XL201 Video Card Upgrade

[grahamjb33]

I have recently started using my Sony XL201 MCE 2005 running on WinXPSP2 for playing games and all was well until I installed MotoGP 2007. Whilst the graphics on this game are extremely good and even with the resolution set to its lowest, the CPU can reach over 90% power usage and the screen 'sticks' occassionally which makes it difficult to play.
I am thinking that as the standard card fitted namely the Nvidia Geforce 7600 GTL with 256Mb on board could be struggling with this game, the main CPU is trying to compensate and this is causing the high power usage.
If I am correct in my diagnosis I would appreciate advice on what video card upgrade would resolve these problems, eg a Nvidia Geforce 8800 GT? By the way... the XL201 is bog standard with 1Gb ram and no upgrades to date.
Great forum for info, keep up the good work everyone!
Thanks... Baler

[h4]

if anyone is able to source the msi 8500 i will recommend buying it, the cards work very well and do away with most of the problems caused by the original gpu e.ghdmi switching issues. there are are a few minor problems as others have mentioned but definitely worth it.

for those with needs for a PJ output, the dvi works well simultaneously with the hdmi using multiple displays, though in order to use clone/dual view in nvidia control panel successfully you need to adjust the 3d graphics settings ... will update details when i get to my xl ... nonetheless hats off to troll

[ChalkyWhite71]

Hi IT Troll,

Are you saying that i should expect the default XL201 kit to simultaneously output HDMI and Optical sound? I take it you mean non-Dolby Digitally? I have to switch off HDMI output to allow Dolby Dig through the optical on the stock XL201 kit, using the STAC97.CPL tool, and there are no keyboard shortcuts to do this! Grrrrr.

Thanks, Tony

[ITTroll]

Well I have mine set to HDMI/SPDIF in the control panel. If the source is regular stereo I get sound through both my TV via HDMI and my amp via optical. If the source is Dolby Digital or DTS I just get sound through my amp (TV is stereo only). I don't have to do any manual switching.

It worked like this on both the original 7600GTL and the new 8500GT.

[ChalkyWhite71]

You sound very lucky!

Perhaps it's a feature of the driver on Vista? I can only see the option to switch through the STAC97.CPL dialogue pages, and don't get sound on my HDMI (TV) when set to Digital, but my amp doens't see Digital if i switch it so that my TV works.

Perhaps i need to update my SigmaTel drivers? hmmm.

[ITTroll]

Possible unconfirmed source for the NX8500GT-MTD256EH/D2:
http://www.pentagondirect.com/p/msi-00069694-nx8500gtmtd256ehd2-nvidia-geforce-8500-gt-256-mb-hdtvou...

[fremaas]

Hey guys,

I'm coming back on this forum because I just receive last week my new LCD (Sony KDL-40z4500) and so I'm very exciting to try my XL201 "optimized" on it! So, I have installed a 8500GT like IT Troll (thanks for you topic!) and everything works fine...except the sound 😞 ! I don't have any sound on the HDMI cable! Did someone can explain me where is the problem?

Thanks a lot!
Gladiateur555

[ChalkyWhite71]

Hi, did you try running STAC97.CPL from Start, Run, then choose the second tab (is it Advanced?) and turn off Dolby Digital, so that you can then select HDMI output? The XL201 doesn't appear to like both sound outputs simultaneously. 😞

Cheers, Tony

[andysp5]

I've just upgraded(?) to Vista 32 on my XL-201 and installed the latest Sigmatel driver.
However, I could not get the sound and 5.1 etc to work correctly. I was getting sterio all the time. I read on a website somewhere that there is a bug with the latest driver and you should install on older Sigmatel driver instead untill they fix the new driver.
So you need to use the older driver 6.10.0.5290. It worked for me.

[fremaas]

Hello,

I tried the 2 solution that you give me but no one works!
So I try to install the Windows 7 Beta release and...It
works very well without any problem! Sounds works fine!
You can even play DivX movie into Media Center without any
plugin! Enjoy 🙂

Gladiateur555

[ChalkyWhite71]

Hi Gladiateur555,

Is it worth creating a new thread about Windows 7, rather than adding to the current thread titled "XL201 Video card upgrade"?

You can then tell us all about your experiences with the new beta O/S replacement for Vista.

Also, it would really help if you can include your equipment list into your ClubVaio profile signature, like mine just below this post.

Thanks a lot! Tony