When Is Power Cable Required on RADEON X800?

[Will]

When is a separate power connector to the main power supply of
the PC required for an X800 video card? I purchased an X800 SE
and the seller is claiming that no external power connection is
required to use the card. ATI's own documentation is
ambiguous. It begs the question by giving directions like "If
your card requires an external power connection...." How can
you tell which type you have?

 

[Dave]

If the card has an external power connection it is needed. The reason the
ATI instructions are vague is they cover a multitude of different cards. The
seller is telling you wrong.

 

[borolad]

When is a separate power connector to the main power supply of
the PC required for an X800 video card? I purchased an X800 SE
and the seller is claiming that no external power connection is
required to use the card. ATI's own documentation is
ambiguous. It begs the question by giving directions like "If
your card requires an external power connection...." How can
you tell which type you have?

I'm not aware of any x800 that does not have a full MOLEX connector.

Are you saying that yours does not have a connector ?

Or if it does - use it, and make sure nothing else [ other than the
video card ] is connected to that cable.

Which card do you have ?

¸ô¶ó

 

[Will]

What functions will the external power connection provide?
What would be the expected behavior of the card if the power is
not plugged in? The seller is claiming he tested the card
without supply an external power connection.

 

[Ben Pope]

I'm not aware of any x800 that does not have a full MOLEX connector.

X800XL. I think it's the only one though (although that'll probably bite me
like it bit you )

I didn't plug the molex connector into my 9800 Pro on a brand new built,
nearly crapped myself when the computer starting beeping at me like it was
about to have a heart attack.

Ben

 

[Dave]

The function of the connector is to supply the power needed by the GPU. The
mobo traces going into the AGP slot are not wide enough to carry the current
needed by the modern processors. Much the same is the ATX 12 V connectors on
modern MOBO near the CPU to provide power. IT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT THE
POWER CONNECTOR AND YOU MAY FRY YOUR MOBO TRYING. What is the big deal
anyway, hook it up and be done with it already.

--

 

[Dave]

PCI-e supplies more power, but still not enough for the most power hungry
chips, most still have the external floppy connector on them. They have the
cable you nedd at any store that sells computer equipment. even Wal mart has
the splitter cables.

--

 

[Will]

Does this change with PCI Express?

I can't hook it up because I don't have the cable yet.

 

[borolad]

X800XL. I think it's the only one though (although that'll probably bite me
like it bit you )

I didn't plug the molex connector into my 9800 Pro on a brand new built,
nearly crapped myself when the computer starting beeping at me like it was
about to have a heart attack.

Can't see how it will handle the wattage, and yes it ' bit ' me. I
know ASUS don't follow the ATi spec on power supply.

I'll have another think ! Cheers Ben M8

 

[Ben Pope]

Can't see how it will handle the wattage, and yes it ' bit ' me. I
know ASUS don't follow the ATi spec on power supply.

AFAIK it's on an 110nm process (albeit not SOI), so it should be quite good
with power requirements.

It's not just an Asus product,

Sapphire have them:
http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/x800-xl.asp

Powercolor:
http://www.power-color.com/PCIE_X800_R43C-TVD3D.htm

Gigabyte:
http://www.giga-byte.com/VGA/Products/Products_GV-RX80L256V.htm

err... probably others.

Ben

 

[Conor]

When is a separate power connector to the main power supply of
the PC required for an X800 video card? I purchased an X800 SE
and the seller is claiming that no external power connection is
required to use the card. ATI's own documentation is
ambiguous. It begs the question by giving directions like "If
your card requires an external power connection...." How can
you tell which type you have?

You need to use it when using 3D.

 

[Daniel Tonks]

Does this change with PCI Express?

I can't hook it up because I don't have the cable yet.

If it's anything like the 9800 Pro, it just uses a standard 3.5" floppy
drive connector; you don't need the big splitter/5.25" converter that ATI
includes (but remember to NOT install the connector backwards - something
that can be done if you try hard enough with the 3.5" type connector - or
you'll fry the card!).

- Daniel

 

[Will]

If you don't use the external power cable on a PCI-E RADEON X800,
what is the result? With AGP I guess the card will sound an
alarm condition at power on. With PCI-E I gather the board will
power on okay and the motherboard will continue to work. But
will the GPU run at a lower speed?

 

[Dave]

READ THIS, IT WILL NOT WORK, THERE IS A SECTION ON PCI-E, CLEARLY STATES
WILL EMIT BEEPS AND NOT BOOT
http://www.ati.com/support/manualpdf/Getting_Startedx800.pdf
--

 

[Will]

p. 16 under Advanced Installation PCIe begs the question because it leaves
open that some kinds of cards won't need the power connector (without giving
you any clue about which models don't need it!).

Every RADEON I have ever used has required the power connector. However
every seller on eBay of X800 SE cards is not including any power connector,
and so far every one of three sellers of those cards has claimed that they
used the cards successfully without a separate power cable.

 

[Dave]

IF IT HAS A CONNECTION IT NEEDS IT,

--

p. 16 under Advanced Installation PCIe begs the question because it leaves
open that some kinds of cards won't need the power connector (without
giving
you any clue about which models don't need it!).

Every RADEON I have ever used has required the power connector. However
every seller on eBay of X800 SE cards is not including any power
connector,
and so far every one of three sellers of those cards has claimed that they
used the cards successfully without a separate power cable.

 

[Don Burnette]

If there is a power connector on the card, it is there for a reason!