macpro1,1 with 3 DVI monitors - 5770?

[dermeister]

I returned an XFX 6850 today because it could not be flashed to work in a macpro1,1.

My goal is to be able to dual-boot my macpro1,1 into Windows 7 and Mac OS X. Win7 is for gaming, OSX for work.

I have 1 Dell 2407WFP and 2 Dell 2408WFPs, so I want to be able to take advantage of triple-screen Eyefinity for COD on Win7.

So I think my options are either the Apple 5770 or 5870.

This Apple knowledge base article claims I need 2x Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter.

These are $109 CND a pop... and they gobble up USB ports, meaning I'll probably need a USB card.

At bare minimum using an Apple 5770 would cost me:

$269 - Apple 5770
$109 - Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter
$109 - Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter
---
$487 x 1.13 (taxes)
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$550

...which is a hell of a lot of money for 5770 performance...

Is this really my only option?

Update: Turns out I can get an active MDP to Single DVI adapter for $35. So 70+270=$340+Tax for the Apple 5770 + 2x adapters. Not as bad. Is it the best I can do?

Update: I actually have 1 2407WFP and 2 2408WFP. The difference is that the 2408WFPs have a displayport (not mini, but "normal").

Update: Got 2 MiniDisplayPort<->DisplayPort cables. Just need a card now.

 

[Hellhammer]

Yes, you need active mDP adapter to use those three monitors simultaneously. I think that's the best what you can do

 

[Heilage]

Yeah, you don't need Dual-Link DVI, since the 2408 has a 1920x1200 resolution.

Paying that much for the 5770 on the other hand, not so sure.

 

[Vylen]

Wouldn't it be better to get a 5870 if you plan on playing CoD across 3 monitors? More processing power and more RAM on the GPU would surely be beneficial?

 

[dermeister]

Wouldn't it be better to get a 5870 if you plan on playing CoD across 3 monitors? More processing power and more RAM on the GPU would surely be beneficial?

For sure, but the 5870 is $479.00... $210 more. It is for my 2.66 GHz macpro1,1 with PCI-E 1.x.

How big a difference would it make? I suppose it would be a shame to set eyefinity up and realize it needs to run on lowest settings!

 

[e3mac]

Yeah, you don't need Dual-Link DVI, since the 2408 has a 1920x1200 resolution.

Paying that much for the 5770 on the other hand, not so sure.

The reason he had the dual-link adapters in mind is because they produce a clock signal that DVI monitors need and that the 5770 and the Apple single-link DVI adapter doesn't make. However, there are after market (and much cheaper) single-link DVI adapters that are "active" and produce this clock signal.

dermeister: I'd say save up and go with the 5870. If you can get a student discount (i.e. you are or know a student) it is only $404 (US) for the 5870. The more pixels the card is pushing (i.e. triple monitors) the more work the graphics card has to do.

Also, I think you are right, you should be able to use a display port to mini display port adapter to make those monitors work without the DVI adapters. I put "should" in bold because I have not yet used any display port monitors and I did not research the DP adapters but the reasoning seems sound.

 

[Vylen]

For your DP capable monitors you just need something like this:
http://estore.circuitassembly.com/products/Mini-Displayport-to-Displayport-Adapter-Cable.html
which is what I use

 

[dermeister]

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Thanks for the advice - I'll get the 5870 then. The Apple Store didn't have it in stock. Oddly enough, they didn't have any aux. power cables to sell me either. Looks like illl order 5870 from Apple and pwr cables from owc.