Dual displays on a Radeon 9800?

[lepidotós]

Sorry for YET ANOTHER question thread, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's. Long story short, will my Radeon 9800 Pro with 128MB be able to drive two displays at 1600x1200@75? If not, maybe 1440x1080@80?
I've been wanting to save up for a second 19" CRT for a KVM setup so I can use dual displays with my eventual Blackbird build, but I'd like to know whether the 9800 Pro can even handle that. I'd imagine so, seeing this image of the same computer and two similar 19" monitors. Is it just as simple as plugging the second monitor into the DVI port?

 

[Amethyst1]

It will run two monitors. Those resolutions should be no problem (manual, page 21).

 

[eyoungren]

Sorry for YET ANOTHER question thread, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's. Long story short, will my Radeon 9800 Pro with 128MB be able to drive two displays at 1600x1200@75? If not, maybe 1440x1080@80?
I've been wanting to save up for a second 19" CRT for a KVM setup so I can use dual displays with my eventual Blackbird build, but I'd like to know whether the 9800 Pro can even handle that. I'd imagine so, seeing this image of the same computer and two similar 19" monitors. Is it just as simple as plugging the second monitor into the DVI port?

There was a time where I had a Quicksilver and it had three video cards installed to support six monitors.

One of those was the 9800 Pro. @Amethyst1 can correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall that the 9800 was one of the few GPUs that could support the resolution of the 30" Cinema Display (2560x1600).

I was only ever limited by what I had on hand for my old QS, and the largest display I had was the 20" ACD, which the 9800 Pro supported just fine as well as a slightly smaller HDTV I was using as a monitor. If I'd had another 20" ACD or even a larger non-Apple display I don't believe there would have been a problem.

Just keep in mind that the 9800 Pro requires additional Molex power.

 

[Amethyst1]

One of those was the 9800 Pro. @Amethyst1 can correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall that the 9800 was one of the few GPUs that could support the resolution of the 30" Cinema Display (2560x1600).

It doesn’t have dual-link DVI. So while it’ll do 2560×1600 (the manual even goes as far as mentioning support for 3840×2400 on the IBM T221), it won’t do it at 60 Hz, and since the 30” ACD requires dual-link DVI for 2560×1600, it won’t drive the 30” at full resolution.

 

[eyoungren]

It doesn’t have dual-link DVI. So while it’ll do 2560×1600 (the manual even goes as far as mentioning support for 3840×2400 on the IBM T221), it won’t do it at 60 Hz, and since the 30” ACD requires dual-link DVI for 2560×1600, it won’t drive the 30” at full resolution.

Thank you for the clarification. Wasn't there a G5 9800 Pro with the blue board that was able to support it? I remember it as being one of the few when Apple released the 30".

But, I also remember stuff that never happened some times so this is probably one of those.

 

[Amethyst1]

Wasn't there a G5 9800 Pro with the blue board that was able to support it?

Not to my knowledge.

The GeForce 6800 was the card that was sold as being able to run two 30”s.

As far as ATI cards go, the Radeon 9600 PC&Mac (retail), 9650 and X800/X850 can run one.

The 9800 is an older card (intro'd in 2003) and lacks dual-link DVI.

 

[eyoungren]

Not to my knowledge.

The GeForce 6800…

The 9800…

That's my problem.

I'm confusing the 6800 with the 9800.

 

[lepidotós]

Just keep in mind that the 9800 Pro requires additional Molex power.

Oh, yeah. I've had the 9800 Pro for several months now formerly installed into Oddball, it's already shoved into Seqouyah now and everything. I just wasn't sure about dual monitor. I think because my 1920x1080 monitor feels weirdly sluggish with it, though maybe the locked 60Hz is just making me think that.​

 

[eyoungren]

Oh, yeah. I've had the 9800 Pro for several months now formerly installed into Oddball, it's already shoved into Seqouyah now and everything. I just wasn't sure about dual monitor. I think because my 1920x1080 monitor feels weirdly sluggish with it, though maybe the locked 60Hz is just making me think that.​

You can get the ATI drivers (links to them are around this forum somewhere) and over/underclock the card using those. The GUI installs into System Preferences.

My 9800 Pro had a damaged fan so I was using it with a Thermotake cooler. I still had artifacting though because of heat, so used the drivers to underclock the GPU to the point where the artifacts disappeared.

Really wish the card had been solid, I feel it never got a fair use in my system.

 

[lepidotós]

Oh yeah, I keep meaning to do that. I don't have any visual issues at all, but I don't need sheer graphics performance since I mostly stay on the desktop and in GUI/terminal apps, and the games I do play are usually very old, so I'm hoping an underclock to, say, 9600 speeds helps it stay alive for longer!​

 

[Amethyst1]

You can get the ATI drivers (links to them are around this forum somewhere) and over/underclock the card using those.

Can you also undervolt the GPU? That's going to reduce power consumption and heat (much?) more than just underclocking.

 

[eyoungren]

Can you also undervolt the GPU? That's going to reduce power consumption and heat (much?) more than just underclocking.

Absolutely no idea. If I knew half the stuff you do about these things I'd have had half the problems I did.

 

[Amethyst1]

If I knew half the stuff you do about these things I'd have had half the problems I did.

Me? Me not know anything!

 

[eyoungren]

Me? Me not know anything!

LOL, says the one who got my two 30" Cinema Displays to work with my work MBP.