[JerryFlyGuy]

Leberen: Again, if your running SolidWorks the Geforce isn't supported.

I'll address some of the links you've posted.
#1 What is promoted for AutoDesk isn't nesc the same thing that is promoted for SolidWorks. Since we're talking SolidWorks.. any argument supported on an AutoDesk/Inventor vein doesn't hold water.
#2 The guy used the card once, and it didn't work so he's selling it.. [proof is in the pudding I think]
#3 The discussion on Alibre is interesting, however it does not state that the 6600 will run on Alibre or SolidWorks that I can see, it talks about gaming cards and which will have the better performance in general.

If you want to know what cards are supported by SolidWorks and have been tested [ AutoDesk doesn't Test cards according to your first link]

Go here and see what they support. If its not an openGL card don't even bother. If you do and then ask tech support why your computer has this problem or that problem [display or rendering related].. the first thing they will ask is what kind of video card do you have... once they know what it is.. all you'll get is.. "get a proper card" until you do, most of them won't even talk to you about your problem.. because they feel your "unsupported card" is the problem. It's also worth noting that using an unsupported card can lead to crash's and other seemingly un-related problems.. all from a sticking cheap card..

If a person wants to try the Geforce cards they can, thats fine, but don't go around saying they will work.. or their great or their fine, they aint. :nono:

Daedalus: Send me a nice new.. GeForce 7900 GTX 512MB PCIe
and I'll test it for freeeee.. no seriously.. I will well.. maybe not free.. but for only the cost of the card and shipping you'll get all the answer's you need [I'll even pay all the duty fee's]

Jerry [geez I better get a coffee soon.. Sorry Leberen if it sounds like I'm pissed.. I'm not.. I just wouldn't be to happy if someone recommended something to me that didn't work.. and I didn't find out until after spending a hundred [or two] bucks.. ]

[daedalus]

jerryflyguy: according to solidworks site link you just posted, geforce 6800/6600/6200 is listed under tested, and has passed (with the limitation on max number of 3d accelerated views, same as most of the other consumer cards).

[JerryFlyGuy]

Well son of a gun... I actually didn't look under just the 'Tested' side but rather the 'certified' side so I missed it. It's listed as a Yellow.. which means it pasted w/ limitations.. I couldn't find what they were however.. so there ya go.. some gaming cards will work.. I'd have my doubts as to their performance for rendering photo's, and they won't display realview graphics.

However.. that being said.. I was wrong there Leberen, you can recommend them to people, as long as you tell them its not certified to do all that is supposed to

Jerry [geez I could use some salt w/ this shoe..]

Edit: it appears that the limitation has to do w/ using multi screens.. 2 should be ok.. more than that won't? [as I read it..] who use's more than 2 screens on a computer.. come on.. speak up.. I wanna know.. Why not just buy a projector.. I think thats what I'm gonna doo..] End Edit..

[leberen]

Jerry, no problemo.

2 monitors run fine on 6600, you can run A. 2 VGA with supplied adapter or B. 1VGA and 1 DVI. Fully customizable for monitors of diff size, and native resolution settings.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Are you using them w/ SW?


Jerry

[leberen]

Im afraid no on SW, while I am running span mode so its like having an extended desktop. I can run Alibre and Rhino simontaniously with complex geometries, move toolbars (not my choice) to opposite monitors, surf the web and watch a dvd at the same time. My system could use more ram as I only have a measley GIG. My thoughts that these tasks may equivilate to the requirements of SW while I can run further tests if needed.

[JerryFlyGuy]

It'd be interesting to see what a 6600 or the like would run like compared to a certified card.

I've been temped to change up my home comp to a 64bit system [ well its going to happen in the next few months I think but..] and then It would be easy to see if an SLI setup is near as good as my FireGL. I think it would do the basic's.. maybe cause some glitches but.. I doubt it would even compare to the certified stuff.. At home I'm running a 3.2e w/ 3gig and my V5100 and I can still stop it dead for about 30 seconds w/ SW. It's fairly well optimized out so.. its no slouch.. I've run Rhino and if memory serve's me.. it was a fair bit less RAM intensive.. mind you.. it doesn't have to be as it's not doing all the solid's stuff that SW does. I've not used Alibre much so can't comment there. I stand by my comment.. I'll test any cards ya'll send to me.. free of charge.. just don't plan to get them back Unless they REALLY suck

Jerry [if ppl can afford SW, why can't they afford the proper hardware to run it.. that is unless they can't afford SW, yet somehow they've got their hands on a copy.. in that case... I believe that the "All in Wonder Xpert Play 4" or "Xclaim Pm" is the card of choice for those versions..]

[leberen]

The 64 bit is only useful in 64 bit apps, if you have the 64 bit apps its not a waste of money. Im running an athalon 2.2 64bit on Asus mboard, built in video supplied by ATI (stinks) where I typically make my systems from scratch I didnt have the opportunity at the time. After installing new ram, video, 2nd hdd, im sorta satisfied with this system but theres nothing available for 64 bit quite yet. Ive never had good luck with ATI but hear their support drivers are getting better. Both companies are in business for making good cards, its good competition to keep specifications increasing. And I say Keep em coming!!

