Canopus Spectra 8800 (GF2U)

[GT1999]

Who said video cards weren't art?

Anandtech news provided the linkage - just thought I'd bring the pic to the masses. You have to love the quality Canopus puts into their boards; beautiful design, clean soldering, and a great look. I highly doubt this board will be nice to any of our wallets; I don't want to know the price tag on it.

 

[vi edit]

/me thinks somewhere in the $650 USD range...

 

[SuperGroove]

It needs external power! Guess that isn't a big issue anymore...especially now that everyone know's how long the 5500 is.

Anyways...both my heatsinks dwarf that little tiny heatsink on that Canopus!

 

[GT1999]

<< Anyways...both my heatsinks dwarf that little tiny heatsink on that Canopus! >>



Indeed! So does mine. You have to give Canopus a pat on the back for the design (other than the 'normal' active cooling they have on that beast - even though the solution they have on there is beautifully constructed, as well as gorgeous to the eye.

 

[ElFenix]

actually, it doesn't really need that, canopus has put molex connectors on all their geforce boards. the original geforce really did need it, but since no manufacturer besides canopus has the cajones to deviate from the reference board it never happened.

i wish canopus still made boards for the US. loved my pure3d.

 

[HellRaven]

I remember when Canopus was the big pimp of Video cards a few years back. Canopus was always recognized as the best quality video cards. They never produced a reference design. They always modified their boards in some way to boost the performance and quality. The Canopus Spectra TNT series and even before that, their special voodoo series with extra RAM kicked ass in the day. Then they all of a sudden jumped out of the video card market. I am really glad to see them back though.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I thought they only pulled out of teh US market ??? arent they still active in ASian markets ???

I had that Voodoo1 ... it beat the hell out of the Monster3D and it was less expensive ...

it even let you overclock the video ram from 50 to 60mhz ... hewhehe


that card looks sweet ...

 

[LXi]

Nobody looked at their speical SSH(Signal Super Highway)Type-D technology? I mean, this thing will turn the inferior nVidia-2D to better-than-Matrox quality. They've been using this tech since TNT2, and their GeForce2 MX will go for as high as $280, the Japanese are willing to spend a lot for their video cards, and Canopus simply makes the best nVidia cards on earth. Their GeForce2 GTS(Spectra 8400) is going for as high as $550, that Spectra 8800(pictured) will be at least $800.

 

[BurnItDwn]

$800 ..... HOly $hit ... thats a lot ....

I dont think i can budget $800 on a vid card ....

i'll have to go wait until NV20 comes out or go 64MB radeon ...

ohh well ...

 

[BurnItDwn]

If i had $800 to budget on one single piece of hardware .. it would have to be a new monitor ... this 19inch monitor is real nice ... (1600x1200x77) ... but i'd love a nice new Viewsonic 21incher ...

 

[Erasmus-X]

Just when I thought these guys got entirely out of the video card market. I remember having a Canopus Pure3D Voodoo1 (you know, the one that had 6MB of memory while all the other VD1's had 4MB). They were the Cadillacs of video cards, if you wanted to pay the price.

 

[SDTom]

Canopus cards have always been a work of art and the 8800 is as sweet as any.
Their attention to detail and quality of construction is second to none.

I still have a Spectra 2500, TNT1, sitting on the shelf that I just don't have the heart to part with.
Tested it in a Duron system I was building the other day and was quite pleased at how well it still ran.
For those that may need them, Canopus does have DX7 drivers for 98 and Windows 2000 drivers on their Japanese server

Wish there was a way to convince Canopus to return to the US market, I want a 8800

Tom

 

[Finality]

I still remember my Spectra 2500 much better 2D quality than the G200

There boards where expensive though. I was sad to hear them go from the US market

 

[Rent]

Hey Tom, is that AGP or PCI... I'm looking for a PCI TNT card.

Until Hercules's unfortunate bankruptcy(and even more unfortunate buyout by Guillmont), I thought they were on par with Canopus in terms of speed, if not better. 2d quality was still lacking w/the Hercules at high res tho.

 

[SDTom]

Hey Radeon ... it's a AGP.
I don't think that they ever made the 2500 in a PCI, but I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time
The image quality is very good, 2D and 3D, it does compare with Matrox.
I think I'll probably use it in a Xmas upgrade on my mom's computer along with some other extra parts I have collecting dust, a MSI 6167, 550 enginering sample @ 650 (my first Athlon and my first K7 OC), 128 Micron, InWin mid with 300w, Supra Express V90 ISA, etc.

I wonder how hard it would be to try and import one of the 8800's?

Tom