New Graphics Card - Page 2

snorkler · 03-18-2003, 08:31 PM

First, let me say that I do NOT know a lot about graphics cards/ computers.
I purchased a GeForce4 MX 440 PCI card for my Gateway. Before I installed it (fortunately!) I found that the power supply was not adequate and was advised by Gateway not to use it. I have never seen "power supply" listed as a limiting factor in these posts and I am sure there are others.
Any suggestions? Other than a new computer : )

Jav400 · 03-18-2003, 10:06 PM

snorkler,

I also have a Gateway, fortunately my warranty ran out a little while ago. I have no idea what you have or how old it is. But, I think all Gateway systems use their own MoBo and standard Power Supplies will not plug in. I did the same thing and just had to bite the bullet and purchase a 300W PS from them to use for now. It was about $80 which is way to much for this item, but you are over a barrel and don't have much choice. It is an easy install to change this and you could do it yourself if you wish. If you want to pursue this, step into the chat sometime and I will go over the process with you.

Manymosi · 03-19-2003, 05:30 AM

With the release of 2.0 I still get about the same FPS, but the fish are much faster and move more smoothly. It looks like I installed a new graphics card!

Great work!
I am a happy guy again.

CephaloP · 03-19-2003, 09:57 AM

People keep saying that they are getting better framerates with 2.0. I'm very very very happy with the new fish and menus, but if anything my fps dropped with the new version. I can't get above 30 fps, no matter how I set the resolution and color. I saw a guy with a system older than mine and the same card (GeForce2 MX200) saying he was getting 74 fps.

I got the latest drivers, can anyone figure out what's up?

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 10:37 AM

MA2 defaults to Desktop Resolution with Desktop Color Depth.

MA1 ran in 16-bit color which is MUCH MUCH less demanding on the bandwidth-strangled MX200's.

Please set your MA2 to 16-bit color.

CephaloP · 03-19-2003, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by feldon27
MA1 ran in 16-bit color which is MUCH MUCH less demanding on the bandwidth-strangled MX200's.

Ah, ok. I was thinking that 16 was a step down from what the last version ran at. I don't really see any change in quality between 16 and 32, and 16 lets me run at a decent resolution without getting jerky. FPS is still only in the 24--29 range though, does that sound right for this card?

I swear I have chronic "neednewcardacitus". It's a tragic addiction.

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 12:49 PM

Considering Jim used 16-bit color across the board when designing the Aquarium, the only reason to use 32-bit here is to stop the clicking and for that tiny group out there with boutique video cards that won't do 16 bit.

Jav400 · 03-19-2003, 12:52 PM

CephaloP,

It could be something in your 3D settings. Maybe like having v-sync on or AA or something.

clifdene · 03-19-2003, 01:18 PM

I am afraid that this is a little beyond me!
I was getting 40fps on my old computer and now I am getting 60fps with version 2 and I am not convinced that anything is different between 40 and 60 even running at 32 bit. Perhaps I am very happy with what I get which really costs nothing. I think some people are far too hard to please!

Jav400 · 03-19-2003, 01:22 PM

clifdene,

Glad things are working so well for you.

Kudo's for your attitude.

drfish · 03-22-2003, 08:07 AM

Just got my 2nd work computer up and running at the warehouse space I'm now in charge of. It's an old 200Mhz Pentium with 64megs of RAM and an OLD STB Nitro 3D video card... My frame rate for MA2 is 11 FPS at 640x480 and 16bit color, oh well, better than not running it at all... I'm sure I'll be allowed to get some more RAM for it, but if I want a new video card I'll have to get it myself... Found a TNT2 on pricewatch for $24, overkill, but the price is right and it's PCI, not AGP on this machine...

Anyway, Feldon, regarding your question about aquarium and video card bundles... First, I'd like to show you this thread that I actually started over on tek-tips... The reson being is that anyone out there with an AGP slot can get get a new video card that would run the aquarium perfectly very eaisly. However, a lot of cheap and old PCs out there don't have and AGP slot and/or have low profile cases. Most of these computers could run the aquarium just fine with a better video card (like this 200Mhz), but as you can tell after reading the thread it's a pain to obtain one that would work in them. Three of 4 computers I use daily don't have AGP slots (2 of them without are less than three years old) and one of them is low profile. If you sold a kit with the aqurium and a low profile PCI video card with normal height bracket included I'd bet you'd be very successful. You could install the same thing on practically ANY computer including all the cheap ones they make even today without AGP slots and in tiny little cases. I'm sure lots of the kinds of people that buy those love the aquarium and would like it to run better, but don't know where to begin... Anyway, ending this post now, I think I've made my point, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

feldon34 · 03-22-2003, 06:00 PM

Except that the PCI version of the cards I am interested in selling are $55+ vs $35. Nobody is going to pay $75 for the Aquarium (just ask Microsoft).

drfish · 04-07-2003, 04:39 AM

I stuck a TNT2 in that computer at work and I'm now getting ~28fps @ 1024x768 16bit... Not bad for 200Mhz...

