What additional graphics card would work?

[KP Nuts]

Hi

Thanks in advance for the advice. I warn you that I am not up on my tech, and my questions are probably stupid...

I currently have a ATI Radeon HD 4870 in my Mac Pro 2 x 2.26 Quad.

I use the latest 24" Apple Display.

I want to connect an additional, identical, 24" Apple display to create a dual monitor set up - my main area of use if FCP3 and Lightroom.

I also have a Samsung 40" LCD HD TV in the studio which I would like to preview my video edits on as well as play slide shows on etc

When exporting a signal from my old PC via a dvi - vga adaptor the Samsung 40" all of the photos displayed were stretched. There is no manual aspect con-fig to the TV and this issue rendered the TV unusable as clients would look at the images and feel fat...

Can anyone suggest a graphics card (i'm on a budget...) that I can install which will be able to support the additional 24" and the TV in the correct aspect.
Also, how would I connect the TV? I have a mini display post to HDMI adaptor, which I recently bought in preparation however I am not sure if it is the correct way of doing this.

Sincere thanks

Kirstin

www.kirstinprisk.co.uk

 

[thehimay]

I don't have any personal experience with the miniDP -> HDMI cables, but I would assume they should work fine. To get these digital televisions to display properly with a computer, usually you want to go with a DVI->DVI, DVI->HDMI, or some other comparable digital-type connector (e.g. DVI/DisplayPort/miniDisplayPort -> DVI/HDMI). If your Apple Display is already on the miniDP connector, then you'll want a DVI->HDMI cable (or adapter) for the television. If the Apple Display is already on the DVI, then your miniDP->HDMI adapter should be fine. You shouldn't need any additional card with your setup (unless I've completely forgotten what some of the limitations of the Mac-versioned 4870 were).

VGA connections are limited to a specific set of resolutions that often don't play nicely with widescreen televisions (unless you can verify it supports some of those resolutions over VGA), whereas I think DVI/HDMI are far less restricted in this regard. You might have to play with overscan settings a little bit, but it should work just fine. I often have used my MacBook Pro with a DVI->HDMI cable as a HTPC with Plex. Try to stick with one of the "TV" resolutions (see below), and you'll be set!

 

[Cindori]

If your TV has a HDMI input, a MDP-HDMI cable should work fine.

The additional cards you can run are 7300GT, 2600HD or GT120. Listed by performance, GT120 being the most powerful.

 

[JesterJJZ]

The cheaper NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 would work just fine. Your LCD would work off the DVI port of either card just fine as well.

 

[KP Nuts]

4870 + Gt120

So these two different cards will work along side each other in the real world. I just called Apple and they said it's not guaranteed with out a lot of headbutting of the office table in frustration!!?

 

[Inconsequential]

So these two different cards will work along side each other in the real world. I just called Apple and they said it's not guaranteed with out a lot of headbutting of the office table in frustration!!?

What a coincidence! You messaged me on the bay about my 4870!

I can test the 4870/gt120 in the same machine but only powering a single monitor...

I don't see why it wouldn't work tho...

 

[Mackilroy]

So these two different cards will work along side each other in the real world. I just called Apple and they said it's not guaranteed with out a lot of headbutting of the office table in frustration!!?

I ran an HD2600 XT and a 7300 GT together for a while, so there's no technical reason for your HD4870 and a GT 120 not to work together, unless something has changed since 2008 in that regard.