Second monitor graphics card for CustoMac Mini 2011, HD3000

[joebrod]

Second monitor graphics card for CustoMac Mini 2011

Hi, I've spent the last hour or so searching for an answer to this but can't seem to find it.

I have a 2011 Customac mini (sandybridge) I made and has been running basically very well since I had it - about 2 years. I have a video editing job coming up and would like to add a second monitor and my understanding is I can add a graphics card. The second HDMI on the mother board doesn't work & I don't want to use VGI. It doesn't have DVI

My understanding is I need a low power card and the problem is that the 3 that are mentioned in Tony's build instructions are no longer available.

Can someone recommend (or refer me to thread) a low cost, low power card that would fit in the APEX MI-008 Mini-ITX with 250w PSU and give me a second monitor? Obviously I am a newbie but can any of the cards that will work in this set up work natively under 10.8.3.

Any insight appreciated, Thanks

OS10.8.2

 

[Adrian B]

joe,

You should be able to get a low profile 600 series card to fit inside the case, something like a GT640 would run both monitors and give better graphics power than HD3000 Intel graphics - the downside is that I think that PSU would need to be upgraded in order to cope. I would suggest something like this : http://www.bequiet.com/en/powersupply/47

Adjust your bios settings to allow the card to have priority, set GE no at boot screen and run multiBeast to set GE no permanently.

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/...6xx-kepler-cards-work-graphicsenabler-no.html


Adrian B

 

[joebrod]

Adrian, Thank you for the reply. My research did lead me to the 6xx series but I don't think I have room for the fan - I only have 1" from the PCI slot to the side of the case. After much searching on google (evidently the best way to search for this is to simply search for the specific graphics card and "hackintosh" in the same search que and it finds the threads.

I purchased the Evga GEForce 210 which works OTB! Only problem is the HD3000 no longer works (my goal is to simply add a second monitor for video editing). System profile names the card correctly but reports it as a 1048 instead of the 512 it is.

Is there any way to get the 210 & HD3000 working together to drive 2 monitors? If I try and run DVI & HDMI off the 210 it shuts off the video. Is this something as simple changing the mac identifier? It is currently listed as a mac mini or is this related to the Graphics Enabler=yes / No thing I see mentioned in these posts.

Again thanks for any insight

 

[Adrian B]

Adrian, Thank you for the reply. My research did lead me to the 6xx series but I don't think I have room for the fan - I only have 1" from the PCI slot to the side of the case. After much searching on google (evidently the best way to search for this is to simply search for the specific graphics card and "hackintosh" in the same search que and it finds the threads.

I purchased the Evga GEForce 210 which works OTB! Only problem is the HD3000 no longer works (my goal is to simply add a second monitor for video editing). System profile names the card correctly but reports it as a 1048 instead of the 512 it is.

Is there any way to get the 210 & HD3000 working together to drive 2 monitors? If I try and run DVI & HDMI off the 210 it shuts off the video. Is this something as simple changing the mac identifier? It is currently listed as a mac mini or is this related to the Graphics Enabler=yes / No thing I see mentioned in these posts.

Again thanks for any insight

Interesting questions, yes I think it is possible. You will need to find a bios setting that lets you boot first from the HD3000, but lets you use your GT 210 on a second screen.

I have just found this, which explains exactly that : http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...or-intel-hd3000-integrated-nvidia-gtx460.html

Let me know how you get on


Adrian B

 

[joebrod]

Adrian, You Rock! Setting the priority to the on board graphics during boot fixed it. I am now running both monitors off the GE210 without any modification, and not using the HD3000 at all. I assume the only reason I had to jump through these hoops and costs is because the motherboard I choose does not have DVI out and only one functioning HDMI.

very happy thank you!

 

[Adrian B]

Adrian, You Rock! Setting the priority to the on board graphics during boot fixed it. I am now running both monitors off the GE210 without any modification, and not using the HD3000 at all. I assume the only reason I had to jump through these hoops and costs is because the motherboard I choose does not have DVI out and only one functioning HDMI.

very happy thank you!

Thanks Joe,

Your very welcome, there is another a small benefit to using a graphics card - it now uses the memory on the card rather than the memory fitted to your mother board. So you now have a little more memory available to allow your apps to work a bit better.

I would still consider upgrading your power supply to one similar to the one I mentioned further up the thread. Worth it for long term stability


Adrian B

 

[joebrod]

There's a catch...

Since I am not using the built in Intel graphics (when using the GE210) I lose Airplay. Kinda of a bummer since I would like to display certain portions of the video edit on the big screen tv when needed. I did find this thread about dual monitors on my specific mobo w/HD3000 but not sure I want to do or understand the mods. According to the thread one can get the second monitor to work after boot - which would suit my purposes fine - but I haven' had success. Just putting this out there for FYI

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/26702-ga-h67n-usb3-b3-dual-hdmi-monitors-hd3000.html

I'm going to change my machine ID to macbook pro and see what happens.

 

[Adrian B]

Since I am not using the built in Intel graphics (when using the GE210) I lose Airplay. Kinda of a bummer since I would like to display certain portions of the video edit on the big screen tv when needed. I did find this thread about dual monitors on my specific mobo w/HD3000 but not sure I want to do or understand the mods. According to the thread one can get the second monitor to work after boot - which would suit my purposes fine - but I haven' had success. Just putting this out there for FYI

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/26702-ga-h67n-usb3-b3-dual-hdmi-monitors-hd3000.html

I'm going to change my machine ID to macbook pro and see what happens.

Joe,

Here is thread here which should explain system definitions : http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...tive-ivy-bridge-cpu-gpu-power-management.html (it covers Sandy Bridge too).


Adrian B

EDIT : You might need to adjust the bios settings to run both HD3000 and the GE210 together.