AGP graphics with HDMI out - on Ubuntu


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Hi,

My girlfriends dad has just set up his old desktop as a HTPC of sorts, the problem is his computer only has VGA out, and his TV (Sony KDL-32CX523) doesn't have an audio jack input.

I'm going to try and find him a graphics card, but it needs to be AGP - is it going to be possible to find an AGP card with HDMI output (audio and video) that is also compatible with Ubuntu?

Many thanks

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1: AGP (tough to find)

2: AGP with HDMI (tougher to find)

3: AGP with HDMI that works properly under Ubuntu (toughest to find)

Someone want to "challenge accepted" to help this guy out? :)

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3: AGP with HDMI that works properly under Ubuntu (toughest to find)

I have used several AGP cards under Linux that all worked just fine. So your contention that it's any harder than finding the card itself is dubious.

Just get a ATI/Nvidia graphics card and you should be fine. It should be noted the open source driver for the radeon chipsets is much better than the Nvidia one. I personally use the open source Radeon (xf86-video-ati) driver for my 5770 card, and it's very stable and has good performance.

Edit:

I did a quick search on Amazon for 'agp graphics card' and there are tons of them. You'll probably want something like this

If you can't find one with HDMI output, just get a DVI to HDMI adapter.

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I have used several AGP cards under Linux that all worked just fine. So your contention that it's any harder than finding the card itself is dubious.

Just get a ATI/Nvidia graphics card and you should be fine. It should be noted the open source driver for the radeon chipsets is much better than the Nvidia one. I personally use the open source Radeon (xf86-video-ati) driver for my 5770 card, and it's very stable and has good performance.

Sorry to burst your fanboy bubble here, but hes right about number 3.

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Sorry to burst your fanboy bubble here, but hes right about number 3.

No he's not, there's official ATI and nvidia drivers, and open source drivers for both too.

If it doesn't work - contact nvidia or ATI about it because it's certainly not a linux problem.

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Remember that a lot of AMD/ATI cards break the DVI Standard and actually has audio out on the DVI if you use the correct DVI to HDMI cable. and make sure it's HDCP compatible and preferably fan less.

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Thank you all so much for the responses guys, he only has VGA at the moment, not DVI, so the adapter won't easily work without a new card, and then I may as well get him a HDMI one and hope it works...

To be honest the most tempting option right now is probably what capr said - I guess I need a cable that'll go from the PC output, into the TV's component/composite input - would that work? I mean... would the TV work out that it needs the video from VGA and the audio from composite?

A new graphics card is tempting but at those prices (?40+) I do wonder if it'd be better putting that money towards a new second hand HTPC

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