Silent video card

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news_reader

Looking for a manufacturer of video card that does not use a fan for
cooling, any sugestions on makers/models
 
news_reader said:
Looking for a manufacturer of video card that does not use a fan for
cooling, any sugestions on makers/models
Click to expand...

Matrox G450, G550, P650

If you are thinking about making a HTPC these cards are especially good due
to their high quality unscaled TV output and MPEG decoding motion
compensation.

ss.
 
Looking for a manufacturer of video card that does not use a fan for
cooling, any sugestions on makers/models
Click to expand...


Almost all brands make lower-end cards without a fan, and
almost all mid-to-high end cards need a fan due to heat
levels (unless you spring for an aftermarket passive
monster-sink with performance that varies by how much other
case airflow you have).

It would be good to decide on a card based on performance &
feature need, budget, etc. Generally speaking you wouldn't
find anything decent for gaming in a passively cooled model
but for 2D use, just about anything would suffice.
 
news_reader said:
Looking for a manufacturer of video card that does not use a fan for
cooling, any sugestions on makers/models
Click to expand...

What is the card for? Games or just basic windows work?
 
Looking for a manufacturer of video card that does not use a fan for
cooling, any sugestions on makers/models
Click to expand...

Coincidentally I just picked one up. Its not bad. I got it at Comp
Geeks 9600 ATI 128 bit with no fan. Unfortunately its sold out of
stock.
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?in...ven=CJ&cm_pla=0038388580&cm_pro=109-A03500-00

You can keep trying to see if they get it back in stock. Someone else
posted the deal and its been going up and down in price. I got it for
36 + shipping the regular price as shown is 49. .

Or get the 5200 or 9250 both fanless
http://www.geeks.com/products.asp?cat=VCD

Heres one I found on ebay someone mentioned they were selling a few
there but this one isnt sold I dont think by them so caveat emptor. Im
not endorsing this seller whatsoever.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ATI-RADEON-...226036479QQcategoryZ40158QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
Not looking for game specs, a faster video processor than my mx-440 that I
have now
 
news_reader said:
Not looking for game specs, a faster video processor than my mx-440 that I
have now
Click to expand...

For 2D Windows speed, you will not improve on that card. Any modern card
(last 5 years?) will be able to handle anything windows can throw at it. If
you are talking about processing video in the computer as a task, you need
to upgrade the processor and RAM. If you are talking about video capture,
then a new all-in-one graphics card, or separate video capture card is in
order.
 
Not looking for game specs, a faster video processor than my mx-440 that I
have now
Click to expand...


If you're not gaming then what do you hope to gain with a
"fater video processor"? It's not going to speed up 2D uses
at all, a lowly MX-400 is already faster than necessary
(useful) for 2D. Did you have some other specific task in
mind? It wouldn't help with video or image editing either.
Main reason I'd see to replace it is for the best possible
TV-out, but if that's not needed then ???
 
news_reader said:
Not looking for game specs, a faster video processor than my mx-440 that I
have now
Click to expand...

I also have an MX-440 (Nvidia, that is) with 128 MB of ram. The first time
I opened the case to look around, I was surprised to notice that it did not
include a fan, but thought that it did. When I would run a video game, a
fan would go into high gear. After loading mother board monitor, I noted
that the CPU temperature would rise above 130 degrees F. Of course, it was
the CPU fan going flat-out.

My question: since the video card contains its own processor and ram, why
is the CPU (P4) taking such a hit (temperature-wise). I also have 1 GB of
RAM which (I thought) would help the situation. The computer, an H-P, uses
a duct to conduct hot air from the CPU to the room, which doesn't leave much
room for an elaborate fan/heatsink combo.

HankG
 
I also have an MX-440 (Nvidia, that is) with 128 MB of ram. The first time
I opened the case to look around, I was surprised to notice that it did not
include a fan, but thought that it did. When I would run a video game, a
fan would go into high gear. After loading mother board monitor, I noted
that the CPU temperature would rise above 130 degrees F. Of course, it was
the CPU fan going flat-out.

My question: since the video card contains its own processor and ram, why
is the CPU (P4) taking such a hit (temperature-wise).
Click to expand...

Because previously it was only idling, you weren't using
most of it's potential. The temp goes up because it's then
at a significantly higher load, and because it's a
hot-running CPU in general (except at idle).

The secondary reason is that your heatsink isn't sufficient
to keep it below (whatever the particular value) threshold
temp may be, so it has to increase fan speed so much to
remove the heat.


I also have 1 GB of
RAM which (I thought) would help the situation.
Click to expand...

It does often help, performance not cooling.

