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# 1 22-09-2007 , 10:25 AM
tvholicjames's Avatar
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 188

How do you know if you need another video card?

Hi,

I was wondering, how do you if you need another video card or not?
Not sure if this is a video card issue...but I think it is.

I know rendering depends on the speed of the processor, then the amount of RAM.
Quality of the output visual of the render requires a very very good video card. Am I right?

I have a $200 ATI FireGL V3300, Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 Gigs of RAM, Intel Motherboard DG965SS.

When the render came out with 90% skin shaders on dense geometries. It didn't read all the updated high number values of the translucencies and the visual is not as saturated as the Nvidia Quadro 4600 that the school is using.

Yes, I have updated the driver, but it only made it wide screen, so no help from that.

Does that mean I need a new video card? I have read from the Autodesk discussions, that ATI cards are known to have problems when rendering with Mental Ray and Nvidia Geoforce is only for games.

If I am to purchase a Nvidia Quadro, which one do you recommend that will output in fantastic quality with a Core 2 Duo processor?
I am still on a student budget. The most I can afford is maybe $500.

For the SLi cards, do I have to get 2 of the same video cards instead of 1?

What do you think of the Nvidia Quadro 1400, a mid-range version?

I am not a gamer, but I am doing Shading and Lighting and getting the quality of the render is really important to me. So if anyone has a suggestion, please let me know.
Thanks.