Nvidea graphics card..

[OXO]

I've just changed my Shuttle to a faster model. It's a SN78SH7 with Phenom II x4 940 3 GHz, 2 Gb RAM.

This has onboard Nvidea 8200 graphics, which is very nice, but not so fast for Condor. I get about 30 fps in the Slovenia scenery, with low AA settings.

This adapter has "hybrid SLI", which I know nothing about, except that it's supposed to double up with an add-in card.

Question is, can I buy *any* Nvidia graphics card and have it work in conjunction with the onboard 8200, or what?

[Tima (TSD)]

Usually that wasn't a problem to have 2 videocards on one computer. But this is for "normal" applications. I don't know how to deal with DirectX applications, namely how to force them use one or another card...

[Paul_UK]

Usually you can change something in BIOS so that once a new graphics card is fitted you chose to render using the new hardware rather than the onboard one. A seperate graphics card will also free up some RAM.

Personally I'd also uninstall the nvidia drivers and use a utility such as driver cleaner to remove all parts of the drivers, then install the new hardware and then when it says new hardware detected load in the latest drivers for that card.

[Strider69]

Dont think condor run's in SLI mode Chris, But a decent video card will up your frame rate anyway. I have twin Radeon X1950's in this machine but condor won't use them both, I could spread the desktop across three monitors easily though.

P.S. No you can't SLI onboard with an add in card. But maybe you have a nice extra super duper mobo, Best would be to check the motherboards site for info.

[Freebird]

Pity its not an AMD GX chipset, thats designed for onboard gfx & I think supports Crossfire. Doesn't SOI run SLI with Condor?

Also if we get another version of Condor I hope we will get to use more than one core... seems a waste having my 955 running Condor on only one.

[OXO]

Thanks for all the useful replies.

I'm left with the problem that this system is slower than the previous one, and I have no idea what to buy to make it faster

The previous card was a BFG 7800 OC in AGP http://www.bfgtech.com/bfgr78256gsoc.aspx. This would do 70-100 fps in Condor. This was in a SN95G5 Shuttle.

But on checking, the data sheet says it should have needed a 400W power supply

I'm fairly sure I checked it when I bought it 18 months ago that it was < 200, as that is the psu size in the SN95G5.

The new shuttle has a 300W PSU, but all cards I see need 400W...

[Strider69]

Well it seems to have an 80 PLUS® certified PFC power supply that should give you around 30% more efficiency than most power supplies. so hopefully the 300w fitted should just handle the extra graphics card.

The GeForce Boost can let chipset GPU and discrete GPU work together using SLI, for a better performance.

ATI has very limited options in this. You can only combine a HD3XXX onboard with HD3400 dedicate, other dedicated cards and IGP won' work.
But in nvidia almost all dedicated cards work with IGP under Hybrid SLI


Get a card, Bang it in, See how it run's. Has to be better than the integrated chip.

[Freebird]

Integrated chip is also likely to be a bit short of GFX memory.

[OXO]

Get a card, Bang it in, See how it run's. Has to be better than the integrated chip.

Done. Ordered this today.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XFX-8600-GTS-PC ... 845&sr=1-7

I'll be round to see you if it makes the magic smoke come out of the power supply Baz.

[Strider69]

Looks like a reasonable choice:-

the GeForce 8600GTS needs about 70-watts, the bulk of which is supplied through the PCIe power connector.

[OXO]

It arrived..

Plugged in, didn't install any new drivers, 208 fps

Then turned everything up to max, AA, etc. 48fps



That's all good. Thanks Baz!

[Strider69]

208, you Ba#@a&d. thats more than mine.

[goshawk]

Ahoj,

I love Nvidia Cards and drivers with their problems.

After testing Vista, Win7 (both 32 and 64 bit version) finally I installed the
old Windows XP and the Condor have problems everywhere with Nvidia card.
Tested different drivers, directX and no way to solve this problem.

These are my last screenshoots on Windows Xp after 9 minute flying.
Yeeeesssss.

I have no problem with other programs, games. I tested whole PC about days with
testing programs and nothing. Just with Condor.

Anybody a working idea???? (except using Ati cards )

[Strider69]

Hmmmm Stealth mode on. Should be good for hit and run. Still looks like a driver prob, Gonna have to keep searching and trying. I don't think that there are any signs of overheating there just drivers.

[goshawk]

I think it's enough for me about testing....
Tested too much without any change.

I asked my friend to loan me his currently unused ASUS EAH-3450 Ati video card. If this works
without any extra work I think Condor has big problem with Nvidia cards.