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If this was $23.00 plus the $10.00 rebate, then I might think about it for a spare test card.

CPU cooler and video card deals are a dime a dozen on here...

its a fine, passively cooled card for hdcp but its not a half-height card.

This is a nice cheap downgrade for anyone who's bought a system in the last three or four years.

#3: also, it doesn't have a HDMI output, so that's another strike against it being useful for a HTPC.

If you are looking for a HTPC card, the Radeon 4350(half height, HDMI output, HD video acceleration, integrated surround sound) was just on sale for $15 at newegg.(link: http://bensbargains.net/deal/105766/) The price has now gone up to $25, but there's usually a Radeon 3450 or 4350 on sale for around $15-$20, if you'd prefer to wait a bit and save a few bucks.

HTPC = LINUX = NVIDIA

Radeon is dead on Linux for HTPC use.

I used to like Radeon in the day but lately they've been so problematic. On certain resolution monitors they're fine, but when I try output 1920x1080 it goes haywire and has this horrendous underscan issue that's impossible to fix with the GUI. Basically it thinks it's a tube TV and as a "feature" underscans 10-15% and then there's no way to get 1:1 pixel mapping... everything is distorted at the pixel level when you get to full screen. You can hack the registry (Windows) or profile (Linux) with extreme difficulty to get perfect output, but ATI is massively inadequate addressing this widespread and ostensibly easy to fix software problem.

I switched my HTPC from Radeon to nVidia years ago, all because of the software. I had so much trouble getting the ATI driver configured properly, and then one day an automatic update blew things away. I had had enough and switched.

Can I combine this with an Asus Radeon video card to add more video outputs or will they fight? I have this board with two PCIe slots:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681381

#9: you really shouldn't combine nVidia and ATI graphics cards in the same system. You're just asking for trouble doing that.

It's possible that you might be able to get it working if you're using XP. Vista simply does not allow 2 different display drivers to be running.

If all you need is more outputs, just buy another card from the same company as your other one. You can get a cheap card from either company.

#9

Windows 7 will also not allow you to mix and match ATI / nVidia in case you were wondering.

Thanks for the comments, just grabbed a EAH 3450 to go with the EAH 4350 I already have. The idea is to have dual monitors on the desk with one cloning whatever is on the projector in the next room. The 4350 sucks for switching displays, making it necessary. I miss my AGP 3650.