Cheap Video card for Power Mac G5

[ikaruga]

I have a Power Mac G5, EMC: 1969c.

The video card is shot. I'd like to buy a cheap replacement.

(1) What video cards will work with this mac?
(2) Can I use a PC video card? That would be the ideal solution since money is an issue. I would not mind modding a PC video card if necessary in order to get it to work.

Also, what version of the G5 do I have (and how can I find out)? I'm a Linux person, not a Mac, and someone gave this to me...

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Remove the side door to your G5 and look at the bottom as you will see a label there. What does your Mac say?

You will either have AGP graphics or PCIe. A good all around PC compatible graphics card for the AGP is the 9800 Pro. I've had a 100% success rate in flashing those for my old G4/G5s and are the cheapest and best cards to get in my opinion. I've never flashed any PCIe graphics cards though.

 

[ikaruga]

Thanks. I'll look at the case when I get home.

You did mean the ATI 9800 Pro, right? Looking at pictures, it doesn't look like it will fit. I may have a PCIe card but I won't know for sure until I get home.

Now for the $1 million question --- how do you flash a video card?

 

[ikaruga]

Unfortunately, the label was a little smeared. All I could tell was that it's a 1.8 Ghz Mac. Going to the mac site and taking a look at the G5 specifications, *all* of the 1.8 GHz G5s use AGP cards.

HOWEVER, comparing the actual card with pictures of the 9800 AGP card ... it doesn't look like that card will fit into the card...

In any case, how do you flash a video card to work on the Mac?