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mattso

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 16, 2010
3
0
I've got a Quad 3.0 made in August 2006...
the video card in it seems to be bad. (Blue Verticle lines and hangs during boot.) I can't really seem to find a straight answer about what card(s) I can put in it. FOR EXAMPLE... do I REALLY have to spend 500$ to get a nVidia 8800 or 'Apple Brand' ATI x1900?
Really?

I tried a 9800GT, but no luck... the supplemental power cable that comes with the card is a little tiny 2-pin thingy, and of course the Mac Pro 6-pin connectors are all I can find to plug into. So I don't even know if the 9800 would work even if I DID have the right cable.


Please help... this is my working computer, and if I HAVE To spend a huge amount of money on an Older model graphics card, I will...
but PLEASE... that makes me feel so... small.

thanks!

matt, so?
 

neckarb

macrumors regular
Jun 29, 2007
171
0
I've got a Quad 3.0 made in August 2006...
the video card in it seems to be bad. (Blue Verticle lines and hangs during boot.) I can't really seem to find a straight answer about what card(s) I can put in it. FOR EXAMPLE... do I REALLY have to spend 500$ to get a nVidia 8800 or 'Apple Brand' ATI x1900?
Really?

I tried a 9800GT, but no luck... the supplemental power cable that comes with the card is a little tiny 2-pin thingy, and of course the Mac Pro 6-pin connectors are all I can find to plug into. So I don't even know if the 9800 would work even if I DID have the right cable.


Please help... this is my working computer, and if I HAVE To spend a huge amount of money on an Older model graphics card, I will...
but PLEASE... that makes me feel so... small.

thanks!

matt, so?

You can either get an Apple ATI 5770, or you could buy a PC card and flash it, like a 5870 or a 5770 :)
 

OZMP

macrumors 6502
Feb 18, 2008
321
0
Good that there is the new ATI options, I still don't regret selling my 1,1 and building my new rig though...
 

mattso

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 16, 2010
3
0
You can either get an Apple ATI 5770, or you could buy a PC card and flash it, like a 5870 or a 5770 :)

Thank you guys!
I'd love to do this - flash the PC card - if for nothing else, just to get the satisfaction of NOT paying for apple's 'branding'. BUT, I have no idea how to do that. I'm not computer illiterate, but I'm at my knowledge threshold with such things.
tutorial, anyone?

m
 

goMac

Contributor
Apr 15, 2004
7,662
1,693
Thank you guys!
I'd love to do this - flash the PC card - if for nothing else, just to get the satisfaction of NOT paying for apple's 'branding'. BUT, I have no idea how to do that. I'm not computer illiterate, but I'm at my knowledge threshold with such things.
tutorial, anyone?

m

If that's the case, I'd just go with the Apple branded ones. Less fuss, and it will come with the power cable you need.

The flashed ones still have a few catches.
 

king tech 1

macrumors newbie
Jul 2, 2012
4
0
need help on a video card dual core?

i just got fcp x - for a 2006 dual core - its running pretty good - but it keeps suggesting i need a new video card - i still use 10.4 sometimes to run the old versions of pro tools and logic .. need a little help - whats the fastest or the best video card i can get for my computer -- someone suggested ati 4870 -
does anyone have an idea here?

thanks - tech
 

TableSyrup

macrumors 6502
May 29, 2012
312
1
King,

Are you running FCPX on 10.4? Didn't think you could...

What video card is in your machine and how much RAM do you have?

A 5870 is going to be the best OEM card for you, but they are expensive.
A 5770 is a good option too, at $229 new, shipped, from B&H Photo

Pretty tough to find either of these for any less used.

For some reason, Mac users feel that their used 5770 is worth $200 plus.

Put down the crack pipes people.....
 

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
Pretty tough to find either of these for any less used.

For some reason, Mac users feel that their used 5770 is worth $200 plus.

Put down the crack pipes people.....

What something is worth is what people will pay for it. The only real question is are you willing to pay what others have decided it is worth?

Easiest way to get this price is to do a "completed items" search on Ebay. Shows you what the bids ran to recently. You will need to mentally weed out the flashed 5770s and only compare the APple OEM ones. The fact that they have boot screens from any port whereas flashed ones only have boot screen from VGA adapted ports makes real ones much more valuable. Price will stay high until APple releases new OEM card as base.

Thinking that you know better than the market what any particular object or commodity is worth is a sure sign of someone needing to put down a crack pipe.
 

Gambol

macrumors newbie
Jul 6, 2012
2
0
i just got fcp x - for a 2006 dual core - its running pretty good - but it keeps suggesting i need a new video card - i still use 10.4 sometimes to run the old versions of pro tools and logic .. need a little help - whats the fastest or the best video card i can get for my computer -- someone suggested ati 4870 -
does anyone have an idea here?

thanks - tech

A flashed 4870 requires Snow Leopard to be reliable. On my 2007 Quad Core 1.1 Mac Pro, when I install Leopard 10.5.1 it works fine with DVI ouput, but when I patch to 10.5.8 it suddenly will no longer output DVI signal, and I have to use a DVI to VGA converter and run Leopard under VGA (much research online says it's an issue with Apple's video drivers negotiating signal with the monitor).

I think even the Apple-branded 8800 nVidia card upgrade requires Leopard. Of course, you could run both cards at the same time with different OSs. I still keep my OEM 7300 so I can run Tiger if necessary.
 

d-m-a-x

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2011
510
0
A flashed 4870 requires Snow Leopard to be reliable. On my 2007 Quad Core 1.1 Mac Pro, when I install Leopard 10.5.1 it works fine with DVI ouput, but when I patch to 10.5.8 it suddenly will no longer output DVI signal, and I have to use a DVI to VGA converter and run Leopard under VGA (much research online says it's an issue with Apple's video drivers negotiating signal with the monitor).

I think even the Apple-branded 8800 nVidia card upgrade requires Leopard. Of course, you could run both cards at the same time with different OSs. I still keep my OEM 7300 so I can run Tiger if necessary.

no problems with my 4870, did not have to flash
 

d-m-a-x

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2011
510
0
Odd. I had the problem on two different monitors, but both were Viewsonic, so perhaps the card / drivers can talk better to other brands.

i put in in while still on tiger.
Did have some monitor problems, but it was due to a wimpy dvi cable
 

mitoman212

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2011
27
0
I have been reading through these forms gathering as much information as possible. I have the same question as the original poster I'm trying to figure out what to do in regards to my aging Mac Pro 1.1 Dual core 3ghz Intel Xeon. I would like a video card that I can load into the boot screen and select my OS (Bootcamp). However I still have a working Nvidia Quadro FX 4500 , which brings me to my first question. If I put another video card in my machine could I leave the Quadro in another slot for booting? I would like something better for gaming as many have suggested the ATI 5770 for Mac. I was looking into getting it but I'm not sure if I can get into the boot screen or if that only works with an analog VGA adapter (mac card)? If that’s the case I was wondering If there’s anything faster from Nvidia I saw MacVidCards was selling a 8800 ultra that would work with my machine (I apologize if I am mistaken).

Thanks in advanced!
 
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