Temporary video card now, HTPC video card later

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

The current computer I am on will soon become a primary file server/printer server/ secondary workstation.

I am using its card in my new computer till I upgrade, then move it back.

I need a video card that will simply work.

Here's the catch...

I might use the temporary video card I buy now in a HTPC down the line. Whats a decent video card to use on a plasma 50" 720p TV?:shrug:

[zanzabar]

ur only choices are the ati 2400/2600 since they use native hdmi and they are cheap

i would go with teh his 2600xt ddr4 256 mb $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161097

or the msi 2600xt ddr4 512 mb $155
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127303

the his is probly more solid than the msi but the msi has the giant heatsink that throws hot air out the back instead of inside the case

also there could be an agrument for teh nvidia cards in the 8x00 lower brackets but they dont have hdmi so they wont run as well on ur hd tv, and they wont playback high deff or protected content since they dont have a digitally signed output like the ati hd 2k have, hdmi also works better than dvi for most tvs

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Wow, I was hoping for something in the price range of 50 to 75 bucks. Hmm...

I was thinking about something along the lines of this...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131062

Its 70 bucks which isn't too bad. How come this won't do the job?

[zanzabar]

that card dosnt have the hdmi connector so u would have to buy it latter

and i would also go for a card with active cooling, but the msi 2600 pro is $80, and its the cheepest that comes with the hdmi connector (atleast on the egg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127300

i would recamend not going with the 2400 since it has a 64 bit memory bus that might hinder high def content playback


edit i found a 2400xt from sapphire with the hdmi $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102699

but if u get a pasivly cooled card make sure that u get a fan to mount near it or a pci slot fan

[Smoken Joe]

I was shocked by the video and desktop quality of the 2600pro. I got the Powercolor at aprox 50 dollers. It will do 1080P in movies without a stong processor :shocked:


It has DMI instead of HDMI but that is fine by me I have no urge to mess with DRM before I need to. I would not want it for any serious gaming with it but it does what it is made for very well. I did not try it with a silent system so I cant not report on that.

[zanzabar]

teh drm only kicks in on drm protected disks and it wont play if u dont have it, it dosnt realy do anything other than make people buy hdtvs, new monitors and new grafixcards, even so that the companies that make cables can force u buy new ones of those

i also dont like power color, i like sapphire and his the best the for ati stuff

how is the cooling on that power color card i saw it on the egg and it looked like and aluminum plate on it