Best native HDMI card for ~$100?

[djlenoir]

I have an Ubuntu box that I have hooked up to a HD television and it works with DVI to HDMI for video but I want to use the speakers on the TV for sound also. I am looking for recommendations on what the best bang for my buck on a card that has native HDMI support (video and sound) for about a $100. Appreciate your feedback.

 

[MavericK]

I'm not sure what kind of performance you want, but I got a Radeon 4350 with native HDMI audio and video for like $30 after rebate. This one, here. Price has dropped a bit since I got it.

Looks like for around $100 your best bet is a Radeon 4830 or GeForce 9600 GT. Both can be found with native HDMI on NewEgg.

 

[djlenoir]

Thanks for the suggestion. I could go with the lower end card as I don't really game on my Linux box. However, I would like to go for something that gives it a bit longer life performance wise. Is the 4830/4850 generally a better option than the 9600?

 

[Blazestorm]

Yea... the 4830 stomps the 9800GT and is pretty close to the 9800GTX

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102822

Sapphire isn't the best company, but I bought one... it was quiet and worked... overclocked easily... D=?

Also Nvidia cards don't do Audio over HDMI as well as ATI cards... which I believe just had a sound-card built into the video-card to save from the hassle. You should get 7.1 audio over the HDMI cable as long as you set the audio device to the Digital AMD/ATI Output...

 

[0ptional]

I'd still pick the nVidia card for use in Ubuntu, ATI offerings still have trouble there.

 

[djlenoir]

Good advice, thank you. I thought that the ATI drivers had caught up to nvidia recently under Linux, no? I have been hearing some good things since AMD starting sharing the technical working of their cards with the open source community.

 

[0ptional]

Yeah it's gotten better, but I'm not about to bet 100$ on it working the way I want it to, so meh, that's just me.

 

[Blazestorm]

That's true... Unfortunately neither option is perfect...

If you're on Windows I think the ATI would be the best... but I've yet to see Nvidia do audio over HDMI on a discrete card without a seperate SPDIF cable

But that's anotha option if your motherboard / audio card has a SPDIF header (2 pin) and you get the cable for the 9600Gt or similar card.

 

[djlenoir]

Would the ATI card work with audio/video without the SPDIF header? I have an IP35-E motherboard... guess I better check that it has the header if I go with the Nvidia option because I would hate to be stuck without audio even with an HDMI port.

 

[0ptional]

According the PDF of the Manual here: http://static.compusa.com/pdf/Abit_IP35_Manual.pdf

It does have the connector, it's labeled SPDIF01 and it's just to the left of your last PCI slot and above the front-panel audio connector.

 

[MavericK]

Yeah, some nVidia cards also seem to have an audio header even without native HDMI, and many of them come with a DVI to HDMI adapter, so that could be an option for you, as well.

 

[0ptional]

Yeah, some nVidia cards also seem to have an audio header even without native HDMI, and many of them come with a DVI to HDMI adapter, so that could be an option for you, as well.

This is true, I use a DVI>HDMI adapter on my GTX260 Core 216 55nm card and sound passes through perfectly to my 5.1 system using the SPDIF header.

 

[Blazestorm]

Yea ATI cards have a built-in sound codec so they act like a "2nd" sound card to the system...

But Nvidia just passes the audio through to the HDMI...

 

[malih]

or you could try 4670 that have HDMI output for lower price.

ASUS EAH4670/DI/512M/A
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121274

 

[Blazestorm]

4830 I linked earlier had onboard HDMI too...

I think it was hoping to keep it around for a while, "However, I would like to go for something that gives it a bit longer life performance wise. Is the 4830/4850 generally a better option than the 9600?"

 

[djlenoir]

or you could try 4670 that have HDMI output for lower price.

I think it was hoping to keep it around for a while

I appreciate the nod towards a less expensive option, but Blazestorm is correct in stating that I am more interested in getting the best card that I can for around a ben franklin. I am actually leaning towards the 4830 but I am watching the 4850s for an option that falls into my price range with discounts and/or rebate. I am equally a fan of both Nvidia and ATI, and I am aware that I may have issues with drivers under linux, but the performance improvements and native sound capability of the ATI cards is swaying me on this one at the moment. Still have not made a final decision though.

 

[djlenoir]

I think that I might have settled on this card. Anyone know if this is a good card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rgains&cm_mmc=AFC-Bensbargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

I figure for about $85 after rebate, that this is a good deal and a solid card with native HDMI support.

 

[malih]

I wonder if there's 4770 with native HDMI out there? is there none of them, since no one is talking about 4770...

 

[MavericK]

I wonder if there's 4770 with native HDMI out there? is there none of them, since no one is talking about 4770...

None of the ones on Newegg have it, so I'm guessing no(t yet?).

 

[ZMTToxics]

I think that I might have settled on this card. Anyone know if this is a good card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rgains&cm_mmc=AFC-Bensbargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

I figure for about $85 after rebate, that this is a good deal and a solid card with native HDMI support.

I got my 4850 when they came out and I still think they are fantastic cards. Even now more then ever with the ~100$ price tags.