Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Users

Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out

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peter at vanderwal

Jul 22, 2008, 1:34 AM

Post #1 of 8 (979 views)
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Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out

I'm looking for a PCI video card with TV out (HDMI, DVI, Component, or
S-Video), ideally a passively cooled card.
While I want a passively cooled card, I don't want one where the heatsink
gets hot enough to cook waffles on.

It's only going to be used for MythTV, so it doesn't have to support
gaming, etc.

I've found a couple cards, but I'm not sure if they are suitable for Myth.

One uses a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 55. I'm pretty sure the Nvidia Quadro is
supported by Xview (yes/no?) Any comments?

The other choices all seem to be Radeon based, but I've read that the
Radeon 7000 cards are not a good choice?

Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.

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allen.edwards at oldpaloalto

Jul 22, 2008, 9:03 AM

Post #2 of 8 (964 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

Peter VanDerWal wrote:
> I'm looking for a PCI video card with TV out (HDMI, DVI, Component, or
> S-Video), ideally a passively cooled card.
> While I want a passively cooled card, I don't want one where the heatsink
> gets hot enough to cook waffles on.
>
> It's only going to be used for MythTV, so it doesn't have to support
> gaming, etc.
>
> I've found a couple cards, but I'm not sure if they are suitable for Myth.
>
> One uses a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 55. I'm pretty sure the Nvidia Quadro is
> supported by Xview (yes/no?) Any comments?
>
> The other choices all seem to be Radeon based, but I've read that the
> Radeon 7000 cards are not a good choice?
>
> Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
> case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.
>
> ____

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130289

Not sure of the size but in comparing it with pictures of the Quadro NVS
55 cards, it looks the same. Nvidia 6200 are used by lots of people and
seem like a good choice.

Allen

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drescherjm at gmail

Jul 22, 2008, 9:41 AM

Post #3 of 8 (965 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 4:34 AM, Peter VanDerWal <peter[at]vanderwal.us> wrote:
> I'm looking for a PCI video card with TV out (HDMI, DVI, Component, or
> S-Video), ideally a passively cooled card.
> While I want a passively cooled card, I don't want one where the heatsink
> gets hot enough to cook waffles on.
>
> It's only going to be used for MythTV, so it doesn't have to support
> gaming, etc.
>
> I've found a couple cards, but I'm not sure if they are suitable for Myth.
>
> One uses a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 55. I'm pretty sure the Nvidia Quadro is
> supported by Xview (yes/no?) Any comments?
>
> The other choices all seem to be Radeon based, but I've read that the
> Radeon 7000 cards are not a good choice?
>
> Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
> case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.
>

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121085

John
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drescherjm at gmail

Jul 22, 2008, 12:14 PM

Post #4 of 8 (955 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 7:55 AM, Peter VanDerWal <peter[at]vanderwal.us> wrote:
>>> Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
>>> case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.
>>>
>>
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121085
>
> Thanks, but that won't work. That is a PCI-Express card and all I have is
> a PCI slot.
>
Sorry, I will have to read more carefully next time. Then I recommend
the 6200 as these are good cards as well.

John
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allen.edwards at oldpaloalto

Jul 22, 2008, 12:33 PM

Post #5 of 8 (950 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

John Drescher wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 4:34 AM, Peter VanDerWal <peter[at]vanderwal.us> wrote:
>> I'm looking for a PCI video card with TV out (HDMI, DVI, Component, or
>> S-Video), ideally a passively cooled card.
>> While I want a passively cooled card, I don't want one where the heatsink
>> gets hot enough to cook waffles on.
>>
>> It's only going to be used for MythTV, so it doesn't have to support
>> gaming, etc.
>>
>> I've found a couple cards, but I'm not sure if they are suitable for Myth.
>>
>> One uses a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 55. I'm pretty sure the Nvidia Quadro is
>> supported by Xview (yes/no?) Any comments?
>>
>> The other choices all seem to be Radeon based, but I've read that the
>> Radeon 7000 cards are not a good choice?
>>
>> Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
>> case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.
>>
>
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121085
>
> John
I thought he said PCI and not PCI-e

