Video Card suggestion by Canopus

[JimJulian]

I'm still fumbling thru research for a new video card and came across this tidbit by Canopus. Their turnkey comes with an NVIDIA Quadro FX1500 256MB with dual DVI output.

http://www.canopus.com/products/EDIUSBroadcast_DES.php

Some other Edius Turnkeys like Promax use the same card. Interesting that they suggest a relatively expensive graphics card that Edius dosen't take advantage of. I'll assume it's for other applications like AfterEffects.

Anyone use a FX1500? Cost is around $500. It comes with a breakout box for S/video and HD. Not sure if this will feed 2 LCDs and a TV simaltaneously.

Thanks in advance,

jim

[GrassValley_BH]

We use it because it's the choice that made sense in the HP configuration. :)

[STORMDAVE]

The OP is better off with an nVidia 8800 series graphics card. You can always add a second graphics card (If you have a second 16x PCIe slot that is) for TV out. Is there a reason that you need TV out?

[JimJulian]

TV out was of high interest as a reference. Are you suggesting that a second card could provide that output if FX1500 or any other card can not?

Thanks,

jim

[STORMDAVE]

It should work fine (Although I have not tried it myself).

I read somewhere that Vista will only let you use 2 video cards if they are exactly identical, but XP Pro has no such limits.

Google around, it should show alot of useful info on this subject.

[shueardm]

Buying a Quadro card is buying extra system stability. The FX1500 is a great card if you dont play high end games.

[mike0130]

Buying a Quadro card is buying extra system stability.

I am disagree. It's a way to spent more money and listen nice stories.
6800 series card will be cheaper and better (if you're nVidia fan) But today ATI card like 1950 will meet all your needs with Edius, Xplode's, Vitascene, Mercalli and every other possible software combination. Boris Blue is exception. (if you want it badly- nVidia 7900-7950 (for ver 2.0), but you're loosing Xplode realtime... your choice!)
Do not throw your money, save some for real things.

[Jerry]

I am disagree. It's a way to spent more money and listen nice stories.
6800 series card will be cheaper and better (if you're nVidia fan) But today ATI card like 1950 will meet all your needs with Edius, Xplode's, Vitascene, Mercalli and every other possible software combination. Boris Blue is exception. (if you want it badly- nVidia 7900-7950 (for ver 2.0), but you're loosing Xplode realtime... your choice!)
Do not throw your money, save some for real things.

Depending on your system and how the NX reacts to the ATI or NVIDIA card will be your main decision. I have both the 1950x and the NVIDIA Quadro 1500
The issue I had with the ATI card in my big system was that it did not share IRQ's well with the NX and pci-x controller card.( So I installed the Quadro and it works great.I moved my ATI to my Quad system). I get the same "rt" out of Xplode that I did before. When I say RT, I mean you get a blue line above the timeline. Not yellow or red. This is only in SD and not HD. In HD the only way I get playback of big effects is with buffer prefill for Xplode and Vitascene. I don't consider that true RT.

Remember, if you are purchasing a card to make Xplode RT, or some form of it, that program is going away soon. So purchase on longevity of the entire system to be stable and fast, not just Xplode or Vitascene. Either card will work, depending on your system.
I feel NVIDIA drivers are more stable and have fewer bugs.
If you use Adobe products on your system, Adobe prefers NVIDIA cards because of the open gl performance.
Screen size and resolution is also a big consideration. Both the ATI and NVIDIA cards discussed here will do dual 30 in monitors.

TV OUT

Yes, the tv out does work. I actually built the system with the quadro 1500 and 1 monitor with tv out. My second monitor was powered by a $60 ATI single head pci card.
Personally, I did not like the output to the tv. I was and still am used to the output from the Canopus/Decklink cards. With the tv out,the image you see on your computer monitor is what the tv out gives you.
All tearing and motion artifacts are present. I bought the NX a month after trying to "get away" with the tv out setup.
If you are not used to a line scaled output, the tv out scenario might work well for you.

