Difference between Quadro NVS 55/280 PCI & NVS 280 SD

[sp7]

In order to download and install the correct NVIDIA driver for my
MEPIS Linux system, I'd like to know how to find out which <of these two
NVIDIA-offered drivers> is the one I should download and install:

- Quadro NVS 55/280 PCI
- Quadro NVS 280 SD

IBM only tells me that my video card is:
"NVIDIA Quadro4 280NVS (LFH-60), AGP 8X, with 64MB double-data-rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) video memory and dual analog connectors (or dual digital monitor capability with the purchase of an additional pigtail cable)".

I couldn't determine the difference by searching at the NVIDIA website.

[Incidentally, I only have a single, 15 pin VGA monitor connected via the
pigtail cable running to the 60 pin LFH connector on the computer.]


Which of the above two is the one I should download?


Thanks

[marcdw]

I see that this question went unanswered here and in the Linux forum.
Now that I just ordered this card (PNY Quadro NVS 280 PCI) I'm looking for an
answer to the same question.

At Nvidia's site for WinXP drivers:
If I choose NVS 55/280PCI I get the 169.39 Quadro drivers.
If I choose NVS 280 I'm given the 91.36 Forceware Quadro drivers.

So which one do I install on an older WinXP/DirectX9 machine?
BTW, at PNY's site if I choose drivers to download I'm only given a choice
of two Vista downloads. That's pretty lame. :thumbdwn:

Marc

[marcdw]

Hmm, I guess the Linux drivers actually helped me choose.
I was under the impression that the NVS 55/280 PCI would be considered
legacy.
Once I installed the legacy nvidia drivers in openSUSE and tried to configure
X I was told no legacy card exists.
The PCI ID of the NVS 280 PCI is 0x032A and that puts it in the non-legacy
category. So current drivers, at least on the Linux side, are okay.

As far as Windows XP goes it's probably just a matter of which drivers work
best, old or new. The last Omega drivers are working out okay for me.

Marc

[methimpikehoses]

What do you use it for? (Just out of curiosity)

[marcdw]

No specific use really.
I have an IBM ThinkPad T21 laptop (pretty old) that sits in a dock. The dock has
an additional PCI slot so I thought a video card would be pretty good.
Then I thought why not try out a dual-monitor setup.
So far so good. The card is working well with two simple 19" LCDs, non-widescreen,
in both XP and openSUSE Linux.

There aren't too many PCI cards that work just right in the IBM Dock II.
The previous attempt was with a VisionTek ATI X1300 (apparently it's a PCI-E
bridged onto PCI) but it suffered from occassional lockups of the machine.
Plus it had a fan which added to the noise.
Also, in openSUSE, the drivers caused big problems when trying to play video
files.
Now I have to figure out what to do with a brand new VisionTek card. :)

Only problem with the Quadro was software-related. The NvCPL.dll(?) was causing
the machine to lockup. It's from the Omega drivers but I found it wasn't necessary
to have that and some other utilities load at startup anyway.

After installing the NVS 280 I was pleasantly surprised to find XP not going through
the "found hardware" procedure because it already had (basic) driver support.

[Correction: I later dug deeper at PNY's site and did find their driver packages
for the Quadro. So I have to retract my "lame" statement.]

Marc
:afro: