##9 GXI Card – Opinions!
7 messages in this thread
To All:
I just purchased a #9 GXI L25 Graphics Card with the New Power9 DLP
and would like to know if any other AutoCAD users out there has either
purchased one or is testing one against a SPEA or Rasterex Card. I had
high hopes for this card but I don't see what all the hub-bub is about it.
The installation setup of this card is a bit tricky, especially if you try
to use their onboard SVGA chip – I found that a few of my regular programs
crap out when they switch between text and graphics screens (Avery
LabelPro). I had to resort to using a standard VGA card together with the
GXI so the programs can work, and disable their SVGA function. Heaven help
you if you have QEMM 6.0 running with DOS 5.0. I've been wrestling with
this thing for 3 days now and #9's tech support has alot to be desired. I
had the #9 GX series and #9 came out with what I thought was a good upgrade
price of $1125, but this thing seems to be more trouble that what it's
worth….
—-> Does anyone out there have this card, and what do "you" honestly
think of it…I would appreciate any and all input on this subject…Tom
Tom – One of my clients has just received a GXI eval unit, and they're going
to be installing it in a day or so, and then I'll be taking a very close look
at it, and that'll include compatiblity and benchmark testing. Just for your
information, the SPEA board (which also has an onboard VGA), has passed every
VGA-compatiblity test that I've thrown at it. I can't find any software that
will not run in the SPEA's VGA overlay window, or in full-screen VGA mode.
As far as performance goes, the SPEA (and most other 34020-based boards) are so
fast that my most recent benchmarking software is unable to resolve the timings
of pans and zooms with small drawings. I'm getting columns of 0.00's in both
pans/zooms and redraws, and I'm going to be writing a new set of benchmarks to
try to get a better picture of the relative performance of the SPEA and the GXI
boards. I'll be more than happy to pass the results along to you, but you'll
have to make your own interpretation of it, I won't make recommendations based
soley on "performance".
-TonyT.
Tony, What particular benchmark function that you test for actually records
a zero time? I assume 0.00 means 0.00xxx minutes.seconds. I don't really
understand the basis for the benchmark test since the line draw algorithm
in the 34020 is not particularly clever (i.e Bresenham) and does not lend
itself that cleanly to AutoCAD type vector lists. Is your Benchmark based
on the 34020 or is that your preference for graphics processors? Software
implemented functions like clipping and scaling in the 34020 should be
tested as well for an overall efficient benchmark (IMHO). I would be
interested in getting a copy of the benchmark, is it available on general
release?
What do you think of the GRPREF benchmark that Robert tells me he is using
for his current review, how does it compare?
Darrell Knight
Rasterex USA
Atlanta
Tony,
Good hearing from you again…I got "alot" of response from #9 when
I told them that I was going to ship the GXI back to them faster than they
sent it to me…It seems that they are beta testing a few add ons to the
card that should correct most of it's problems that I am experiencing. I
still would like to hear any opinions on this card if anyone is testing it.
While speaking with a senior marketing manager at #9, I basically told him
that the only reason I tried the card was because of the upgrade price and
that I am still considering the SPEA and Rasterex. He admitted that the
Rasterex was a superior card to the GXI but the GXI is faster than the
SPEA. That's what prompted me to try and do an independent survey of my
own.
Tony…What 486/50 are you looking into…Christmas is coming and I think
it is time for me to do a serious upgrade to my hardware and that means all
hardware..From the 486/33, graphics cards, monitor etc….I would be
interested in knowing what 486/50 you like and why you are choosing it over
any others….Frankly, I haven't seen any ads for any 486/50 yet…how did
you hear of yours..I like the Everex machines and wonder if they went to
the "50" yet. Have you hear of any compatablility problems with
them…Thanks in Advance….Tom
Tom – Well, I had a look at the GXi today, but we didn't get it running yet,
so it'll be a few days before I can tell you anything. I wouldn't be too
surprised if the GXi's speed is close-to (less or more) the SPEA's, they are
both 020-based.
I was looking at the GXi's docs (the only thing in the box was installation
documentation – Did you find anything else besides that in a 3-ring binder?).
I'm mainly interested in the so-called ICONS that #9 cliams to have. I've not
seen them, I see no documentation on them, and I'm not expecting very much.
As I mentioned, we're looking at this from more than just a performance stand-
point. In this application, the ICON menus are very important, and they way
they behave is equally important. Different strokes for different folks, I
guess.
The 50 Mhz. 486 chip is on hold right now, until Intel gets its act together.
-TonyT.
Tony,
Thanks for the quick reply…I had a good laugh when you mentioned
the 3 ring binder…I got the same thing but it included 4 diskettes with
it, Install, Power9, Windows and VGA driver disks. What level card did you
get…I have the L25…The Power9 icons are pretty poorly illustrated
either the README or Power9.Doc file…If you didn't get the disks, they
you are in worse shape than I was…I was good and P_ssed off when I
installed the card and I had to go from 16 bit mode to 8 because of a
conflict with my SCSI drive. The onboard SVGA was crapping out so I
installed a $79 CompuAdd VGA card with the loop-thru and my applications
worked like they should have..I sent a nasty gram over their BBS and I got
quick results…I spoke with the head of Marketing, their programming and
Tech support manager on a conference call. After all was said and done, I
am now a beta site for #9's next release of the Windows and Power9 DLP.
Their response was good, only after I threatened them with sending the card
back faster than I received it <G>. You can be sure that I gave it to them
with both barrels…From lousy documentation in the famous 3 ring binder,
slow DLP, no Windows zoom feature as they advertised but I had to praise
them on their ICONS…it resembles MicroStation icons…If you saw the
first Power9 DLP this is 1000% better. They did do some things right and
have some fine tuning to do but I still want to see how it is against SPEA
and Rasterex…They admitted being faster that SPEA and slower than
Rasterex…But I'll give them some time…If you need a hand with the GXI,
I can always stop by….Your only about 5 miles from me…or give me a call
sometime @ 305-9556..Good talking to you again -Tom
We have never actually tested the Number 9 GXI against the Rasterex boards
so I cannot give you any comparisons I am afraid. I do have comparions
against other boards like SPEA, Artist, Metheus performed independently by
Jon Peddie Associates (independent consultant in San Fransisco) if you are
familiar with any of those. Of course these are purely speed tests and may
not be important to you against functionality, user interface etc..
Darrell Knight
Rasterex USA
800-648-7249