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Forums › Home Theatre (incl HTPC) › Recommended graphics card for BluRay on HTPC (MediaPortal)


191 posts

Master Geek
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Topic # 29857 21-Jan-2009 16:20
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Hi:

I tried doing a search on these forums but haven't been very successful, hence this post.  If it has been discussed before could someone kindly point me in the right direction please.

I have a HTPC at home.  The machine/PC is a Shuttle SN27P2 with a PCI-e graphics card slot.  As it is a Shuttle, it only has one other slot - a PCI slot, directly next to it which I would require for my capture card (a Hauppauge HVR-3000).  I currently have a Gigabyte 7300GS graphics card and while it seemed to work fine for general video playback (AVIs & MKVs at highdef), including (quite surprisingly) Freeview|HD (even on TV3 @ 1080i), I suspect it will not be up to handling BluRay playback as it lacks hardware H264 decoding. Hence, my question - what would be a good/recommended (minimum) graphics card for BluRay playback for my HTPC?.  As mentioned I'm  going to use it on a Shuttle so space is a bit of a premium.  Also as this is my dedicated HTPC sitting in the lounge, I want to be be absolutely quiet, hence I would prefer passive heatsink (rather than a fan) on the graphics card.  I saw there was an XFX 8500GT with passive heatsink that might fit, but it looks like no one in NZ sells it anymore as it might be out of line already.  I'm running MediaPortal 1.0 Final as the HTPC software.  Running winXP SP3.

Anyone has any ideas/suggestions?

Oh, by the way I'm only ever going to use the PC as a HTPC and no games...

Thanks.

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483 posts

Ultimate Geek

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  Reply # 191100 21-Jan-2009 16:45
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wlgspotter: Hi:

I tried doing a search on these forums but haven't been very successful, hence this post.  If it has been discussed before could someone kindly point me in the right direction please.

I have a HTPC at home.  The machine/PC is a Shuttle SN27P2 with a PCI-e graphics card slot.  As it is a Shuttle, it only has one other slot - a PCI slot, directly next to it which I would require for my capture card (a Hauppauge HVR-3000).  I currently have a Gigabyte 7300GS graphics card and while it seemed to work fine for general video playback (AVIs & MKVs at highdef), including (quite surprisingly) Freeview|HD (even on TV3 @ 1080i), I suspect it will not be up to handling BluRay playback as it lacks hardware H264 decoding. Hence, my question - what would be a good/recommended (minimum) graphics card for BluRay playback for my HTPC?.  As mentioned I'm  going to use it on a Shuttle so space is a bit of a premium.  Also as this is my dedicated HTPC sitting in the lounge, I want to be be absolutely quiet, hence I would prefer passive heatsink (rather than a fan) on the graphics card.  I saw there was an XFX 8500GT with passive heatsink that might fit, but it looks like no one in NZ sells it anymore as it might be out of line already.  I'm running MediaPortal 1.0 Final as the HTPC software.  Running winXP SP3.

Anyone has any ideas/suggestions?

Oh, by the way I'm only ever going to use the PC as a HTPC and no games...

Thanks.

Yea - the 8500 GT's are gone... They have been replaced by the 9400GT.

I'm currently using a Palit 9400GT (Cost $115), which is a single slot passive card.  Seems to work just fine...  Any of the NVidia 9xxx cards will do Bluray in their sleep.

1010 posts

Uber Geek
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  Reply # 191104 21-Jan-2009 17:00
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How about one of these:

http://www.pcworks.co.nz/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210&products_id=1907

I like the inbuilt HDMI - apparently the Radeon cards of this design (i.e. not using a DVI-to-HDMI dongle) can carry audio through the HDMI port

 
 
 
 




191 posts

Master Geek
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  Reply # 191105 21-Jan-2009 17:04
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nofam: How about one of these:

http://www.pcworks.co.nz/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210&products_id=1907

I like the inbuilt HDMI - apparently the Radeon cards of this design (i.e. not using a DVI-to-HDMI dongle) can carry audio through the HDMI port



Thanks - had a look but it appears the card has a fan (as opposite to a passive/heatsink).  I would prefer a heatsink as with past experience the fan tends to be very noisy.

But thanks for the suggestion anyway.  Really appreciate it.

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Uber Geek
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  Reply # 191178 21-Jan-2009 23:21
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nofam: How about one of these:

http://www.pcworks.co.nz/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210&products_id=1907

I like the inbuilt HDMI - apparently the Radeon cards of this design (i.e. not using a DVI-to-HDMI dongle) can carry audio through the HDMI port



nofam some but not all cards that do use a DVI to HDMI can still send audio via the HDMI port. Mine is one of them but is the XFX 8500GT which sounds like you can not get anymore.

