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Second video card in PowerMac

S

simplymuzik3

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 29, 2009
590
1
Hi, Im thinking of installing a second video card in my powermac g4. I currently have the gigabit ethernet model with ati rage 128 pro. Could I just use any PCI or PCI express card with VGA? Does it matter if its windows or mac? Which cards would be mac compatible? I just want to use baisc dual monitors, so its cheaper to buy a PCI card than the ADC adapter. Also, I plan to upgrade to a dual core powermac g4 in the near future, so will the card still be compatible? Can you please offer your advice about which PCI or PCI express VGA card will work well with powermacs. Thanks.
 
simplymuzik3 said:
Hi, Im thinking of installing a second video card in my powermac g4. I currently have the gigabit ethernet model with ati rage 128 pro. Could I just use any PCI or PCI express card with VGA? Does it matter if its windows or mac? Which cards would be mac compatible? I just want to use baisc dual monitors, so its cheaper to buy a PCI card than the ADC adapter. Also, I plan to upgrade to a dual core powermac g4 in the near future, so will the card still be compatible? Can you please offer your advice about which PCI or PCI express VGA card will work well with powermacs. Thanks.
Click to expand...

A PCI-e card will never work as a G4 does not have the connector for it you need a G5 as to the PCI you may want to check the site below to see if you can find a Mac ROM to flash onto a PC card to try and get it working it is mainly AGP so you might want to try one of them. Looking at the compatibility chart it looks like you could flash an ATI 9700/9800 like I did for my dual G4 and still use it when you have upgraded.

http://themacelite.wikispaces.com/A...esponseToken=ce0fa319a6599f0bb923af20c336f454
 
Find yourself a Mac-flashed Radeon 9700 Pro or 9800 Pro AGP. It'll support two monitors (one analog + one digital or two analog).
 
I think this is your model PM G4, right?
http://lowendmac.com/ppc/mystic-powermac-g4-gigabit.html

If you plan to replace the Rage with another AGP card, be careful:
Because of voltage differences between the AGP 2x and 4x specifications, AGP 4x cards may be electronically incompatible with computers designed for AGP 2x cards, although many cards are designed to work in both 2x and 4x slots. Be sure to check compatibility before purchasing any AGP 4x card for this Power Mac.
Click to expand...

If you're going to add a second video card it has to be PCI. See the "Best PCI Video Card Prices" on this page (ignore that the page is for the PM G3, it's just that the G3 only takes PCI):
http://lowendmac.com/deals/best-power-mac-g3-prices.html
 
thanks for the replies. I think im just gonna go with a ati radeon 9200 because it is PCI and it will work with my new dual core powermac g4.

Edit: Will the card mentioned above (ati 9200) also work with powermac g5's?
 
SmurfBoxMasta said:
That thing was an antique on the day it was released, let alone now :eek:......... a flashed 9800pro will surpass it in every way possible, and for less $$ too!
Click to expand...

Really no sense getting the 9800Pro though when you flash a 9700Pro it uses the 9800 ROM anyways when doing it so that is what you end up with at the end of the process much cheaper that way too.
 
MacUser2525 said:
Really no sense getting the 9800Pro though when you flash a 9700Pro it uses the 9800 ROM anyways when doing it so that is what you end up with at the end of the process much cheaper that way too.
Click to expand...

The 9700 is a significantly rarer card though, so flashing a 9800 PRO is a much more likely proposition. There are quite a few options when it comes to flashing a PC video card for the G4, (GeForce 5200, GeForce 5500, GeForce 6800GS/GT/Ultra, 9700/9800 PRO, X800XT, Fire GL X2 and others)

But the 9800 is the easiest to find, supports all the OS X GPU eye candy, works on all G4 models, is cheap and offers decent power for light to medium duty work.

I'm a big fan of the 6800GT I flashed (see thread in sig) because it has two functional DVI ports. The problem with the 6800 is that it's harder to find a compatible card for Mac flashing. Unfortunately, this card requires an AGP 4x slot so it won't work with a Sawtooth or Gigabit Ethernet G4.
 
Thanks for the help. Im gonna wait until i get my mdd powermac dual core, and then buy the card. Thanks for the advice.
 
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