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| Derick's Workstation |
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Page 5 of 8 Video/Graphics: Obviously important for a designer (though the only visual connection for every user), the video subsystem is crucial, regardless of application. Graphics Card: While I wanted to go all ‘legit' on this system, I simply could not afford a current generation (or even a ‘one-old' in most cases) ‘professional' graphics board. The decision to go ATI over Nvidia was, therefore, based mainly on the ability of the given card to ‘mod' to its professional equivalent. I settled on ATI as being far and away the best in this area (Nvidia's drivers are far better protected). Surprise: I already have a Visiontek Radeon 9500 Pro (128MB, AGP 8X). Armed with Rivatuner or the widely available ‘Free FireGL' drivers, even a causal user can turn their game-oriented (and inexpensive) Radeon into a much more valuable (and several times faster in pro applications) FireGL. Which card yours will ‘turn into' depends on what it was to start with. For instance, a Radeon 9700 Pro will produce a FireGL X1. A 9800 Pro, the X2. A 9500 Pro is hardware identical to a FireGL Z1, where a 9600 Pro will earn you a FireGL G2. ATI, in their infinite wisdom, handicaps the drivers in the Z1 and G2 cards to limit performance compared to the X series so Free FireGL allows you to run a further modified set of X1 drivers on my 9500 Pro. This produces a card that splits the difference between a real Z1 and a real X1 in terms of pro-app performance. This performance is crucial in applications like Alias Maya or Newtek Lightwave if you are doing high-polygon modeling or in many compositing applications (Apple Shake or Discreet Combustion) which relies heavily on OpenGL to accelerate their complex interfaces and real-time previews. It isn't a trivial difference either. In SPEC ViewPerf 7.1, the industry standard high-end 3D benchmark, my scores increased up to 400% on some tests (most more than doubled). Still, the latest offerings from Nvidia, ATI and 3DLabs are compelling upgrades (though at a huge price). Odds are I'll get a proper card my next go round, as it looks like ATI is going to be protecting their next batch of drivers much as Nvidia has, effectively eliminating easy/free modifications. The jury is still out on the next generation, since few are shipping at the moment. Of what's available today, the Nvidia QuadroFX 3000 is king of the hill in my mind. Dual PCI-e Wildcats and next-gen Quadros will work on the Supermicro X6DA8 (others soon). Video Monitor: A carryover from several systems since passed, my 21" Sony F500-R still reigns as the king of all things CRT (well, I'd take a 24" FW-900 despite its looser Aperture Grille pitch). Running a high 95Hz at 1600x1200 (and 75 at 2048x1536), a constant .22mm AG pitch, dual inputs (one is 5-BNC, which I use), they don't make them like this any more. The F500 (and later R model) were HUGE expenditures when new (I picked mine up a year or so used, fresh off Sony refurbishing) but even at the original price (around $1600 street, approximately $2000 retail), I have to say it would damn-near be worth it. Mine is going on 5 years old as of this writing and still maintains incredible colors, super sharp text and amazing contrast. Only recently has convergence begun to slip at the lower corners. At this point it is correctable with the monitor's extensive built in controls but as it continues to age, I'll be looking for a repair or a replacement. Hopefully this will come later, rather than sooner as I dearly love this monitor and Sony has recently announced it is no longer going to be producing Trinitron-based CRT displays for the computer market. At this point, there is no TFT display that can match a good CRT in my opinion for a design workstation. This is, of course, if you can deal with the size, heat and inevitable aging that comes with the territory. This will change soon (its already getting close) so its quite possible my next setup will be a pair of large TFT displays. I run my F500 at 1600x1200@95hz and if I could get a reasonably priced TFT that could do 1600x1200 I probably would. Speaking of dual monitors, this is HUGE for a designer. I have a 15" Hansol that isn't worth mentioning in detail but it handles the IM windows, Task Manager, Foobar playlists and such gracefully, keeping them off the big boy. A classmate has triple 19" flat CRTs, a setup that still amazes me. There are so many things you can do faster with multiple, large, color-accurate desktops its not even funny. A good 19" CRT is the sweet spot of the market right now and a pair wouldn't be an insurmountable goal for most people these days. If you afford more than one, do it. Really. |
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