HDMI Graphics Card

[dnyberg]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted but things have been a bit off lately.

I'm looking for a graphics card that I can use to run my PC through my new TV. It's a 32" Matsui and has a spare HDMI port on the back. Is it possible to do this? If so, what would you recommend as I'm rather out of touch with graphics cards etc

Budget is around £200 (for 1 card or £100 each for 2 to run SLI) and it needs to be PCI-E.

Thanks

[MrP]

a #30 ati 2400 comes with a HDMI connector that allows your to plug your TV into it, however it wont let you play games.

is gaming important?

[freddie]

decent budget but your better off spending that money on one card. you can get a decent 8800gt with a little money to spare.

there are lots of differernt ones out there with different outputs. it's best to check it out on scan or dabs. that'll be plenty for games as well, otherwise the new amd/ati cards can have hdmi as MrP states and can be had for less than £60

[dnyberg]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, gaming is important as I intend to get back to doing a lot of that now. I have been looking at the 8800GTS with the idea of also buying a DVI to HDMI convertor. Slightly over budget including cables but that's not too much of a worry. What do you reckon?

[s_kinton]

You would probably be better off just using the VGA or DVI port on the TV and setting it to native res of the TV e.g. 1366x768. Rather than having say 720p going into the TV via HDMI and then the TV upscaling to 1366x768.

Does the TV have VGA or DVI inputs?

[Webby]

If you do go for a card which will run directly over HDMI then its worth noting that ATI's 38xx series have an audio decoder onboard as well and so can output sound over the HDMI link as well which is a bonus if you don't have space/want for extra speakers.

The HD 3870 can cost as little as £130 and an over clocked version from only £145 while not as powerful in the gameplaying environment as the 8800GT it is ~£30-70 cheaper and is better suited for other media tasks like HD video playback. HIS are offering an overclocked version with their IceQ3 cooler which I have yet to see benchmarks on but its selling for £176 at OcUK if you want better gaming performance and the added benefits of sound over HDMI etc then this could be the way forward.

[dnyberg]

You would probably be better off just using the VGA or DVI port on the TV and setting it to native res of the TV e.g. 1366x768. Rather than having say 720p going into the TV via HDMI and then the TV upscaling to 1366x768.

Does the TV have VGA or DVI inputs?

Unfortunately it doesn't. I bought it a while before christmas without even thinking about connecting the PC up. Now that I've had to move house and need the space, it suddenly occurred to me that I may be able to do it this way and get rid of my old monitor.

If you do go for a card which will run directly over HDMI then its worth noting that ATI's 38xx series have an audio decoder onboard as well and so can output sound over the HDMI link as well which is a bonus if you don't have space/want for extra speakers.

The HD 3870 can cost as little as £130 and an over clocked version from only £145 while not as powerful in the gameplaying environment as the 8800GT it is ~£30-70 cheaper and is better suited for other media tasks like HD video playback. HIS are offering an overclocked version with their IceQ3 cooler which I have yet to see benchmarks on but its selling for £176 at OcUK if you want better gaming performance and the added benefits of sound over HDMI etc then this could be the way forward.

Thanks. I'll go and have a look at that now I would like everything to run through the TV as then I have the sound output from the TV running through my stereo, sure there are better ways but it sounds good to me

Is this the one you're referring to?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Ebuyer had standard HD3870 cards for 130 quid a few days ago although there are none of them in stock at the moment.

PowerColor HD 3870 XT 512MB GDDR4 256bit Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

[Webby]

Unfortunately it doesn't. I bought it a while before christmas without even thinking about connecting the PC up. Now that I've had to move house and need the space, it suddenly occurred to me that I may be able to do it this way and get rid of my old monitor.



Thanks. I'll go and have a look at that now I would like everything to run through the TV as then I have the sound output from the TV running through my stereo, sure there are better ways but it sounds good to me

Is this the one you're referring to?

That is indeed the one I was referring to the are cheaper options and HIS do a standard clocked model with the IceQ3 cooler as well which could potentially be overclocked to the levels of the more expensive one after all same card and cooler

And Powercolor do a Zalman cooled overclocked model which costs £144 on scan not quite as overclocked as the HIS on the GPU but a bit more on the memory, but quite a bit cheaper only issue would be only a 1 year warranty compared to HIS's 2 years.

Powercolor as shown by Cat also offer a 3870 for £130 which can be had from scan for the same money if they have stock.

[dnyberg]

Thanks again

So the one Powercolor one would be this one? I'm not worried too much about the warranty tbh. So if I order that now, I also need to get a DVI to HDMI convertor or is there a cable that will do it? and then get a seperate cable for the audio?

I think I may be needing to buy an new PSU as well as mine is still the standard one that came with the case

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This is the Powercolour one:

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

It does not come with the cooler in the picture but the stndard double slot one.

My Sapphire HD3870 camw with a DVI to HDMI converter. Since the HD38** series has integrated HD audio it outputs both audio and video from the DVI output.

[dnyberg]

This is the Powercolour one:

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

It does not come with the cooler in the picture but the stndard double slot one.

My Sapphire HD3870 camw with a DVI to HDMI converter. Since the HD38** series has integrated HD audio it outputs both audio and video from the DVI output.

In that case, I shall go for that one Just worried about it being overdue since 19/12/07. I need one rather sharpish really as I'm without my computer until then. Would it be worth buying a better PSU or shall I stick with the one that came with the case?

What's the difference between that one and this one?
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

[s_kinton]

In that case, I shall go for that one Just worried about it being overdue since 19/12/07. I need one rather sharpish really as I'm without my computer until then. Would it be worth buying a better PSU or shall I stick with the one that came with the case?

What's the difference between that one and this one?
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

The card you linked to is slighty more expensive because its factory overclocked, not worth it IMO as you can just do it yourself, but it depends if you are happy to wait for the standard one to come into stock.

Whats the brand/spec/amperage of your current PSU?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It comes with a Zerotherm cooler.

Review: Zerotherm GX810 graphics card cooler - vnunet.com

Ebuyer have it for £139.99

Power Color HD3870 XT PCS 512MB GDDR4 256bit 800/2400Mhz Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

[dnyberg]

The card you linked to is slighty more expensive because its factory overclocked, not worth it IMO as you can just do it yourself, but it depends if you are happy to wait for the standard one to come into stock.

Whats the brand/spec/amperage of your current PSU?

Oh ok, thanks. Not got a clue tbh. It came with the case and has worked fine so far so I've never really paid much attention to it.

It comes with a Zerotherm cooler.

Review: Zerotherm GX810 graphics card cooler - vnunet.com

Ebuyer have it for £139.99

Power Color HD3870 XT PCS 512MB GDDR4 256bit 800/2400Mhz Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

Ah ok

I think I'll go for the one that scan have in stock even though it is slightly more expensive. Will it come with a DVI to HDMI convertor?

[pauldarkside]

Will it come with a DVI to HDMI convertor?

Highly unlikely - it's just not a standard input for computer displays.