I recently purchased an HP Pavilion Slimline s3750t desktop with Windows Vista 64-bit (also has 230W power supply and requires low-profile PCI / PCI-e cards). I'm now looking for an upgraded graphics card and HD TV tuner card (that will support clear QAM HD channels, specifically from Verizon FIOS). Several questions / comments below:
1) What is the general consensus on best low-profile graphics card & HD TV Tuner card that can be used together to provide good HD channel viewing (via clear QAM)? (I don't need to support any intense gaming apps).
2) Should the graphics card be PCI and TV tuner card PCI-e or vice versa or does it matter? I have one PCI and one PCI-e available slot.
3) I'd like to leverage Windows Media Center via Vista if possible, but can use HD tuner card app if needed.
4) I assume the HD Tuner card should have hardware based MPEG decoder to reduce load on PC CPU?
There may be other things to consider, but my main reqs are low-profile card and power supply limitations. Any assistance or thoughts on specific cards for both graphics and HD tuner would be appreciated.
1) What is the general consensus on best low-profile graphics card & HD TV Tuner card that can be used together to provide good HD channel viewing (via clear QAM)? (I don't need to support any intense gaming apps).
2) Should the graphics card be PCI and TV tuner card PCI-e or vice versa or does it matter? I have one PCI and one PCI-e available slot.
3) I'd like to leverage Windows Media Center via Vista if possible, but can use HD tuner card app if needed.
4) I assume the HD Tuner card should have hardware based MPEG decoder to reduce load on PC CPU?
There may be other things to consider, but my main reqs are low-profile card and power supply limitations. Any assistance or thoughts on specific cards for both graphics and HD tuner would be appreciated.