Advise on video card for media center pc

[jag3498]

My Fios tv plan is up for renewal and am planning on cancelling it and setting up a media center pc. I have an older pentuim 4 pc with 2 GBs of ram and would like to use that. I have a tv tuner picked out and now just need to decide on a graphics card. It needs to be under $30, have HDMI out and be quiet. The output will be going to a 42" HD Tv.
Any thoughts on good video cards? Also, on a similar note, any ideas for free internet video services?

Thanks,
Jack

 

[stormy13]

Short of used your chances of finding a card with HDMI out for that low are next to zero. Would help to know what kind of slot is on the motherboard, as if it is AGP then the chances drop to less than zero.

 

[jag3498]

Here is the online specs for the pc: HP Compaq dx2200 Microtower PC*-* HP Compaq dx2200 Microtower PC - Overview - c00649834 - HP Business Support Center. It has a Intel Pentium 4 630 Processor (3.0-GHz, 2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB), 1-GB ram, 160 HDD.
What about something like this:Amazon.com: EVGA GeForce 8400 GS 1 GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 DVI/HDMI/VGA Graphics Card, 01G-P3-1302-LR: Computers & Accessories

 

[bobkn]

You have a PCI-E X16 slot, so there are many graphics cards that would work. (In principle.)

Here are a few:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&Subcategory=48&Description=&Type=&N=100007709&IsNodeId=1&IsPowerSearch=1&srchInDesc=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&OEMMark=0&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9641&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A53938&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A33099&PropertyCodeValue=686%3A49755&PropertyCodeValue=686%3A25271&PropertyCodeValue=686%3A42010&PropertyCodeValue=3209%3A100123&PropertyCodeValue=3209%3A56831&PropertyCodeValue=3209%3A23120&PropertyCodeValue=2953%3A18921&PropertyCodeValue=3200%3A22195

I just included fanless cards in the search. (Guaranteed to be noiseless.)

The low-end ones run around $30US. I don't know which ones would be best for an HTPC, but I'd guess the Radeon 5450 cards. Avoid any with a 32 bit memory interface, although I'm not sure the performance would suffer in your application. If you want nVidia, the 210 may be better than an 8400s.

I hope that they all support HDMI audio, without a sound card connection.

 

[jag3498]

Do you think that a video card like that combined with the pc I plan to add it to will be able to supply smooth 1080p to an HD tv? Also, Do I need a 1gb card or is 512 fine?

 

[bobkn]

Do you think that a video card like that combined with the pc I plan to add it to will be able to supply smooth 1080p to an HD tv? Also, Do I need a 1gb card or is 512 fine?

1) I don't really know, but I'd expect so. 1920X1080 isn't demanding.

2) 512 MB is more than you need i an HTPC, I believe. Lots of video RAM is required when doing high resolution 3D imaging for gaming. 1GB is probably mostly a marketing gimmick, as a low-end card may not have enough processing power to exploit a lot of RAM.

 

[M1GU31]

$29 this video card cost,use to use this card before geting a 6870. The 5450 has a VGA,HDMI and DVI port so you should have no problems hooking it to the tv and is a low profile card so it's extremely quiet and doesn't take a lot of power either and dirt cheap for a dx11 card at $29and supports up to a resloution of 2560x1600.Click the blue link to see the card at amazon.
Amazon.com: PowerColor ATI Radeon HD5450 1 GB DDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI PCI-Express Video Card 1 GBK3-SH - Retail: Electronics

 

[jag3498]

One thing I just noticed is that most of the cards need a 350w power supply, and the one in the computer is 250w. The specs online say it is an ATX power supply, so should a normal atx one fit?

 

[bobkn]

One thing I just noticed is that most of the cards need a 350w power supply, and the one in the computer is 250w. The specs online say it is an ATX power supply, so should a normal atx one fit?

I'm not sure, but I believe it's an industry-standard ATX PSU.

A decent one would cost more than the card, though.