[JimJulian]

Hey Jerry...and everyone who responded,
Thank you for the insight. Based on Jerry's response regarding "TV out" I'm leaning away from the fx1500 and towards an 8800GTS. I like some of the Explode Fx but most are pretty hoky for what I do. The Vistascene website shows 8000 series NVidia and FX 1500 as "predestinated to dramatically increase render speed in Vitascene to almost realtime." LOL...we'll see.

jim

[Angelo]

Hey Jerry...and everyone who responded,
Thank you for the insight. Based on Jerry's response regarding "TV out" I'm leaning away from the fx1500 and towards an 8800GTS. I like some of the Explode Fx but most are pretty hoky for what I do. The Vistascene website shows 8000 series NVidia and FX 1500 as "predestinated to dramatically increase render speed in Vitascene to almost realtime." LOL...we'll see.

jim

I'm faced with Vitascene issues and my guess it's related to the ATI X800XL and I would like to know how well the nVidia 8800GTS does with Vitascene. I have to agree having Vitascene in RT is more valuable than Xplode RT.

...Angelo

[shueardm]

I am disagree. It's a way to spent more money and listen nice stories.

I have Quadro FX3450. I can now tell those nice stories because I never have system instability. It's all in the drivers, it's like paying Nvidia more money to work harder for you- everyone knows the Quadro drivers are more stable under a broader range of programs than the GeForce cards...... no one ever says the opposite, they only kick their heels up and say they didn't need a Quadro. Fine then!

[STORMDAVE]

I have an oldish ATI 9600XT on my Storm2 machine and I have never encountered any "instabilities".

Neither have I encountered any issues with the ATI X1900 in my Mac Pro (Not counting the beta of Bootcamp).

I remember back in the day you could take a GeForce 3 series card and flash it to a Quadro...because the boards were the same. Don't know if that is still the case.

[Blast1]

I ran across a article on using newer cards as Quadros, Unfortunately I've got my internet stuff spread across three systems due to some problems, when I get a chance I'll post anything relevent.

[mike0130]

There is no such a thing as "grphic card driver instability" I have X800, X850, X1950 and nVidia 7900- all of them working fine. You feel better with a stories of "instability"- it help you not to think that you spent for videocard amount of money that could help you with new computer...- fine.
In some places in Europe, dealers still using old ATI X850 PE for Edius based computers as the best proven cards.
By the way, I am agree that nVidia cards better a little, but I keep ATI for Xplode Pro realtiming only. When GV will come with replacement for Xplode (they will, because Xplode will not work with Vista), I will go for nVidia with pleasure. But I am not ready to spend thousands for the card, which do the same quality and speed as a $300 one. There are lot of overclocking sites with REAL information, because they are not involved in selling process.
mike

[Jerry]

In some places in Europe, dealers still using old ATI X850 PE for Edius based computers as the best proven cards.
By the way, I am agree that nVidia cards better a little, but I keep ATI for Xplode Pro realtiming only.

Thats great that you can still use the X850. However, stick 2 Apple 30" Cinema displays on that card and get back to me. At that point your card will not be able to handle dual dvi 2560x1600 resolution. And that my friend is where the money is going. The 1950 has dual dvi and 2560x1600 resolution,
but as I said, it had an issue with my pci-x controller card.
It does not on my other system with the Decklink Card.

I'm glad that you have not had instablilities with your ATI card. The X600-850's were good cards, on most systems. For that matter, my AGP 9800pro did better RT, on Xplode, than the 800 series or my 1500 or 1950.
The 9800pro was using 2 19in 1440x900 analog displays.

Since I bought Xplode in 2002, and it has served it's purpose, other effects packages (with more usefull effects) , and larger monitors have come available. If Xplode was a major part of my every day work, I would be using
the 850 as well. However, if it means a little RT versus a lot of desktop space, I'll take the desktop space.

When Edius goes to Vista, we will more than likely have to upgrade video cards for DirectX 10 anyway.