Suggestions on a Computer Video Card

okiepolkie

I've got a Dell Optiplex 330 that only has a VGA output, and I'd like to get a new video card that has a digital video out that I could play through my living room system for Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, etc....

The local computer monitor has vga and dvi inputs, and the living room system will be run through a Denon 2809 on the way to a Pioneer 5080 plasma (720p) via HDMI. I don't necessarily need audio over the hdmi. I don't play games, and I don't do any video editing.
Current Computer specs:

- Windows XP Home
- Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2.0GHz, 2M, 800MHz FSB)
- 2 GB DDR2 Non-ECC SDRAM 677MHz
- PCIe x16 slot

I don't want to spend much money on this, as I'd like to add a Mac Mini as a media server again when things pick back up again.

So, to recap, I need a video card that has a dvi and hdmi out, will work for XP, and I would prefer it to be under $75.

Suggestions?

renowilliams

I'm not sure what motherboard you have but I'm sure that it will either have an agp or pci slot for the video card. You can get a video card with duel head and tv out capable within your 75.00 budget but it won't have an HDMI out. I have a Nvidia gforce 8600 gt and it has dvi and svideo out. I use the dvi out and run an optical cable from my soundcard to the a/v reciever. You will likely have to do something similar given the age of your computer. Be sure to check what version of AGP slot you have ( if there is one)prior to purchase of the card as there is more than one type.

dorokusai

You can always use an HDMI to DVI adapter.

wizzy

Do a little research to make sure what I am saying re: HD 3450 is right.

I think (check it out yourself) this cheapie HD 3450 will be fine at 720p, maybe a little shakey at 1080i

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121302

Also fanless == low noise.

Check to be sure you have a pci-e slot, and it has room. The fanless is nice, but the heatsink takes some room.

I think the op 330 is a mini?

okiepolkie

I don't mind using the DVI-HDMI adapter, but figured I would stay with the same connector if possible.

With the PCIe X16 slot, I was told most of the current video cards would work with what I've got.

Most of the video cards at Newegg have an hdmi and dvi out, but this isn't my forte, so I figured I would check here to see if there are any specific suggestions.

Here are some pics of the inside if it helps.

okiepolkie

wizzy wrote: »

Do a little research to make sure what I am saying re: HD 3450 is right.

I think (check it out yourself) this cheapie HD 3450 will be fine at 720p, maybe a little shakey at 1080i

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121302

Also fanless == low noise.

Check to be sure you have a pci-e slot, and it has room. The fanless is nice, but the heatsink takes some room.

I think the op 330 is a mini?

I looked at that exact one, but wasn't sure if I would be cheaping out on it.

The 330 I have is the mini tower, and has quite a bit of room inside.

Overall, I'm not overly concerned with the video quality, but it does have to be watchable.

wizzy

You have the more full-sizeish one (they make a mini-mini version)

You shouldn't (no guarantee) have a problem with a reasonable heat sink

wizzy

The thing is sure it's cheap, but the nice thing is it is fairly low power.

If it does what you need, you save as faster/bigger also equals more power/more heat

I would also lok over the HTPC threads on AVS forum

okiepolkie

Really, I'm just looking for a cheap, short term solution, as my goal is to get another mac mini to use as a htpc.

obieone

okie, have you looked at Newegg? They have a bunch of cards for <$75?
My only recommendation is to check the customer ratings.
Good luck.

okiepolkie

obieone wrote: »

okie, have you looked at Newegg? They have a bunch of cards for <$75?
My only recommendation is to check the customer ratings.
Good luck.

I done quite a bit of looking at newegg's offerings, but there are so many, I wanted to check here to see if there were specific recommendations.

renowilliams

Sorry about my earlier post. I tried to delete it but failed. Anyway, I would suggest an Nvidia 8600 GT or 8800 video card if you can find one. It will fit the bill cheaply for what your wanting. I would advise against the dvi to HDMI adaptor. I tried that configuration and every time I changed the reciever from the setting that allowed me to clone my pc to the tv and went back to that settng, I would have to reclone pc to tv. This was a pain. Better to get a cable with dvi on one end and HDMI on the other. Also s-video is fine as well. It won't give the same level of quality, but its not bad, also cheaper for the cable since this is just a short term thing.
Here is a link to a card that will do what you need. BFG make a quality card, I have owned a couple over the years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143161


Good Luck


Good Luck

okiepolkie

renowilliams wrote: »

