maya pc spec

Please can someone help.

I am trying to build a system for maya 4 unlimited.

I have a system already but I am trying to upgrade but not to sure what to get.


I currently have


pentium 3 750mhz

512 memory

win 2000

matrox g450



this is running ok but I feel I need to up the processor and also graphics card. The processor I can deal with but the graphics card I am unsure.

The other issue is money, I only have a budget of about £200 for the graphics card.


Any ideas would be great


Lawrence

Chris

thanks very much for this advice, what about the geforce 3 cards are they better? I think I should be able afford one of them.

Can I pick you brain further. I am a beginner in Maya but I have strong drive and desire to became a maya artist ( doesn't everyone, I here you say)I was wandering whether you had any advice for a beginner? Obviously learn learn and learn maya which is what I am doing. Also trying to produce as much of my own work as poss. In terms of acting seeking some sort of employment in it, what way do I need to be thinking/ doing etc

sorry to bother you this one

thanks

Lawrence

Lawrence-
hehehe, no prob about the name change. Just don't call me Shirley and we'll be cool ;)
As for the geforce 3 cards, you really can't pick a bad one, and I'm not too sure that if any one offers a big gain over the other. They are all based on the same hardware usually, they just either have more texture memory or more add ons to the card (dvd playback, video out, ect) Just try to pick a reasonably priced one for your budget and you'll be cool.
You question about being proficient in 3d is pretty open ended and there is no one right answer. It really depends on what aspect you want to aim at. If your into modeling/animation, your best bet is to draw your damn ass off. All the time. The better you are with a pen, the better you'll be with a mouse. If your into technical animation, learn the syntax of MEL and have those trig/algebra books handy. You'll need them to learn how to construct serious expressions that help automate functions in Maya. Rendering and Lighiting require a fine eye for detail and a decent knowledge of cinematography as well. Again, there is no "one way" to go to the top. Best bet is to just feel it out and see what you like best, and build on that.
-cheers
Chad

the ideal system:

forget the pentium III, do Pentium three XEON or better.
Use a real motherboard. Iwill and Super Micro sell workstation class boards with AGP-PRO slot.
USe one gigabyte of ram. give it space to fly.
Drop in there a scsii port or two, which could be cards.
Think of a good sound card. Make sure you can attend to any kind of lipsynch.
for video, get a Wildcat. Nothing I know moves like a wildcat. It costs, tho'. And there are similar performers in lower price points.

Ahh, but the sheer speed of the thing!

;)


.k.

if you get your hands on one, can I have another one too?
I said "ideal" as in top-notch.
of course it'll break thy back and bank.
that's the point ;)

.k.

Lawrence-
The gnomon site makes excellent tutorials and Alex Alverez is among one of the sharpest people i've ever heard talk about Maya. You can get there at:
http://www.the-gnomon-workshop.com/videos.html
-cheers
Chad

Yeah, it should be. I skipped that one and went straight to organic modeling 2 (since i was already pretty familiar with baisic nurbs functions.) Organinc Modeling 2 was really rock solid, and he hilights the worst part about modeling with nurbs, the complexity of trying to add localized detail to a nurbs model. At any rate, you'll come across much wiser after watching it.
-cheers
Chris...errr Chad. :)