Where to buy big, flat passive VGA cooler?

[Vincent]

Where can I buy an aftermarket passive VGA cooler like the one on this card?

http://bit.ly/a5oFsu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814187108

I bought a Sparkle 8400GS for my HTPC but the fan is too loud and I want to replace it with a passive cooler. I want the heatsink to be short/flat enough so that it doesn't extend into the next slot. I've only been using integrated video for the past several years. So I don't know a lot about VGA coolers.

This ordeal started when I tried to play back some DVD rips on my XP-based HTPC that was using an ancient PCI GeForce4 MX 420 video card. Actual DVDs played without a problem but the image displayed a lot of tearing when I used MPC-HC or VLC to play rips. I fiddled around with the settings but the only way to eliminate the tearing produced short pauses in playback every few seconds. I thought this might be an OS or driver issue. So I upgraded to Windows 7. After upgrading I discovered that Windows 7 doesn't have drivers for the GeForce4 MX 420. It only recognized it as a basic VGA card. I decided to upgrade but I needed a video card with an S-Video port because the HTPC is coupled with a standard def TV. So I bought a Sparkle 8400GS for $26 shipped. But its fan is too loud.

I don't want to spend a lot of money because eventually I will upgrade to an HDTV and use the motherboard's integrated video. So I would also be open to suggestions for:
1) cheap, passively cooled video card supported by Windows 7 with S-Video out
2) cheap VGA to S-Video convertor box (which would allow me to use integrated video)

Thanks.

 

[Vincent]

Anyone?

I did end up trying a 45mm x 45mm heatsink I got from the old PCI video card, but it became too hot to touch just booting into Windows.

 

[Madcatatlas]

only suggestion i can think of is telling you to maybe upgrade to a newer card?

i dont know about your budget situation though.

One of the new 5xxx series of AMD/ATI cards or even something from Nvidias 2xx series.

 

[BenSkywalker]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186016

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118029

One of those should work.

VGA to TV out-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...DYQFWQVC0G6V44

Vid card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127342

 

[Rifter]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186016

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118029

One of those should work.

VGA to TV out-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...DYQFWQVC0G6V44

Vid card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127342

Beat me to it, was going to recommend same thing.

 

[Vincent]

Thanks. I underclocked the GPU using MSI Afterburner and used the small 45mm x 45mm heatsink passively. The temps got up to 88C when watching a DVD rip, but it didn't crash. The airflow is mediocre because the card is installed in an HTPC case. I ordered a Scythe 40mm fan and I will give it a try when it arrives.

 

[Schmide]

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10012411

Twist ties.

7v if necessary.

Profit!

 

[Vincent]

I zip-tied the 14dBA 40mm Scythe fan onto the heatsink and now the GPU temperature stays in the 50s. The downside is that the fan blocks the adjacent PCI slot, but it's empty for now. So I can live with it.

I might still go ahead and buy this passively cooled ATI 4350-based video card with S-Video out for $20 after a $10 rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150335

 

[konakona]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186016

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118029

One of those should work.

VGA to TV out-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...DYQFWQVC0G6V44

Vid card-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127342

excellent choice on the s1 rev2, but they tend to go cheaper at ewiz, especially if you factor in the coupons that come and go. since it's very unlikely you would ever return these, you wouldn't really have to worry about customer support (not that ewiz's return policy is all that bad, just that you won't need any newegg magic on this)

 

[MrK6]

I zip-tied the 14dBA 40mm Scythe fan onto the heatsink and now the GPU temperature stays in the 50s. The downside is that the fan blocks the adjacent PCI slot, but it's empty for now. So I can live with it.

I might still go ahead and buy this passively cooled ATI 4350-based video card with S-Video out for $20 after a $10 rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150335

Exactly what I was going to recommend. There's no reason to strap a $25+ cooler on a $15 card . I also highly recommend the HD4350 - it's not much of a gaming card (duh), but it's awesome for HTPC use. Also, it works well passively: mine is overclocked to 700MHz and it never goes about 60C, even when gaming.

 

[tweakboy]

Oh boy interesting thread we got going on this one. Planting a fan without a heatsink or with a heatsink is not a good idea. Usually you want to buy a cooler that comes with the fan stuck on the heatsink.

Where can you buy this. Anywhere pretty much. Newegg should have a VGA cooler for your card. That is all you need a VGA cooler like Zalman or another quality brand.

Your temp of 87c for watching a DVD is ridicilous. That card is a dead card walking unless you do this the right way. Pull out a card and install your new VGA video card cooler on it and your set to go. If your still having trouble finding a cooler let us know. Thanks and gb and gl,

 

[MrK6]

Oh boy interesting thread we got going on this one. Planting a fan without a heatsink or with a heatsink is not a good idea. Usually you want to buy a cooler that comes with the fan stuck on the heatsink.

Would you like to explain why?

Your temp of 87c for watching a DVD is ridicilous. That card is a dead card walking unless you do this the right way. Pull out a card and install your new VGA video card cooler on it and your set to go. If your still having trouble finding a cooler let us know. Thanks and gb and gl,

The bolded text is incorrect. 87C isn't even hot for a graphics chip, and it will have no trouble running that temp regularly.

 

[Vincent]

Planting a fan without a heatsink or with a heatsink is not a good idea. ...

Where can you buy this. Anywhere pretty much. Newegg should have a VGA cooler for your card. That is all you need a VGA cooler like Zalman or another quality brand.

The chip has a small 45x45mm heatsink I got from another card on it. I zip-tied a 40mm fan to the heatsink.

The problems with all of the aftermarket coolers I've found is that they are enormous, cost nearly as much as a cheap video card, and extend into adjacent slots.

I was looking for a place to buy a heatsink like the ones you see on passively cooled cards. These coolers are big and the cards only consume one slot.

I ended up just buying the passively cooled card linked above.