The computer, an H-P, uses
a duct to conduct hot air from the CPU to the room, which doesn't leave much
room for an elaborate fan/heatsink combo.
Click to expand...

Replacing the heatsink would require removing the duct.
It's only there to cool the current 'sink and is unneeded if
the 'sink is replaced with one having a fan. However, if
that fan has it's own integral thermal control (or a
motherboard thermal control) you might find it running
slower- which up to a point is fine because removing the
duct lowers the impedance to airflow, you'll get more
airflow per same fan RPM, but it also lowers the temp of the
exhaust.

IF it's thermally controlled you might need power it by a
power lead instead of the motherboard header, OR use a
different fan, OR whatever-your--preferred fan control
method after jumpering across the thermal sensor (only if
it's on the fan housing itself) which defaults the fan to
full speed and faciltates external speed throttling from an
inline control circuit.
 
Allright then, going to a 5200 or 9550 won't do anything for standard
windows usage at this point. Is the MX440 a 64 bit card, and the 5200 128
bit? Do I gain any noticable speed for loading windows or graphics??
 
Allright then, going to a 5200 or 9550 won't do anything for standard
windows usage at this point. Is the MX440 a 64 bit card, and the 5200 128
bit? Do I gain any noticable speed for loading windows or graphics??
Click to expand...


No.

Unless graphics means 3D games. About 8 years ago it
mattered for video/DVD playback because at that point only
ATI had decent motion compensation but these days any card
is sufficient for 2D performance, except perhaps integrated
video because it's robbing the system of memory bandwidth-
even so modern DDR-memory-based integrated video is also
plenty fast enough for 2D when configured optimally
(correctly).
 
news_reader said:
Im running a P4 2.8 and 1g ram, so thats ok.....I assume
Click to expand...

You have lost us all a bit - what do you want to upgrade your graphics for?
A P4 2.8 is total overkill to run MS Word, but underpowered for multimedia
and video editing. 1GB Ram is way over the top to run Solitaire, but not
enough to process multithreaded applications, MS Word, Solitaire and Video
editing at the same time.

What is the PC for? Why do you want to upgrade?
 
fair enough...

thanks...


kony said:
No.

Unless graphics means 3D games. About 8 years ago it
mattered for video/DVD playback because at that point only
ATI had decent motion compensation but these days any card
is sufficient for 2D performance, except perhaps integrated
video because it's robbing the system of memory bandwidth-
even so modern DDR-memory-based integrated video is also
plenty fast enough for 2D when configured optimally
(correctly).
Click to expand...
 
was looking at a performance increase in loading/running 2D apps, thinking
that a faster video prosessor would make a difference.
 
news_reader said:
was looking at a performance increase in loading/running 2D apps, thinking
that a faster video prosessor would make a difference.
Click to expand...


Really can't see how you think a more powerful GPU could lead to faster
loading, or running of any non 3D applications. The only difference that
you could possibly see is that windows would be redrawn more quickly when
you drag them around the screen very fast. I can see difference in this
between my Matrox G450 and Parhelia cards.

ss.
 
I ask, therefore I learn
Synapse Syndrome said:
Really can't see how you think a more powerful GPU could lead to faster
loading, or running of any non 3D applications. The only difference that
you could possibly see is that windows would be redrawn more quickly when
you drag them around the screen very fast. I can see difference in this
between my Matrox G450 and Parhelia cards.

ss.
Click to expand...
 
news_reader said:
was looking at a performance increase in loading/running 2D apps, thinking
that a faster video prosessor would make a difference.
Click to expand...

No, to improve any normal windows tasks (barring some 3D work), the only way
you can improve speed is by upgrading the CPU, memory or hard disk. If
applications are taking ages to open, then look at the memory or hard disk
for a bottleneck. If things are generally slow, then look at the CPU and
memory for a bottleneck.

If you have opened several applications at once and the hard disk continues
to thrash (click) away, then you have run out of memory and the PC is using
the hard disk as RAM, which is slow - get more RAM. If this is not the case,
then look at a new CPU and/or hard disk.

Lots of conbinations and options there!!
 
thanks!

GT said:
No, to improve any normal windows tasks (barring some 3D work), the only
way you can improve speed is by upgrading the CPU, memory or hard disk. If
applications are taking ages to open, then look at the memory or hard disk
for a bottleneck. If things are generally slow, then look at the CPU and
memory for a bottleneck.

If you have opened several applications at once and the hard disk
continues to thrash (click) away, then you have run out of memory and the
PC is using the hard disk as RAM, which is slow - get more RAM. If this is
not the case, then look at a new CPU and/or hard disk.

Lots of conbinations and options there!!
Click to expand...
 
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