Video card advice needed

[jelloshotsrule]

sorry to post again on this topic, but i've simplified what i need to know...

which cards are agp and would support two monitors, one adc and one vga?

also, where can i get these cards online? (everywhere i looked either doesn't have them or is only pc...)

thanks

[dualburn001]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule
sorry to post again on this topic, but i've simplified what i need to know...

which cards are agp and would support two monitors, one adc and one vga?

also, where can i get these cards online? (everywhere i looked either doesn't have them or is only pc...)

thanks

just look at the options on the powermacs
they all support one adc and one vga
im pretty sure its ati 7500
geforce 4 mx
geforce 4 ti

correct me if im wrong

[jelloshotsrule]

the 7500 is apparently only available through the BTO at apple...

any idea where would have the gf4 mx/ti?

[rubikcube]

Actually, the geforce4 ti has an ADC and a DVI connector(no VGA). The others have both ADC and VGA(but no DVI). If you are looking for dual display support for an ADC display and a VGA display, i reccomend the geforce4 mx.

[jelloshotsrule]

thanks for that tip on the Ti...

i suppose with what i've been hearing, i'd rather get the geforce 3 than the 4 MX, but that wouldn't support the two monitor types... right?

so, where do you know of that has the 4 mx for sale? everywhere i go it just has 2 mx and gf 3 for pc... frustrating.

[AlphaTech]

You can get the ADC compatibility with any after market video card and get the DVIator item from Dr.Bott and use an ADC screen. I would go with the ATI Radeon 8500 card, since I have experience on the peecee side with it. For the money, it is an excellent card. There were reviews of it where it beat nVidia's best offerings (at the time). It's also less money then the nVidia cards... another plus.

[jelloshotsrule]

i am seeing the geforce 3 at places (maczone in particular) for 450+. is that accurate? seems high to me...

so perhaps my best option would be the ati 8500 and suck it up and buy the converter...?


as i have been looking into all this, i'm starting to think i'll just use the one for a while longer (just got a 15" flat panel) and try to raise some more funds for a better card....

[jelloshotsrule]

yeah, that's what i was basically thinking/writing as you were.

8500 is basically 250ish+ right?

[jelloshotsrule]

wow, the dviator is $149 at apple.... i had thought the 40 dollar connector was all i'd need... dang. that changes things...

[AlphaTech]

I believe that you should be able to find it for the $250-$300 range... with a little research, you might be able to get it for even less. I would say, get brand new, retail box. Don't go with anything that is an OEM package, since they usually have less of a warranty attached to the product.

I have been a fan of ATI video cards ever since I started with my own Mac systems. Their drivers, in my experience, have essentially no problems with the current OS's. There is also something to be said for standing by the Mac through the good and bad years too.

[jelloshotsrule]

here's my dilemma...

i could get a cheap card to add to my current gf2 mx, allowing me to have my adc monitor in the current card, and the other monitor in a cheap card.

or

get an 8500 + dviator (400-450... ouch)

or

somehow find a gf 4 mx... which i'm having trouble doing.

i'd feel dumb buying a product (4 mx) that i have heard and believe to be not very good... uggh.

ps. how much is the g4 Ti?

[AlphaTech]

I just did a search on MacMall for the ATI card... They are listing the 8500 (with 64MB of DDR memory) at $267... a hellovadeal...

Check it at

Even with the Dr.Bott product, you are just over $400 total...

http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=967178

[dualburn001]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule


ps. how much is the g4 Ti?
$399

[jelloshotsrule]

still high for me though....

i'm a student without a job at the moment... i just spent 450 on a 15" apple lcd (good deal...) and so the extra 400 isn't an option now... :(

i guess i'll have to wait then, for quality. or go with a crappy one now just to have 2 going at once.... hmmmmm

[jelloshotsrule]

at that price, the g4 ti is "cheaper" though i'd still need some type of adapter. cheaper than the dviator though i'm sure...

so tough. anywhere have the Ti in stock now?

[AlphaTech]

The G4 ti would still need the adapter, unless they are shipping them with an ADC connection (retail version, not the BTO one). Factoring that into place, the ATI card comes out at about $130 cheaper (ATI card plus the DVIator comes to about $420+/-).

Save up and get the good card... or whichever one you prefer at the time. If you wait long enough, I am sure the cards will come down in price.

[jelloshotsrule]

i'll just wait til the ati hits the 15 million level of card, that way i have time to build up cash. ha.

well i guess the 8500 is best, cheapest etc. but still too much for me now. i don't even think i'd have the cash in my bank account to cover it at the moment...

thanks for the advice though.

maybe someday i'll be able to have two monitors at once from the same card and also see all the various graphic effects in citizen kabuto. ha

[jelloshotsrule]

i realize i might not even have a vga monitor. i have a dual 800 system as i've said and the monitor i have, i have to use a converter from whatever it is to the vga i guess? i'm not even sure what the card has. is the gf2 mx adc and dvi? or adc and vga?

my brother referred to the connection as "apple"... it IS an old school apple CRT. so that would kinda make sense. anyone have info on this? thanks

[Choppaface]

fook! no DVI on the geforce 4 TI? even then 4400? does it come with a converter or do I have to buy that?

[rubikcube]

Originally posted by Choppaface
fook! no DVI on the geforce 4 TI? even then 4400? does it come with a converter or do I have to buy that?

Actually, all the Ti's come with DVI...

Brad Nelson

[Choppaface]

bah! i mean no VGA

do they come with a DVI to VGA converter? or at least do the 'pc versions' do?

[AlphaTech]

The GF 4 Ti from Apple (the one that should be either in the system, or shipping to you later) comes with both DVI AND ADC connections. You can grab a DVI to VGA adapter plug from MacMall for about $30 or so. I believe that DR. Bott has a ADC to VGA conversion solution (ADC on the card, VGA on the monitor).

It is all spelled out for you at http://www.apple.com/powermac/graphics.html