Spaceballs and video cards

Happy New Year folks, my boss is looking into getting a new cad machine
and asked about dual video cards, I hadn't heard of this, what's the
advantage of dual video cards?

Also we're looking into getting a 'spaceball' type device... there are a
number of 4000 series Spaceballs on ebay starting cheap, do these still
function properly with SW2006, or would we 'need' a 5000 series?

Thanks

 

The advantage of having dual video cards is like dual processors. It can
make things go faster. However, I only know of gaming systems using this
configuration. I have not hear of a CAD station using dual video cards.
The technology is referred to as SLI.

 

I talked to someone at XIComputers and they had said at that time SLI
was not being taken advantage of by nvidia for SolidWorks. That
doesn't mean it won't in the future. I would still get the motherboard
with SLI I just wouldn't purchase the second video card just now.

KM

 

I run an Nvidia Quadro FX500 video Card with dual 19" lcd monitors.
You can find that card on ebay for around $100, and its a Solidworks
supported card. As for the spaceball, my opinion is that its one of
those things that untill you use one, you will never know what your
missing. The differance between the 4000 and 5000 are mainly the
connection. The 4000 is 9-pin serial and the 5000 is usb. Obviously
the usb will be a little quicker to hook up, but I have a 4000 at home
and at work, and have never had one problem. Both were bought off ebay
for around $100.

 

SoCalMike wrote:
As for the spaceball, my opinion is that its one of

Aye Mikey....

A bold Scallywag it takes to talk balls, spacious or otherwise amongst
his mates....

Arrrrr