[JerryFlyGuy]

I hear ya on the 64b stuff.. its why I haven't really jumped @ it yet.. Sw has a 64b version but until windows is really optimized for it [ I understand xp64 isn't really..] there isn't a huge insentive.. once they come out w/ Vienna or whatever its going to be called.. it might be more of an interest.. Time will tell.

I can honestly say that the V5100 I'm using works Great.. haven't had a single stitch of trouble w/ it.. I can also say that for my Quatro 750.. so.. take your pick.. I think its become a chevy vs ford thing now.. [at least w/ workstation stuff].

Jerry

[leberen]

Lol,

I'd wait to upgrade to Vista until they work all the bugs out, you'll be waitin for a while!

How do you like the Intel CPU?

Those Mac commercials crack me up with the idiot and nerd (Mac & PC) regarding viruses. If you can emulate Windows you can emulate Windows viruses likewise in my books.

[daedalus]

i run 64 bit at home, mainly to get round the memory limits in xp32, and also because i wanted to play around with developing native x64 apps. I am waiting for sw 2007 to become available, as that has a native x64 version (with cosmos), 2k6 and 2k5 will run on winxp64, but cosmos wont at the moment.

Jerry: there is a link next to the card name on sw site that brings up the known issues. The only issue between workstation and gamer cards is that gamer cards only support up to around 12 3d accelerated views (these are akin to 3d windows, so if you have front + top + left + 3d you have 4, and i doubt anyone uses more then 5-6 at any one time). Also the realview thing is disabled on gamer cards.

The situation is made a bit less clear when you run an ati gamer gfx card with softfiregl drivers (aka firegl softmod), as from what ive heard this doesnt have that limit, and brings performance increases similar to having the workstation card.

Personally i have been running solidworks 2k5 & 2k6 on my home pc for a couple of years with ati radeon graphics cards, and i havent had any real problems doing so.

[JerryFlyGuy]

If its 1/2 as buggy as Xp, it will still take a year or two.. I'm not sure I can wait THAT long.. but we'll see..

The CPU has been fine.. I have some issue's w/ the v5100 when playing games however.. Amazingly enough, the card still does improve them, not as much as the proper high-end gaming cards but.. I was still impressed..

I think having a complete Intel MoBO and Cpu helps in that regard. However.. on my next build I think I'm heading into the AMD camp to see whats what..

Jerry

[daedalus]

I am running an amd opteron in a home user motherboard no problems. As for it being buggy, well i have only managed to crash it once, and that was due to a 3rd party app being buggy. Ive been running xp64 24/7 since the install.

The issue with x64 isnt stability, its driver support, as all drivers have to be native 64 bit, and a lot of manufacturers are being incredibly lazy in rolling out 64 bit versions. One real pita is macromedia, who havent produced a flash plugin for IE64 yet. If your interested in changing over, check out www.planetamd64.com, theres a lot of info on hardware support there.

[JerryFlyGuy]

At work here, they've decided to go full bore and get me whatever is required for a system. My Sw tech support recommended an Opteron or Xeon. The tech guy's have told me that they are looking at a two processor system w/ each of the processor's being a dual in itself, apparently its gonna cost big.. big.. bucks.. hopefully it speeds up my FEA projects and the like. Currently I'm doing projects w/ several thousand parts in them so opening the drawings and the model's can take a while. I use light-weight where I can but still.. its several minutes to open in some cases.

I'll have to take a boo at the site you linked... I'm not totally up on 64 as of yet, but I do know SW has their stuff all in place.. I also looked at the new release of 2007, oh boy.. some really exciting stuff.. really exciting..

Jerry [I came to help.. and have learned more than I helped !! ]

[leberen]

Good stuff,

gives me something to think about while I build ammo to beg the wife with

[DPKIF]

cadman, both 2k5 and 2k6 allow you to grab a toolbar and detach it, making it a seperate window, then you can drag those windows to your second monitor (standard extended desktop). I have just tested this and it works fine.

I'm running2k3 on a dual monitor setup (3DLabs Wildcat VP560 video card) and you can detach the toolbars and move them to the second monitor, works fine. It can be useful but as mentioned, it does make for long "mouse trips".

What I would prefer, is to be able to move the whole design tree window to a second montor, that takes up too much screen area.

[daedalus]

ok, have you tried not maximizing solidworks, then dragging the window so it fills both your screens on extended desktop?

My pc at home has trouble with this on a ati 9800xt, but the dual xeon at work seems to run this way fine, and it will let you have the tree on one screen, and the part on the other (if you can move the tree splitter to the right a bit).

[DPKIF]

ok, have you tried not maximizing solidworks, then dragging the window so it fills both your screens on extended desktop?

This function is dependent on the video card / drivers. I could do that with the previous card but not the Wildcat. The Wildcat treats each screen independent, not like 1 double wide screen. Overall I like it better this way but it does have the occasional drawback.

I just wish the design tree could be pulled off and moved like a menu item.