Graphisc Card

  • Thread starter Thread starter Muttly
  • Start date Start date
M

Muttly

Hey all. I'm in the process of buying a new graphics card. I was loking at
this card "Gainward FX5700 Ultra/960 TV-DVI-DVI 128M"
http://www.gainward.co.uk/products/FX5700Ultra/Ultra960_GS/product.htm Nice
big name to impress everyone. lol Anyway. I've got a few questions about
this card.
1. I was told the VIVO isn't working on it because of a BIOS conflict. I
don't mind this too much but does that mean a firmware update will sort it
out if I was to buy it before Gainward have the problem corrected, which
they say they will have sorted. (All this info was got from Custom PC mag).
2. With dual dvi does this mean I will be able to span 2 screens, or is it
just to output the same thing to both screens?
3. Can I get some sort of converter to make it use a 15d instead of a dvi. I
don't have a dvi flatpanel yet, I am getting one but money is tight and a
graphics cad is more important.
4. Is it AGP 2 compatible and if so what kind of loss in speed would I be
looking at?
Thanks in advance.
Martin.
 
Ok ok ok. I know I can't spell. Also I found out by reading on the web site
(duh) it is AGP 2 compatible, but the rest of the question still stands.
Martin.
 
Hey all. I'm in the process of buying a new graphics card. I was loking at
this card "Gainward FX5700 Ultra/960 TV-DVI-DVI 128M"
http://www.gainward.co.uk/products/FX5700Ultra/Ultra960_GS/product.htm Nice
big name to impress everyone. lol Anyway. I've got a few questions about
this card.
1. I was told the VIVO isn't working on it because of a BIOS conflict. I
don't mind this too much but does that mean a firmware update will sort it
out if I was to buy it before Gainward have the problem corrected, which
they say they will have sorted. (All this info was got from Custom PC mag).
Click to expand...

If it really is just a firmware issue, they could indeed fix it
eventually, so you'd just need to flash the bios. However, it is a
HUGE risk that they won't fix it, could be months or it might end up
half-fixed and then they quit, the worst solution. If you need that
feature buy a card with it already working.

2. With dual dvi does this mean I will be able to span 2 screens, or is it
just to output the same thing to both screens?
Click to expand...

Yes, span two or two different displays... not just same thing to both
displays.
3. Can I get some sort of converter to make it use a 15d instead of a dvi. I
don't have a dvi flatpanel yet, I am getting one but money is tight and a
graphics cad is more important.
Click to expand...

Yes, but if it's the retail boxed version it may have one, see here:
http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage...71-03.JPG/14-128-171-02.JPG/14-128-171-01.JPG

4. Is it AGP 2 compatible and if so what kind of loss in speed would I be
looking at?
Thanks in advance.
Martin.
Click to expand...

The loss in speed would be from the (relatively) slower CPU supported
by your only-2X-AGP motherboard, not from the interface. That video
card really is a bit of a waste on that old of a system, you'd get a
LOT better gaming performance with a modern budget card and a newer
CPU/motherboard/memory upgrade. The only thing your present system
[plus that card] would do well is play old games at very high
resolutions.

If the upgrade budget is small I'd suggest an nForce2 IGP board, a
couple 256MB PC2700 modules and an Athlon XP2200... should cost
similar but be faster at everything, and a solid foundation for the
future. Of course that might mean more case cooling, newer power
supply, etc, too... there is no magic bullet to turn an old box into a
good gaming machine, almost everything would need replaced.


Dave
 
First off I should've been clearer, I ment agp version 2.0 not agp 2x.
Sorry. My current system is as follows:
2.4ghz celeron oc'ed to 3.1ghz, 1gb (2 x 512mb) of pc2700, Chaintech Zenith
9EJS1 mobo, geforce fx 5200.
As you can see its a good system the only catch is i got the board just
before agp 3 was released. As for my case cooling, its most definatley
sufficient, considdering how oveclocked it is and that my idle cpu temp is
usually 41-42C, I have no problems.
Martin.

kony said:
Hey all. I'm in the process of buying a new graphics card. I was loking at
this card "Gainward FX5700 Ultra/960 TV-DVI-DVI 128M"
http://www.gainward.co.uk/products/FX5700Ultra/Ultra960_GS/product.htm Nice
big name to impress everyone. lol Anyway. I've got a few questions about
this card.
1. I was told the VIVO isn't working on it because of a BIOS conflict. I
don't mind this too much but does that mean a firmware update will sort it
out if I was to buy it before Gainward have the problem corrected, which
they say they will have sorted. (All this info was got from Custom PC
Click to expand...
mag).

If it really is just a firmware issue, they could indeed fix it
eventually, so you'd just need to flash the bios. However, it is a
HUGE risk that they won't fix it, could be months or it might end up
half-fixed and then they quit, the worst solution. If you need that
feature buy a card with it already working.

2. With dual dvi does this mean I will be able to span 2 screens, or is it
just to output the same thing to both screens?
Click to expand...

Yes, span two or two different displays... not just same thing to both
displays.
3. Can I get some sort of converter to make it use a 15d instead of a dvi. I
don't have a dvi flatpanel yet, I am getting one but money is tight and a
graphics cad is more important.
Click to expand...

Yes, but if it's the retail boxed version it may have one, see here:
http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=14-128-171-04.JPG/14-128-171-0
5.JPG/14-128-171-03.JPG/14-128-171-02.JPG/14-128-171-01.JPG
4. Is it AGP 2 compatible and if so what kind of loss in speed would I be
looking at?
Thanks in advance.
Martin.
Click to expand...

The loss in speed would be from the (relatively) slower CPU supported
by your only-2X-AGP motherboard, not from the interface. That video
card really is a bit of a waste on that old of a system, you'd get a
LOT better gaming performance with a modern budget card and a newer
CPU/motherboard/memory upgrade. The only thing your present system
[plus that card] would do well is play old games at very high
resolutions.

If the upgrade budget is small I'd suggest an nForce2 IGP board, a
couple 256MB PC2700 modules and an Athlon XP2200... should cost
similar but be faster at everything, and a solid foundation for the
future. Of course that might mean more case cooling, newer power
supply, etc, too... there is no magic bullet to turn an old box into a
good gaming machine, almost everything would need replaced.


Dave
Click to expand...
 
First off I should've been clearer, I ment agp version 2.0 not agp 2x.
Sorry.
Click to expand...

Not your fault, I jumped to conclusions because too many people only
mention the "X" number, not the actual AGP version.

My current system is as follows:
2.4ghz celeron oc'ed to 3.1ghz, 1gb (2 x 512mb) of pc2700, Chaintech Zenith
9EJS1 mobo, geforce fx 5200.
As you can see its a good system the only catch is i got the board just
before agp 3 was released. As for my case cooling, its most definatley
sufficient, considdering how oveclocked it is and that my idle cpu temp is
usually 41-42C, I have no problems.
Martin.
Click to expand...


There is no point in considering your idle CPU temp, but actually
that's a pretty high idle temp for a P4/Celeron, but it is o'c so
that's understandable. Even so the important number is the full load
temp, what it reaches when running something like "CPUBurn" for an
hour.

You make no mention of the power supply so I can only assume it's fit
for a significant video card upgrade.

Your system will benefit a lot from the new card, it's only a very
minor performance hit running it in an AGP 2 board.


Dave
 
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