Video Cards

More than two monitors

[aaronjf]

Since no one makes a video card to support more than two monitors on a Mac that is AGP. I am looking for a really good PCI card to run my third LacCie 22 Blue. The PCI card I had in my G4 running it previously is not compatible with my G5. Anyone have any suggestions on a good PCI Mac compatible vid card?

Or even a single AGP card that is Mac compatible with three monitor support.

[aaronjf]

What about a PCI-X video card. Is this being made?

[Macguru]

Hi aaronjf,

>>The PCI card I had in my G4 running it previously is not compatible with my G5.

So you got one of those high end G5. Is it a twin processor G5?

This is a serious caveat of moving to the G5 :

Most people will ever notice there is a difference in PCI bus architecture between the 1.6GHz model (standard PCI slots) and the 1.8GHz and DP 2.0GHz models wich use the faster PCI-X technology.

I have read somewhere that the PCI-X required 3.3-volt card format. Is it what makes your older card not compatible with your G5?

I am kind of confused here, because ATI states that older PCI video cards will work in PCI-X slots...

Conventional PCI graphics boards WILL function as normal PCI 2.x devices in any PCI-X system. PCI-X devices WILL operate at conventional PCI frequencies when installed in older systems.

[ati.com...]

They dont mention any voltage issue...

Can you please tell us wich one is your older video card and what kind of video cable is your monitor using?

[aaronjf]

Yeah, the department I am over showed an 834% sales increase over last year. So I got a really fun hardware budget and decided to treat myself to the 2X Gig G5 (yes all PCI-X slots). Wow, it screams. I was able to install Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, Macromedia Studio MX 2004, and Office X in under 5 minutes.

I am not sure exactly which ATI card it is. It is the only PCI video card and only single port video card I had laying around. I am guessing it is an older ATI 7500.

Now when I put the card in I can get a picture (so to speak) on the third monitor. However, the resolution is really low and the screan is black and white.

I called Apple yesterday and some Yahoo told me I could stick the extra AGP card into the PCI-X slot. For furture referance, if anyone else trys this, it does not even fit muchless work. I am going to try and give them another ring tomorrow.

[aaronjf]

For anyone interested I have been able to come up with the following information. For a PCI card to work in a PCI-X slot it must indeed be 3.3Volts as apposed to the old 5V of of older PCI cards.

Supposedly Nvidia is producing or shortly will be producing a PCI-X video card with the special chipset of G5s. This information was given to me by an Apple tech, but I am personally still considering it a rumor till I can get an answer out of Nvidia.

[aaronjf]

The info from that Apple Tech was complete BS - as was AGP fitting into PCI-X slots. Seems there costumer service guys have a real sence of humor.

In addition, NVidia has no plans on building a PCI-X Card for the G5.

[aaronjf]

I got the ATI 7000 PCI card. It is compatible with the G5's PCI-X slots. My third monitor is now running just fine!

Since the 7000 had two ports on it I decided the second port could not go unused. I had a 15" LCD laying around, so now I hvae a fourth monitor running too. Three LaCie 22Blues and one View Sonic 15" LCD on top of the middle LaCie. Works great! The fourth monitor is now dedicated to iTumes and our company's Web Sales Screen.