Which video card to get for a HTPC?

[Shriram]

Hi

I am a newbie. Shopping on Dell with Intel's Home PC. The choices I am
not sure of are

1. Video Card. Choices are
a. 64MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 MX™ Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI

b. New 128MB DDR GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $15]

c. 64MB DDR ATI All-in-Wonder® 9000 Pro(w/TV/DVD/Video Functionality)
[add $76]

d. New 128MB DDR ATI RADEON™ 9800 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $124]

My use for this PC will be first for audio playback, (would be greaat
if I could do SACD but none does so far) and then for DVD/HDTV, right
now I have a std TV so need to upgrade that also. I am not choosing a
monitor as think can use my TV when I buy it as a monitor.


Thanks

Shriram

 

[Skid]

Hi

I am a newbie. Shopping on Dell with Intel's Home PC. The choices I am
not sure of are

1. Video Card. Choices are
a. 64MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 MXT Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI

b. New 128MB DDR GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $15]

c. 64MB DDR ATI All-in-Wonder® 9000 Pro(w/TV/DVD/Video Functionality)
[add $76]

d. New 128MB DDR ATI RADEONT 9800 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $124]

My use for this PC will be first for audio playback, (would be greaat
if I could do SACD but none does so far) and then for DVD/HDTV, right
now I have a std TV so need to upgrade that also. I am not choosing a
monitor as think can use my TV when I buy it as a monitor.

Go with C or D. D is worth it if you play games, if not, C is a fine choice
and adds some video-in functions. Either will work well as a home threater
PC. You might want to get a monitor regardless of your intended use. No TV,
HD or otherwise, is really suitable for use as a PC monitor, text will be
hard to read and the resolution isn't very good. The ATI cards support dual
monitors, so you could have an inexpensive 15" monitor for normal use, CD
burning, etc, and a big screen TV for DVD playback.

 

[J.Clarke]

Hi

I am a newbie. Shopping on Dell with Intel's Home PC. The choices I
am not sure of are

1. Video Card. Choices are
a. 64MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 MXT Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI

b. New 128MB DDR GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $15]

c. 64MB DDR ATI All-in-Wonder® 9000 Pro(w/TV/DVD/Video
Functionality)[add $76]

d. New 128MB DDR ATI RADEONT 9800 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI
[add $124]

My use for this PC will be first for audio playback, (would be
greaat if I could do SACD but none does so far) and then for
DVD/HDTV, right now I have a std TV so need to upgrade that also. I
am not choosing a monitor as think can use my TV when I buy it as a
monitor.

Go with C or D. D is worth it if you play games, if not, C is a fine
choice and adds some video-in functions. Either will work well as a
home threater PC. You might want to get a monitor regardless of your
intended use. No TV, HD or otherwise, is really suitable for use as a
PC monitor, text will be hard to read and the resolution isn't very
good. The ATI cards support dual monitors, so you could have an
inexpensive 15" monitor for normal use, CD burning, etc, and a big
screen TV for DVD playback.

Or get a good projection monitor. That gives you a sharp screen as big
as your largest bare wall. The downside is that you can get a 17" LCD
for less than the price of the bulb when it burns out--it lasts about a
year though.

 

[Paul Murphy]

If you go to the AV Science forum web site here
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ and check out the "Home Theatre Computers"
section, you'll find extensive info on this topic. A true HTPC (thats Home
Theatre Personal Computer for anyone wondering) will have the ability to
receive and display TV natively in my opinion - that means preferably an All
In Wonder based card for the simplest solution. Otherwise you need to buy
and install a separate TV Tuner card (as none of the other cards listed have
a tuner built in). In terms of a display device, unless you want to spend a
fortune on a super large flat monitor, a quiet projector (hard to find)
aimed at a white wall would be a good alternative, forget about using a TV
screen. At the moment the AIWs don't do HDTV natively (only display onto
HDTVs using a special adapter) but give them time...

Paul