Graphics card with 2 HDMI ports

[alferret]

I'm going to be building a HTPC for my in-laws, one of the requirements is that the HTPC can drive 2 TV's (one in front room & one in the Kitchen)
Ideally it'll have 2 HDMI ports so that sound can go to both sets.
Dual HDMI cards are like hens teeth so any ideas would be appreaciated.
Card should have 1gb ram and be low height and fanless.

TIA

[djmagnifique]

I have a tv connected to my graphics card using a DVI to HDMI cable, works fine and no need for extra cables for the sound as it all comes down the one cable.

[idi banashapan]

HDMI Splitter?

[qasdfdsaq]

Pretty much all modern graphics cards can drive two HDMIs just fine. The main problem will be trying to get Windows to do something sensible, since it does not support multiple input contexts, you only have one desktop.

[damien c]

It would probably be easier to just build a media server pc that can be housed somewhere in the house, and then use two Raspberry Pi's or two network media players connected to each tv to stream the content from the server.

You could drive both tv's off one pc however, if you want to watch something on both pc's at the same time you will run in to issues due to audio, as you won't iirc be able to specify which audio output each piece of media uses, but I have not tried doing that so you might be able to but it would probably be abit fiddily.

I used one of these WD units until I got my 3D Smart TV, and that little WD unit had no trouble playing content from my pc over wireless and also was fine with Netflix, Youtube and Radio.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by damien c

if you want to watch something on both pc's at the same time you will run in to issues due to audio, as you won't iirc be able to specify which audio output each piece of media uses,

Wrong. Any decent media player allows you to specify which output device to use.

[alferret]

Originally Posted by djmagnifique

I have a tv connected to my graphics card using a DVI to HDMI cable, works fine and no need for extra cables for the sound as it all comes down the one cable.

Didn't realise dvi feed audio.

---------- Post added at 23:19 ---------- Previous post was at 23:18 ----------

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Wrong. Any decent media player allows you to specify which output device to use.

That's good to hear/see.

---------- Post added at 23:27 ---------- Previous post was at 23:19 ----------

Originally Posted by damien c

It would probably be easier to just build a media server pc that can be housed somewhere in the house, and then use two Raspberry Pi's or two network media players connected to each tv to stream the content from the server.

You could drive both tv's off one pc however, if you want to watch something on both pc's at the same time you will run in to issues due to audio, as you won't iirc be able to specify which audio output each piece of media uses, but I have not tried doing that so you might be able to but it would probably be abit fiddily.

I used one of these WD units until I got my 3D Smart TV, and that little WD unit had no trouble playing content from my pc over wireless and also was fine with Netflix, Youtube and Radio.

It'll be stored in the kitchen 5 ft from lounge TV and 8 ft from kitchen TV. They already have a wd live media player.
I think the idea would be that PC/TV could be accessed from either room and not sure about watching 2 different "films" at same time, will speak to them tomorrow and get a fuller idea about what they need.
What I need to remember is that they are both 72 and ease of use is paramount.

[damien c]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Wrong. Any decent media player allows you to specify which output device to use.

Thank's I wasn't a 100% sure which is what I said with this bit on the end of the sentence which you chose to ignore just to, try and make me look like a idiot.

You could drive both tv's off one pc however, if you want to watch something on both pc's at the same time you will run in to issues due to audio, as you won't iirc be able to specify which audio output each piece of media uses, but I have not tried doing that so you might be able to but it would probably be abit fiddily.

---------- Post added at 08:34 ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 ----------

Originally Posted by alferret

Didn't realise dvi feed audio.

---------- Post added at 23:19 ---------- Previous post was at 23:18 ----------



That's good to hear/see.

---------- Post added at 23:27 ---------- Previous post was at 23:19 ----------



It'll be stored in the kitchen 5 ft from lounge TV and 8 ft from kitchen TV. They already have a wd live media player.
I think the idea would be that PC/TV could be accessed from either room and not sure about watching 2 different "films" at same time, will speak to them tomorrow and get a fuller idea about what they need.
What I need to remember is that they are both 72 and ease of use is paramount.

If they are not going to want to use both TV's at the same time, then as said above you could use HDMI for one TV and use a DVI to HDMI lead for the other, but iirc you would need to manually select the audio output each time you wanted to use a different TV for audio.

[idi banashapan]

if you are concerned with DTS HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD Audio, make sure you check the graphics card can pass it through the HDMI output. Newer cards are generally fine from Intel, AMD and nVidia, but cheaper or older cards cannot pass this audio, meaning you'll get the picture, but no sound.

I only say this as I get the feeling you might be building an HTPC for the inlaws on a budget. cutting too much off the cost of the card could scupper you if you do require the best experience for the end user.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by alferret

Didn't realise dvi feed audio.

Most DVI ports on PC graphics cards are actually intercompatible with HDMI using a passive adapter (usually supplied with the card). Technically, it's not strictly DVI that's feeding the audio, it's just a hybrid DVI-HDMI port.

---------- Post added at 21:26 ---------- Previous post was at 21:24 ----------

Originally Posted by alferret

I think the idea would be that PC/TV could be accessed from either room and not sure about watching 2 different "films" at same time, will speak to them tomorrow and get a fuller idea about what they need.

If you don't need to watch 2 different things at the same time that makes it a lot easier. You could probably just mirror the output in that case, allowing you to use a simple TiVO-style "6-foot" interface.

[ZrByte]

I would just use the main HTPC in the living room and use a WiFi linked Raspberry pi in the kitchen. Similar to what Damien C said earlier but no need for 2 raspberry pi as the HTPC should have more than enough horse power to drive one display while serving media to the other system.
EDIT: Pi would be much better than the WD Live.
And the above setup is what I will be installing in my parents static caravan.

[alferret]

After speaking to my father in law he has decided that the feed to the kitchen doesn't need to carry audio so I'm going to go with an ati 6450 with the dvi feed for kitchen. Thanks for all suggestions and advice.