First post, by FeedingDragon
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- Oldbie
Ok, starting to save up for the next faze of my system build. Came across something interesting during my search for the final pieces, and the Voodoo 3 actually does have Windows 3.1 drivers. Having read in many places that it did not is one of the reasons I was set on the Voodoo 2 SLI build I have now. This caused me to research it some more, and came across some interesting reads and was hoping someone here actually had some experience with some of this.
1) I have a Gigabyte GA-6BXC MB, but it is only rev 1.9 (it does have the same voltage regulator as the v 2.0 - so it can still lower the CPU voltage for the 1.4G processor.) However, it does "not" have the Voodoo 3 dip switch setting for AGP. So, if I were to install a V3 3500 (one actually popped up that has me interested,) would my MB have problems with it? Some sites I've read say "no" but most say "yes". Was hoping someone had some direct experience with it to advise me.
2) Assuming I wouldn't have problems, what would be the effect of having the V3 with the V2 SLI installed. I'm not so much worried about DOS games as I am with Windows games. What I've read centers around DOS games (unless I'm totally misreading the posts - which is certainly possible.) Two of the main games I'm eventually going to install are Thief & Thief 2. I absolutely loved the visuals on my single Voodoo 2, but they bogged down on some missions. Was really looking forward to playing it again with the SLI & a faster system (still haven't found those CD's.) How will the Windows 98 drivers themselves function with 2 different Voodoo models installed?
3) During my research, I actually came across a comment about someone building a system with a V3 AGP, V2 SLI PCI, "AND" a V1 installed. The concept of that, admittedly, blew my mind for a moment. If another question (below,) pans out, I would actually have another free PCI slot (and assuming questions 1 & 2 don't blow this out of the water,) was actually playing around with that idea 😈 (imagine hand washing and evil laughter at this point.) Is that really doable?? Any guides, advice, pictures, world ending evil design specs?????
4) As I expected, with my faster system, my joystick does have problems with certain games. The ISA delay setting in BIOS isn't enough. So, I've been looking for a Thrustmaster ACM card (the only card of this type I, personally, know about.) The problem is that the only ones I've found for sale for the past month no longer have the control dial. I have been unable to get the design specs. I even asked Thrustmaster for them. They, of course, don't have replacements available. They also don't have the designs available any more. Though they did say I could feel free to get someone else to examine theirs and reverse engineer it so I can build a replacement. But, nobody seems to have one to examine for me (I asked in another thread.)
During my search, I read that, unlike my AWE32, the AWE64 does not have this issue. So, I've been looking at those. Deciding that a MT-32 (old), a CM-32L (eventually,) and the SCB-55 on my MPU-401AT should be plenty of choices for MIDI, and I could deal with losing the daughterboard option on my AWE32. If it's true about the AWE64, for a 800Mhz system (maybe 1.4Ghz eventually,) then I would actually be freeing up an ISA slot. I've been saving the slot for the ACM card. That would allow me to use it as a PCI (it's a shared slot,) slot for the evil plans in question 3 above (more evil laughter here.)
The first problem, of course, is... Is it actually true that the AWE64's joystick port handles faster systems just fine? I can't seem to find a common consensus on that. Though most of what I've read supports it. If this isn't true, then I'm left with going back to finding a Thrustmaster ACM that includes the dial (and my evil plans will be thwarted.)
The other option, failing finding a dial or the specs, would be to look into a PCI AWE64 with its SB-Link connector. The main problem with that, is that I can only find the AWE64D version, so far. And those don't appear to have the RAM expansion ports. The entire purpose of the AWE is the soundfont wavetable functionality 🙁. I'm guessing that it's possible that the PCI version (with the faster buss speed,) could use system RAM for soundfonts, though I'm not sure how that would work.
The final option here would be to get some other PCI sound card (or ISA one I guess, though I couldn't find any that I believe might eliminate the joystick speed issue,) that I could install "just" for the joystick port. Disable the one on my AWE32, disable the audio on the PCI sound card, and keep my fingers crossed. Would hate to do that. The idea of installing a card in which 90% of it's functionality is wasted just rubs me the wrong way. I could do it, but it would bother me 🙁 This would also thwart the evil question 3 plans above.
The second problem is, to expand the memory, I would need to use the SIMMConn (the Creative RAM expansions seem to be EXTREMELY rare.) This appears to make things a little tight. With "all" the slots populated with full height cards (even my NIC is full height,) The SIMM stick sticking straight out like that might not work 🙁 Anyone have any experience with a SIMMConn in a fully populated system?
With the possibility of installing a Slotket board with a 1.4Ghz processor. Also, maybe (and that's a very big "maybe" there,) maxing out the RAM (just to max out the functionality of the board, and only if Win98SE won't throw a hissy over it.) And finally getting that CM-32L I've been searching/saving for. That would complete my build once and for all.
The rest would be what I refer to as "tweak" changes. Getting a replacement joystick, for example. This one works, but it's old. The pots are "dusty". I expect the springs will eventually go out. Also I've been toying with swapping the CD-ROM for a DVD-ROM. That sort of changes. Nothing that would effect the overall functionality greatly.
Any advice (and I'm sorry about the small novel above,) would be greatly appreciated 😀 I'll also admit that the idea of 3 generations of Voodoo cards in a system has absolutely set my brain on fire 😈 Though the thought of building such a monster 3dfx system, only to find out that the V3's 2D video capability will destroy playing some of my older CGA/EGA games, does concern me a little bit.... Ah, evil plans are thwarted soooo easily. Which, I guess, is a good thing for the rest of the world...
Feeding Dragon
