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Best video card choice for my PMG4?
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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Well the stock NVIDIA card in my Power Mac is causing kernel panics. So I need a new graphics card. The budget isn't too limited, but I really don't need a killer card. I really only need Core Animation and Video to work I guess. Any suggestions? Buy new or used? What card? Power Mac G4 Digital Audio 533 MHz. All PCI slots are free.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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There aren't any Core Image/Video/Animation capable PCI cards, so you're going to have to replace your AGP card.
The cheapest card is the 9600 Pro, but it's quite dated (bare minimum for Core Image/Video) and still over $200 ( $219 at OWC). From there you may as well step up to the 9800 Pro (which is quite a bit faster) for $249, but it's still a huge premium to pay for a 4 year old graphics card.
I'd seriously think about selling your PowerMac and buying an Intel mini since you're not using any PCI cards.
As an aside in my continuing amazement at Mac video card prices, the 9600 Pro for PCs is $58.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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I can't really afford a Mac mini though and I don't want to sell the Power Mac without a working video card.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Winchester (England's Ancient Capital)
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5 
I can't really afford a Mac mini though and I don't want to sell the Power Mac without a working video card.
When talking graphics card. Can that card cause C-P? Today for the first time I got up an icon that looked like a graphics card. Could it be a warning? 
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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Anything hardware can cause kernel panics, especially graphics cards.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Winchester (England's Ancient Capital)
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"Especially graphics cards"! Why?
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: If I tellz ya, then I gotsta killz ya !
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Originally Posted by bossep
"Especially graphics cards"! Why?
Because they have direct access to the I/O subsystems, as well as kernel and root-level processes in the OS.........
Oh and the best price/performance value for an APG card would be a flashed peecee Radeon 9800, they have been going for ~$75 lately. I have one in my QS and it works great 
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Personally I find it hilarious that you have the hots for my gramma. Especially seeins how she is 3x your age, and makes your Brittney-Spears-wannabe 30-something wife look like a rag doll who went thru WWIII with a burning stick of dynamite up her a** :)
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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Okay. What if I don't need the Core stuff. Then what should I get. $200 is a bit more than I want to put into this machine right now. OWC says the 9600 won't run in anything less than a MDD.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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Any of the lower end Radeons... 7000, 8500, or 9200. But you'll still pay quite a premium for them.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Salt Lake City, UT USA
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
Okay. What if I don't need the Core stuff. Then what should I get. $200 is a bit more than I want to put into this machine right now. OWC says the 9600 won't run in anything less than a MDD.
That's a lie. My Brother has a 9600 w/ 128MB running in his Sawtooth... I think. Maybe it's a 9800
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2008 iMac 3.06 Ghz, 2GB Memory, GeForce 8800, 500GB HD, SuperDrive
8gb iPhone on Tmobile
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2004
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A 9800 is the best card for a G4. The slow buses on the G4 models would make anything faster a waste of money. I'd suggest a flashed PC version as it's cheaper than the stock Mac model.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Winchester (England's Ancient Capital)
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Originally Posted by Zubir
A 9800 is the best card for a G4. The slow buses on the G4 models would make anything faster a waste of money. I'd suggest a flashed PC version as it's cheaper than the stock Mac model.
I have the 9800Pro 128MB. A G4 can't take any more high spec graphics card. You have now a 9800Pro 256MB too or it may have replaced the 128MB?
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2004
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The 256mb model isn't any faster than the 128mb one. The extra ram just lets you run at higher video resolutions. I'd stick with what you have.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Winchester (England's Ancient Capital)
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I have no plans to update. I have replaced the standard fan with a Zalman and I have no idea how to take that off the card. I will not be able to bring the card with me one day to the Mac Pro.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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Originally Posted by Zubir
The 256mb model isn't any faster than the 128mb one. The extra ram just lets you run at higher video resolutions. I'd stick with what you have.
Even at the highest resolution it supports (1920x1200) and 32 bit color you're only at ~17MB with double buffering.
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