Matrox cards and such

B

BloodyIron

2[H]4U
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Pardon my ignorance, but why are Matrox cards so damned expensive compared to similar spec'd nVidia/ATI gear?
 
Because their a specialist card used usually for specialist tasks.
Their usually loaded with ultra high quality componants and designed to output to multiple monitors beyond the usual dual monitor setups.
 
Matrox cards are niche multi-display cards. They aren't even in the same market as Nvidia and ATI. They got out of the gaming video card business back in 1999 or so.
 
can you guys elaborate on the kinds of things that Matrox does with their cards that other expansions cards cannot? (in terms of multi-monitoring..)
 
These days, there's nothing really impressive about Matrox cards. Now that all high-end monitors are digital, Matrox cannot sell on high 2D image quality. Now that they've been left behind as far as 3D performance is concerned, they cannot sell on that either.

Basically, the company has been withering away, and today concentrates on a handful of niche products that are their bread & butter. However, they still sell ripoff-priced video cards to people because some fools still buy the Matrox name.

* Replaced my G400 Max with a Radeon 8500, after it became painfully clear where the company was headed. Never once regretted that decision.
 
defaultluser said:
These days, there's nothing really impressive about Matrox cards. Now that all high-end monitors are digital, Matrox cannot sell on high 2D image quality. Now that they've been left behind as far as 3D performance is concerned, they cannot sell on that either.

Basically, the company has been withering away, and today concentrates on a handful of niche products that are their bread & butter. However, they still sell ripoff-priced video cards to people because some fools still buy the Matrox name.

* Replaced my G400 Max with a Radeon 8500, after it became painfully clear where the company was headed. Never once regretted that decision.
Click to expand...

WTF are you talking about?
They have a number of products that sell VERY well. Low power consumption video cards, multi display solutions, and a slew of business products.


The only "gaming" product they push is a dvi splitter box..
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/surroundgaming/en/home/

Just because a company doesn't make gaming cards, doesn't make them obsolete.
 
lloose said:
WTF are you talking about?
They have a number of products that sell VERY well. Low power consumption video cards, multi display solutions, and a slew of business products.

Just because a company doesn't make gaming cards, doesn't make them obsolete.
Click to expand...

It doesn't?
 
Edit:
Nevermind.. Either your trolling or an idiot. Either way, you're not worth a good reply.
 
Heh, I had a G400 once upon a time. I overclocked it to MAX speed and screwed on a 40mm fan. Good times. I milked it until I finally replaced it with ti4200.
I had ATI Mach 32 before G400, but I can't remember what I had before. I think Diamond or Tseng.
 
lloose said:
WTF are you talking about?
They have a number of products that sell VERY well.
Click to expand...

And you know this because you work for Matrox? Or perhaps you are an authorized reseller?

Low power consumption video cards,
Click to expand...

Which cannot compete today with integrated GPUs, in terms of price or power consumption. If you need extra monitors, low-end video cards from ATI and Nvidia also offer similar low-power operation (e.g. the ATI HD 3450 costs 50 bucks, and uses very little power...most are passive-cooled).

multi display solutions, and a slew of business products.
Click to expand...

You mean the RT series, which is the only big seller Matrox has left.

The only "gaming" product they push is a dvi splitter box..
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/surroundgaming/en/home/
Click to expand...

The "niches" I mentioned earlier. While you can make money selling editing platforms, the demand is not huge, and the competition is fierce. The quad-display cards and display splitter markets are so small, neither ATI nor Nvidia consider them worthwhile.

Just because a company doesn't make gaming cards, doesn't make them obsolete.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. But when your competitor can offer a dual-head video card with the same desktop features and better gaming performance than your top-end product for a third the price of your entry-level product, it seems kind of silly to even still be in the dual-head video card market.

The original poster was referring to Matrox's line of overpriced dual-head "business" cards, which offer virtually nothing that makes them worth the purchase. This was what I was replying to, specifically.

The fact is, they're only in the dual-head "business" video card market for two reasons: one, it keeps their brand from dying a complete death, and two, they need to keep developing video core tech to power their editing platforms.
 
