[12vman]

I just purchased a Slim PC with onboard video(VGA) and onboard sound(No SPDIF). I want to turn this into my new HTPC by adding the following low profile cards, with the goal of running VMC with BlueRay Playback:


Low Profile Video Card on PCI-E X16 2.0

Low Profile Audio Card

Low Profile ATSC Tuner Card


Like others I would like the Video Card to push Audio and Video over HDMI. I know there are some limitations with low profile cards, are there any suggestions for the three cards listed above that will allow me to get Audio & Video over HDMI to my Receiver. If not then it will have to be an audio card that will downsample over SPDIF or Coax.



Thanks in Advance,

-a12vman

 

[chrislynch]

I would highly suggest the the ATI 4550 series (ASUS EAH4550), as it is PCIe 2.0, low profile and supports 7.1 audio over HDMI. No software package today supports it for bitstreaming capabilities, only LPCM.


The Auzentech X-Fi Forte is the only sound card I know of that is low-profile, PCIe and supports TOSLINK (copper or optical.) It has not been released yet by Auzentech though.

 

[jimwhite]

Asus is soon to release a LP version of the Zonar which is HDMI only (no analog) which, in conjunction with a LP HDMI video card will add Bitstreaming of the HD audio...


Also, nVidia has announced at CES that future releases of mainstream graphics cards will include full HDMI audio...