LightWave 8 Graphics Card Requirements

[wowens]

I received an e-mail from NewTek which indicated the new graphics card requirements for LightWave 8:

Graphics Card:
Graphics support: Full OpenGL and DirectX
Driver: Latest from chipset manufacturer
Dedicated video RAM: 64Mb per display minimum requirement, 128MB recommended
Minimum screen resolution: 1024x768 minimum requirement, 1280x1024 recommended

What would be the best graphics card for a Mac G4 Dual 500?

Also, I will need to upgrade to Panther!

[mlinde]

The dual 500 is an AGP 2X card, right? If so, then any 64 MB AGP card (except one for a G5) would work in your machine. Here is a short list:
nVidia GeForce 2MX Twinview (64 MB)
nVidia GeForce 4MX (64 MB edition)
nVidia GeForce 3 (64 MB)
nVidia GeForce 4 Ti (128 MB)
ATi Radeon 8500 (64 MB)
ATi Radeon 9000 (64 MB)

You can find some of them still as new cards, others you might look on eBay.

[NigelH]

I have a G5 with the stock Radeon 9600 'Pro' card running 2 monitors. That's 32Mb of Vram per monitor. Does this mean I'll have to Upgrade to the Radeon 9800 Pro just to run LW8?

Or dump one monitor (not likely)?

[calico]

well,....... I'm running dual 500 and 16 Mb of video memory. I haven't had any problems with LW 7.5 except regular slowdown with poly-heavy objects. I don't know what was minimum requirement for LW 7 but 16Mb was not preferable and it still works fine. When I receive my upgrade I'll install it and try it. If it doesn't work I'd rather wait until I can get G5 than invest in old machine. But that's me.

[greyna]

NigelH wrote:
>have a G5 with the stock Radeon 9600 'Pro' card running 2 monitors. That's >
>32Mb of Vram per monitor. Does this mean I'll have to Upgrade to the Radeon
>9800 Pro just to run LW8?


>Or dump one monitor (not likely)?

I've got three graphics cards in this 800mHz G4 because I don't want to lose graphics memory from my main card---well, at least that was an issue when I had the stock 64MB NVidia GeForce2 in this box (which could run two monitors), I have now upgraded to a 128MB Radeon, and put the NVidia in my son's Mac. (the other two (PCI) cards in this box are a 32MB Radeon, and an 8MB MPDD+. The power supply is having no problem, and there's even an Adaptec SCSI card in here too)

You can pick up a 32MB Radeon PCI card pretty reasonably, then you will have the full 64MB for your main monitor. Also, am I correct in assuming that these G4 PCI graphics cards will work in a G5? If so, you could move the PCI card over if you buy the new Mac.

Greg
BTW, if anyone is interested in a 32MB Radeon AGP card, I'll sell one cheap!

[NigelH]

Originally posted by greyna
Also, am I correct in assuming that these G4 PCI graphics cards will work in a G5? If so, you could move the PCI card over if you buy the new Mac.

Well yes, that's the tricky part. I'm not sure which cards will work in the G5. I have a G4 with a Geforce4Ti that I originally planned to switch over to the G5, 'til I found out that the card wouldn't fit. Beyond the cards that are offered on Apple's site (sold with the machines), I have no idea what will and what won't work (except for the GF4Ti, which I know won't work :( ). Anyone know where there is a difinitive list of compatible cards?

As it is, my G4 is good to go for LW8, but obviously, I'd much rather run it on the DP2Ghz G5.

[mlinde]

You must be very careful when installing PCI cards in a G5. The PCI bus is not the same as in older machines, and installing unsupported hardware can fry the PCI bus, the logic board, the RAM, and the processors (I've seen it).

[Ge4-ce]

Originally posted by mlinde
You must be very unsupported hardware can fry the PCI bus, the logic board, the RAM, and the processors (I've seen it).

Come on!! Just add the optical drive and the harddrive! They would be left in the dust otherwise..

:D

[NigelH]

Originally posted by mlinde
You must be very careful when installing PCI cards in a G5. The PCI bus is not the same as in older machines, and installing unsupported hardware can fry the PCI bus, the logic board, the RAM, and the processors (I've seen it).

Hence the need for a definitive list of cards.

[mlinde]

Originally posted by Ge4-ce
Come on!! Just add the optical drive and the harddrive! They would be left in the dust otherwise..

