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Mac Pro with EVGA GTX 680 Dual 30 inch Monitors

A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Hello

I currently have a Mac Pro with 2 x 30 inch Monitors.

I want to replace the old graphics cards (XT1900) and replace with a single with EVGA GTX 680 , which uses both available internal power supply sockets.

1. Can this graphics card support 2 x 30inch Apple Cinema displays running at 2560 x 1440 pixels using the DVI ports?

Or will this need a dual link DVI adapter to supply the additional power to the monitor?

2.If so would it be better/more cost effective to fit an older graphics card to power the second monitor. The dual link DVI adapter seems to offer poor quality.

A secondhand older graphics card that is powered only off the PCI bus might be cheaper and better quality.

Does anyone here have any experience of running 2 30 inch Apple displays with their GTX680?

Any ideas and suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
 
pastrychef

pastrychef

macrumors 601
Sep 15, 2006
4,753
1,450
New York City, NY
From what I understand, dual ink DVI connectors are required to carry the 2560x1600 resolution. It has nothing to do with power. Also, there's no reason why dual link DVI will provide poor quality. It's a digital connection. Either your monitor receives the 1s and 0s or it doesn't.

In regards to the GTX 680, yes, it can support two 30" displays running 2560x160.

Yes, there are many older, less expensive video cards that can drive two 30" displays. But there's no reason why a graphics card that is powered by the PCI-e slot will be better quality.
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Thank you for your reply pastrychef

I noticed you have a similar set up.

Can you confirm that the GTX can support the 2 x 30inch monitors just using the 2 x DVI ports or will I need a Dual Link DVI adapter?

Many thanks
 
pastrychef

pastrychef

macrumors 601
Sep 15, 2006
4,753
1,450
New York City, NY
I have never connected two 30" displays to my GTX 680, but according to specs, it should handle it fine. Both DVI ports on the GTX 680 are dual link DVI ports. You won't need any adaptors.
 
K

Kristoph

macrumors newbie
Jul 16, 2013
7
0
anthonys-studio said:
Hello

I currently have a Mac Pro with 2 x 30 inch Monitors.

I want to replace the old graphics cards (XT1900) and replace with a single with EVGA GTX 680 , which uses both available internal power supply sockets.

1. Can this graphics card support 2 x 30inch Apple Cinema displays running at 2560 x 1440 pixels using the DVI ports?

Or will this need a dual link DVI adapter to supply the additional power to the monitor?

2.If so would it be better/more cost effective to fit an older graphics card to power the second monitor. The dual link DVI adapter seems to offer poor quality.

A secondhand older graphics card that is powered only off the PCI bus might be cheaper and better quality.

Does anyone here have any experience of running 2 30 inch Apple displays with their GTX680?

Any ideas and suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


Im using x2 30 inch displays with 680 and it works fine.

I have 2 680 cards installed. One 2GB and one 4gb. Ive connected both displays to the 2gb which work no problem. 4gb is same.
 
flowrider

flowrider

macrumors 604
Nov 23, 2012
7,232
2,962
I noticed from your post that your current Graphics cards are ATI Radeon X1900 XT. This card came as an Apple option on the 1,1 and 2,1 Mac Pros. You did not specify what model of Mac Pro you are using. If it is in fact a 1,1 or 2,1 your options are different than later model machines. The earlier Mac Pros will not run OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) natively. The latest OS they will run is 10.7 (Lion).

If this is the case an Nvidia GTX680 will not work for you. Read the first post in this thread for your options, scroll down to number 6, Which GPU should I buy:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1440150/

Lou
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Hello

Well I have my second hand Mac Pro 2010 model, a Nvidia GTX 680 graphics card and 2 x 30 inch monitors.

I am running 10.6.8, and the graphics card only supports 1 monitor. Bugger!

I want to stay with 10.6.8. due to some legacy software I am using that is not supported above 10.6.8.

Yes I can get both monitors to work under 10.8.3 ( I have tried it )

I have installed some Nvidia drivers specific to 10.6.8 but without success.

What would be the best way to add the second monitor? the easiest option would be to add a second graphics card.

Would my old XT1900 graphics card work in a Mac Pro 2010?

Which graphics card would you suggest that is

a, inexpensive
b, does no put any addition power requirements on the machine
c, I would consider drawing power from the second unused DVD drive with a suitable power cable

d, works with 10.6.8!

many thanks for any idea and recommendations
 
OrangeSVTguy

OrangeSVTguy

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2007
4,127
69
Northeastern Ohio
anthonys-studio said:
Hello

Well I have my second hand Mac Pro 2010 model, a Nvidia GTX 680 graphics card and 2 x 30 inch monitors.

I am running 10.6.8, and the graphics card only supports 1 monitor. Bugger!

I want to stay with 10.6.8. due to some legacy software I am using that is not supported above 10.6.8.

Yes I can get both monitors to work under 10.8.3 ( I have tried it )

I have installed some Nvidia drivers specific to 10.6.8 but without success.

What would be the best way to add the second monitor? the easiest option would be to add a second graphics card.

Would my old XT1900 graphics card work in a Mac Pro 2010?

Which graphics card would you suggest that is

a, inexpensive
b, does no put any addition power requirements on the machine
c, I would consider drawing power from the second unused DVD drive with a suitable power cable

d, works with 10.6.8!

many thanks for any idea and recommendations
Click to expand...
GT120? They are cheap, requires no additional power, takes up one slot and you can get EFI boot screens, if you haven't flashed your 680.
 