Looks like there are still 8400GS's around for now which will do blu ray. Strangely I cannot find any 9400GT's which are passive. Not sure why







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

69 posts

Master Geek
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  Reply # 191196 22-Jan-2009 07:57
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http://www.playtech.co.nz/product.php?action=showdetail&id=6443

Should do the trick.



191 posts

Master Geek
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  Reply # 191202 22-Jan-2009 08:17
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Little: http://www.playtech.co.nz/product.php?action=showdetail&id=6443

Should do the trick.



Thanks - I checked it out, but it looks like the card requires 2 "slots" - one for the PCI-e bus connection, and the slot next to it free as well.  If that's the case it wouldn't work for me as I'm gonig to use it on my Shuttle and can only spare 1 slot, as I need the slot next to it for my video capture card.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

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Uber Geek
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  Reply # 191224 22-Jan-2009 10:10
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Unless you can find a passive card with the heat sink on the back (they do exist, the heat pipes wrap around to the back) it will cover the slot next to it/ Even the ones that have it on the back will take up that extra room on the other side, possible covering or obstructing stuff there too.

Ive got a passive 9600GT and that has a large heatsink which obstructs the slot next to it. Someone correct me if IM wrong but Im sure any passive card capable of performing well with todays software will have a decent sized heat sink on it

The price you pay for silence...




HTPC: Silverstone Crown CW02 case | Asus P5Q-L main board | Intel Dual core E8400 3.0GHz CPU | Thermalright Ultra120-Extreme Passive CPU Cooler | Blackgold BTG3540 TV Tuner & Hauppauge PVR-150 MCE Edition | Asus EN9600GT-Silent Passive GPU | 4GB Supertalent DDR2 800 RAM | 5+TB HDD space | LiteOn DH-401S BD/DVD/CD reader | Corsair HX-520w PSU | 1 single Noctua Silent Case fan | Logitech diNovo Bluetooth Media Desktop | Logitech Harmony 785 Universal Remote | Logitech Wireless Rumblepad 2 | Windows 7 Media Center, MediaBrowser & Arcsoft Total Media Theatre

483 posts

Ultimate Geek

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  Reply # 191247 22-Jan-2009 11:26
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Once again...

http://www.xpcomputers.co.nz/views.asp?hw_id=4448

Palit NVidia 9400 GT - Single Slot Passive Cooling

This is a perfect replacement for the also Single Slot XFX 8500 GT.

Hopefully I didn't forget to mention its passive, oh and by the way it only takes up one slot...

This card is really quiet as well.  And you still get to use all your slots...



191 posts

Master Geek
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  Reply # 191253 22-Jan-2009 11:41
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RustyGonad: Once again...

http://www.xpcomputers.co.nz/views.asp?hw_id=4448

Palit NVidia 9400 GT - Single Slot Passive Cooling

This is a perfect replacement for the also Single Slot XFX 8500 GT.

Hopefully I didn't forget to mention its passive, oh and by the way it only takes up one slot...

This card is really quiet as well.  And you still get to use all your slots...


Thanks - I did see that card - looks like just what I need!  Thanks very much for all your suggestions - it's been really helpful!

Cheers!

Chuck

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Uber Geek
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  Reply # 191276 22-Jan-2009 12:55
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RustyGonad: Once again...

http://www.xpcomputers.co.nz/views.asp?hw_id=4448

Palit NVidia 9400 GT - Single Slot Passive Cooling

This is a perfect replacement for the also Single Slot XFX 8500 GT.

Hopefully I didn't forget to mention its passive, oh and by the way it only takes up one slot...

This card is really quiet as well.  And you still get to use all your slots...


And, you can pass audio out over the dvi port if you are using a dvi - hdmi cable / adapter, and you connect J8 to the spdif header of your motherboard (assuming you have one).

4 posts

Wannabe Geek


  Reply # 191726 24-Jan-2009 07:14
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Hi all,

Am figuring out my options now and was looking at this card before coming into this forum. If you have a moment, could you please leave me your thoughts - will it do Freeview HD, BluRay, etc ?

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=373208

Of note, I may have to install Diablo 3 when it comes out, so I am looking for both a quiet (silent) and grunty video card. Oh, and I don't want to pay the earth <grin>

Cheers,

Jono

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