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Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:28 pm
by dix
I'm wanting to upgrade my 2008 Mac Pro2,1's video card to make it compatible with DP8's video engine. I know it's been discussed a lot, but I can't find anything specific. Can anyone recommend a card that is solid with DP8? The cheaper the better. I run two LG monitors form the NVIDIA the came with the machine (dual DVI).
Thanks!
Both of these look okay. Is there a dif?:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V3 ... TRTE82JG92
(this one is dual DVI)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATI-4870HD-Rade ... 3cd735ac9c
this looks good too!:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/121210728757?lpid=82
…the options are endless!
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:50 pm
by HCMarkus
Check out MacRumors.com... there are lots of discussions in the Mac Pro forum.
If you are able to run ML or Mavericks, you have a vast array of cards you can use if you don't need an Apple boot screen.
I think the ATI5770 is the oldest card you'd want to use. You can get the Mac verso for $230 at B&H
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:10 pm
by MIDI Life Crisis
I don't think a 2,1 can run ML or Mavericks. I have a 2008 3,1 and understand it to be the first ML or better capable machine.
More info about graphics cards and more can also be found here:
http://www.everymac.com
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:15 pm
by MIDI Life Crisis
I was correct:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/m ... specs.html
Pre-Installed MacOS: X 10.4.9 (8P4037) Maximum MacOS: X 10.7.5*
Details: *This system can run the last version of OS X 10.7 "Lion" if upgraded to at least 2 GB of RAM. However, although it has a 64-bit processor, it has a 32-bit EFI and cannot boot in 64-bit mode. It also does not support "OpenCL" running the default video card or the other build-to-order video cards that were offered via custom configuration. Please also note that OS X Lion is not capable of running Mac OS X apps originally written for the PowerPC processor as it does not support the "Rosetta" environment.
But it appears that
hacks are possible, but appear costly and complicated to achieve. Replacing the machine is probably a more cost effective option.
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:28 pm
by dix
Right. This machine is SL till the wheels fall off, so I'm looking for recomendations with this in mind. Thanks!
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 5:27 pm
by dix
Well fick. The Radeon 4870 I bought won't fit into my machine

The specs on ebay could not have been clearer, yet it can not go into my Mac Pro. It's got a weird superfluous armature that makes it 2 inches longer than the allotted space for the card.
I'd again love to hear form someone with my machine that has successfully upgraded their GFX card.
Thanks
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 8:18 am
by frankf
HCMarkus wrote:Check out MacRumors.com... there are lots of discussions in the Mac Pro forum.
If you are able to run ML or Mavericks, you have a vast array of cards you can use if you don't need an Apple boot screen.
I think the ATI5770 is the oldest card you'd want to use. You can get the Mac verso for $230 at B&H
I tried the apple branded 5770 in my Mac Pro 3,1 running ML. This card is not supported by apple, but "everyone" said it would work. In my case, a dual monitor DVI system, the display ports with adapters both worked, but the DVI port to my Apple 23" Cinema Display produced an image filled with sparkling pixels (sorry, I don't know the video terminology for this). I tried everything I could think of and that was recommended to me to no avail, so the card went back. I never got to the root of the problem.
Frank Ferrucci
Re: Video Card Recommendation Needed
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:44 am
by dix
I returned the Radeon and ended up with a NVIDIA 8800 GTS that seems to be working great - Dual DVI, which is all I need. It eliminated my issues with working with video in DP8. I should be good to go.