I'm working on effects using Apple Motion and After Effects, but I'm having to render multi-layer effects several times due to error artifacts introduced during the rendering process. I'm guessing it's because my computer's graphics card is getting bogged down. Can someone recommend a better one for a G5, dual 2.7Ghz Mac (I think the card in there is just the standard one that shipped with the machine)? Thanks!
graphics card for G5?
- Thread starter 2001 Productions
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Not that I doubt you, but I just want to double-check that you're sure the GeForce 9800 is compatible with a Mac G5. I found a couple of online Mac forums that say it isn't, and the NVidia web site has no info at all about Apple compatibility that I could find.
Please don't be offended if this is a stupid question; I just don't want to order one and have it not work. Thanks again!
Please don't be offended if this is a stupid question; I just don't want to order one and have it not work. Thanks again!
Unfortunately, that card is for a Mac Pro. Doesn't seem to be compatible with a G5. 
Looking into the GeForce 7800. Anybody familiar with that one?
BTW, my current card is the ATI Radeon 9650.
Looking into the GeForce 7800. Anybody familiar with that one?
BTW, my current card is the ATI Radeon 9650.
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My previous card was a geforce 7800, it served me well until I built my new machine this past February when I upgraded to the 9800GTX
Good to know. Are you by any chance familiar with the ATI 9650? Is it worth it to upgrade to the 7800, or would I just be throwing $300 at a comparable card and end up with basically the same capabilities.
Admittedly, my Mac is old, but it was cheap and came with the works!
Admittedly, my Mac is old, but it was cheap and came with the works!
If you're editing, I would try to get something comparable to the 9800...don't go much lower than that breed. Sorry my suggestion wasn't compatible with your Mac--I could have sworn I saw a Mac with that card in it...hmmm.
Just make sure whatever card you get, it's in the same generation as the 9800 line.
Just make sure whatever card you get, it's in the same generation as the 9800 line.
M1chae1,
You may very well have seen that card in a newer generation Mac. As I understand it, the G5 has an AGP interface, which is no longer used. The newer Macs have the PCI interface, which is the same as most PCs have (I think -- I'm learning as I go here).
You may very well have seen that card in a newer generation Mac. As I understand it, the G5 has an AGP interface, which is no longer used. The newer Macs have the PCI interface, which is the same as most PCs have (I think -- I'm learning as I go here).
Not sure about mac, but newer PC's use PCI Express for video.. Similar to PCI, but different.
For example, my GeForce 9800GTX+ uses the PCI Express 2.0 x16 interface.
I'm sure that would be one factor.. It's HIGHLY unlikely that a graphic card meant for an intel-like system would work on a PowerPC based system.. Though just having an intel chip wouldn't necessarily mean that they also have the requisite slots.
I do find it a bit odd that the nVidia website mentions nothing about mac compatibility for the 9800 if it does in fact work in a newer mac.
I do find it a bit odd that the nVidia website mentions nothing about mac compatibility for the 9800 if it does in fact work in a newer mac.
Actually, I found out the hard way that Macs have indeed gone the Intel route. Up to now I've been running Final Cut Studio 2. I recently tried to upgrade to FCS3, but got an error pop-up that said something like, "Sorry, Charlie, you can't upgrade with a PowerPC processor; buy an Intel machine, you cheap bastard!" I'm paraphrasing, of course.
There are only certain video cards that can be used with the g5. Check out welovemac.com. They can assist you with upgrades for your mac. The best card you can upgrade to is a nvidia 512mb quadro fx 4500. It is around 1000.00 dollars. Be watchful for the model number, there is one for intel macs and one for power pc macs. The one for intel macs is newer and will not work on your g5.
Call apple and ask what the biggest baddest card you can get for your particular machine is... if anyone, they would know. They will be able to tell you based on your serial number what specific model of machine you have (the apple store would be able to look this stuff up too). Then you'll be able to find out if you have PCI or PCI-X... although you could look in the more info in the "about this mac" under the apple menu.
That will tell you everything about what you have now... then you can hit ATI or NVidia's website to see what the biggest one you can fit in there.
RAM, Bits (32, 64, 128 - etc.) and the interface are the indicators that will determine whether or not it will work - and the availability of driver software from the vendor.
That will tell you everything about what you have now... then you can hit ATI or NVidia's website to see what the biggest one you can fit in there.
RAM, Bits (32, 64, 128 - etc.) and the interface are the indicators that will determine whether or not it will work - and the availability of driver software from the vendor.
Thanks, guys, for resurrecting this thread. $1K is a bit steep to upgrade an old computer -- in fact, that's what I paid for the whole thing originally, including software.
I have neither. It has an AGP interface, which is the main problem. There isn't much out there that uses it anymore.
I've just learned to live with the problems until I can upgrade my machine. I've discovered that if I close Motion and re-open it before I render a file it seems to work better.
I have neither. It has an AGP interface, which is the main problem. There isn't much out there that uses it anymore.
I've just learned to live with the problems until I can upgrade my machine. I've discovered that if I close Motion and re-open it before I render a file it seems to work better.