Sorry about my earlier post. I tried to delete it but failed. Anyway, I would suggest an Nvidia 8600 GT or 8800 video card if you can find one. It will fit the bill cheaply for what your wanting. I would advise against the dvi to HDMI adaptor. I tried that configuration and every time I changed the reciever from the setting that allowed me to clone my pc to the tv and went back to that settng, I would have to reclone pc to tv. This was a pain. Better to get a cable with dvi on one end and HDMI on the other. Also s-video is fine as well. It won't give the same level of quality, but its not bad, also cheaper for the cable since this is just a short term thing.
Here is a link to a card that will do what you need. BFG make a quality card, I have owned a couple over the years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143161


Good Luck


Good Luck

Cables aren't really a problem, as I keep several hdmi cables in my arsenal for my line of work

And just to make sure, can I output 2 separate resolutions from the 2 DVI ports? If I can't, I might as well use vga splitter and just change resolutions every time I want to watch tv....

renowilliams

I don't think so. One of the dvi ports is a dvi in, I believe. To play from the computer to the tv you are cloning so the resolution is the same on both.

okiepolkie

If that is the case, then I probably won't even mess with the video card. My main goal was to set it up where I don't have to switch resolutions when using the local monitor or TV.

I've already got an existing ATEN VGA splitter and a vga cable to put a direct feed into pc input of he television. I've already got the 30ft VGA cable and the splitter, so it will just be a matter of fishing the vga cable from one room to another. Should take no more than 20 minutes.

The other option would be to get a vga-component video converter, so I wouldn't have to do the wire fishing. However, at $100+, I might as well just go the direct route.

Thanks for the help guys.

Gempler

Zach,
The choices in PCI-Express type video cards to upgrade your full sized Dell Optiplex 330 are huge indeed. To narrow it down, consider this... most of what you are paying for is the quality of the manufacturer (either just the chipset on the card or builder of the entire card) and how well it handels 3D stuff (read games). Since your goal is just 2D (watching movies) then you don't need to pay up for the expensive cards to get the job done. I would pay for name brand cards though, becuase cheap ones can be unreliable. The other thing to consider are the available ports. I didn't quite follow the discussion regarding having multiple resolutions. There are cards that have multiple ports can indeed be set to multiple resolutions, but I don't think that is either here or there. If you have a single connection to a monitor and it is set to the highest resolution of the monitor (TV) then it dosen't matter if you play a lower resolution video or not, the windows media player will play it, and windows media play will size it to your whole screen (as much as possible), and your screen will display it. Does that make sense? But please clarify what you were talking about if I missed your point. I think that something as simple as this $27 Asus card would do the trick...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121019
another thing i like about this card over the many other choices is that is does not have a fan. fans mean noise and often fail over time, or just become miserably noisy. the 330 is pretty quiet machine and you don't want to make it noisy. also, if all you have now is the 'on board'/integrated video then this card will offer a bit of a performance improvement as well. Also, if you have the integrated video, once you install the new card then keep this in mind... windows will still 'know' the on board video as the 'primary' monitor. the dell will detect the new card if the monitor is connected and choose that as the primary monitor. so the first time you boot with the new card installed and monitor connected to the new card you will first sell the dell post (power on self test) appear, and then nothing... becuase once windows starts to book (windows logo) it will be directing output to the integrated video. So, if you find that this happens to you (and I can't say that it will definately happen with the 330 but it happens with many other dells), that is the screen displays the dell logo and then goes black, simply switch the monitor cable over to the integrated port with the system live and then go into display properties and first activate the new video card and then set it be the primary video (without selecting to 'extend the desktop'). then it will boot and work normally. Hope that all makes sense and helps a little...

Gempler

ps. for actually less money (if you belive in rebates) you can get this card that includes a HDMI port. that might be appealing to you. and even it is isn't, and the rebate is never paid, this card is based on a better chipset than the above card imo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121259

Ender

Btw, be careful of your power supply. You don't want to have a power supply that can't supply enough power to your new, relatively powerful graphics card. It will go the way of the tweeter that was powered by a bad amplifier. And Dell almost always has cheap power supplies.

Gempler

i agree that in general the quality of the power supply is a concern when a higher end video card is introduced into a system, but even if one of those were used in a full sized chasis dell optiplex 330 it would not be a worry. the thing has a high quality power supply that is very conservitively under rated. it can handel whatever you throw at it. as for the smaller case versions of this model i would actually be more concerened about overheating than power with a new video card. that's my 2¢ anyway.

dorokusai

When did buying a cheap video card turn into rocket science?

Gempler

ps. if it helps... here is dell's manual for the mini tower version of this computer with complete installation instructions found under 'Removing and Replacing Parts' and then 'Cards'...
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/op330/en/ug/mtindex.htm

okiepolkie

dorokusai wrote: »

When did buying a cheap video card turn into rocket science?

And we could also ask ourselves how buying a new receiver, speaker, cable, display, BR player, phone, hooking it all up, etc....turn into rocket science

I just don't have any experience in this part of the electronics field.