dual G4, MDD: Cheapest Core Image graphics card?

I have read some of the comments about graphics cards on various threads, but what I'm after is the cheapest card which supports Core Image and will run on my dual G4 MDD.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

William

G4 dual 1.25GHz, Mac OS X (10.4.11), ( London, UK )

Posted on Apr 18, 2008 11:33 AM

40 replies

Eric.

Level 6

12,260 points

Apr 23, 2008 5:30 AM in response to William Donelson

William Donelson wrote:
Eric, thanks. Sorry to be so thick on this...

Would the 9200 in the AGP slot be noticably better than the 9000 Pro I have now in the AGP slot? (Sys profiler says that QE is enabled on the 9000 Pro in the AGP slot now)

If I put thes 9200 into the AGP slot for 23" Apple Cinema display, and the 9000 Pro into the PCI slot (2nd monitor), would that be the best config?

AGP and PCI slots are physically different. So you cannot put an AGP card in a PCI slot, and vice versa.

So if you buy a the 9200 it would have to go into the a PCI slot. You could leave the 9000 where it is.

The 9000 is a dual monitor card, so you could presumably put two monitors on it.

Not sure about the performance differences between the 9200 (in a PCI slot) and a 9000 in a (AGP slot). I have a feeling for some tasks their on par, but I have a feeling the 9200 isn't actually better. The ATI numbers aren't always indicative of performance. There's more bandwidth in AGP slot.

Someone like Japamac, no doubt, can give us info about the comparing the 9200 and 9000.

Apr 23, 2008 6:47 AM in response to Eric.

{quote:title=Eric. wrote:}The 9000 is a dual monitor card, so you could presumably put two monitors on it.{quote}Oops! I did not know that.

Am I better off with two cards driving the two monitors?

Is there a performance penalty for driving both monitors from the 9000 Pro ?

Can I drive both the Apple Cinema Display and the 19" CTX CRT ?

Sorry to be so ignorant...

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 23, 2008 7:11 AM in response to William Donelson

Am I better off with two cards driving the two monitors?

A 9000 and a 9200? Not really....but can allow for accelerated graphics on the monitor connected to the 9000.

Is there a performance penalty for driving both monitors from the 9000 Pro ?

A bit, but how much depends on the software in use.

Can I drive both the Apple Cinema Display and the 19" CTX CRT ?

Yes. Use an ADC to DVI adapter to connect the 23" display, and use a DVI to VGA (should have one that came with the computer) adapter to connect the CRT.

Or, get the linked 9700, and drive both, with no adapters (one DVI one VGA), and enjoy CI support and accelerated graphics performance beyond the 9000.

Apr 23, 2008 7:30 AM in response to japamac

Japamac, Great! Thanks.

It goes to show... If you don't know how to ask the right questions, you just don't get the right answers 😉

I found a used 9700 on ebay.co.uk for £65 (about $130)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Radeon-ATI-9700-Pro-128mb-AGP-G4-only_W0QQitemZ27023078369 0QQihZ017QQcategoryZ4607QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Does this seem like a good deal? (Right card, etc to drive my 23" Cinema Display and the 10" CRT)

Thanks

Eric.

Level 6

12,260 points

Apr 23, 2008 8:02 AM in response to japamac

japamac wrote:

Can I drive both the Apple Cinema Display and the 19" CTX CRT ?

Yes. Use an ADC to DVI adapter to connect the 23" display, and use a DVI to VGA (should have one that came with the computer) adapter to connect the CRT.

As an alternative, there were and probably still are ADC to VGA adapters; I have one.

So if the Cinema Display is DVI, then that can direct directly to DVI. The CRT to ADC via the ADC-to-VGA adapter.

Eric.

Level 6

12,260 points

Apr 23, 2008 8:12 AM in response to William Donelson

Japamac,

Should William ask the seller the standard question about the ROM? I don't see any mention of it in the auction.

That is, whether it's a hacked/cut-down 64K ROM or the full 128K ROM. And if it is the 128K ROM, whether he needed to solder a new chip on the board.

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 23, 2008 8:14 AM in response to William Donelson

Hi-

The linked card is a flashed 9700. Because of the flashing and testing, the card has to be listed as used.
The card is the same as the one that I linked., and is pretty much the same price (about £52 for the Hong Kong supplier, including shipping), but not sure of the VAT on that type of purchase...
Either way, very reasonable.