03-18-2003, 10:06 PM	#22
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	snorkler, I also have a Gateway, fortunately my warranty ran out a little while ago. I have no idea what you have or how old it is. But, I think all Gateway systems use their own MoBo and standard Power Supplies will not plug in. I did the same thing and just had to bite the bullet and purchase a 300W PS from them to use for now. It was about $80 which is way to much for this item, but you are over a barrel and don't have much choice. It is an easy install to change this and you could do it yourself if you wish. If you want to pursue this, step into the chat sometime and I will go over the process with you. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

03-19-2003, 10:37 AM	#25
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	MA2 defaults to Desktop Resolution with Desktop Color Depth. MA1 ran in 16-bit color which is MUCH MUCH less demanding on the bandwidth-strangled MX200's. Please set your MA2 to 16-bit color. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-19-2003, 12:49 PM	#27
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Considering Jim used 16-bit color across the board when designing the Aquarium, the only reason to use 32-bit here is to stop the clicking and for that tiny group out there with boutique video cards that won't do 16 bit. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-19-2003, 12:52 PM	#28
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	CephaloP, It could be something in your 3D settings. Maybe like having v-sync on or AA or something. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

03-19-2003, 01:22 PM	#30
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	clifdene, Glad things are working so well for you. Kudo's for your attitude. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

03-18-2003, 08:31 PM	#21
snorkler Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 59	First, let me say that I do NOT know a lot about graphics cards/ computers. I purchased a GeForce4 MX 440 PCI card for my Gateway. Before I installed it (fortunately!) I found that the power supply was not adequate and was advised by Gateway not to use it. I have never seen "power supply" listed as a limiting factor in these posts and I am sure there are others. Any suggestions? Other than a new computer : )

03-19-2003, 05:30 AM	#23
Manymosi Registered Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 65	With the release of 2.0 I still get about the same FPS, but the fish are much faster and move more smoothly. It looks like I installed a new graphics card! Great work! I am a happy guy again.

03-19-2003, 09:57 AM	#24
CephaloP lurking in the shadows... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: just a few paces south o' the old willow Posts: 151	People keep saying that they are getting better framerates with 2.0. I'm very very very happy with the new fish and menus, but if anything my fps dropped with the new version. I can't get above 30 fps, no matter how I set the resolution and color. I saw a guy with a system older than mine and the same card (GeForce2 MX200) saying he was getting 74 fps. I got the latest drivers, can anyone figure out what's up?

03-19-2003, 11:45 AM	#26
CephaloP lurking in the shadows... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: just a few paces south o' the old willow Posts: 151	Originally posted by feldon27 MA1 ran in 16-bit color which is MUCH MUCH less demanding on the bandwidth-strangled MX200's. Ah, ok. I was thinking that 16 was a step down from what the last version ran at. I don't really see any change in quality between 16 and 32, and 16 lets me run at a decent resolution without getting jerky. FPS is still only in the 24--29 range though, does that sound right for this card? I swear I have chronic "neednewcardacitus". It's a tragic addiction.

03-19-2003, 01:18 PM	#29
clifdene Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: UK Posts: 168	I am afraid that this is a little beyond me! I was getting 40fps on my old computer and now I am getting 60fps with version 2 and I am not convinced that anything is different between 40 and 60 even running at 32 bit. Perhaps I am very happy with what I get which really costs nothing. I think some people are far too hard to please!

03-22-2003, 08:07 AM	#31
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,353	Just got my 2nd work computer up and running at the warehouse space I'm now in charge of. It's an old 200Mhz Pentium with 64megs of RAM and an OLD STB Nitro 3D video card... My frame rate for MA2 is 11 FPS at 640x480 and 16bit color, oh well, better than not running it at all... I'm sure I'll be allowed to get some more RAM for it, but if I want a new video card I'll have to get it myself... Found a TNT2 on pricewatch for $24, overkill, but the price is right and it's PCI, not AGP on this machine... Anyway, Feldon, regarding your question about aquarium and video card bundles... First, I'd like to show you this thread that I actually started over on tek-tips... The reson being is that anyone out there with an AGP slot can get get a new video card that would run the aquarium perfectly very eaisly. However, a lot of cheap and old PCs out there don't have and AGP slot and/or have low profile cases. Most of these computers could run the aquarium just fine with a better video card (like this 200Mhz), but as you can tell after reading the thread it's a pain to obtain one that would work in them. Three of 4 computers I use daily don't have AGP slots (2 of them without are less than three years old) and one of them is low profile. If you sold a kit with the aqurium and a low profile PCI video card with normal height bracket included I'd bet you'd be very successful. You could install the same thing on practically ANY computer including all the cheap ones they make even today without AGP slots and in tiny little cases. I'm sure lots of the kinds of people that buy those love the aquarium and would like it to run better, but don't know where to begin... Anyway, ending this post now, I think I've made my point, I'd like to hear your thoughts. I don't watch commercials.

03-22-2003, 06:00 PM	#32
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Except that the PCI version of the cards I am interested in selling are $55+ vs $35. Nobody is going to pay $75 for the Aquarium (just ask Microsoft). "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-07-2003, 04:39 AM	#33
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,353	I stuck a TNT2 in that computer at work and I'm now getting ~28fps @ 1024x768 16bit... Not bad for 200Mhz... I don't watch commercials.