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
The reason you are getting only 1 display in 10.6.8 is because there is 0 (ZERO) 3D acceleration being provided.

So, it is a $500 frame buffer.

As in if you DID add a GT120, it would be faster card.

(Don't believe me? Try running OpenGl Viewer, it will tell you that you are using Apple Software Renderer)

Only Fermi cards supported in 10.6.8 are the GTX470 & 480 and Quadro 4000.

As far as GT120 goes, it can no longer be used next to a GTX680 in 10.8.4 if trying to use OpenCl. At least Luxrender chokes on it.

Answer lies in new EFI GT640 single slot, no power cord cards.

Sweet little vixens...power of old 8800GT while running 3 displays and no power or heat issues.

Boot screens and same CUDA/OpenCl support as 680/770 so easy to mix and add OpenCl horsepower.
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Thank you OrangeSVT guy and MacVidCards

The GT120 sounded absolutely ideal, but the EFI GT640 single slot card sounds like it will work well in both 10.6.8 and 10.8.4, giving me the best of both worlds and future use.

I should have done some more research. I have download the Open Gl viewer which I had not heard about before. Nvidia said it would work with an update, but I thought they meant a driver install not a system update

I will have a look online and see what I can pick up.

Thanks again!
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Hello MacVidCards

There are quite a few versions, but I have tracked down 2 versions of the single slot card.

the 2GB
EVGA GeForce GT 640 (Single Slot)
Part Number: 02G-P4-2645-KR

http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-2645-KR

and the 4GB
EVGA GeForce GT 640 (Single Slot)
Part Number: 04G-P4-2647-KR

http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=04G-P4-2647-KR



there is are only a few $ £ between them, so I was tempted to go for the 4GB card.

Would this still be suitable?

Thank you
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
GT640 did not work with OSX 10.6.8

I am disappointed to say that the GeForce GT640 did not work with OSX10.6.8

My hopes of having a dual boot 10.6.8 and 10.8.3 machine have been dashed. I will have to find a solution for my legacy software instead.

Any ideas for a second hand apple card that can handle both 10.6.8 and 10.8.3?

A single height card with no additional power requirements
 
Last edited:
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
AMD 2600xt or GT120 are only ones that fill your needs. The 2600 has no support for CUDA or OpenCl while 120 has limited support that might get in the way if used with certain apps with 680.

Be sure to get Mac versions of the cards.
 
pastrychef

pastrychef

macrumors 601
Sep 15, 2006
4,753
1,450
New York City, NY
I see no reason why the video cards I mentioned can't run two 30" monitors.

Also, the GT120 only has one DVI port. You would need an adaptor for the mini display port to use your second 30" monitor.

The 2600xt and GT120 are both extremely old cards. The only advantages (that I can think of) that these two cards have over the others is the fact that neither requires auxiliary power.
 
orph

orph

macrumors 68000
Dec 12, 2005
1,884
393
UK
what software are you ruining in OSX10.6, is it software that actuality requires anything from a GPU?

if it's not dependent on a GPU just get something like a GT120 or newer equivalent, do you even need more than 512vram? (cant think of may apps that will benefit from 4GBvram over 2GBvram)

if it's a second card for booting in to OSX10.6 just get something silent cheep, if you need GPU acceleration from apps in a big way in OSX10.6 it's different tho.
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Hello Orph

I have a piece of legacy software based on PowerPC code that worked with rosetta in OS X 10.6.8.

On my old machine, a 2007 2,1 Mac pro, I had 2 monitors and was running 10.6.8 and my legacy software with no issues. I was hoping to create a dual boot machine for when I needed to use the legacy software.

With my newer Mac Pro, a 2010 5,1, which came with a single GTX680 and 10.8.3 I discovered the monitor issue when booting from a 10.6.8 installation.

However I have found that the newer machine is not happy running 10.6.8 with lots of apple applications like preview not working correctly and so I have decided to bite the bullet and abandon 10.6.8 and migrate completely to 10.8.3

Luckily I have found a programmer to create a plugin for my legacy software. It will cost me some money but hopefully it will solve my problem.
 
ActionableMango

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,907
OrangeSVTguy said:
The 680 has two Dual link DVI ports one is digital, the other is interlaced.
Click to expand...

I think that's a common misconception. Both DVI-D and DVI-I have the digital connections. In addition to the digital pins, DVI-I has an extra four pins that also allow an analog signal to be used from the port, so you can use a DVI-to-VGA adapter.
 
A

anthonys-studio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2013
15
0
Great Idea!!!

I had not realised that a virtual system was a possibility! Looks like an interesting idea and not too expensive money wise but maybe a drag installing the second system and adding all the updates again, which took ages when I did a system reinstall in april.

I have not touched a VM setup for over 10 years when I had Virtual PC installed so I could use Rhino.

Is there a way to clone my existing 10.6.8 into the virtual partition?

I have had a quick look at the links but need to investigate further.

Thanks
 
JesterJJZ

JesterJJZ

macrumors 68020
Jul 21, 2004
2,443
808
OrangeSVTguy said:
The 680 has two Dual link DVI ports one is digital, the other is interlaced. You can drive 2 30" 2560x1600 displays no problem.
Click to expand...

Would it be better to use the HDMI or DP with an adapter for a second monitor rather than DVI-I? I figured it was all progressive.
 
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