Seeking - PCI, Low Profile, TV-out capable video card for HTPC

[MercenaryForHire]

Title says it all. This isn't a "WTB" thread, so please don't move it there.

I've been searching high and low for a suitable card. It must be:

PCI in order to plug in
Low-Profile in order to allow the case to close ... I'm willing to mod a bracket but not a PCB!
TV-out to output to TV ... it is for an HTPC after all. SVideo preferred.
DVI Optional, but would be nice.
Radeon 7000/geForce2 MX performance or higher - ATI, nVidia, brand matters not - R7000/gF2MX is only used as a "benchmark average point". This of course immediately disqualifies all the "Savage IX" cards that show up under a search for "Low Profile" on eBay.

TIA.

- M4H

 

[Mloot]

Are you looking for someone that is willing to part with one, or links to where you can purchase one yourself?


:beer:

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Mloot
Are you looking for someone that is willing to part with one, or links to where you can purchase one yourself?


:beer:

Either or. I'd prefer a link where I could purchase one ... or rather, a half-dozen or so. I mean, shouldn't every TV have an HTPC?

- M4H

 

[Mloot]

ATI-only, or will an Nvidia card do?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Mloot
ATI-only, or will an Nvidia card do?

Suppose I should have specified that in initial message. Editing now.

But yes, the "R7000" was only for use as a benchmarking point. On the nVidia side of things, anything gF2 MX or higher is fine.

<hopeful> Sounds like you've got a source for me ...

- M4H

 

[Mloot]

Well, I thought I could find an ATI low-profile card that would work with a low-profile bracket, but no luck. I could have sworn that there was a low-profile 9200SE PCI, but I could only find the AGP version of it. All the 9200SE PCI's I've seen are full-sized.

It might be possible to mod the bracket on a PC 7500 or 9000 PCI, but I'm not sure how you would do that will all 3 connectors on the full-sized bracket.

The best I could come up with is the Palit Microsystems MX 440 SE PCI at Newegg, for $55. It's a LP card with VGA/S-video/composite out, but all the connections look like they take up only the lower half of the bracket, so the top half could probably be "dremeled" off fairly easily.

 

[Peter]

There are low profile PCI Radeon cards from PowerColor, 7500LE and 9000.

 

[Blastman]

http://www.power-color.com/rv25p-b3.htm

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Thanks Mloot, Peter, and Blastman ... the R9000 low-pro is definitely overkill in this case though. All I need is media playback to TV, and maybe some old-school emulation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 7500LE has hardware-assisted DVD/MPEG2 playback, correct?

- M4H

 

[Mloot]

I think all the Radeons from the 7000 on up have had hardware assist.

 

[WayneTeK]

this is exactly what i was looking for.. a PCI card that has TV OUT... thanks for posting this thread.l