he added the voltages for all the lines together. People have some really weird concepts about electricity sometimes.

[CWR03]

Most of those phone tech people don't know anything beyond the manual that's there in front of them. Occasionally you'll get lucky and find someone who's educated in computers enough to be of some real help, but it's not what they're paid for. They're told to go "by the book" and can actually get into trouble for discussing problems beyond what they're allowed, even if they know what they're talking about.

[dani82]

last week my dsl connection went down for about a day, so i decided to call technical support for help, after about 90mins on the phone trouble-shooting the configuration, they told me that the service around my area was down

[Eretria-chan]

Surely he's way wrong.......I can't imagine an input of 120 volts AC and an output of 124 volts....I don't feel I learned anything from that chat.....he can't be right about that. Tell me he's way off base someone.
A PSU never outputs 124 volts. That would crisp your components instantly. It typically outputs 12 or 5 volts (on rails), I think.

[CWR03]

A PSU never outputs 124 volts. That would crisp your components instantly. It typically outputs 12 or 5 volts (on rails), I think.
I believe there's also a 3 volt output. It sounds like the phone "techs" were discussing the power requirements of the PSU (i. e. what comes out of the hole in the wall). I still remember walking into a Radio Shack to borrow a voltmeter in the hopes of testing a transformer with the intent of buying one from them if mine was bad. The guy behind the counter asked me "What's a voltmeter for?" I said screw it and used my tongue on the wires (the transformer was good).

[Eretria-chan]

Okay now that's really weird :S
And the "hole in the wall" can fluxuate, but an USA-type one outputs typically 110V, whereas in Europe, it is 220V.