Video Graphics Card for HTPC.. suggestions pls

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Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Video Graphics Card for HTPC.. suggestions pls

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#369187 18-Aug-2010 11:20

Last week I bought a new video card for my HTPC (which is a low profile BTX case) and I ended up with a EVGA GT240 - $167 inckl GST from PBTech.

I have been very impressed with this card - it is very very quiet, small enough to fit in a tight case, audio over HDMI works perfectly fine, but still good enough for a bit of gaming.

Oh, and it reduced the CPU usage for DVB-T from 80% plus to < 30% !

I haven't tried VGA at the same time but can give it a shot tonight and post back.

It's slightly over your budget but from the many posts I have read on geekzone NVidia cards are far better for HTPC builds than ATI.

I don't have Blu-ray or HD-DVD player in the PC so cannot test the 24p ability, but personally would like to know, another thing to upgrade!

GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369201 18-Aug-2010 11:43

thanks for that mate, i think im pretty set with the 5670 at the mo

i will pick it up lunch time and give it a go tonight

i dont have the bluray drive yet for it, still searching for a good one

FullHD Proj : Sanyo Z2000
TV : Pioneer Kuro 508 + 435
Spkrs : AudioPro BRAVO FX-10, Vienna Acoustics Schoenberg, Paradigm CC-570, Kef Q2DS
Sub : Dynaudio Sub500, Velodyne SPL-1000R
Receiver : Onkyo TX-NR906
Remote : Harmony ONE
Power : Adcom 7805
Valve : ToneWin MC-100B
DVD/CD/MP3 : Pioneer DV-989AVi, Onkyo DX-C390
Blu-ray+HD-DVD : Samsung BD-UP5000 + LG BH200 + Sony BDP-S370
Cables : QED Silver Spiral Reference , DNM Reson, Straightwire Octave II, AudioQuest HDMI-3 + YIQ-2
Console : WII

Rollux

362 posts

Ultimate Geek

#369241 18-Aug-2010 12:47

I have the 5670 and am rapt with it. Does bluray fine (CPU use about 18%) and handles the games my wife throws at it (and CS:S at 122fps average on max details)
Asus one has a tiny fan that is a bit noisy, but I didn't have the room for a dual slot version...

Lounge:
WIN7 HOME x64 HTPC - E6420 2.13Ghz - 4Gb 800MHZ PATRIOT RAM - ASUS HD5670 1GB
ASUS P5B-VM MOBO - LG BLU-RAY DRIVE - BG3595 TUNER - 1.5TB STORAGE
PANASONIC 42" FULL HD PLASMA - PIONEER VSX1019AHK RECEIVER - WHARFDALE DIAMOND 10 SPEAKERS

Man Cave:
XBOX 360 MODERN WARFARE 2 EDITION - PANASONIC 37" PLASMA - SONY MONSTA 5.1 SURROUND SYSTEM

GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369372 18-Aug-2010 15:30

excellent ! got it now, paid $129+gst.. hopefully i didn't pay too much for it

can't wait until i get home and try it :)

GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369470 18-Aug-2010 18:56

I AM ANGRY !#!@!#$!@
I AM FRUSTRATED !@!#@!$!$!
I AM UPSET !@!$@!$!$

put the new card in and the driver will not finish installing !!!!! un-fricken-believable !!!!!!

i also just remembered that this exact problem also happened last time when i tried to install with the previous card

when the ATI install manager trying to install all the necessary drivers for the card, it is stopped progressing when it is trying to install MICROSOFT VISUAL C++ 2008 Redistributable .....

with the previous card, the process of installing the driver also stopped at the same stage

it will not progressing any further that this

have tried googling it and tried any possible ways to no luck !!

os is windows vista home edition sp1

im thinking just to BURN the fricken thing and forget about the whole HTPC idea =(

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 33

#369486 18-Aug-2010 19:27

Use Drive Sweeper to clean out the previous drivers and registry entries.

Lego

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GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369506 18-Aug-2010 19:58

driver sweeper - downloaded n installed

when i tried to run it, it came up with an error 740 !!!!!!!!!

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

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#369519 18-Aug-2010 20:29

system restore or go back to prev card.

go to the bin64 folder of the ati package.
run "Atisetup -uninstall" and wait till everything's gone.

upgrade to sp2.

backup and try again and fingers crossed ... i have no idea why it wont go past the prog install? anyone?

Batman

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#369521 18-Aug-2010 20:31

also try removing all currently installed c++ redist - beware some progs may not run anymore? anyone?

Batman

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#369524 18-Aug-2010 20:32

(ths is one reason why apple macs are gainig ground - new pc technology is ridiculously fflawed in every way. you should hear how i spent 8 full weeks with my named laptop in my sig. i think i've finally solved every problem now .. until i plug in the nex thing that is ...

Batman

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#369532 18-Aug-2010 20:41

you got the drivers from ati yeah? the one with "x64_ccc_dd"? for vista?

New World

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GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369540 18-Aug-2010 20:52

yep, got that driver

Nety

2584 posts

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#369794 19-Aug-2010 13:36

Install the re-distributable separately?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9b2da534-3e03-4391-8a4d-074b9f2bc1bf

It might show you what the error installing is then.

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

GReX

88 posts

Master Geek

#369795 19-Aug-2010 13:38

yep, tried that too.. no luck..

Batman

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#369809 19-Aug-2010 14:17

googling showed someone curing this problem by installing latest updates. why dont you try that? and in the process get SP2?

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