G550 vs Parhelia

[Xplora]

We've got users of both here... I need to build a workstation for doing audio work, probably have Xeons and other such wanky stuff in it and I wants a duelie LCD setup for it. I was going to get a Gainward ti4600, but they aren't available in Australia for lack of a distributor so that lead me back to Matrox (bit disenchanted since Parhelia benchmarks came out).

My opinion changed a lot when I realised I don't even like playing Quake style games, so a matrox card should be fine.

Problem though. Parhelia is worth over double what a G550 and dual DVI cable is worth. For this particular computer, I can't see the value of plunging two HDDs or a couple extra sticks of RAM's worth into a nonevent 3D card, unless someone can convince me otherwise

I've been told the older matrox cards REAAALLY stink it up for 3D; have I been misinformed?

Thanks guys. You do good work here

[K6-III]

Yeah, but apparantly you aren't interested in 3D for your application....

BTW, the Parhelia is plenty fast for all games...

The main advantage of the Parhelia for Dual-DVI would be that it can do it at 1920x1200 on two monitors, where I believe the G550 Dual DVI will be restrained to 1280x1024...

Other than that, the dual overlay capability may come in handy as well...

[Evildead666]

If u have 2 monitors (lcd's) that can do 1280x1024 then you have enough money to get a parhelia

A G550 will be fine for 2D, but yes, in 3D they are a bit slow. I still play UT2003 in 800x600 fine tho...just the water effects arn't done with EMBM...or my patch didn't work properly.

[Maggi]

the G550 is awefully slow in 2D when compared to a Parhelia, so if your main target is working in 2D (Photoshop, compositing etc.) there's no better choice than getting a P.

[Claymonkey]

slow in 2D Maggi? I know it's slow in 3D but do you have any proof that the P is faster than the G550 in 2D?

[Xplora]

I don't want to be one of those tossers who says read my post, but I think I'll let it slide this time...

this computer will be built for digital audio recording and production, that's where the majority of the power will be going anyway. I won't be doing much in the way of rendering etc, not to the extent where I would need to spend double on the video card;

however, if the Parhelia is considered to be THAT MUCH BETTER considering what I intend on using it for, then why not? Triple head would be cool, but not necessarily worth the money

[K6-III]

Originally posted by Maggi
the G550 is awefully slow in 2D when compared to a Parhelia, so if your main target is working in 2D (Photoshop, compositing etc.) there's no better choice than getting a P.

Mostly because constrained by memory bandwidth at higher resolutions.....

[Claymonkey]

Sorry Xplora, the G400 was about TNT2 levels for 3d and the g550 is a little slower than that. However, for what you're doing it should be plenty, and it IS a Matrox product so you will get good image quality.

[Pace]

And, btw, I don't think Parhelia will support 3 LCDs, if that's what you fancied about TripleHead. 3 monitors at 3840x1280 stretched desktop it does support however.

[Xplora]

TNT2 levels huh? Jeebus!

I'm using a TNT2 now as a matter of fact (for the price, its a BIG step up from my last video card, a Viper 550 LMAO), and let me say it stinks it up big time.

No triple head LCD? I think I'll have to lean towards the G550 then. I don't feel the Parhelia has got enough futureproofing behind it to warrant the extra cash. Looks like I'll be building it slowly because of the financial situation (one chip and memory stick and HDD at a time LMAO); while the TNT2's 3D does stink, its not so bad that I can't use it for a while to come.

[Pace]

Don't quote me on that

And I don't think it matters with analogue LCDs - you can link up 3 of those, it's just the digital/DVI interface only supports 2.

P.

[Pace]

Just noticed yuppi is running 3 TFTs off his Parhelia: <a href="http://forums.murc.ws/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=9754">Profile</a> <a href="http://forums.murc.ws/private.php?s=&action=newmessage&userid=9754">Mess age</a>

[Maggi]

Originally posted by dparadis
slow in 2D Maggi? I know it's slow in 3D but do you have any proof that the P is faster than the G550 in 2D?

K6-III already gave a hint, but to give an example that affects my daily work:

Set DualHead to 1600x1200 on each CRT
Open up a high resolution picture (the bigger the better, for example highres scans in 4000x3000) in Photoshop (or Digital Fusion or what your preferred picture tool is)
Drag the picture around
Notice a delay being introduced that keeps your picture moving around even if you stopped doing so

With Parhelia, everything is so sticky to my mouse pointer, it's just pure pleasure ...

[knirfie]

"pure pleasure"

[Evildead666]

Maggi:
The 'Big Picture' pulling around the screen, wouldn't that just be down to fill rate? The card not being able to send the data to the monitor (or in fact thru itself) fast enough for it to be fluid.
The P having a much much....much higher memory bandwidth and more pipelines, would have a much higher fillrate. true?

I wouldn't recommend the G550 for 3D at all, its ok, but not recommendable.
In 2D tho, i think its fine.

(I don't do any image editing, i know a professional place where i can get all that done on specific hardware, and by people who know what they are doing, whereas i have never used photoshop b4...)

Jez