OK, now that I have a 64bit Mac, time to fiddle with the cards I was denied before.
So I gathered a couple 9500GT cards.
The usual rule of thumb applies here.
The CLOSER you stay to Apple OEM, the better the results.
I tried 2 different 9500GT cards, An MSI with GDDR2 and a Jaton with GDDR3. (both 512 Megs)
NOTE: YOU NEED TO PUT A 256 K CHIP ON TO TRY THIS !!!!
The Jaton had similar diagonal RAM install compared to MSI which was all right angles.
Using Nvclock, I discovered that Mac OEM and Jaton GDDR3 had EXACT same clock speeds. (down to 4 decimal places) Flashed'em both and....
The MSI won't boot, at all.
The Jaton produces....a lovely, perfect image...from lower port.
Upper DVI port is dead to world. Even plugging in a DVI to VGA adapter to trigger Hot Plug Detect yields nary a flicker from the thing.
So, as might be expected, the MDP plug on Mac card has caused issues. Makes one realize how lucky we were with 4870/90. Upper DVI may have been single link, but at least it worked. Not sure everyone would have gone flash crazy if they had ALL been single DVI.
I will try "sewing" bits of original PC BIOS into Mac ROM, but that is a laborious and rarely happy endinged process. Other than the 7800GT with 7300GT EFI sewn onto it, I have NEVER been able to do this with any Nvidia EFI ROM. Unlike the ATI ROMs, the PC BIOS is more closely woven into the EFI. Must be some "GOTO" and "RETURN" type stuff going on. (Who can help unravel these EFI ROMs? Anyone?)
I discovered this during my fiddling with a GTX260. Only way to make card work properly in Mac (without Magical Help from Netkas and his bag'o'tricks) was the simplest. Running the bone stock, original Mac GTX285 ROM.
Did I mention that that card works perfectly? But again, needed a 256K chip installed first. I suspect only certain GTX260s will do this. It is running GTX285 clocks, but shows up with 896 Megs of VRAM and correct number of shader cores, etc. So, a slightly slower GTX285. (for which I paid $100)
If anyone else wishes to do some experimenting, I'd be happy to put 256K chips on any cards sent to me. (as long as you include return postage and $2 for chip. Another tenner for some Stella is welcome but not expected)
So I gathered a couple 9500GT cards.
The usual rule of thumb applies here.
The CLOSER you stay to Apple OEM, the better the results.
I tried 2 different 9500GT cards, An MSI with GDDR2 and a Jaton with GDDR3. (both 512 Megs)
NOTE: YOU NEED TO PUT A 256 K CHIP ON TO TRY THIS !!!!
The Jaton had similar diagonal RAM install compared to MSI which was all right angles.
Using Nvclock, I discovered that Mac OEM and Jaton GDDR3 had EXACT same clock speeds. (down to 4 decimal places) Flashed'em both and....
The MSI won't boot, at all.
The Jaton produces....a lovely, perfect image...from lower port.
Upper DVI port is dead to world. Even plugging in a DVI to VGA adapter to trigger Hot Plug Detect yields nary a flicker from the thing.
So, as might be expected, the MDP plug on Mac card has caused issues. Makes one realize how lucky we were with 4870/90. Upper DVI may have been single link, but at least it worked. Not sure everyone would have gone flash crazy if they had ALL been single DVI.
I will try "sewing" bits of original PC BIOS into Mac ROM, but that is a laborious and rarely happy endinged process. Other than the 7800GT with 7300GT EFI sewn onto it, I have NEVER been able to do this with any Nvidia EFI ROM. Unlike the ATI ROMs, the PC BIOS is more closely woven into the EFI. Must be some "GOTO" and "RETURN" type stuff going on. (Who can help unravel these EFI ROMs? Anyone?)
I discovered this during my fiddling with a GTX260. Only way to make card work properly in Mac (without Magical Help from Netkas and his bag'o'tricks) was the simplest. Running the bone stock, original Mac GTX285 ROM.
Did I mention that that card works perfectly? But again, needed a 256K chip installed first. I suspect only certain GTX260s will do this. It is running GTX285 clocks, but shows up with 896 Megs of VRAM and correct number of shader cores, etc. So, a slightly slower GTX285. (for which I paid $100)
If anyone else wishes to do some experimenting, I'd be happy to put 256K chips on any cards sent to me. (as long as you include return postage and $2 for chip. Another tenner for some Stella is welcome but not expected)