Defaultuser.. lets play a little game.

Its easy enough, I will ask for a solution to a problem. You find me a single product offered by nvidia or ati that will solve the issue.

1: I have a laptop and 2 monitors, please find a hardware solution that will allow me to use all 3 side by side.
2: I need a single card solution for 4 monitors. I don't want to mess with having 2 cards. Also has to be silent.
3: I need a low profile dual dvi card to power 2 digital displays.
4: I have 8 displays. What card or cards will let me power it? I only have 2 pci slots like most current systems and my pci-express has a Quadro card in it.
5: I am lost on their website www.matrox.com. I want to find a single card that will allow me to game (and is marketed as a 3d gaming card and not a device to give you another monitor or two).
6: You say that integrated graphics are good right? Find me one that doesn't leach off of my cpu cycles or ram. Matrox solutions have a big market in video editing.. last I checked, you kind of need your cpu cycles and memory for that.

As for the "niche" market that you are talking down.. I wouldn't mind having a share in it. The tiny itty bitty little niche market is a multi million dollar market. Ati and Nvidia don't mess around with them because its not their market. Subway isn't going to start making hamburgers because Burgerking makes more money, its a different market.. same deal with Nvidia, Ati and Matrox.
And YES, the company I work for is an authorized reseller. We ship out several of their products a week.
 
defaultluser said:
The "niches" I mentioned earlier. While you can make money selling editing platforms, the demand is not huge, and the competition is fierce. The quad-display cards and display splitter markets are so small, neither ATI nor Nvidia consider them worthwhile...
Click to expand...
Actually, there are at least two ATI based cards offering 4 DVI connectors as described in this thread. I believe they're all dual-link DVI ports as well.

As far as NVidia is concerned, there's rumors that some manufacturers might release quad-DVI port GX2 cards to compete with quad-DVI HD3870 X2 offerings, and it wouldn't be too difficult if they could find a good solution to the potential heat dissipation problem. That might be a distinct marketing possibility within two month's time.

Up until recently, yes, Matrox cards were one of the very few solutions that offered more than dual DVI ports in one card. Matrox might still edge other manufacturers if their cards can do it in true single slot fashion. I haven't been to their product pages in a long time...
 
Actually, there are at least two ATI based cards offering 4 DVI connectors as described in this thread. I believe they're all dual-link DVI ports as well.
Click to expand...

And as far as I know, those are modified versions of the index card. Ati itself doesn't offer the quad head cards, its Gecube that modifies them to have the 4 dvi heads. I'm not sure about what Nvidia has in the works. I tend to stray away from rumors etc.
 
At least they are still Canadian unlike those sell-outs at ATI! French Canadian even! :)
 
lloose said:
Defaultuser.. lets play a little game.

Its easy enough, I will ask for a solution to a problem. You find me a single product offered by nvidia or ati that will solve the issue.

1: I have a laptop and 2 monitors, please find a hardware solution that will allow me to use all 3 side by side.

There are laptops that can already do this as they come from the shop.

2: I need a single card solution for 4 monitors. I don't want to mess with having 2 cards. Also has to be silent.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102658

3: I need a low profile dual dvi card to power 2 digital displays.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814195022

4: I have 8 displays. What card or cards will let me power it? I only have 2 pci slots like most current systems and my pci-express has a Quadro card in it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814195037

5: I am lost on their website www.matrox.com. I want to find a single card that will allow me to game (and is marketed as a 3d gaming card and not a device to give you another monitor or two).

Then you're on the wrong web site?

6: You say that integrated graphics are good right? Find me one that doesn't leach off of my cpu cycles or ram. Matrox solutions have a big market in video editing.. last I checked, you kind of need your cpu cycles and memory for that.

Everything leeches CPU cycles to some extent. Buy a 7300GS if you care that much.
Click to expand...

See above. Matrox is a miniscule niche market for people who hate ATi apparently.
 
I predict Matrox makes a heckuva comeback in the near future. Won't put money on it though, heh.
 
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