Apple is slapping PC users around with their 30" LCD!

[Dubb]

I wonder, is dual link a feature of the quadro driver, or something in hardware?

if it's a driver feature, you might try modding a 6800 serries

http://forums.guru3d.com/showt...89&threadid=114699

 

[0roo0roo]

dual link http://graphics.tomshardware.c...tft_connection-06.html

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
The 6800U-DL is a special card that works only with Apple systems. Perhaps if someone that had a G5 wrote a BIOS editor that ran on that platform and flashed the card to a 6800U PC compatible BIOS, MAYBE it would work. There is also a good chance that they would end up with a $600 paperweight too!

I've "rescued" a mis-flashed ATI AGP card, by means of using an added PCI video card, for purposes of performing the video card bios flash (while booted in DOS) on the AGP card (no monitor attached to the AGP card). So, I'd guess that it shouldn't be too risky to experiment with flashing an Apple 6800U-DL card in a similar fashion, as long as a Mac-version bios is first saved for a backup.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: Eug
Apple tends to rate contrast conservatively, but companies like Samsung, etc. do not.

"The fastest personal computer available."

Yep, that was pretty conservative...

 

[sharkeeper]

I've "rescued" a mis-flashed ATI AGP card, by means of using an added PCI video card, for purposes of performing the video card bios flash (while booted in DOS) on the AGP card (no monitor attached to the AGP card). So, I'd guess that it shouldn't be too risky to experiment with flashing an Apple 6800U-DL card in a similar fashion, as long as a Mac-version bios is first saved for a backup.

Yes but does anyone know of a flasher that works on the Mac?

I've had a few flashes go south and just blind flash them since I know exactly what to type at the command prompt. The nV flasher will flash the keyboard lights on and off sequentially and play ticks through the system speaker like a metronome when successful.

Cheers!

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper

I've "rescued" a mis-flashed ATI AGP card, by means of using an added PCI video card, for purposes of performing the video card bios flash (while booted in DOS) on the AGP card (no monitor attached to the AGP card). So, I'd guess that it shouldn't be too risky to experiment with flashing an Apple 6800U-DL card in a similar fashion, as long as a Mac-version bios is first saved for a backup.

Yes but does anyone know of a flasher that works on the Mac?

I've had a few flashes go south and just blind flash them since I know exactly what to type at the command prompt. The nV flasher will flash the keyboard lights on and off sequentially and play ticks through the system speaker like a metronome when successful.

Cheers!

Why not just use a PC to perform the flash?
1. Insert the Mac AGP card in a PC's AGP slot; no monitor attached.
2. Insert any PCI video card in a PCI slot; and attach monitor.
3. Using a bootable floppy, boot to DOS prompt.
4. Back up the Mac video bios first.
5. Flash the Mac AGP card's bios to a PC version.
6. Shut down, remove PCI video card, re-attach monitor to AGP card.
7. Boot PC, and check for any video problems.
8. If anything goes wrong, just re-flash the AGP card to the (previously saved) Mac video bios.

 

[newParadigm]

cant you just throw the card in a PC and flash it, then install teh Drivers in windoze?

or will the card not work in a PC period without the new BIOS?

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Eug
Apple tends to rate contrast conservatively, but companies like Samsung, etc. do not.

"The fastest personal computer available."

Yep, that was pretty conservative...

I never said they advertize their Power Macs conservatively. They do, however, rate their monitors conservatively.

 

[sharkeeper]

The card will not initialise in a PC. If you insert it in an AGP slot and power up you get POST VGA FAIL in BIOS. (typically one long beep followed by three short beeps repeating)

This is what I am told by someone that bought one and tried this.

Cheers!

 

[wchou]

30' lcd for 3300? no sanks.

 

[jbass]

can the resolution not be turned down? if that is possible, are dual DVI still needed ? Games are not going to support that high of a resolution anyways.

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
The card will not initialise in a PC. If you insert it in an AGP slot and power up you get POST VGA FAIL in BIOS. (typically one long beep followed by three short beeps repeating)

This is what I am told by someone that bought one and tried this.

Cheers!

Are you saying that:
1. With the AGP slot occupied by the MAC AGP card, but with no monitor attached, and
2. PCI slot occupied by a PC-version PCI video card, WITH monitor attached.
That the system could not boot?
Of course, with the MAC AGP card as the only video card present, you'd expect the result that was reported.

 

[Anubis]

does the apple 30in require 2 DVI cables to work, or just 1? i know its dual link DVI but is that comming from 1 DVI slot on the card or both?

cause if its only 1 imagin running 2 of them off a card that has dual, Dual link DVI ports on it, im sure the upper end workstation cards coudl do that

 

[0roo0roo]

no, read the tomshardware.com link i posted. http://graphics.tomshardware.c...tft_connection-06.html
then read the rest of the pages in that article to learn all about dvi. the monitor only requires one cable. the card that can handle both 30" dual dual dvi only has two ports.

 

[sharkeeper]

Are you saying that:
1. With the AGP slot occupied by the MAC AGP card, but with no monitor attached, and
2. PCI slot occupied by a PC-version PCI video card, WITH monitor attached.
That the system could not boot?
Of course, with the MAC AGP card as the only video card present, you'd expect the result that was reported.

I'm saying that it doesn't work.

Right now if you want to use this monitor at its native resolution, you cannot use a gaming card with it.

