Looking for half-height video card

[watts3000]

Guys I'm going to convert one of my SFF Dell's into a media PC. The system only has a 280 watt power supply at best this system will be going into our bedroom. So can you guys recommend a good quiet half height video card that will have no problem pushing 1080P content?

[barnabas1969]

See link below. $39.99 with free shipping. Fanless. Comes with both full-height and half-height brackets.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814121439

[mdavej]

I have that one. Nice card for smooth 1080p. It's actually only $29.99 after rebate. If you watch for sales, they sometimes go down to $15, which is what I bought mine for. In half height mode, I just unplug the VGA and leave it off entirely, otherwise, it takes 2 slots.

[IownFIVEechos]

I use this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-P ... US+EAH6450

under $20 bucks with rebate. Remember you need pci 2.1

[machausta]

Why do you need pci-e 2.1 when pci-e is 100% backwards compatible? You can use a pci-e 3.0 card in a pci-e 1.0 slot, for example. Its just the bandwidth that is different.

[mdavej]

I think you might have that backwards. If you plug a 3.0 into a 1.0 slot, it's not going to work. But if you plug a 1.0 into a 3.0 slot, you're fine.

[LuckyDay]

PCI 3.0 cards will work in older PCI slots, the bandwidth will just be limited to the older revision. Some newer cards have been known to be problematic with some 1.0 motherboards, but honestly if you've got a 1.0 you need to be looking at upgrading more than your video card.

To echo above, the 5540 or 6450 cards are all great for budget HTPC cards. You can find them as cheap as $20 if you look around.

[barnabas1969]

I recommended that particular card because I have actually tested it, including with 29/59 content. It works fine with content that has the 29/59 "bug", if you set the correct settings and use the right firmware. It's inexpensive, passes the 29/59 test, fits in a low-profile case, only occupies one slot-width, and is fanless (silent). What more do you want for an HTPC?

[IownFIVEechos]

I am not sure how the PCI-e compatibility works, I do know first hand I tried that card in a machine with the 1.0 bus and it did not work form me. Like someone else here said people should follow the specs. They have them for a reason? I think I am actually using a 2gb card in my main machine. Does anyone know if that matters when it comes to extenders. Does the video even get dealt with lets say if you are only watching an extender? If so maybe that's why I have good luck with my echos? On a side note is it fair to say Ceton put out firmware for less than six months on the echo? It went live last November? and March was the last update? Have other companies ever done such a thing? Just asking.

[Doctor Feelgood]

PCIe 3.0 video cards are backwards compatible with older motherboards and CAN be used in PCIe 1.1/ 2.1 / 2.0 slots.

[barnabas1969]

I think I am actually using a 2gb card in my main machine. Does anyone know if that matters when it comes to extenders. Does the video even get dealt with lets say if you are only watching an extender? If so maybe that's why I have good luck with my echos?

No, the video card does not process anything for the extender.

[machausta]

I think you might have that backwards. If you plug a 3.0 into a 1.0 slot, it's not going to work. But if you plug a 1.0 into a 3.0 slot, you're fine.

No, I don't.

I work in a PC support role, and have continuously since 1994. I had a Radeon HD 5570 (which is pci-e 2.1 x16 compliant) in a supermicro X7DA8 board, which is pci-e 1.0 x16 slot.

Electrically the only differences between pci-e 2.0 / 2.1 / 3.0 are bandwidth, and pci-e 2.0 was designed to be backwards compatible with 1.0 / 1.1

For reference, check out this link of someone using a HD 7770 on a pci-e 1.0 board http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/37295 ... otherboard

[mdavej]

I stand corrected.