Video Card research is giving me a headache
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Video Card research is giving me a headache
I've tried to figure out which card is best for me just by reading, but my brain is going to explode - so now I'm asking for help. I can't really find any information similar to what I'm trying to accomplish. I used to know this stuff, but not in a few years. I got a new Sony V-Series TV and moving from 720 to 1080p has made my HTPC stutter, and I only want a single HDMI cable (which is in the wall) to carry the video and audio. Obviously I have a pretty low end CPU, but all I need to do is run Media Center.
- CPU is an AMD 3800+
- 2 GB RAM
- HTPC is the usage - it sits in a living room, so it has to be super-quiet (ASUS 7300GT passive card in use right now)
- No gaming at all, nada
- Windows Media Center is running all the time
- 720p/1080p MKV movies and TV, 1080i OTA HDTV (Hauppage 150MCE)
- must be either passively cooled, or super quiet (the only fans right now are my PSU and CPU, and you can hardly hear them)
- must have audio over HDMI (LPCM will do, since I'm only using the speakers on the TV)
- since we're in the age of being green, low power consumption would be nice
Any recommendations?
- CPU is an AMD 3800+
- 2 GB RAM
- HTPC is the usage - it sits in a living room, so it has to be super-quiet (ASUS 7300GT passive card in use right now)
- No gaming at all, nada
- Windows Media Center is running all the time
- 720p/1080p MKV movies and TV, 1080i OTA HDTV (Hauppage 150MCE)
- must be either passively cooled, or super quiet (the only fans right now are my PSU and CPU, and you can hardly hear them)
- must have audio over HDMI (LPCM will do, since I'm only using the speakers on the TV)
- since we're in the age of being green, low power consumption would be nice
Any recommendations?
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:44 am
- Location: abyss
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:44 am
- Location: abyss
The best graphic card for a HTPC is an ATI 5000 series card. They support bitstreaming of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio over HDMI from a Blu-Ray disc. The cheapest model available right now is the 5650 which is available with a passive cooler. Cheaper models should appear soon.
If you do not need bitstreaming the 4350 will do fine.
If you do not need bitstreaming the 4350 will do fine.
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I don't think I need bitstreaming, unless I'm mistaken. Is there any limitation that would prevent my HTPC from decoding the audio and sending it via LPCM to the TV?
I only see mobility graphics for the 5650, did you mean 5750? I was under the impression they used much more power than the 4350, but I have no idea.
I only see mobility graphics for the 5650, did you mean 5750? I was under the impression they used much more power than the 4350, but I have no idea.
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Re: Video Card research is giving me a headache
The last silent purchase I found technically easy was the Voodoo2 SLI setup. OK it was a crazy expense of $500 back in the day but no fans and it just worked. The only hard part about it was cracking the wallet.trevorjwilson wrote:I've tried to figure out which card is best for me just by reading, but my brain is going to explode -
Everything since then has not been so easy.