Quiet Graphics Card

[Hamzter]

I'm after a PCIE graphics card to replace the lame integrated one in my HTPC (Geforce 6150LE), it's struggling to play 1080p videos, what would you fine gentlemen recommend as a suitable replacement? It's just for playing videos so doesn't need to be anything extravagant, it needs to be quiet and preferably be an nVidia card (so I can't switch back to the integrated graphics, it has a lot of useful connections that aren't available on new cards like composite). Oh, and it needs to fit in this gap:

That PCI riser will be replaced with a PCIE x16 one. Any suggestions?

 

[alex24]

Well the Radeon 4350/4550 immediately come to mind as decent HTPC cards, especially wiht HDMI, not sure why you'd need composite nowadays.

If it has to be nvidia, an 8400GS would fit the bill nicely and is about the same price as a 4350 or 4550. It won't do audio over HDMI iirc, so if that's a problem, don't pick a nvidia card.

If you need more grunt you need to make it clearer exactly what the card is used for.

I should mention, all the above cards are available as passively cooled models, though you must make sure there's enough airflow in the case to allow them to not overheat.

 

[bigjimmyauk]

can u be more specific on the size of the gap?

 

[Hamzter]

The gap is 160mm long and 40mm deep, the card could probably extend further over the cd drive but there's no room for a heat sink there. Would a 8400GS has enough power to decode blu rays with an Athlon X2 6000+?

 

[bigjimmyauk]

i'm thinking along the lines of a ati 2600xt got my old one in front of me 168mm long 110mm wide and 24mm thick plays blu rays fine too

 

[bigjimmyauk]

google sapphire 2600xt and click top result

 

[bigjimmyauk]

picture of it in my old Micro atx has 2 dvi's and S-VIDEO out

 

[Hamzter]

2600XT looks good, I think I might have found something else that might suit me tho, a geforce GT220. Has HDMI with audio support, very low power and next to silent, and would allow me to switch back to the integrated gfx without a fuss (sometime take it round my mates who still has a cranky crt). Thanks for your help, wouldn't have known where to begin!

 

[Hamzter]

Just fitted an XFX Geforce GT220, using a flexible riser, works a treat No more stuttering with 1080p, HDMI's working fully and it's even working happily with the onboard graphics, so it now has an insane number of connections:

HDMI x 2
VGA x 2
DVI
Component
Composite
S-Video
Scart

Cheers guys