PowerMac 933 MHz G4 Video Card Options

Hello,

First, let me say that I did try searching for search terms "Quicksilver Video Card" and the search function returned zilch.

As the title says, I have a PowerMac 933 MHz G4. It currently has 640 MB of RAM (soon to be upgraded to 1024 MB or perhaps 1536 MB). Right now, I'm using an Apple Studio Display - I'm not sure what size it is, as I never took the time to measure, but the maximum supported resolution in the display preferences is 1280 x 1024. The video card in this computer is a 64 MB GeForce4 MX.

I'd really like to run dual displays and I'm wondering what my options are as far as video cards. I plan on purchasing a new LCD (probably not an Apple brand LCD), preferably around a 20" widescreen display. So, I have a few questions:

• What video cards are recommended and/or compatible with my G4?
• Should I retain my GeForce4 AGP card and add a PCI card or would I be better off purchasing a dual DVI or ADC/DVI AGP card?
• With OS X's multiple display support, is the preferred/main display user configurable regardless of which video card is driving which display (assuming dual video card option)?

I don't play any games on this computer, however; I do edit video using Final Cut. It'd be nice (and preferable) to have an S-Video port so I could run video through my TV as well.

Thanks in advance for your kind advice,

- Adam

I think that a Radeon 9800 Pro Mac Edition will work on your system. I'm not 100% certain though since I've heard that AGP 4x slots on some Power Macs are not compatable with 8x cards. Anyone out there tried an upgrade on this generation system?

-MikeM

• What video cards are recommended and/or compatible with my G4?

Click to expand...

There is a list here http://themacelite.wikidot.com/compatibility

• Should I retain my GeForce4 AGP card and add a PCI card or would I be better off purchasing a dual DVI or ADC/DVI AGP card?

Click to expand...

Keep with an AGP card that runs 2 monitors, the AGP slot fully supports quartz extreme graphics. Adding another card to a PCI slot will actually make the screen graphics slower

• With OS X's multiple display support, is the preferred/main display user configurable regardless of which video card is driving which display (assuming dual video card option)?

Click to expand...

Yes, you can independently set resolutions for each monitor, select how they pan and move the menu bar to which-ever display you want the main one to be

I have a 9600 pro installed into my G4 867 and no issues. AGP cards are getting real hard to find new.

I'm assuming the cards must to be designed for mac?

Oh ya be very safe - if it doesn't have a mac driver you are gambling. Check what is available and then go to the vendor website and see if it it exists under Mac Tiger at a minimum. Also do some research on the ones you can find for overheating issues. Some versions are not robust - just cheap. Spend the money wisely on the video card - a good card like the 9800 will last many years (my 9600 is about 3 years old).

Use a flashed nVidia GeForce 6200 with 256 MB VRAM on my G4 and it is tremendous. Suitable for 4X and 2X. Cost was US$75 from a HK dealer who advertises on eBay.

Card comes complete with a fan unit. It is VGA and DVI so to use it with a Studio Display LCD or any Apple ADC display necessary to use DV!-ADC adaptor.

Thanks guys...

I looked around a bit and found a couple of candidates for graphics cards. I also found cheap SDRAM that is compatible with this G4.

However, for the cost to upgrade the RAM, video card, and DVD drive (I'd like to able to burn dual layers discs...), I think I'll just pick up a used dual processor G5 on eBay. This G4 kind of struggles with HD content over 720p, and it'd be nice to have a bit more processing power for rendering video files.

Your post does not say where you are located. If in the US no doubt that may be the best way to go.

Here in Australia prices are ridiculous. G4 867DP MDD asking $500-600, 1GHz DP similar and with 1.25's up to $700.00 G5 duals mostly go well over the $800-1000 mark.

If the readies are capable, look for a 2GHz DP and higher as they do not seem to have the heat, HDD, USB and logic board problems of the 1.6/1.8's.

harryb2448 said:

Your post does not say where you are located. If in the US no doubt that may be the best way to go.

Here in Australia prices are ridiculous. G4 867DP MDD asking $500-600, 1GHz DP similar and with 1.25's up to $700.00 G5 duals mostly go well over the $800-1000 mark.

If the readies are capable, look for a 2GHz DP and higher as they do not seem to have the heat, HDD, USB and logic board problems of the 1.6/1.8's.

Click to expand...

I live in Wisconsin, United States. I have access to a few distributors that'll sell me a G5 PowerMac pretty cheap. What's this about logic board problems on 1.6/1.8's?

Have a look at this link and do a Google search on 'logic board failures in G5':-

http://www.macintouch.com/reliability/pmg5.html