Help finding AGP video card for HTPC

[rhendrixan]

I've been out of the market for a while so I'm not sure what's what anymore.

I need to upgrade my ACP video card for an HTPC. It'll be pushing a 40" LCD.

I'd really like a quite card and one that can perform well with HDTV.

I prefer ATI and I'd like to spend under $100.

I'm finding 1650, 2600, 1300. What manufactuers have a good rep, and is there a website that review video cards for this wsort of thing.

I know I should upgrade to PCI-E, but a ne mb is not in the budget.

Thanks

 

[BurnItDwn]

well, if it's just going to get normal HTPC use (decoding H264, recording, playback), then the cheapest HD2xxx series ATI card should do fine. I am not sure about the 1xxx series cards if they do any hardware assisted h.264 decoding or not, but that would be one of most important features of an HTPC video card IMO. (Unless you don't care about watching HD material ... hehehe)

 

[ther00kie16]

Originally posted by: rhendrixan
I've been out of the market for a while so I'm not sure what's what anymore.

I need to upgrade my ACP video card for an HTPC. It'll be pushing a 40" LCD.

I'd really like a quite card and one that can perform well with HDTV.

I prefer ATI and I'd like to spend under $100.

I'm finding 1650, 2600, 1300. What manufactuers have a good rep, and is there a website that review video cards for this wsort of thing.

I know I should upgrade to PCI-E, but a ne mb is not in the budget.

Thanks

Here's a list of good HTPC cards for you. You could also go with the 3650 for $90 but I've read that it's not a quiet/cool card. I don't know why they don't make 34x0 cards for AGP but the 2000 series is just as good at HD material as the 3000 series. In fact, the HTPC-worthy 780g integrated graphics is based on a 2400 so that gives you an idea of how capable it is.

 

[Binky]

Here's a 2600pro for $80AR. It's very quiet and it exhausts out the back. Gecube also makes a similar cooler but i dont see an agp model.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161209

The 3650 is newer, but i dont see any quiet coolers for cheap.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814131097