Best Graphics Card for HDTV

giga15

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Sep 6, 2012
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I am looking to buy a 40-50 inch 3D tv, and then use a computer that I have as a media source to play 1080p 3D movies on it. I am referring to the videos that have the double image in which the tv does the conversion to 3D, so therefore I don't think I need a card that plays 3D exactly. If possible, I want to be able to dual monitor with this computer in the future if possible.

My specs:
ASUS M4A88T-M AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX
AMD Phenom II X4 960T
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout SGC-2000-KKN1

Current video card is on board (ATI Radeon HD 4250). I am not looking to game with this computer (which I figure will save me some money on the video card). My budget I would say is 100-150, but I will go to 200 if I have to. I am not going to buy it immediately though.

From browsing, I know that the card has to have 1920 x 1080 for best results (do correct me if I am wrong).
 

jtenorj

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Don't know what connectors your tv will have, but I guessing it'll have standard hdmi. IDK
much about low end nvidia cards(don't care), but even newer low end radeons like HD6450
come with hdmi, and pretty much all graphics cards for a number of years now have come
with at least 2 video outputs. We have in the past few years migrated over to all digital,
removing the old 15pin d sub vga analog connector and sticking with dvi. Some higher end
cards have display port, but I'm not sure how popular that standard is on newer TVs. If you
need a vga connector 2, some cards come with dvi to vga adapters(or you can buy 1 cheap).

If we know your country, state/province and municipality, we can recommend sites and/or
stores that will be best for you as far as price, shipping, taxes, etc.
 

giga15

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Sep 6, 2012
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What do you mean silent version?



TV wise, I am looking at this one:
LG Cinema Screen 47LM6700
http://www.amazon.com/LG-47LM6700-47-Inch-LED-LCD-Glasses/dp/B006ZH0KJS/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1347060853&sr=1-3&keywords=3D+1080p+120Hz
Louisiana USA


A buddy of mine suggested this card to me
EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Mini-HDMI-Graphics-01G-P3-1556-KR/dp/B004S5CCP4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=36KRHGU8WCV8&coliid=I23DJ0Y07STBBP


Said it the long run it will be a good choice.

I like the price on that Radeon that was suggested, I think this is it:
Sapphire Radeon HD 6450
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-100322L/dp/B004XLPJNK
Although I'm not too sure on how to do dual monitors on it.
 

giga15

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Sep 6, 2012
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Noob question here but how would I dual monitor with this card?
 

giga15

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For optimal quality I would want monitors that support HDMI correct? Also would I be able to tell the difference between a monitor that uses the hdmi port and the monitor that uses the dvi port with a hdmi converter, if its the same exact monitor?
 

giga15

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Sep 6, 2012
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The only difference I see between that one and the HD 6450 is that 6450 is 64 bit and that card is 128 bits, is that really a big of a difference?

Yet again, noob here about video cards, lol.
 

jtenorj

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giga15 does not care about games, just video playback on an awesome new tv through an
hdmi cable and running a desktop screen for basic pc stuff through either dvi(digital, video
only vs hdmi with video and sound) or vga(analog, most seen on older lcds or crts). The
video engine in an hd6450 is fine to run both at once. giga15 does not need more shader
cores or to spend more money than the cost of the uber cheap hd6450 already located at
amazon(the same place that sweet tv is coming from). actually, Don't know what happened
but the price seems to have jumped. Here is an HD5450 on newegg that's even cheaper:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102882

Still a 40nm dx11 gpu, just with half the cores. Passively cooled and an easy fit in a Cooler
Master Storm Scout case. 19.99 after a 15 dollar mail in rebate, free shipping. TA DA!
 

jtenorj

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To the best of my knowledge, the dedicated video playback portion of the gpu in these
cards is basically the same. You only need cores if you are running a program that uses
them for compute when working on video in some fashion. There may be slight feature
updates to that fixed logic from generation to generation, but nothing major. Cards have
been able to output HDCP content since 2006 with the likes of 7950gt and x1950pro.

Once again, the OP(giga15) is NOT going to be playing any games on this system. The
only reason for this upgrade is to have more video options than the older dx10.1 hd 4250
integrated gpu and mobo can provide. giga15 will use the computer for a combination of
basic desktop pc stuff and to play back video on a beautiful new 47in 3d 1080p led lcd at
120 hz and the processor in the tv takes care of the 3d stuff so all the card has to do is
pass on the video. Low end cards like the HD5450 are perfect for this stuff. It is really
what they are designed for(to be a video card, not a graphics card). Seriously, who buys
a card like 5450 to game on? no, you buy it to give yourself more video options than
an integrated gpu on the motherboard can provide. That's part o why they are priced so
low. Sure, you may play an odd older game or newer one on low, but the advertising for
these lower end cards is primarily focused on things the card can do other than give you
the most life like experience while playing a game. giga15, 5450 will suit your needs fine.
 
Oh there are plenty of people who buy 5450's expecting to game on them. They also usually come with low end Cyberpower and iBuypower models.

People are all like "Why can't my badass new custom computer run any games? Its custom built?"

They are usually in for a rude awakening.
 

jtenorj

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This is true. There probably aren't very many folks that actually read all the reviews when
new cards come out and know how they compare, or have intimate knowledge of clock
speeds and shader counts. Some folks pick up a computer magazine, see an add for one
of the boutiques you mentioned, see a a relatively inexpensive build and think" wow, I can
get a pc that will do normal stuff and play games" and buy one. If they get the cheapest
one with an underpowered gpu they will be sorely disappointed.

This is a little off topic, though. I blame myself for saying people buy a low end gpu to add
video options to an otherwise limited pc. That only applies to people in the know like us,
or folks not so well versed in graphics card jargon who seek out help from
we the more informed for sage advice. If you jump in and buy some random card without
knowing some things about it and others you are just asking for problems.

Back on topic and to clarify for any potential posters on this thread, the original poster
(giga15) has no interest in gaming whatsoever. All we are doing is suggesting the least
expensive card that can both run (windows?) on a desktop screen via dvi or vga out and
at the same time send video to a soon to be purchased 3d HDTV. Since the tv can handle
the 3D stuff all by itself, it just needs a video signal coming in(via hdmi). Most any bargain
basement low profile card can do dvi and hdmi(and vga through a dvi to vga adapter), tho
giga15 has a cooler master storm scout case and could easily accept a normal size card.

I suggested HD5450 since it is recent and has all three outputs ie hdmi, dvi and vga out.
Any 2 of those at one time will work fine, just like low end cards have been doing for the
better part of a decade. Here's an HD5450 for 19.99 after 15.00 MIR with free shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102882&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102882

More money spent than that is a waste for giga15's uses.

Edit:That 15 dollar rebate is in the form of a prepaid card that Sapphire will send to
you. The rebate expires on 09/15/12.
 

obsama1

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This is so true. So many $500-$700 custom built PC's with i7's, 16GB of RAM, and a 5450. :pfff: Pretty terrible that customers are deceived like that, but the customer should have done a bit of research.