:D Actually, they get left in the case when everything is replaced (not covered by warrantee either...) :p

[mlinde]

PCI information, although not a listing of cards, a listing of specifications:
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Developer_Notes/Macintosh_CPUs-G5/PowerMacG5/

Additional information:
http://www.macintouch.com/g5reader.html#jul02

[NigelH]

Thanks for the info, Mike.

Unfortunately, this just seems to confirm my fears. My choices seem to be:

1) Buy a Radeon 9800Pro
2) Dump one monitor
3) Run LW8 exclusively on the DP533Mhz G4

There don't seem to be any PCI cards available at all that will save me the investment in the Radeon9600 that I already have by running the secondary monitor.

[mlinde]

Nigel, I wouldn't give up on my 9600 w/two monitors just because 8 says 64 MB of Video Memory. I would evaluate performance on your machine, and then determine if you need to get an additional or replacement card. Wait until you've worked with 8 before you buy anything. It may work fine.

[NigelH]

Oh, absolutely!

I'm just trying to be 'proactive' and mapping out a plan of action should the need arise.

Thanks!

[mlinde]

Originally posted by NigelH
I'm just trying to be 'proactive' and mapping out a plan of action should the need arise. yeah, me too. I'm checking the going rate on iBook 600s on ebay, since I need a G4 portable when I get 8...

[noiseboy]

I'm in the same position as NigelH so If anyone's interested I've got a nVidia GeForce 4 Ti (128 MB) looking for a good home since moving up to a G5.

[wowens]

Has anyone had any problems with either the nVidia GeForce 4 Ti (128 MB)
or ATi Radeon 8500 (64 MB) cards?

I found a used nVidia GeForce 4 Ti (128 MB) for $150.00 and a new ATi Radeon 8500 (64 MB) for $207.00.

[NigelH]

Never had a problem with the GeForce4Ti - other than Apple never releasing drivers that really exploited the capabilities of the card.

Still, glitch-free in my experience. I was able to sail through the dark days of the ATI/LW7.X/Jaguar10.2.X debacle with a 'tsk-tsk' of sympathy and continue working (though I had to admire the grass-roots campaign that rose up to get that fixed).

I'd definitely go for the nVidia over the ATI - unless you own a DPG5. :)

[nawDsign]

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6800.html

Anyone seen this.. looks really promising.. Can't find anything on it being release for the mac.. just says it's compatible with OSX.

[Ge4-ce]

I really really hope they ship this card in the new Powermac G5!!!

Cannot find any performance specs on nvidea's site however..

Looks cool to me anyway!

[Amadeus0]

The Geforce 6800Ultra is about 1.5x-8x faster then a Radeon 9800 Pro. ATI is about to come out with their Radeon X800 chips, which if they're as fast the NVidia solution, should be a good replacement in your Mac. I'd hold out for about 2-4 months more. These new cards will be out and hopefully we'll know just what will be included /available for the Mac.

(PC prices for the GF6800U/256MB is $499 and the GF6800/128MB will be $299.)

[mlinde]

On a side note, Apple just upgraded the entire powerbook line, now even the 12" Powerbook can run within the Lightwave 8 specs:
http://www.apple.com/powerbook

[NigelH]

In case anyone's still wondering, LW[8] works fine on 2 monitors with the ATI 9600 card (32Mb Vram per monitor).

Maybe it would be noticably faster with the 9800, maybe not. At least I can hold onto my current config until I see what nVidia/Apple come up with next.

[kfinla]

Ive got an Nvidia Geforce 4Ti (128mb) running to the 21 inch monitor, and a older ATI (PCI) 32 mb Radeon running to the 17 inch monitor.

hopefully its fine... i did notice during the graph editor fiasco and modler bugs that things ran better on the nvidia card than the ati.. as far as buggy-ness. obvioulsy the nvidia is a superior card as far a performance.

[Sean Martin]

Hi Noiseboy how much do you want for your old card ££££???
I may be interested if the price is right.

[noiseboy]

Sean just sent you a PM.

[bluehand]

Nigel-sounds like u and I are in the same boat.
I've got a GeForce Ti in my G4, and as u and I both know, it was a LOT to upgrade to that. I was thinkin about gettin a G5, and i'd just install this card.....I guess not. Sheese! Thanks Apple! For as faithful as all us Apple users are, they sure don't make it easy.