Onboard gfx or cheap graphics card for BluRay playback?

[d_brennen]

Friend of mine wants a modest media PC for Blu Ray playback and streaming from another PC (I know, PS3 would be a better idea).

He has an Athlon II X4 CPU already but needs a board (and maybe a graphics card?)

Are there any MATX AM2+ boards that have a GPU capable of smooth HDCP playback and a HDMI port? Was looking at a low profile HD4350 512MB card if the motherboard option is a non starter... Also looking for a black desktop/media case, nothing fancy.

Stuff we have are:

2GB DDR2
1TB HDD
Blu Ray ROM
Wireless media keyboard with rollerball
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Grimley]

Yep, this.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-247-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1482

or any board with a 780G/785G chipset.

 

[Phatzy]

there is antec micro fusion HTPC case at £87.99, there is cheaper options but you have to look else where.

 

[Cycrow]

Yep, this.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-247-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1482

or any board with a 780G/785G chipset.

thats not a matx board thou

 

[tommybhoy]

I made myself a media PC for the bedroom using a Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H (about£65) which unlocked the 2nd core of an AMD Sempron 140(£24) housed in a Coolermaster Elite 360 Mini Tower Case £25 (hard to beat for the money, I was very impressed with it). http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-189-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

I had a samsung 500, 2 gigs of 6400 and corsair 400w modular gathering dust.

It plays 1080 without breaking a sweat with the onboard gfx as well.

 

[smilertoo]

You'll need a bluray drive as well. If you just want to play mkv files then try a WD media player...£70 and totally silent, cool bit of kit.

 

[d_brennen]

I made myself a media PC for the bedroom using a Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H (about£65) which unlocked the 2nd core of an AMD Sempron 140(£24) housed in a Coolermaster Elite 360 Mini Tower Case £25 (hard to beat for the money, I was very impressed with it). http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-189-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

I had a samsung 500, 2 gigs of 6400 and corsair 400w modular gathering dust.

It plays 1080 without breaking a sweat with the onboard gfx as well.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for

 

[Baboonanza]

Thanks, that's what I was looking for

You could also look at the Silverstone Grandia GD04B/GD05B. Nothing too fancy and not too expensive but good build quality and look nice IMO.