PCI Video cards for Brand New Dual 1Ghz

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o-s-x

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Just bought a Brand New Dual 1Ghz.
It came stock with an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro Video card in the AGP slot.

Since I want to run 3 monitors, I am going to purchase 2 additional video cards that must be PCI based. I am aware of the dual monitor capability built-in to the 9000 Pro but choose to buy the additional cards.

Any opinions on the best bang for the buck for PCI video cards?
Looking at the Radeon 7000 for now. Its PCI, has 32MB ram and Video out to TV/VCR. It is also supported by 10.2.1

Any alternatives?

Thanks
 
Well, I also think the Radeons are your best bet, but with one important caveat:
There is a bug in the ATI driver that will cause a 10.1.x system to kernel panic on boot, and a 10.2.x system to just hang if the system has more than 1GB of RAM. I've seen (and confirmed, and reported) this bug in conjuction with 601 Serial Digital Video boards. (These are boards that bring in and out broadcast quality uncompressed NTSC or PAL video).
So a mac with PCI Radeon + 601 Video + >1GB RAM = unbootable system.
This problem goes away if you remove either of the two PCI cards (the Radeon or the 601).

So? You probably aren't running any 601 video cards, and this may be irrelavent, but, it makes me wonder what happens when you put two PCI Radeons in the same mac (which I have not tried). Since my problem reccurs with two different brands of 601 SDI boards, and a 601 card is basically just a fancy PCI video card, two PCI Radeons may well give you a 1GB limit. Anyone else running two PCI Radeons?

Even given all that, I don't have a better reccomendation than the Radeon. It's clearly the fastest PCI video card for the mac right now.

Of course if you have <=1GB RAM, then this doesn't apply at all.

-alex.
 
" but, it makes me wonder what happens when you put two PCI Radeons in the same mac (which I have not tried)"

I'll keep you posted as I will be buying a couple of 7000s unless I find something better.
 
Ended up buying the 2 extra Radeon 7000s and installed them in the new G4. OSX 10.2.1 already had drivers for them and the 3 cards seem to behave well together. System has 2GB Ram and has not produced any of the problems mentioned in posts above. Having 3 monitors rocks!
 
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