For PCI-e he might look at this one as well:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121019

Allen

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i.adore.my.64 at gmail

Jul 22, 2008, 6:46 PM

Post #6 of 8 (945 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

2008/7/22 Peter VanDerWal <peter[at]vanderwal.us>:
> I'm looking for a PCI video card with TV out (HDMI, DVI, Component, or
> S-Video), ideally a passively cooled card.
> While I want a passively cooled card, I don't want one where the heatsink
> gets hot enough to cook waffles on.
>
> It's only going to be used for MythTV, so it doesn't have to support
> gaming, etc.
>
> I've found a couple cards, but I'm not sure if they are suitable for Myth.
>
> One uses a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 55. I'm pretty sure the Nvidia Quadro is
> supported by Xview (yes/no?) Any comments?
>
> The other choices all seem to be Radeon based, but I've read that the
> Radeon 7000 cards are not a good choice?
>
> Any other suggestions? Oh yeah, it has to be a 1/2 length PCI card, the
> case won't support a full length or even a 3/4 length.

If I could float a suggestion; which is partially a means for me to
ask a question of my own on this notion; would on-board video fit the
bill (assuming your motherboard *has* on-board video)?

I ask only because with the recent acquisition of my HDTV, I'm using
it's VGA input - making me wonder if I should pull out my video card
in favour of the o/b. I could do without the heat and power-draw if
it's not necessary.

Cheers.

--
"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."
-- Thomas Paine
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i.adore.my.64 at gmail

Jul 23, 2008, 4:24 AM

Post #7 of 8 (921 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

2008/7/22 Peter VanDerWal <peter[at]vanderwal.us>:
>
>> If I could float a suggestion; which is partially a means for me to
>> ask a question of my own on this notion; would on-board video fit the
>> bill (assuming your motherboard *has* on-board video)?
>
> Yup, but VGA only. No TV out.
> This is for the bedroom. My wife bought a 42" LCD TV and it doesn't have
> VGA input. Just HDMI, Component Video, S-Video, and Composit(yuk)
> I contemplated a converter, but from what I've read they are either really
> expensive or junk (or both)

Sorry - I didn't complete my original thought, though you have
completed it for me. I was thinking that you might use a
VGA->Composite adapter. I know such things exist, though I have never
used one myself. Your reply above makes it clear that you're not
impressed with the adapter or the performance of composite overall, so
I withdraw the suggestion.

>> I ask only because with the recent acquisition of my HDTV, I'm using
>> it's VGA input - making me wonder if I should pull out my video card
>> in favour of the o/b. I could do without the heat and power-draw if
>> it's not necessary.
>
> Probably. Of course it kind of depends on if the on-board video is
> supported by Linux/MythTv

Indeed. It's an Intel GMA 3100. I'll have to google deeper than I
have, but initial results seem promising. Of course I must be mad
given I've just managed to get done tweaking my xorg and TV together a
few weeks ago.

Anyway, best of luck in your own hunt for a card. I can't recommend
mine - it's full-length.

Cheers.

--
"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."
-- Thomas Paine
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allen.edwards at oldpaloalto

Jul 23, 2008, 7:50 AM

Post #8 of 8 (917 views)
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Re: Looking for low power/heat PCI video card w/TV out [In reply to]

> I was thinking that you might use a
> VGA->Composite adapter.
There are two types of adapters that I know of. One is a very
inexpensive cable like thing. However, it only works if your video card
has video out and stuffed it into unused pins on the VGA connector. The
dongle just breaks those pins out. It won't work on any modern video cards.

Second is an electronic box that costs hundreds of dollars and doesn't
work as well as any new video card. I have one of these and was able to
compare it to a new 6200. The 6200 was much better.

I looked for a MB with onboard S-Video. I found one but it is
unavailable, out of production. I bought a 6200 and it works well.

Only problem with it was that I could not let myth set up the
proprietary drivers or the computer would not boot because of a conflict
with my video capture card. Disabling the driver in myth and installing
it with envyng solved that.

Allen

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