[Chimera-users] Quadro versus GTX graphic cards

[Sabuj Pattanayek]

Yes, it'll work on both, but the modelines need to be the same on both
monitors, i.e. 1920x1080 @ 120Hz, so I'd recommend that you get two of
the same monitors that support 1080 @ 120Hz. Note, I have no idea what
happens if you get two of the monitors with the built-in 3d vision 2
emitters. Do both turn on? Seems like that would cause interference at
the goggles  since you'd be receiving two sync signals from two
different sources if they both turn on. The dual monitor 3d vision
setup we've tested is with two Acer GD235HZBid monitors connected via
dual link DVI-D cables (the monitors come with these and must be used
to get 120Hz @ 1080) into a quadro 3700 (has dual DVI outputs). Also a
3d vision kit (first generation) with the emitter connected to the 3
pin mini din port on the quadro 3700 (one emitter/sync source for the
entire setup). If you end up getting a quadro 600 with one dvi and one
displayport output (and dual built-in emitter displays), you'll need
to get an active displayport to dvi-d dual link adapter for the
displayport output :

http://www.amazon.com/Accell-UltraAV-B087B-002B-DisplayPort-Dual-Link/dp/B002ISVI3U/ref=pd_sxp_redirect

These are not the same as the standard (and much cheaper) displayport
to dvi adapters since they are powered (from the usb cable) and
support 120Hz @ 1080 with a dvi-d dual link cable to the monitor.

On Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 5:48 AM, Oliver Koch <oliver.koch at tu-dortmund.de> wrote:
> Dear Sabuj and Tom,
>
> thank you very much for your reply, I was not aware that 3D Vision on Linux
> only works with quadro cards.
> One last question: Does stereo view also works simultaneously on two
> monitors connected to one quadro card? Or does it only work on the main
> monitor?
>
> Oliver
>
> Am 22.11.2012 19:21, schrieb Sabuj Pattanayek:
>
>> On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 11:50 AM, Tom Goddard <goddard at sonic.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> The quadro cards have had many more graphics driver bugs than the much
>>> more widely used gtx cards.  For example, the current quadro driver on
>>> Windows has a power management setting default value (save energy) that
>>> causes 30 second chimera freezes when picking atoms in large molecules.
>>> Also the quadro cards are usually slower at rendering even when they work.
>>>
>>> The only reason to use a quadro card is if it is needed for using stereo
>>> glasses.  I don't know if any stereo setups can work with a gtx card.  That
>>> is more likely to work on Windows.
>>
>> Yes it'll work in windows, but in Linux we tried with a gtx 680 to get
>> stereo to work with the LCD's that have the built-in emitters but the
>> driver won't enable stereo. There may be soft-quadro hacks in linux
>> that'll make your gtx look like a quadro (IIRC there are these things
>> in windows land), which may trick the linux driver into giving you
>> stereo.
>>
>> We haven't had any issues in Linux with more modern quadros, i.e.
>> those made within the past 4-5 years, e.g. the 3700's (2008 release
>> date) still work well with a variety of applications. The majority of
>> our users work with small molecules and most of them have the 2D
>> geared passively cooled quadro NVS 295's in their dell workstations
>> that are more than 3yrs old and they continue to work well and be
>> supported by the latest and greatest nvidia drivers.
>
>
>
> --
> Dr. Oliver Koch
> Junior Research Group Leader "Medicinal Chemistry"
> Chemical Biology
> Faculty of Chemistry
> Technische Universität
> Dortmund Otto-Hahn-Straße 6
> 44227 Dortmund
> EMail: Oliver.Koch at tu-dortmund.de
>