Maya 2020 fundamentals - modelling the real world
Get halfway through a model and find it's an unworkable mess? Can't add edge loops where you need them? Can't subdivide a mesh properly? If any of this sounds familiar check this course out.
# 16 13-06-2008 , 06:24 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: /dev/null
Posts: 891
I forgot to say, but the Seagate Cheetah only comes in UltraSCSI and SAS - no SATA, so if you really think that you'll need one, you may have to get a PCIe SAS controller card. No performance loss compared to an onboard SAS controller, but most motherboards don't have them since they are mostly for servers, so the main concern is cost.


If you are going to mod a GeForce into a Quadro, keep in mind that it is most likely going to void the warranty. And if it is a expensive GeFroce ($300 to 700), then that is very painful it the power were to go off half way during the update. I don't think graphics cards don't have redundant firmware, so you couldn't go into a recovery mode.

As for the modding being capable of being done in Windows, my somewhat limited understanding of firmware tells me that if you read from a certain memory address, you can get the firmware. Once you have it, it is possible to write it to another address. Whether this would crash the OS or cause time to warp back on itself and suck the universe into a vortex, I don't know, but what I have described here can be done under Linux. In fact, I am fairly certain it can be done, since I've got manuals telling people not to write to certain addresses since it will break something.

user added image

OK, I have no idea what I just said.


Anyways, which particular model of Opteron and Athlon FX are you asking for? Generally, there shouldn't have that many differences - they are both based on the same architecture. It is just that the Opteron is mainly for SMP machines with 2, 4 or 8 processor sockets, whereas the Athlon is for machines with one processor. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with either - I'm a bit short on cash.


C. P. U. Its not a big processor... Its a series of pipes!
# 17 13-06-2008 , 09:10 AM
flatpacmac's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 30
Cheers guys

It has crossed my mind about the usage of other packages like Houdini, I tend to sit on one side of the fence on on the fence sometimes until I have better info or understanding of what I am looking at.

I now have a better understanding thank to you lot.

As per SAS drives I have already found a couple of motherboards with built in SCSI/SAS controllers, and if I go for one without a controller I'll most likely go for an Adaptec or a Promise card.
But that said any other suggestions would nice.
With that said I like the idea of a couple of SAS drives for working with, and larger slower SATA RAID for storage.

On the CPU front I think it is now between Xeon & Opteron (2nd Gen).
I've used an Xeon powered MacPro and HP server before so roughly know what I am going to get. But I don't want to discount the Opteron which could prove to be the better option, on price per performance level.
I have no experience of the AMD chip so I don't know what to expect from it.
I will however appreciate any views or comments on the Opteron.
By the way I am thinking of a dual processor machine.

As far as the GeForce cards modded to a Quadro, I understand the warranty issues, it just sounded like a nice idea, worth thought.
When I said the mod is done on windows I forgot I could probably do it on Linux too.
And just for the Architect I got the gist... just user added image

Anyway, again thanks for the help guys

Cheers

Chris

# 18 13-06-2008 , 11:55 AM
flatpacmac's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 30
Just thought but anyone seen any cool looking cases recently?

Just thought whats the point of having this awesome powerhouse of a PC if it looks like a 1980's skoda...

OK bad example:p

I know that techincal aspects i need from a case, just fancy a case that looks really really coooool user added image

Cheers

Chris

Posting Rules Forum Rules
You may not post new threads | You may not post replies | You may not post attachments | You may not edit your posts | BB code is On | Smilies are On | [IMG] code is On | HTML code is Off

Similar Threads