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Thunndarr
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Demophobe wrote: |
| Voyeur wrote: |
My understanding has been similar to the following post:
A 1900XT does not use 180-300 watts. A 8800GTX doesn't even reach that. Many crossfire certified PSUs don't reach over 18A on each 12v rail, and that ratting usually a peak power, not continuous.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/vid...ion2006_4.html
The X1900XT is 108 watts, while the XTX is 120. The 1950XTX is really different only in memory, when it comes to power consuption, so we can figure 130 watts, tops. If all of this power comes from the +12v, that is still less than 11A.
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So I don't see how I could be underpowered unless the PSU has gone on the fritz.
Now, is it possible that even if my PSU has enough total watts, I'm lacking enough amps or volts on a given rail etc... whatever that means? |
Do you think I pulled those numbers out of a hat? You need to read more man....all reviews that measure power consumption will yell a similar tale.
Sure, idling, the card is fine. Under load, it's a pig, a problem that plagued all ATI cards until the last round of RV670 core shrinks.
If this is related to your issues, who knows, but with your crossfire functioning under load, you are running pretty low on total watts....factually. |
After some quick checking, I found this graph, which specifically states that the power usage includes:
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| This means that these numbers include CPU, Memory, HDD, Video card, PSU inefficiency. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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All components included, indeed. I can only surmise that was the case with my first images as well.
And...
The card (pue) seems to draw 124w. peak.
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| For building Radeon X1950-based CrossFire systems ATI recommends using a 550W or higher power supply |
So, OP...it seems that you may well not be underpowered. Still, it was good to investigate. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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Back to square one!!! 
What is wrong then? |
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Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:07 am Post subject: |
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| probably heat then. Are aftermarket coolers for the GPUs usually a good idea? |
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tractor
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| what temps are your MOBO/CPU running at? Idle & full load? |
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spliff
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| Those HIS cards are pretty good on cooling, are they not? |
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Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:29 am Post subject: |
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tech should visit me again on Friday. Currently he has the sound card and one of the GPUs out for a few days to establish a baseline that everything works without the soundcard and 2 GPUs.
Guess I'm looking for possibilities/ideas to make him test when he comes on Friday and tries to put all the cards in.
We'll test the heat then too - he may have already. I'm not sure how good he is due to language barrier.
Is there anyway to fit the 2 GPUs on my Mobo and then place the soundcard in a spot that isn't between them? |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| Voyeur wrote: |
tech should visit me again on Friday. Currently he has the sound card and one of the GPUs out for a few days to establish a baseline that everything works without the soundcard and 2 GPUs.
Guess I'm looking for possibilities/ideas to make him test when he comes on Friday and tries to put all the cards in.
We'll test the heat then too - he may have already. I'm not sure how good he is due to language barrier.
Is there anyway to fit the 2 GPUs on my Mobo and then place the soundcard in a spot that isn't between them? |
You have 2 PCI slots at the bottom...you could put the soundcard there.
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tractor
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| I can't believe the tech person put that sound card in between the two GPUs. that's like putting something into a toaster. it should have been in the farthest pci slot from the GPU. |
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Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:06 am Post subject: |
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| I think maybe there was a wi fi card to fit in - but i dont want wi-fi so... |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Voyeur wrote: |
| I think maybe there was a wi fi card to fit in - but i dont want wi-fi so... |
Wi fi is onboard. |
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Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:16 am Post subject: |
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Update
Finally took the machine to an English speaking tech who is very familiar with high-end systems.
My Mobo was busted and had to be waranteed. So was my sound card.
The old tech hadn't really cleaned anything well. He hadn't actually done anything worthwhile to help me at all LOL
Turns out, even the store that built my computer sucked. Things they did wrong:
*Antec P180 is mid, not full ARX Tower - not ideal for two GPUs
*gave me horrible memory with no heat sink
*didn't recommend custom heat sink on my CPU
*horrible cable management
*The wire to the fan was done so poorly that it malfunctioned and the main fan had not been working properly
*sanwiched the Sound card between both vid cards instead of putting it beneath the second, less hot, GPU
*no 3rd party thermal compound
So I am getting:
*new full tower case
*replacement Mobo
*replacement sound card
*new copper heat sink for CPU
*everything cleaned
*thermal compound
*taking out 3.5" floppy - who needs it
*4 GB of new OCZ memory
*upgrade to 64 bit windows - can always go back to 32 if it doesn't work for me
*wiring and cable management redone
I find out iof the GPUs are okay on Monday but I think they are from preliminary tests.
All I can say is that you should not buy top quality stuff unless you know what you are doing or have found a guy who speaks your language and clearly understands high-end gaming systems. Regular computer techs and sellers can make gaming systems work and will sell them/build them. But clearly they have no idea about the critical, finer points.
I really hope my GPUs work. 2 1950XTX are still equal to a single 8800GTX @ 1920x1200 rez. So I don't want to upgrade until a single card with a single GPU comes out that is decisively better than the 8800GTX. I'm not a fan of the "x2" DUAL GPUs on a single card either. AFAIK you still get many of the SLI/Crossfire issues. |
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OneWayTraffic
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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Ultra high end systems are just not an efficient use of money. If you had had the shop build you a system with just one GPU and regular memory you could have upgraded to a 3870 by now and not spent any more in the long run.
For those that like the high end, go for it. But with the current march of technology, values to be found in the midrange. Hell I still play 2D games on my little UMPC.
Korea isn't exactly enthusiast friendly either. Most Koreans gravitate to the midrange/entry level systems, and pushing for that extra 50% in power can cost you 100% in money and 200% in time. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:25 am Post subject: |
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| OneWayTraffic wrote: |
Ultra high end systems are just not an efficient use of money. If you had had the shop build you a system with just one GPU and regular memory you could have upgraded to a 3870 by now and not spent any more in the long run.
For those that like the high end, go for it. But with the current march of technology, values to be found in the midrange. Hell I still play 2D games on my little UMPC.
Korea isn't exactly enthusiast friendly either. Most Koreans gravitate to the midrange/entry level systems, and pushing for that extra 50% in power can cost you 100% in money and 200% in time. |
True about most Korean PC builders. They are set in their ways and don't really understand high-end.
The key is to research and learn the the ropes. Then do it yourself. |
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SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:28 am Post subject: |
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I've been thinking that there are a couple of users on this board that could probably go into business as a computer tech and make some nice money on the side.
With an F visa there wouldn't even be any issues about making cash on the side with immigration. |
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