Mac Pro

[jagger]

Hi! Im very interested in this render engine. The problem is that im using a mac pro 2 x quad intel xeon 2.8 ghz (from 2008), 4gb ram and geforce 8800gt 512 mb. Currently octane works, but a bit slow (im also a newbie so i dont control the app too much). Well the thing is if I can put a geforce 480gtx (pc version) on the mac pro but just for using it with windows 7. Im planning just using windows 7 so I dont mind if it doesnt work on osx.
so is this possible?

thanks a lot!

[radiance]

Hi,

I don't know if you can just put any PCI-E PC GPU in a mac pro...
Maybe consult with your apple support regarding this ?

Radiance

[pixym]

Hi,

I have got the exact same mac pro and the same 8800 gt gpu.
Right now the only more powerfull gpu card you can add is evga gtx 285 Mac Edition (far too expensible if you compare to gtx 480 price and spec.).
Other cards will simply not work

[jagger]

ok, I know that. Thats why I want to use windows 7 in the mac pro. With it, we can use the 480 gtx. My doubts are for the hardware part, I dont know if that graphic card would fit in the mac... maybe it will explode?

its a hardware issue

[jagger]

I think I know the answer. Seems that the 480 have 1x 6 pin power and 1x 8 pin power (of power supply), a guy could make it work with and external 1k power supply because the mac pro only have 2 x 6 pin inside to use.

So in my setup, i have a 8800gt using 1 x 6pin so I can use a 470 instead of the 480 because it needs 2x6 pin so the mac can provide them. Just remove the 8800 and put the 470 with the two cables from the power supply.

the bad thing is that osx will not recognise the card. so maybe if you only use a 470 you will not be able to boot the os.. osx for sure not and im not sure about windows. I cannot confirm this because I dont have any of those gtx cards..

[radiance]

I think I know the answer. Seems that the 480 have 1x 6 pin power and 1x 8 pin power (of power supply), a guy could make it work with and external 1k power supply because the mac pro only have 2 x 6 pin inside to use.

So in my setup, i have a 8800gt using 1 x 6pin so I can use a 470 instead of the 480 because it needs 2x6 pin so the mac can provide them. Just remove the 8800 and put the 470 with the two cables from the power supply.

the bad thing is that osx will not recognise the card. so maybe if you only use a 470 you will not be able to boot the os.. osx for sure not and im not sure about windows. I cannot confirm this because I dont have any of those gtx cards..

i don't think so because i think the cards simply won't fit.
i don't think apple uses the same PCI-E connectors as PCs do. (however i'm not sure)

also, the operating system must support the GTX480 and i don't think current OS X versions do this.

Radiance

[jagger]

here is the thread:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=886056

[pixym]

I will try to add a gtx 480 in my mac pro today (It runs only under win xp pro 64!)
I will let you know what happens.

[SurfingAlien]

I think I know the answer. Seems that the 480 have 1x 6 pin power and 1x 8 pin power (of power supply), a guy could make it work with and external 1k power supply because the mac pro only have 2 x 6 pin inside to use.

So in my setup, i have a 8800gt using 1 x 6pin so I can use a 470 instead of the 480 because it needs 2x6 pin so the mac can provide them. Just remove the 8800 and put the 470 with the two cables from the power supply.

the bad thing is that osx will not recognise the card. so maybe if you only use a 470 you will not be able to boot the os.. osx for sure not and im not sure about windows. I cannot confirm this because I dont have any of those gtx cards..

honestly I would let the Mac pro as it is and build a low end PC and put whatever GTX4xx you want in... if you need only one graphic card you should be able to do this with a few hundred bucks (with no risk of damaging your mac pro which is still a good and valuable machine...). just my 2c btw
AFAIK graphic cards not marked as "Mac Edition" won't work with macs

[pixym]

Because of a connexion 8 pins cable issue, I had to give up…