Need Video Card Recommendation

T

Tae

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Messages
369
I converted my old gaming PC with a 1900XT to a media server, plus some light gaming on the TV. The fan needs replaced, it is loud as hell now. I just disconnected it and the HIS heatsink is doing a decent enough job that as long I don't game I probably will be OK. Idling around 55-60c instead of the 45c with the fan running.

I had been thinking about upgrading the card for accelerated HD video playback, I may full with XBMC or Mediaporter eventually. So this may be a good time, instead of investing in a new fan, just buy a new cheap card that can do the HD playback. What is bothering me though is that many of the ATI cards seem to have the same ole loud fan complaints...this was why I bought the HIS 1900 at the time. To avoid loud fans. Yet many are using the 3800 line in HTPC's.

I use this PC mostly for just serving up video to a couple PS3's (used to be Xbox running XBMC). The PS3's kinda suck at GUI presentation and they are really limited with Music and Picture streaming compared to XBMC. This is why I was thinking if I got a better video card and a remote, I might start using the PC directly.

Any opinions are appreciated.
 
I got a 3450 from newegg for 18 after rebate and it works great decoding hddvs :) cheap=good, although I also have an ati 4850 in the other rig :)
 
I am not married to ATI or Nvidia. While Nvidia typically has had quieter fans, ATI seems to have done better with TV support in the drivers from what I can tell.

I was thinking about going for a real cheap card and maybe replacing its fan with a Noctua, but if I go that route I was thinking maybe I should just replace the fan on the 1900, it is still a pretty decent card. And since this PC is a dual core, it can handle HD video.

I guess I was wondering if one of these lower end Nvidia or ATI offerings are targeted exactly for the HTPC, and what makes them good for that application?
 
No S-video on the 4550? Any way to get it? There are still about four people who want to use it on a tube TV :) On the other hand, if the 4350 is the same hardware, could aswell chose that one.
 
If your case has reasonable air flow, you might want to consider one of the silent solutions from asus, or get an aftermarket heatsink. I bought this for my htpc/light gamer:

Asus silent 9600gt

a while ago when that was the going rate for a 9600gt, but they have other ati based cards that are silent, and somewhat competitively priced
 
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