Quadro 2000 and up works fine with it. 2000 is close to Ti4800 in games, 3000 close to 5900, 4000 close to 6800 etc.

Cheers!

 

[LtPage1]

Originally posted by: fisher
the pc industry has no need to appease apple's 1% market share. if you really want to spend 2800+ on a 30" lcd go for it, anything over 20" is wasted for me.

actually, its closer to 7% market share.

and the 30" display uses a nonstandard connector. apparently, a normal DVI connector cant drive a display that huge. id rather have 2 of their 23" displays than one 30". besides, if you have the cash for this beast, go ahead and buy a mac to go with your pc.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Slow as death, ghosted to hell, and scaled blurry..... why would anyone want to use one of these display for gaming if it was given to them? It would be an insane desktop monitor, it isn't quite up to the standards of a complete POS as a gaming display. I'd rather use a 1080p HDTV(CRT) then Apple's 30" cinema display(even though they are far from ideal), the fastest LCDs are still far too slow- and this is well off the pace of the fastest.

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: BenSkywalker
Slow as death, ghosted to hell, and scaled blurry..... why would anyone want to use one of these display for gaming if it was given to them? It would be an insane desktop monitor, it isn't quite up to the standards of a complete POS as a gaming display. I'd rather use a 1080p HDTV(CRT) then Apple's 30" cinema display(even though they are far from ideal), the fastest LCDs are still far too slow- and this is well off the pace of the fastest.

far too slow? i beg to differ.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

The Nvidia 6800 Ultra for Mac can run two 30'' displays.

[/i]

The 30-inch Cinema HD Display is so big, it requires the next level of graphics technology. The NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL graphics card delivers, with the most advanced graphics engine available for Mac. This card includes dual link DVI connectors to deliver up to 2560 by 1600 resolution over each port. Even better, with two connectors, or Dual Dual Link (DDL), you can drive two 30-inch displays, for the ultimate creative canvas.

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper

Are you saying that:
1. With the AGP slot occupied by the MAC AGP card, but with no monitor attached, and
2. PCI slot occupied by a PC-version PCI video card, WITH monitor attached.
That the system could not boot?
Of course, with the MAC AGP card as the only video card present, you'd expect the result that was reported.

I'm saying that it doesn't work.

Right now if you want to use this monitor at its native resolution, you cannot use a gaming card with it.

Quadro 2000 and up works fine with it. 2000 is close to Ti4800 in games, 3000 close to 5900, 4000 close to 6800 etc.

Cheers!

Sorry: I think you're dodging the question.
Please ask your friend, whether or not the above-stated configuration can boot (a PC in DOS mode)? Y or N.
If the MAC version "dual-dual-DVI 6800" card could be successfully re-flashed with a PC bios, then one would have a much cheaper alternative to the $1,000+ cards mentioned.
The only obstacle would seem to be the (possible) need to: do some editing of the video bios, due to the card's "dual-dual-DVI" output. But simply flashing the MAC card with a "known-good" PC-version 6800 card's bios shouldn't be too risky.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Anubis
does the apple 30in require 2 DVI cables to work, or just 1? i know its dual link DVI but is that comming from 1 DVI slot on the card or both?

cause if its only 1 imagin running 2 of them off a card that has dual, Dual link DVI ports on it, im sure the upper end workstation cards coudl do that

It requires just one cable dual link dvi run.

The 'special' Apple 6800DLL (or whatever 3 letters it ends with) has 2 Dual Link DVI ports so you can run

2 x 30" displays! Allowing for a SICK 5120 (2560x2) x 1600 display!

I saw and and I was like wtf?!

From the short time I had a look in the apple store it looked good.

Fvcking huge but good :beer:

It is £2540 ish in the Uk. I think when it drops to about £1500 or thereabouts and the graphics card is cheaper I may sell up my 23" Sony lcd and get it if I'm still using my pc quite a bit Or might just keep this one to the side

But fvck it is HUUUGGGGEEEE.

As for gaming it would be 'alright' imo. Just run a lower resolution. I run lower resolutions on my screen and it looks 'great' from what I remember (don't game much on pc). My screen and the apple screen both have 100dpi so the scaling would be the same. In gaming the difference isn't as noticeable witht he desktop and using the pc for apps.

Yes it is big and EXPENSIVE but aren't all top end stuff pricey? It is a 'luxory' item. Most people would never dream on spending £700 on a monitor let alone over £1k and even £2.5k?!

Playing movies on it would not be the best thing.

DVD = 854 x 480 on a big ass 2560 x 1600 screen won't be pretty from 1-2 feet!

I know their demo run of finding Nemo (they would be playing a dam cgi film; like all the others showing off plasma and lcd ) looked blockey as hell even from 4 feet due to the relatively low resolution of dvd.

HDTV would still look some what poor on such a big screen imo.

If you want perfect HDTV get the 1920 x 1080. My screens runs pretty close to that 1920x1200 but I'd rather spend time on a bigger screen with less resolution. Or even better yet a front projector in a dedicated room but that would take a lot more money.

Koing

 

[Koing]

http://www.harmony-central.com/Test/wilson/two.jpg

wow!

Koing

 

[barnett25]

"I know their demo run of finding Nemo (they would be playing a dam cgi film; like all the others showing off plasma and lcd )"

FYI (if you didn't already know) Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers, is also CEO of Pixar, who made Finding Nemo.

 

[Eug]

Prices have now dropped.

20": $999
23": $1799
30": $2999