Mac 30'' Display - PC driven

[ikonia]

ok mac users,

here is the question.

the mac 30'' screen states that to drive this screen at its optimum resolution you need a mac, or a very specific PC config

Taken from Overclockers site

Important Information To achieve the native resolution of this product you will require an Apple Mac with dual link DVI or a PC with a Quadro graphics card or FireGL Support. A resolution of up to 1920 x 1200 can be achieved on a PC if supported by your Graphics card.

how accurate is this ?
Why is this ?
I have a fairly high spec machine, and I'm a bit dissapointed to think that it can't drive this monitor at the top resolution.

Mac Geeks.....explain.

[herulach]

Its nothing to do with macs, its because you need Dual Link DVI on your cards, otherwise there isnt enough bandwidth on the cable. The same would go for any display at that resolution

[ikonia]

so my BFG 6800 does have Dual DVI - would my PC be able to get the optimum out of this display ???

[herulach]

Dual dvi is not the same as dual link dvi. Basically only half the pins on your dvi ports will work, thats single link.

[ikonia]

magic !

very interesting, thanks for pointing out the difference.

so I assume I'm scuppered with regard to using one of these monitors in an optimum coniguration.

[Gordy]

yes but there are cards out there that will drive them , there is a thread on hard forums with more info from memory

[ikonia]

thanks gordy,

the cards available to drive them don't seem to handle games too well though, thats the slight downside, (which I suppose not every mac owner is interested in really)

need a bit more of a ponder on this, if the resolutions/screen size was a tad bigger on the Dell 24''s or the mac 23''s I'd be sold, but as it stands moving from 2xdell 20''s in a dual head offers more surface area than the 23/24''s running at max res, and it feels like a bit of a loss of desktop space.

[herulach]

6800 Ultras, Some 7800s, quadros and (IIRC) X1800s dont handle games too well? Curiosu

[ikonia]

I'm stuck due to my AGP connection.

I'd have to change the motherboard and change my video card, along with the cost of the monitor, its too much

[uchiha_itachi]

There are certain AGP graphics cards which will power the Apple 30" cinema display.

The two which stick out from memory are the ASUS v9999 6800 ultra gamers edition. And the american version of the PNY 6600gt card, (you know it is the american version if it has dual-dvi sockets.)

And there are various AGP workstation cad graphics cards which can also drive the 30" cinema display at its native resolution. However if you do decide to go pci-e, I think most of the 7800gtx cards contain dual-link dvi ports. There's loads more info here on this thread:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread....ageID=1104682&

Hope that helps.

[8bit]

Not sure if I'm barking up the wrong tree here but I run 1920x1200 on my 24" Dell 2405fpw using an AGP based X800XL with just the normal DVI cable attached... I don't *think* it's a dual link port on the card, would I know by looking at it?

I would have thought the 30" Cinema display would do a lot more than 1920x1200 as well to be honest, glad I just went for the Dell now.

[uchiha_itachi]

I'm also running 1920 x 1200 through my dvi connector on my old geforce 4 ti-4800se. Reaching that resolution isn't a problem. But that is the highest resolution that single-link dvi ports can reach. Any higher and you need dual-link dvi. The 30" Apple cinema display runs at 2560 x 1600 for its optimum resolution. Thats the main problem.

[joelypolly]

Why not wait for the Dell 30" would prob be cheap enough so you can get an upgrade with the money you save

[Spud1]

Why not wait for the Dell 30" would prob be cheap enough so you can get an upgrade with the money you save

The same problem would still exist - it's not the display that's the issue, it's the bandwidth available from the DVI ports

[Jonny M]

the cards available to drive them don't seem to handle games too well though, thats the slight downside

And you think that any games are going to run well at that resolution anyway? The 30" screens are designed for content creation or displaying work to clients. I personally don't see a need for a screen that big but there you go. If you tried playing games on it you'd have to move your head to see all of it.