HDMI Graphics Card

ThomasAlan

Hi guys,

I've got an old Dell Dimension 5000 that I've been using to pick up the Irish DTT channels with a MobiDTV Dual DTT USB stick. I'd like to upgrade the desktop OS and install Win7 but I understand that my desktop is not a good candidate for the upgrade. From what I've read, the network card and integrated audio have no Win 7 drivers.

I'm not bothered about the network card. But obviously, I'd like to have sound. As it happens, I was thinking of getting a new graphics card with HDMI for the desktop anyway.

My question is, do all graphics card with a HDMI port carry the audio signal? Could anyone recommend a suitable graphics card? The cheaper the better

IrishMetalhead

All recent AMD Raeon cards have onboard audio where as NVIDIA Geforce cards uses an internal S\PDIF cable from the card to the motherboard to use the motherboard's onboard audio to pass through the HDMI port so aslong as you choose out a recent AMD (ATi) Readeon you'll get a much better audio signal, hope that's answered your question.

M three

Hi,
Have an XP desktop and want to add a HDMI card to it so I can watch movies with sound on a tv. Have looked at a few HDMI cards, in the specs, most of them say ;
Microsoft certification - compatible with windows 7
Does that mean that it wont work with an older OS such as window xp?
Dont want to have to upgrade to 7 as I'd probably make a balls of it.

If adding a hdmi card isnt a runner with xp, then what audio cable do I need along with the av cable to play sound from the desktop through the tv?

Appreciate any pointers

Monotype

Most cards should be fine with XP.

What do you intend to put the card into - i.e., are there size restrictions where you'd need a low profile card and are you sure that you have a PCI-Express slot for the card? It might also be no harm to give the make and model of the Power Supply Unit if it's handy. If it's just a Dell or something, try to get the model number.

M three

Monotype wrote: »

Most cards should be fine with XP.

What do you intend to put the card into - i.e., are there size restrictions where you'd need a low profile card and are you sure that you have a PCI-Express slot for the card? It might also be no harm to give the make and model of the Power Supply Unit if it's handy. If it's just a Dell or something, try to get the model number.

Thanks for that, wasnt sure when I saw this in the spec of the card;
Microsoft Certification - Compatible with Windows 7
Its a dell dimension tower pc so wont need a low profile card, but the one Im looking at happens to be low profile, can get it for about 35 euro incl delivery;

Asus Nvidia EN210/DI/512MD3/V2(LP) 1xDVI, Native HDMI, PCIE 2.0 90-C1CNMK-J0UANAYZ

Will see what the pc model number is and check if there is an available slot later.
As an aside, what type of slot do you need for a tv card?
Is there a combined hdmi and tv card?

IrishMetalhead

dont get an nvidia card for media use, amd (formally known as ati) support hdmi audio nativly wear as nvidia you have to use a spdif cable to connect to the motherboards audio which means lesser sound quality.
anyways all we need to know at this point is weather your motherboard has agp or pci-e cause its more than likely your psu is grand for a basic gpu

Monotype

You'd probably be best off with a 6450 or a 7450 (same card).
You'd need a PCI-Express slot for those.

TV tuner cards rarely come in a pack with a graphics card. They're usually for either PCI or PCI-E slots. If you were to get a graphics card, you'd need the PCI-E slot, assuming you have one, but it's likely that you have a few PCI slots.

Nothingbetter2d

ThomasAlan wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've got an old Dell Dimension 5000 that I've been using to pick up the Irish DTT channels with a MobiDTV Dual DTT USB stick. I'd like to upgrade the desktop OS and install Win7 but I understand that my desktop is not a good candidate for the upgrade. From what I've read, the network card and integrated audio have no Win 7 drivers.

I'm not bothered about the network card. But obviously, I'd like to have sound. As it happens, I was thinking of getting a new graphics card with HDMI for the desktop anyway.

My question is, do all graphics card with a HDMI port carry the audio signal? Could anyone recommend a suitable graphics card? The cheaper the better

win 7 probably has inbuilt drivers for your network card but if not you can try downloading the chipset drivers from intel's website for that which will likely have the nic driver included in the pack. see Intel 915G Express drivers on the intel website.

ADI 1986 win 7 audio drivers http://www.mediafire.com/?mk1m1jnyq2q

and ati radeon HD 6450 or better will have a hdmi port on it

HD 6450 http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/9739229/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-6450-512-mb-gdd.html €34 (not great for gaming)
HD 6770 http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/10687427/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-6770-1-gb-gddr5.html €94 (decent for gaming)

M three

IrishMetalhead wrote: »

dont get an nvidia card for media use, amd (formally known as ati) support hdmi audio nativly wear as nvidia you have to use a spdif cable to connect to the motherboards audio which means lesser sound quality.
anyways all we need to know at this point is weather your motherboard has agp or pci-e cause its more than likely your psu is grand for a basic gpu

Its a dell dimension 6400, I've attached a pic of the free slots.
I know its ancient but I have a laptop for everyday use, just looking to use the dell to download movies and play them on a tv.
Any suggestions as to which of the 3 available slots I need to use or whether I need an agp or pci card?

thenightrider

None of the card's listed are any good for you as you have a agp slot in your pc its going to be very hard to get a card with hdmi on it thats if you can at all im sure if you install win 7 the sound will work if not you can get a usb sound card.

Your better of just sticking with what you have.

M three

thenightrider wrote: »

None of the card's listed are any good for you as you have a agp slot in your pc its going to be very hard to get a card with hdmi on it thats if you can at all im sure if you install win 7 the sound will work if not you can get a usb sound card.

Your better of just sticking with what you have.

Thanks nightrider, are you saying that none of the slots in the pic I attached above can take a hdmi card? What are the slots that I have available called?
Sorry for all the questions, its my first time doing anything with hdmi

thenightrider

You have 3 pci slot's and 1 agp slot the pci slots are for sound card's tv cards etc the agp slot is for a graphics card you can get agp card's with hdmi but you will pay a bit for them as they are very hard to get you can still get hd out put from a vga cable and with the older hdmi ports on the graphic's card's most of them did not do sound as well as picture any way.

thenightrider

Here is a card here http://www.adverts.ie/peripherals/graphics-card-his-ati-4670-agp-1gb-128-bit-ddr/773145 im sure there are other place's you can pick up an agp card this one does do sound Built-in Native HDMI with 7.1 surround sound support

Nothingbetter2d

M three wrote: »

Its a dell dimension 6400, I've attached a pic of the free slots.
I know its ancient but I have a laptop for everyday use, just looking to use the dell to download movies and play them on a tv.
Any suggestions as to which of the 3 available slots I need to use or whether I need an agp or pci card?

just buy an cheap upgrade bundle from pixmania and replace your motherbard ram and cpu completely... most of those upgrade kits will have an integrated graphics chip that would more than do for a media centre pc.