AGP Video Card with ADC port question

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Level 2

337 points

AGP Video Card with ADC port question

I installed an AGP video card with an ADC video port into a PowerMac G4. I inserted the AGP video card into the slot and it clicked and locked in place. The AGP connector pins is fully in the AGP slot and it isn't visible.

However for the Little square shaped connector pin that is next to and higher than the AGP connector on the video card, that's still sort of visible. The card itself is fully aligned and fitted in place with the plastic latch and the metal slot; it aligns perfectly with the other pci metal slots and is screwed in and it can't go down any further.

Should I be concerned about the little square connector/pin on the video card being a little visible (which is next to the AGP connector/pin)?

I used this upgraded computer with through the VGA Port for over several hours without problems.

If i hook it up to an ADC Apple Monitor through the ADC port would it be a problem?

MDD PowerMac G4 Dual 867Mhz, Mac OS X (10.4.8), 1GB Ram, 128MB Radeon 9800 Pro

Posted on Oct 2, 2006 9:05 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 2, 2006 9:46 PM in response to MacGallant

The square tab fits in a special connector on the mother board to get 28VDC to power the ADC monitor. The connector is not part of the AGP connector and uses larger contacts, so the plastic housing may be different and show more of the card. If the front is screwed down and the back hook is latched, the card must be in properly, especially since the VGA port is working. There are some G5 AGP cards around that have been modified to work in a G4. Their square tab is further from the AGP connector and completely misses the power connector on the mother board. If you have one of those cards, it will not power an ADC display, but the ADC port can be used for a DVI or VGA monitor, with the correct adapter.

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Answer 2

MacGallant Author

Level 2

337 points

Oct 2, 2006 10:16 PM in response to Malcolm Rayfield

Thanks for the reply, malcolm!

The video card is a Geforce 4mx 64mb video card that I installed in my friend's PowerMac G4 (Digital Audio model).

She has a ADC Apple Cinema Display 20". I helped her replaced a dying older video card and installed a new hard drive and os = software for her.

And yeah, her tower's logic board's agp slot has a small connector next to it, in which the pins from the small peg plugs into it(end near the agp pins end of the video card) but are slightly exposed.

The video card is in as far as I can tell, with the plastic latch locking it, and the metal front fitting perfectly + screwed down.

My main concern:
Should I be worried about the pins being slightly exposed on the square tab? If my friend hooks up her ADC Apple cinema display and powers it up, will it short out her powermac g4 logic board or video card?

And yeah, I used the vga connection for over 6 hours without any problems.

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Answer 3

Oct 2, 2006 11:37 PM in response to MacGallant

So it is a G4 card. There is no problem. The plastic housing for the small connector is different than the main AGP connector, so you see more of the tab. The AGP connector has two rows of contacts on each side, so is taller. The power connector just has one row on each side. If the small connect was not making contact, ADC monitors would not work, but nothing would be damaged.

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