ISO: Passively cooled cheap video card for HTPC

[mazeroth]

I'm building a system based off a Sempron 3100 that only has an AGP slot. I need a quiet video card that has great VGA and DVI output and is really inexpensive. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[josh6079]

I loved the 6600GT when I had it. I don't remember how quiet it was though, but it must have been okay for me not to remember.

 

[ElFenix]

fans are passive cooling, it is air conditioning that is active.

that said, you probably want something fanless.

edit: oops agp

radeon 9250

 

[mazeroth]

Ummm...I think you have it wrong. Passively cooled are only cooled by the heatsinks. Actively cooled are cooled by the fan + heatsink. Hence, active = the activity of the fan.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: mazeroth
Ummm...I think you have it wrong. Passively cooled are only cooled by the heatsinks. Actively cooled are cooled by the fan + heatsink. Hence, active = the activity of the fan.

no, physics textbooks say i'm right. internet fanboys have it wrong, have for years.

think about it. if you have a fan blowing at a heat sink (which is two words, btw) it really isn't using any different heat transfer mechanism than if you didn't have a fan blowing at the heat sink. it is still heat just moving naturally from the hot heat sink to the cooler air via conduction. in reality, the fan isn't cooling a damn thing, it's just stirring air around.

but how does an air conditioner work? it uses the fact that when gases are pressurized they heat up, and when they expand they cool down (like when using air duster, the can gets cold), and can, notably, move the heat against the temperature gradient. the system is actually doing something to cool.

 

[hans007]

you could just buy a geforce 6600 agp non gt. or a 6200, or 5200 or whatever depending on your 3d needs.

 

[DeathReborn]

Well while it's not the cheapest card it's got a built in TV Tuner which maybe of use to you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122163

Other than that i'd recommend a 6200 or 6600 as they have PureVideo support (6600 more support) which may also be useful to you.