[FrequentRain]

Hi,

Need to change from my on-board graphics and go with something that can cope with the 1080P MKV files i have. From a previous thread i had started in regards to jerky playback, i need an NVIDIA PCI express not low profile that can offload the VDPAU and run 1080P video (does not have to be brand new, i will buy off ebay).

Recommendations??

[FrequentRain]

Forgot to mention that i need the output via HDMI and no fan, must be heatsink

[pfennig]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814127454

It's the new nvidia core/design/whatever, so will support additional vdpau features that the older 9400 series would not.

[wunderdrug]

I've read that the 210 has trouble decoding 1080i video (e.g. it does
not have hardware de-interlacing). This may may be a consideration
depending on your media. However, I do not see any passively cooled
220 cards on newegg.

[Knasher]

Just a heads up in case you wern't aware. If you want to output sound over hdmi using the graphics card you need to hook it up to your motherboard via a s/pdif connector on your mb (make sure you have one). Unfortunately you cant output anything over 2 channel sound using pcm, so you will be limited to 5.1 for ac3 tracks only, and 2 channel for anything more exotic, same as if you were outputting over optical. AFAIK there is no way around this for now.

Other than that I used a 9400 card in my htpc and found it to be quite reliable.

[kymira]

Just a heads up in case you wern't aware. If you want to output sound over hdmi using the graphics card you need to hook it up to your motherboard via a s/pdif connector on your mb (make sure you have one). Unfortunately you cant output anything over 2 channel sound using pcm, so you will be limited to 5.1 for ac3 tracks only, and 2 channel for anything more exotic, same as if you were outputting over optical. AFAIK there is no way around this for now.

Other than that I used a 9400 card in my htpc and found it to be quite reliable.

Have you had any problems with any formats?

[officeboy]

Just a heads up in case you wern't aware. If you want to output sound over hdmi using the graphics card you need to hook it up to your motherboard via a s/pdif connector on your mb (make sure you have one). Unfortunately you cant output anything over 2 channel sound using pcm, so you will be limited to 5.1 for ac3 tracks only, and 2 channel for anything more exotic, same as if you were outputting over optical. AFAIK there is no way around this for now.

That is not correct. Look at manuals for any of these 210/220 cards, none come with cables or have jacks for sdpif. The NV chipset is it's own sound device.
Don't ask my why nvidia isn't very clear about this.
See here for more details.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1195574

[officeboy]

Ok, I was intrigued by this so I went to the source..

Question Reference #100108-000187
Summary: Chat Session
Product Level 1: GeForce graphics
Date Created: 01/08/2010 04:05 PM
Last Updated: 01/08/2010 04:05 PM

Troy: What GPU's in particular?
officeboy: how about 210 or 220?
Troy: 8 channel LPCM and legacy codecs are supported. new Advanced codecs aren't supported
Troy: Legacy being Dolby Digital and DTS
Troy: bistreaned TrueHD and DTS-Master are not supported
officeboy: and it's done with an NV audio device in the GPU?
Troy: The GPU has an actual Audio Codec now
Troy: The older products only have S/PDIF pass thorugh
Troy: New GPUs with audio are GT 210, 220, and 240

So thats pretty clear... The pass through is old, the built in audio is the new hotness.