2009 MacPro + 6870 = :-)

[G-Force]

No drivers needed, 6870 works out of the box on 10.6.8 or later.

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by G-Force

No drivers needed, 6870 works out of the box on 10.6.8 or later.

Yes, but that depends on your definition of "works".

[talino]

Could you please elaborate on what works and what doesn't?

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by talino

Could you please elaborate on what works and what doesn't?

You can read the 6870 threads for yourself here: http://forum.netkas.org

[G-Force]

Originally Posted by ActionableMango

Yes, but that depends on your definition of "works".

Well, if you want a card that works 100% get an Apple 5870, it's as simple as that really.

Not to be rude, but for the low price of the 6870, nobody should complain about some small issues which can be solved mostly with modified ROMs or ATYinit, thanks to Netkas. But that's my opinion.

If you ask me the most important part, accelerated graphics in OS X, works great.

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by G-Force

Well, if you want a card that works 100% get an Apple 5870, it's as simple as that really.

Not to be rude, but for the low price of the 6870, nobody should complain about some small issues which can be solved mostly with modified ROMs or ATYinit, thanks to Netkas. But that's my opinion.

If you ask me the most important part, accelerated graphics in OS X, works great.

I agree with you, it works for the most part. If anything, it's really incredible how well it works!

But what isn't important to most people can be critically important to certain people. For example, Talino wants a boot screen but doesn't want to flash his card. In that case, it doesn't work.

Also, a new thread just popped up where someone wants to run four monitors on the 6870. As I recall, even with flashing, some of the outputs don't work, so that's not a viable solution for that person either.

I've even seen someone state that the 6970 "works". Technically true, but that's a pretty big exaggeration in my opinion.

The 6870 would certainly work for me. I'm only waiting to see what the 7000 series Mac cards are like and how they are priced. Might be a long wait.

[MacVidCards]

4 screens can be run from 6870, as long as you have 2 displays which accept MDP or DP. Must be real thing, no adapters unless active.

It is important to note that 6870s with only 1 @ DP or MDP can only run 3 screens at once...(just like a 5770 or 5870 from Apple)

[ashman70]

Originally Posted by MacVidCards

4 screens can be run from 6870, as long as you have 2 displays which accept MDP or DP. Must be real thing, no adapters unless active.

It is important to note that 6870s with only 1 @ DP or MDP can only run 3 screens at once...(just like a 5770 or 5870 from Apple)

Actually I have an Apple 5770 on my MP 3,1 and it will only support two displays natively. I have one display connected to the only DVI port and another connected to the MDP, if I connect a third monitor to the second MDP I lose one of my other two displays.

[Varmann]

Originally Posted by ashman70

Actually I have an Apple 5770 on my MP 3,1 and it will only support two displays natively. I have one display connected to the only DVI port and another connected to the MDP, if I connect a third monitor to the second MDP I lose one of my other two displays.

Are you sure everything is ok?
I also have an Apple 5770. I got it to work with two displays (Dell 30" native MDP, old Sony 23", DVI) and a projector (MDP -> HDMI). With them on simultaneously it worked nicely.

But since I used to have the projector turned off most of the time, I got a lot of weird rearrangements of the desktops and windows. So now I have the projector on its own card (an old 2600).

[MacVidCards]

Originally Posted by ashman70

Actually I have an Apple 5770 on my MP 3,1 and it will only support two displays natively. I have one display connected to the only DVI port and another connected to the MDP, if I connect a third monitor to the second MDP I lose one of my other two displays.

Re-read the first two sentences in my post.

You are either using passive MDP to DVI/VGA adapters or have a bad card. Apple 5770 runs 3 displays.

[ashman70]

Originally Posted by MacVidCards

Re-read the first two sentences in my post.

You are either using passive MDP to DVI/VGA adapters or have a bad card. Apple 5770 runs 3 displays.

What is 'passive' MDP ?

Do I need to buy the more expensive MDP > DVI that looks like it comes with a small power brick and a USB cable?

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by ashman70

What is 'passive' MDP ?

Do I need to buy the more expensive MDP > DVI that looks like it comes with a small power brick and a USB cable?

From the AMD FAQ:

You can connect up to two non-DisplayPort monitors at one time to an AMD Eyefinity technology-enabled graphics card using non-DisplayPort connections or passive DisplayPort dongles. To enable and drive 3 or more non-DisplayPort monitors at one time, the additional non-DisplayPort monitors must be connected with an active DisplayPort dongle.