The UK suppliers card has the same DVI and VGA connections, so, you'll have your CI, and monitors, two! 😉

It goes to show... If you don't know how to ask the right questions, you just don't get the right answers

You got lots of right answers.....just took a while to find the one you were looking for!

You're welcome! 🙂

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 23, 2008 8:34 AM in response to Eric.

Hi Eric-

Wouldn't hurt.
The 9700 Pro 128mb card rarely has the 64k ROM which requires a reduced ROM or chip replacement...Don't usually give that a second thought with the Hong Kong seller- very skilled in card selection and modification.

So, William-

Ask the seller if the 9700's ROM chip is 128k or 64k. The 128k is preferred, as it will use a full (as opposed to reduced) ROM.
Might also inquire as to whether or not the #3 and #11 pins are disabled for "ready to use" service in the 4x AGP MDD.
Use This for reference.

Apr 23, 2008 8:32 AM in response to japamac

Eric, Japamac and all --

Okay, I bought the UK-located card - faster than the Hong Kong option...

Thanks for your patience. The video card thing is so complicated... There are so many different cards, and so many versions of cards, and connectors and formats and configurations...

I was going to buy a graphics card for my son's PC a couple of years back, but finding one for the PC was even more complicated than this contorted dialog. In the end, I just gave up.

So, again, thanks!

William

Apr 24, 2008 4:52 AM in response to japamac

Ask the seller if the 9700's ROM chip is 128k or 64k. The 128k is preferred, as it will use a full (as opposed to reduced) ROM.

In the description on eBay.co.uk --

Card originally started as a PC 9700 128 Pro and has had the hardware rom flashed with a compatible mac version. I have extensively tested the card in 3d mark 05 in windows before the conversion and after using the time demo in Halo. (In my Dual G4/450). The card performed faultlessly with no crashing of overheating issues using maximum settings, full screen x6 anti-aliasing and texture filtering. This card will fit all G4 apple macs.

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 24, 2008 5:14 AM in response to William Donelson

Hi William-

Yes, I saw the description prior to your descision to purchase....
"Flashed with a compatible mac version" means that it either has the 130 ROM (for 128k chip) or the 130 Reduced ROM (for 64K chip). Either will work, but the reduced ROM in the 64k chip equipped cards can possibly have limitations- the 128k with full ROM is preferred.
This shouldn't be an issue, but it is a valid point worth knowing. 64k chip cards aren't very common, so the odds are in your favor....

Apr 24, 2008 5:36 AM in response to japamac

Well, when I get the card and install it, I'll check back here.

Thanks.

Apr 25, 2008 5:08 AM in response to William Donelson

I got the ATI 9700 and it works great. Many things are noticably faster, and my FAN noise is down a bit as well (since I have one gfx card instead of two)

It's driving both monitors just fine, one at 1600x1200 and the ACD at 1920x1200.

I notice in particular, that iTunes now plays movies and TV shows at normal size without skipping and stuttering (Hurray!)

The sys profiler says that I have an ATI Radeon Pro 9800 -

*ATI Radeon 9800 Pro:*
Chipset Model: ATY,R350
Type: Display
Bus: AGP
Slot: SLOT-1
VRAM (Total): 128 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x4e44
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-A07525-130

*Cinema HD:*
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported

Display:
Resolution: 1600 x 1200 @ 75 Hz
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported

Thanks to all for your great support !

William

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 25, 2008 5:27 AM in response to William Donelson

Hi William-

Thanks for the update.
I'm glad to hear that you are happy with your performance upgrade.
Apparently, the ROM that was flashed to the 9700 was from a 9800 (cards are the same configuration), without further editing. Either way, since it works, the conversion was done properly, and there should be no adverse effects.

May 25, 2008 6:48 AM in response to japamac

Well....

I've been completely spoiled by the ACD, and my 20" CRT monitor looks so blurry and dull.

I am thinking of getting a refurb Sony SDM S204 for cheap ($250 incl shipping)...

Will the ATI Radeon 9700 (9800 firmware) drive that LCD as well ?

It looks like the 9700 has a Digital connector and an analogue connector...

Thanks.
William

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dual G4, MDD: Cheapest Core Image graphics card?