MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 21st 2009 9:23AM
posted Mar 21st 2009 9:23AM
posted Mar 21st 2009 9:23AM
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
These are right up my alley. I'm gonna be building a few HTPC's for fun soon, and it would save me loads of trouble to be able to pick up some affordable cards that also support 7.1 audio, so i can just toss a single cable from PC to receiver, easy as pie.
You plan to use build-in speaker system of your TV and yet you plan to buy HTPC?
Better spend the money on 5.1 surround sound, IMO.
when i said HTPC to receiver, I meant receiver, not television. I don't know where you got that idea from.
For a HTPC, have you looked at the ASUS P5N7A-VM? It has built in HDMI and 7.1 audio along with NVidia GPU for DXVA and GPGPU/Cuda/OpenCL.
I use this for my HTPC and it plays back 1080p WMV-HD at around 25% CPU, 1080p H.264 at about 3-4% CPU. I've loaded up a half dozen 1080p video's at once using Media Player Classic HT and the system doesn't even start to breath heavy. I've not tested HD-DVD/Blu-ray playback yet but I expect to see sub 40% CPU usage with those too.
My CPU is Core 2 Duo E6300 (Conroe 1.86GHz 2M shared L2 Cache) and using 2GB regular Crucial memory. I don't overclock but I've read that this board overclocks pretty well too.
Cost for Mobo + Memory = $140. You can get a E5200 or E5300 CPU for around $75.
"HTPC builders" want cards that are passively cooled. These are for Joe Schmo who just wants to hook his PC up to his TV so his girlfriend can play Sims in the living room.
.HTPC builders also want Low-Profile.
second on the low profile.
I also don't like having a screaming gremlin hootin and hollerin underneath my television when I feel like watching a blu-ray.
There are riser PCB's available to 90 degree rotate regular size card into HTPC enclosures .
Just thought I mention it, doesn't take away your point though because using that would be a bit of a kludge to fix it.
How is this different than the current 4650 and 4670? They both already can use an adapter to have HDMI, some come with an HDMI port, and they can do 7.1 audio over that HDMI.
The 4650 and 4670 already have an hdmi port.
What I want is HDMI-in so I can hook up my STB to my HTPC. Both ATI and Nvidia used to have VIVO (video-in, video-out) in some of their products. Why can't we have HIHO (HDMI-in, HDMI-out) now?
Cuz Big Content says no, that's why.
Yeah that would require a total collapse of the system followed by a revolution by the masses followed by several years of new thinking, and then maybe just maybe.
What you want cake and want to eat it?
Following the VIVO - HIHO trend there - would be it too much to ask if """GAMER""" Laptops had a video in / option to use the display / speakers on the laptop as a monitor / audio source for Game consoles? We're talking 1 cord from my Xbox 360 (or PS3 if you have one) (thats HDMI folks) to my laptop and I could play anywhere. And as more & more laptops go to 16:9 screens, it would display perfectly. (Yes I am aware the 360 can handle 16:10 ratios as well).
Just my soap box rant for the day - nice cards.
It's not significantly different than the current 4650, as far as I can tell, except it may be MSI's first 4650 with a built-in HDMI port.
I'm using a 4850, which is working great. I can simultaneously play a video (with audio) on my TV via HDMI while doing whatever I want on my desktop monitor simultaneously. It takes a little effort though.
For even lower cost, there are motherboards with built-in GPUs that support HDMI, including 7 channel audio output - see the arstechnica HTPC guide:
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/guides/2008/12/guide-200812-htpc.ars
Should've snuch some Jason Masks onto the product pic....
It's not Friday the 13th anymore.
512 MB memory? What the heck for?
Hell*
I can't tell if you're being sarcastic? Smooth 1080p via H.264 tends to require around 512MB if you want full antialiasing. 256MB can cut it but generally you'll run into occasional hiccups.
ATI might be ok for Windows but if you want a "real" HTPC chances are you're running Linux, and Linux users gravitate towards Nvidia for their greater Linux support and the joy that is VDPAU. Plus like the others said, what HTPC user wants a fan on his video card?
uh, i want passive cooling and low profile at the minimum
Not really sure why this is front page newsworthy.... There are bunches of HD46x0 cards out there with native HDMI... I bought a Gigabyte GV-R467D3-512I just last week for $50 AR.. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125244
"Designed for HTPCs"....with a fan....and a large profile.
Riiiighhhtttt....
Currently using a 4670, perfect card for midrange gaming in an old shutle SFF case.. very low power draw, doesn't need a PCI-E power connector.
Now more people can enjoy the detail destroying awesomeness of "AVIVO noise reduction: this bitch goes to eleven!" in their HTPCs!
Call yourself a HTPC friendly graphic card but without Low-profile??? WTF...
This has been out since last year:
google MSI R4670 and you will seen review for it from 2008...
Thanks for the suggestion jagster, I really appreciate it! i'll see what I can do when I actually get a hold of the hardware. That setup really will play 1080p that well? I'm thoroughly impressed!