Passive dongles use the DisplayPort connection to receive non-DP signaling from the connector and they 'passively' adjust the signals to be compliant with the connected monitor. Passive dongles are considered legacy connections, not DisplayPort connections, therefore they do not fulfill the DisplayPort connection requirement mentioned previously and cannot be used to enable 3 or more displays. They do, however, offer an affordable solution to adapt legacy displays to DisplayPort connections.

Active dongles use true DisplayPort signaling to 'actively' translate and re-transmit the signals as the required outputs. Because they use the true DisplayPort signaling, they are considered a DisplayPort connection and meet the requirements to enable 3 or more displays.

DisplayPort to DL-DVI dongles require an external power supply which is usually through a separate USB connection (the USB connection must meet the USB 'high power' specification).

[ashman70]

So this is what I need then?

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-567.shtml

Or this:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB...co=MTY3ODQ5OTY

[slughead]

Originally Posted by ashman70

So this is what I need then?

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-567.shtml

Or this:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB...co=MTY3ODQ5OTY

Yes, those both work.

[ashman70]

I got the cable in the first link I posted and it didn't work.

How do you know if you need MDP > DVI for dual link or single link?

The cable I bought is for single link, when I connect it, one of my displays goes to sleep.

[MacVidCards]

Originally Posted by ashman70

I got the cable in the first link I posted and it didn't work.

How do you know if you need MDP > DVI for dual link or single link?

The cable I bought is for single link, when I connect it, one of my displays goes to sleep.

Perhaps some more disclosure is needed.

Are you in fact using a real Apple card or is it flashed? I only ask because that adapter is DP not MDP.

If all 3 displays are in fact DVI (Legacy in AMD parlance) you may need to have 2 of them using active adapters.

[ashman70]

Originally Posted by MacVidCards

Perhaps some more disclosure is needed.

Are you in fact using a real Apple card or is it flashed? I only ask because that adapter is DP not MDP.

If all 3 displays are in fact DVI (Legacy in AMD parlance) you may need to have 2 of them using active adapters.

My GPU is a legit Apple 5770, not a flashed PC card. All three monitors are Dell ST2320L LED 23" monitors with DVI connections. My confusion is between single and dual DVI connectors. The adapter I bought today is single active, but it doesn't work, so I need to know, do I need just one active dual link display port to DVI adapter, or two?

[dvince2]

Originally Posted by Loa

Thanks for the find, but from Canada, the shipping kills it.

Does anyone know if I can use this 1 to 2 cable with the 6870 in a 2009 MP? ( http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2795/1to201.jpg )

Thanks

I'm on the hunt for one with shipping to Canada as well. Can anyone chime in if this one would work?

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16812123301

No... because it's an extension cord.

[ClassObject]

No probs here. 09 pro. Added fanless heatsink

[Loa]

Originally Posted by dvince2

I'm on the hunt for one with shipping to Canada as well.

Search for "2x PCIe 6pin 6-pin Mac video card power cables Mac Pro G5" on ebay. Really cheap for the 2 cables we need.

Loa

[dvince2]

Originally Posted by Loa

Search for "2x PCIe 6pin 6-pin Mac video card power cables Mac Pro G5" on ebay. Really cheap for the 2 cables we need.

Loa

Nice... thanks.

Hey this might be a dumb question, but the 4870 in the 4,1 mac pro has 2 power cords... any reason why these wouldn't be usable ?

[Loa]

Originally Posted by dvince2

Nice... thanks.

Hey this might be a dumb question, but the 4870 in the 4,1 mac pro has 2 power cords... any reason why these wouldn't be usable ?

They should work, but I can't confirm. If they're 6pin to 6pin, they should.

Loa

[G-Force]

Guys, I can't seem to figure out if this setup would work or not.

My current situation:
2009 Mac Pro (Lion) with unflashed XFX 6870 dual fan, 1 23" monitor connected to DVI.

I would like to use two 21.5" 1600x1200 monitors using both DVI ports, is this a setup that should work? Or do I need to connect one using DVI and the other one with an active mini-dp to single-link DVI adapter?

I don't have the monitors yet, so I can't test it.

Thanks

[Loa]

Hello,

Pretty sure that you can't use both DVI ports on 6870s (on a Mac).

Loa

[Concorde Rules]

Originally Posted by G-Force

Guys, I can't seem to figure out if this setup would work or not.

My current situation:
2009 Mac Pro (Lion) with unflashed XFX 6870 dual fan, 1 23" monitor connected to DVI.

I would like to use two 21.5" 1600x1200 monitors using both DVI ports, is this a setup that should work? Or do I need to connect one using DVI and the other one with an active mini-dp to single-link DVI adapter?

I don't have the monitors yet, so I can't test it.

Thanks

Second DVI port doesn't work.

You'd need a mDP to DVI adapter.