Using Voodoo 2 and ATI together?

[Bogdan]

Hello,

I would like to know if it's possible to use my Diamond Voodoo 2 3D in addition to my current videocard that I have , an ATI RagePro. I ask this because when I want to play a game I can use the RagePro but only in 800 x 600 resolution and the frames per sec. are even lower than when I used my old Pentium 166.

So can I install the Voodoo card to use it only for games, and use the RagePro for other purposes?


Bogdan Bosiocic

[JayMan]

Sure can, the voodoo2 will look after 3d (as it is only a 3d card), Voodoo2's support Glide, Direct3d, and have miniGL drivers (plays on the quake openGL engine, but doesn't have full openGL support). The voodoo2 should give much better fps than the rage, but still voodoo2 max res is 800x600, unless u wanna get 2 of them and run SLI (like i currently am, but am having trouble in glide and OGL) which will allow a max res of 1024x768. Anyways, probably more than what you wanted to know, but basically, yes the voodoo2 will work with your system.

JayMan

[Barney]

Are you sure you aren't using the Voodoo2 for direct3D?Seems to me that if games run slower and you can't use a higher res than 800x600 that you are using the Voodoo2.You should be able to choose which videocard to use for D3D in most games,so you have to change it to ATi RagePro.

Ronald

[Bogdan]

Hello,

Thanks for you reply.
The thing is , I haven't installed the card yet, so I'm not even using it right now.

I aks this question before I install it to make sure it will work, cause I don't want my computer to screw up.

Thanks,


Bogdan

[skuz]

I once had that very same configuration, and I had some problems. If a game allows you to choose your card, there will be no problems, but if all you can choose is Direc3D and OpenGL, your cards may be fighting to decide which will be activated and it results in a blank screen.

I found 2 solutions for this, the one I used : keeping the old ATI drivers that came on the CD and the solution I heard about: there is a software somewhere (don't know the name) that allows you to select which card runs which game.

[JayMan]

You can get a program called "DirectControl" which will allow you to choose which card/driver to use for Direct3d. Dunno about opengl tho, but i would think if the voodoo2 can run it (quake GL engine) the voodoo2 will do it, if it can't do it (full gl) the rage will take over. Chuck in the voodoo2 and see what happens, if you would like that directcontrol proggy either search for it or email me. I think you will be happy with the performance compaired to the rage. If worst comes to worse and u get a conflict, it is easy enuff to pull out the voodoo and get rid of drivers.

JayMan

[Bogdan]

Hello,

Cool, thanx for the reply.
I will plug the Voodoo in , in a few days.
I just want to make sure that nothing bad is going to happen to my computer...I just bought it and it cost me a lot, so I'm watching out.

What is the worst thing that could happen if I install the Voodoo? Or is there no bad effect?

Thanx,


Bogdan

[JayMan]

worst thing = much much better 3d performance....oh wait, thats not bad.... hehe umm i would say absolute worst thing that could happen (provided u don't wanna take into account zapping ya CPU with static, or snapping ya mobo in half cuz ya knock the case off the desl etc....) wont be able to boot into windows normal mode, only into safe mode. If that happens simple remove the voodoo2 driver and card from the system and ya should be right as rain. Anyways, what is life if ya don't take a risk every now and then??? :-)
Lemme know how it goes

JayMan

[Bogdan]

Well....I installed the Voodoo...installed the software, connected the cable from the Voodoo to my ATI card and connected the monitor cable to the Voodoo......and nothing...the Monitor won't work. I put the Voodoo in another slot...and same result.

Any tip what I can do about it?


Thanx,


Bogdan

[JayMan]

Do you get anything in 2d but not 3d? or just nothin at all? If u get 2d but nothing in 3d, have u tried running something in glide, or just d3d or opengl. If it works in glide but not d3d email me and i will send you the "directcontrol" program so you can make sure the voodoo2 is the one which will handle d3d work. If you get nothin in 2d even, try just running the monitor from the ATI card, this will bypass the voodoo2, if you get 2d then there is either something wrogn with your voodoo2 card or the passthru cable you have.

JayMan