Best Video Card Upgrade for G4

[ladyhawkjamaica]

I have a blue & white G3 with a Zif G4 500 mHz processor (see details below). I cannot seem to run video very well, whether its in the site (ie YouTube, FoxNews, etc.) or dowloaded. The downloads do better, but still not great. Some sites are better than others. YouTube usually freezes video but continues audio. Not too entertaining.

Even on this site, as I type the letters come up delayed (I think because it has a moving graphic ad at the top of the page.)

Would upgrading my video card help? The card I have now I bought for my old beige G3, with my G4 processor in it, specifically so I could hook up an LCD monitor. I moved the card into my "new" B&W along with the ZIF.

BTW, I bought this card on Ebay and ended up getting 1/2 my money back because I thought I was buying the ATI Radeon 7000, but that wasn't what was in the box. I was willing to compromise because even though it wasn't a 7000, at least I could connect my new monitor. Now it looks like I should have sent it back and tried again for a better card???

Here are the computer & card details:
Machine Model: Power Macintosh G3 Series
CPU Type: PowerPC 60? (11.4)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 500 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
Memory: 896 MB
Bus Speed: 100 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 1.1.1f4

ATY,Rage128:
Type: display
Bus: PCI
Slot: J12
VRAM (Total): 16 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x5245
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-57401-116
Display:
Resolution: 1024 x 768 @ 75 Hz
Depth: 32-bit Color
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Main Display: Yes

I'm looking for something older and less expensive, and known to work well with the Zif G4 processor upgrade. Your advice is much appreciated.

 

[MacsRgr8]

Here's the top of the bill PCI grfx card for the Mac:
Radeon 9200 PCI Mac edition

Upgrading the grfx card will boost apps that rely on grfx card-hardware accelerated engines, like OpenGL, Core Graphics and Core Image.
OpenGL is used for 3D (like gaming), Core Graphics needs an AGP grfx card, and Core Image needs a far newer card.

But in your case I don't really see why upgrading yours would help your specific performance issue. Flash is more dependable on the CPU than the GPU.
Windows will be drawn slighty faster on the 9200, but I won't imagine it would be worth spending the extra cash.

But if you really want to upgrade, then get what you thought you'd got: Radeon 7000

 

[ladyhawkjamaica]

But in your case I don't really see why upgrading yours would help your specific performance issue. Flash is more dependable on the CPU than the GPU.
Windows will be drawn slighty faster on the 9200, but I won't imagine it would be worth spending the extra cash.

Thank you, I was leaning towards another shot at the Radeon. So is 500 mHz and 896 mb ram just not enough for video? Or are you saying that the difference between the 7000 & the 9200 is not worth it, but the 7000 should solve most of my video problems?

Thanks again!

 

[Eidorian]

I'd take a look at a Flashed GeForce 6200.

 

[CubeHacker]

The problem is your CPU and your slow FSB, not your video card. Thing like youtube and generally all forms of video are very CPU and bandwidth heavy. Upgrading your video card isn't going to help, especially if its PCI.