Need help with card to drive HDTV

[DisgruntledVirus]

I am working on rebuilding my HTPC, and have a spare Nvidia 7950 GT but am worried about it not being able to drive my Kuro 5080 (720P).

Right now I have about 3 different options I am toying with.

First is buy a system off FS/FT or full system with a 8xxx+ nvidia or 3xxx+ ATI card. This is the most expensive and least attractive option. (I would also sell the 7950 GT to offset the cost though)

Second is buy a Shuttle off FS/FT (Shuttle SD11G5), put in my 7950 GT for now.

Third is buy a Gigabyte GA-MA78G-DS3H board and use the built in graphics of the 780G chipset.

Low power is a primary concern (I want to leave always on), but secondary to doing full 1080p/blu-ray/H.264 decoding and driving the display without issues.

Edit Also needs to be low noise (while speakers do cover up a lot of that stuff I would still like it to be low/no noise)

 

[myocardia]

Why exactly would you have to buy a new system, just to replace your video card? I assume you know that they sell video cards by themselves? These days, you can buy an 8800GT (new) for just slightly over $100, and an HD3850 for less than that. Both will fully accelerate 1080P. You could also use your 7950GT, which only does 480P acceleration, but you will require at least an E6700 processor (2.66 Ghz, with 4MB of L2 cache), to play a Blu-Ray disc @ 1080P.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

My current system is very outdated.

Athalon 3000+
1 gb DDR
ATI AIW 9600 XT
old drives (optical and HD that are all IDE)
Gigabyte mobo that is also outdated

I am going to sell this rig for $100, which is money going into the new system. I am going to build the new totally new (except for the case and some HD's carry over for now). I won 2 8800GT's recently which went in my gaming rig (sold my 8800GTX I had to a friend for his 7950GT+cash due to single slot).

So I am trying to figure out budget wise what to spend (I have since decided against the shuttle and getting a mATX board). I am thinking ~$150 of my own+the $100 I am getting for the current system. So all said and done $250 for mobo, proc, mem, psu. Proc is going to be an Athalon X2 either the new 4850e or X2-2400 BE. I ordered 2 gb DDR 2 800, and am going to get the Earthpower 500 watt psu from the HD forum ($42). The mobo will be the Gigabyte GA-MA780GM-S2H for $90.

So currently its looking like:
mobo $90
Proc $30 (for the X2-2400 BE) $80 (for the 4850e)
Mem $30
PSU $42

So right now I am close to $200 if I get the cheaper proc, and $250 if I get the 4850e. My only question is with video cards. I have three options, either use the HD3200 from the 780G, use the 7950GT, or buy a new card and sell the 7950GT. I am thinking I will just sell the 7950GT, use that money for a new vid card. I am just unsure what will be needed to drive Blu-ray/H.264 at 1080p (currently I just need 720p, but will get 1080p eventually and would like the option available).

So since the 780G has hybrid graphics I am thinking just go with a 34xx or 36xx card. The 34xx will add <$50 and the 36xx $50-100 (before rebates).

 

[spdfreak]

The 7950 will be fine for 720 or 1080p. I use an old 6800 in my HTPC and it has no problems at all. Some guys are still using 9700pro cards! The 780G will also do 720 or 1080 with no problems. Codecs and players are as critical as the video card. MPC seems to do the best job right now.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The 780G will do 1080P no problem, assuming that you are using a player that can take advantage of hardware acceleration. Will you game at all? Because the 3200 isn't much for gaming, at least not for newer titles. I've heard tell that it's ok with stuff around the era of HL2 and earlier. If you game, then get a newer card, and in fact you might want to go for an intel rig, maybe a Gigabyte G33 matx board and an E5200, 4Ghz will be within your reach. But if you don't game, and if power is a primary concern, then the 780G is a perfect match for you. I'm thinking of getting a 780G setup as well soon, to replace my matx NV 6150 AMD S939 rig.