Asus SP97-XV mysterious connector \ VOGONS

Asus SP97-XV mysterious connector

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First post, by carlostex

Posted on 2015-10-26, 13:34

carlostex Offline

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Hi there,

i'm currently using an ASUS SP97-XV and if i discount a few quirks its quite a nice motherboard. The IDE connectors are so badly placed that it can interfere with a long ISA card. The same problem happens for motherboard panel conectors.

Anyway, there is a connector on my specific motherboard revision that is quite interesting. It is located close to the ISA slots between slot 2 and 3, it is labeled as MINI_SMC which i can't find any reference of, manual or otherwise, but it looks the same as a PC/PCI or SB Link connector. Unfortunately since this board sports a SiS 5598 chipset it does apparently not support Distributed DMA, unlike Intel 430TX boards. However i'm wondering if that connector could be a PC/PCI connector (i doubt but...) which could make this now my favorite board since i could pretty much save one ISA slot. My main Sound Blaster card would then be my Yamaha 724 PCI, which not only has very good SB Pro compatibility, it has true FM synthesis, is very silent and would save me an ISA slot since i suspect compatibility via PC/PCI connector would be by far the best.

Here's Fabian picture of the board, best quality picture i found:

Any ideas what this connector might be? I'm wondering if it is any kind of factory testing connector, it is more likely its true function, since it is not documented at all. I have no PC/PCI cable to test, and i wouldn't like to damage the board or Yamaha card in case its not a PC/PCI connector.

Reply 1 of 10, by konc

Posted on 2015-10-26, 16:20

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I'm pretty sure this is a classic 26 pins VGA feature connector... Does it have an onboard VGA?

Reply 2 of 10, by carlostex

Posted on 2015-10-26, 16:40

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I wasn't talking about that 26 pin, that one is obviously documented. I'm talking about the 6 pin connector on the edge of the motherboard, it is silkscreened as MINI_SMC. I should have used paint and draw a circle around the connector...

Close to the MADE IN TAIWAN.

Reply 3 of 10, by Stiletto

Posted on 2015-10-26, 17:27

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Possibly Ethernet related? SMC makes network adapters...

Searching Google for "Mini_SMC" found a newer (laptop?) port replicator schematic which used "Mini_SMC" where SMC stood for SMBus clock, I think...

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

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Reply 4 of 10, by konc

Posted on 2015-10-26, 17:41

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Oups 😀 Sorry about that, quickly looked between the wrong ISA slots. Trying to be more helpful this time, I wouldn't bet on it being an SB-Link connector. I've never heard it as SMC, so I'm with you, most probably it isn't and I'd hesitate to plug anything to it. Also a common placement across manufacturers was higher, closer to the PCI slots.

I do have a vague memory of seeing this connector labeling referring to some internal software modems (sold by the M/B manufacturer, having the form of a bracket and connecting to the M/B), but really don't let this drive you anywhere. Could be completely wrong as I recall it from the Pentium era and might as well confuse them with SMBus after all these years.

Last edited by konc on 2015-10-26, 18:03. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 5 of 10, by Stiletto

Posted on 2015-10-26, 17:51

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I think konc is on the right track with his newer post, actually... 😀

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

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Reply 6 of 10, by Dant

Posted on 2015-10-26, 18:34

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Stiletto wrote:
Possibly Ethernet related? SMC makes network adapters...

Searching Google for "Mini_SMC" found a newer (laptop?) port replicator schematic which used "Mini_SMC" where SMC stood for SMBus clock, I think...

I'd have to agree with this, SMC almost always refers to the System Management bus, I can't imagine it being a PC/PCI connector 😒

Reply 7 of 10, by carlostex

Posted on 2015-10-26, 18:48

carlostex Offline

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I was kind of expecting that. Some traces do seem to lead to the ISA bus though.

Reply 8 of 10, by PARKE

Posted on 2015-10-26, 20:07

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http://www.manualslib.com/manual/440510/Asus- … ?page=30#manual

Page 30 says that konc is spot on

Reply 9 of 10, by Stiletto

Posted on 2015-10-26, 20:38

Stiletto Offline

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PARKE wrote:
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/440510/Asus- … ?page=30#manual

Page 30 says that konc is spot on

eh? See above:

carlostex wrote:
I wasn't talking about that 26 pin, that one is obviously documented. I'm talking about the 6 pin connector on the edge of the motherboard, it is silkscreened as MINI_SMC. I should have used paint and draw a circle around the connector...

Close to the MADE IN TAIWAN.

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

Stiletto

Reply 10 of 10, by carlostex

Posted on 2015-10-26, 21:35

carlostex Offline

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Classic case of not reading the whole thread... 🤣

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