Classic Gfx Boards - Rankings

[Kernel]

If this exists somewhere else (other than the Big Book, etc.) please feel free to point me to it.

To preface, I know what the PIV can do because I had one back in the late 90's.  Why I sold it?  Well, if I could borrow a TARDIS, let's just say I'd go back and stop myself from doing so...

Anyhow, what I'm looking for is opinions on graphics cards besides the PIV.  What they can and can't do compared to the PIV.  I want to get something for my A3K but am not sure I want to fork over 400+ on a PIV.

I know a mediator exists for the A3K but by the time I spent the money on that, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get a PIV.

Thanks.

[matthey]

Anyhow, what I'm looking for is opinions on graphics cards besides the PIV.  What they can and can't do compared to the PIV.  I want to get something for my A3K but am not sure I want to fork over 400+ on a PIV.

I know a mediator exists for the A3K but by the time I spent the money on that, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get a PIV.

The best value gfx board for a 3000 is the original CV64. They usually go for about half the price of a PIV and they have passthrough for displaying Amiga and RTG modes from one output. The CV64 is a little faster than the PIV in 256 colors due to a faster gfx bus but slower at higher depths.

The fastest and most versatile gfx board for a 3000 is the Mediator with a Voodoo 3/4 card. You pay up front but then you get cheap ethernet. You also gain faster 2D, fast 3D and more memory. You lose the passthrough though. There are separate outputs for ECS and RTG so some solution to deal with it is needed. My monitor has 2 inputs and a button on the front to switch.

The CV64/3D gets honorable mention. It's faster than most Amiga gfx boards and supports slow low resolution 3D. There is no passthrough but there is an optional board that provides passthrough.

The GVP Spectrum and Picasso II are very slow and undesirable. The Spectrum (and maybe the PII too) has passthrough if you can get it for cheap enough. Some of the early boards had reliability problems but the last batches seem to be better. The Picasso II has hardware design issues which make it difficult and slow to support P96 or CGFX RTG.

There is also the Indivision ECS which allows some enhancements in color and resolution and is a one monitor solution. The 3000 doesn't need the flicker fixer it provides and it won't give as much of a speedup as a fast gfx board though.

[spirantho]

I wouldn't say the Picasso 2 is slow or unreliable - mine is just fine - but it's a Zorro II card and so should only be used in pre-Zorro III machines like the A3000.
For Zorro III the order is Picasso IV. CV64 then CV64/3D as well.

[danbeaver]

A Prometheus PCI board is a third of the price of a Mediator, will give Voodoo gfx card and NIC, but requires a deft hand at fitting in a closed A3000 (ya got to use flexible PCI connectors).  A Mediator while giving Radeon 9200 speeds can also give fast ram on an OS3.X system, sound, and 100 MB/s NIC (+expensive USB).

I like the Retina BLT Z3 board in the Zorro area.

[matt3k]

Here is my ranking:

1. Picasso IV
2. Cybervision 64
3. Retina BLT Z3/CV643D
4. Picasso/Spectrum

I would agree that the sweet spot is the CV 64 for bang for the buck.


Good luck.

[touringsedan]

Just installed a Cybervision64 in my A3000 and I am very, very happy with it.

My goal was a Zorro III card with pass thru and capable of 1024x768 16bit.

It does all that perfectly.

I had a Picasso II+ but I wasn't able to run at 1024x768 with a slow down and artifacts.

Also, if you have a 3000, the scan doubler is redundant, and most stated the CV64 was great all around with a pass thru and they were right.

[stefcep2]

I have had both a CV64 and CV64 3D, with a scan doubler on an A4000 which I ran with both cards, and it worked.

The CV64 is definately faster.  

OTOH both so much quicker than AGA, neither will disappoint.  

The scan doubler was only 16 bit, but I didn't notice TBH.  It eventually stopped working and I sold both the CV643D and the scan doubler.

I now have a CV64 and an Indivision.  Once or twice I've run HighGraphics AGA just to see what the fuss is about, only to see that no, I'm not missing anything.

One of the cool things is that with OS 3.9 and BB 1-4, you can set up your Workbench using the PNG Kens Icons that are used in 0S 4.  With a few speed tweaks it doesn't slow down at all, and you get to keep your full 2 MB of chip ram whilst running a 16 bit 1024x768, with all your backdrops, window patterns and super smooth Kens Icons.  Stunning.

Oh BTW, the RTG software does make a difference:  I've tried both CGX and P96, and I don't care what anyone says: for phase5 hardware, CGX is the superior system, if you set it up right and use CGX4 rev 6.

[skolman]

1. BVisionPPC and CVisionPPC

[wawrzon]

except for pci bridge solutions with voodoo p4 and cv64 are almost head in head in my eyes.

[utri007]

What I would like to know is how big diffrence is in games like quake with same card/cpu and diffrent buss.

Like does spectrum get any speed when connected to Zorro III, like what is difference with Quake and timedemo?

Quake would be good meter for real life difference.

[Kawazu]

What I would like to know is how big diffrence is in games like quake with same card/cpu and diffrent buss.

Like does spectrum get any speed when connected to Zorro III, like what is difference with Quake and timedemo?

Quake would be good meter for real life difference.

I would not even bother with quake unless i would have a vodoo 3 + ppc

[danbeaver]

I would not even bother with quake unless i would have a vodoo 3 + ppc

For Quake II -- PPC, for Quake original -- 060.  For Quake III, who cares.

Voodoo 2 runs Quake well but suffers from 12 MB Memory and  90 MHz clock vs the Voodoo 3's 16 MB Memory and clock adjustable rates (143, 166, 183 MHz).

[matthey]

For Quake II -- PPC, for Quake original -- 060.  For Quake III, who cares.

Quake II runs nicely on an 060, especially with a Voodoo 3+. AmiQuake II is playable in 256 colors without Warp3D support on my 060@75MHz.

[Kawazu]

The fps/flow in quake even with a ppc and voodoo is below my standard but I guess some ppl have lower demands then me.

[Acill]

Ive had in my A3000 a PIV, a CVPPC and the GVP cards before getting a Voodoo and a Radeon 9200.

If you have a Cyberstorm accelerator with the mini PCI bus and a CVPPC on it there is no question its the best choice hands down, if not the value you gain in the end with a Mediator is hands down the best. Once you get all the drivers going and playing together its an amazing system.