Does a really good silent video card exist?

I'm thinking about building my first HTPC (plex or kodi). I'm just using it for streaming movies - no games - possible web browsing.

Is HDMI 2.1 available on video cards?

Is it available on video cards that don't require big power supplies or any fans?

 

What do you want to do that you can't do with HDMI 2.0? Most of the features in HDMI 2.1 are aimed at gamers. Yes, it is on the latest graphics cards, but there aren't any at an availability and price point for an HTPC right now.

Even Dolby vision or 8k/24fps can be used with HDMI 2.0 and eARC isn't limited to HDMI 2.1

There are passive gt 1030's or a 1650 by palit. "Really good" in terms of performance for anything other than movie watching or web browsing won't be had with a passive graphics card.

 

You should look into APUs.
My HTPC has an 2200G and for watching media, web browsing and even some gaming is a very good solution. All that being silent and barely sipping any power.
I will upgrade to an 4570G when the price and availability will better.

 

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/7738...700-xt-is-silent-crypto-mining-gpu/index.html

Possible

For a HTPC, I'd also strongly consider an APU...

 

with a card like that (200W) you're just moving fans from the GPU to some other place, ie still requires shtload of air to be rapidly moved over the heatsink.

I mean that is passive like this is passive:

 

My 1070 is pretty silent at 750 RPM.

Ofcourse, it's now a 4 Slot Card.

 

I use a 1030GT in my HTPC and it works like a champ. But the APU route is the more prudent route. Lower thermals globally.

 

Even more reasons:

• the PCI-E slot remains unoccupied, one can add 10G or 2,5G NIC to a HTPC or whatever expanion card
• more space inside the computer case and lower overall temperature;
• one less chip (GPU), one less driver to care about;

That leaves rooms for expansions.

 

Thanks! Any recommendation about an APU solution I should look at? I'd like to build an entirely fanless solution - not too worried about the size of the thing.

 

If you are going to be using blu-ray 4k disks or 3D discs then you will want a Intel chip with the SGX extension support. If you do not care about that then grab a Ryzen chip.

 

Very good info - I definitely care about 4K, 3D, Dolby Atmos, DTS-MA etc. I'm new to plex and right now my plex PC (just an old spare nuc) that I'm still tweaking is just hooked up to a monitor - I haven't tried connecting it to my HT system. I've been streaming with my Oppo and it handles everything I throw at it but I'd like a nice menu system more like netflix but with better quality streaming than netflix offers. It it works well enough, I'll build or buy a real HTPC.

 

Right... Re-read/read the post I quoted...

 

Sorry for the ignorant question but is there any difference in video quality - color, motion clarity etc between one video card or APU and the next? To be clear - if you are actually able to playback a video it is on or off or are there levels of quality?

 

Should be able to adjust things in software/player.

 

@TheDeeGee Did you mod the card to use 3 noctua fans? I would be courious to what you actual did

 

Thanks - back to the question of 3D, 4K, DTS-MA, atmos.

The sgx extension is mentioned - is that if I only use the video off the CPU or can I use an old processor and add a new video card and get all those features through the video card or do you still need the new processor even if you use a good video card. Thanks in advance.

 

No there are no visual differences how different GPUs - integrated or external, display your picture. Only thing is that lower performing cards may stutter high res videos and have lower FPS in games. But just as others mentioned, you can change color and contrast values for your desktop or videos in every GPU's control panel that include IGPs, however I seem to think that it is mostly used to correct color balance on devices where display has a problem, may appear to have incorrect color or is too bright or too dark without possibility to change it on the screen itself. So far I have not come across a problem where I had to use those controls.

 

Thanks so much everyone! I'm going to start a new thread because I might be muddying the waters with so many questions. I appreciate all the info as I have much to learn!

 

Why buy a PC for this when there are 30 dollars devices with full Android that plug into an HDMI port on your TV and accelerate 4k\HDR\DV without any issue?

Kodi, Plex, Netflix, Prime, etc all are on Android. Why a PC for this, in this day and age?

Even meets all your audio requirements you mentioned.

 

erm, last time I checked even an APU still needs both chipset drivers, and GPU drivers. My Mrs laptop has a AMD Ryzen 2700U and requires both to operate correctly.