chrisNova777 wrote:

im wondering what i can do to increase its performance.. should i get a different ISA video card?

Yes, sounds like a good plan. A VGA card will give you better compatibility with software, more colours, higher resolutions etc (also nicer for Windows). I'm surprised there's an EGA card in there in the first place. That's probably not the card it was sold with. By 1990, VGA was already standard for every new PC.
When you get a VGA card, make sure it's a fast one. ET4000 if you can, or a Cirrus Logic one, perhaps Paradise. Stay away from Trident, Oak, Realtek and the like. They will bottleneck the 386DX-40 a lot in games.

I would hold on to that EGA card though, because EGA is a lot more rare than VGA is. Or if you don't want it, then I'm interested 😀

Interesting

the card has dipswitches accesible frm the back pci bracket area to switch its video output
for different types of monitors

also the unit has a 5.25" floppy drive + 1 x 3.5" floppy... im not sure how big the hard drive
i really like the case too.. its got a really cool retro look to it.. with a turbo switch etc
looks very much like 1989-1991 mini AT tower computer on the outside.

2 x 5.25" bays
2 x 3.5" bays

im trying to get an EGA > VGA adapter so i can plug it in and get more details

Some actual photos would be great 😉

im guessing "multisync" is the best of those monitor types?

Only if you have a suitable monitor. If you insist on getting a EGA to VGA converter I'd imagine Enhanced Graphics is the one to select. You can avoid any dought and extra complexity(converting the video from digital to analogue output) by just getting a suitable VGA card as Scali suggested. Funny thing is though that the converter might be the cheaper of the two options looking at the current e-bay pricings.

Ok the Trident and OAK cards are not the best but they are better than nothing and usually cheaper. They're certainly good enough for just testing stuff out and having a fully functioning system.

Post a picture of your motherboard and someone will ID it pretty smartly.

I've seen alot of 386 motherboards... more than any other, though I'm lost at sea without a picture. Could you post one?

P.S. If it still has a battery on the board, take it off.

it does still have a battery on the board but i dont have the skills really to take it off.. im a music guy.. which is time consuming enuff as it is
i still cant even turn this thing on. because i dont have an ega monitor
where cna i get an ega to vga adapter?
should i just get rid of the EGA wonder + get a VGA card?

Connecing and EGA card to a VGA monitor isn't that simple. EGA connection is a digital RGBI one, where VGA is analog RGB. You'd need to build your own little DAC and, most likely, use it with a scandoubler (as EGA signal has a lower horizontal sync frequency than the 31Hz used by VGA).
Also, by the way,if the battery is showing ANY signs of leakage, get some pliers and cut it off ASAP! That alcaline substance can corrode traces and kill the board! And if anything leaked on the board clear it with vinegar to neutralize it.
Btw if you do not want to go through all the trouble of finding an EGA monitor or converting the signal, any ISA card should be fine. One could sing praises to the Tseng chips being the fastest on the ISA bus, but really... to mess with music stuff you don't really need the fastest vídeo card around. Get some cheap Trident 8900D card and you'll be fine.

i think the program that i want to run is just black + white in windows 3.11 ..
Cubase 1.0.. it has no graphics colors really

i thought i could just get an adapter like this and plug it in?

the graphic card in it is an EGA wonder

Release Date: 1987 […]
Show full quote

Release Date: 1987

ATi EGA Wonder (March 1987)

Chipset: ATI16899-0 + CHIPS P86C435
Supports CGA, Hercules mono & EGA graphics modes
Removes support for plantronics mode/Single-page Hercules mode/composite output
Compatible with MDA, CGA and EGA displays (DIP switch selectable)
Internal composite port for machines such as IBM 5155 Portable
256kb DRAM
Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus
Original MSRP: $399
ATi EGA Wonder 800

Added support for extended EGA text and graphics modes (requires multisync monitor)
Added support for 16-colour VGA modes
ATi EGA Wonder 800+

Rebadged VGA Edge lacking the analogue VGA port
Chipset: ATI 18800
Can auto-detect monitor type connected (DIP switches no longer present)

not sure if its an 800 or 800+ but the sticker on the chip on the card says "EGA WONDER ver 3.09 (1988) "
is there any chance the RCA outputs is a video composite signal?

The signals are different. Building a DAC (to turn digital RGBi to analog RGB) is somewhat easy and can be done on a perfboard, but that is only half of the job: while there is an odd monitor here and there, the majority of monitors DO NOT support 15.7kHz video (CGA video modes) or 21.8kHz (EGA video modes), only 31kHz (VGA) and up. VGA cards circumvent that issue by scandoubling the signal, so a 320x200 video mode is sent as a 320x400 mode with each line being sent twice. A passive adapter will not cut it then, and you'd need an special scandoubler device, like the one used to connect old arcades to modern screens.
By the way, I have never seen those adapters you've shown, but they are probably meant for monitors that were made back when the PC world was transitioning to VGA. Those monitors were made to accept EGA/CGA signals as well as VGA.
And yeah, the RCA jack is most likely a composite signal. But do not think using Windows with that will be a nice experience.

alexanrs wrote:

One could sing praises to the Tseng chips being the fastest on the ISA bus, but really... to mess with music stuff you don't really need the fastest vídeo card around. Get some cheap Trident 8900D card and you'll be fine.

I agree, although the 8900D is a surprisingly fast card for DOS

Indeed the Trident 8900D is the fastest of their series. Almost even fast as a Tseng 4000

The realtek is the most worse card you could get.. Even the OAK is better..

chrisNova777 wrote:

it does still have a battery on the board but i dont have the skills really to take it off..

If you don't find some way to take it off... pliers / hammer / (xxxx) <--- substitute x with your favourite tool, then it will only be a matter of time before your board is dead / almost beyond repair. It is not a question of if they leak... but more when they leak.

You asked... "suggestions for my 386dx40"... removing that battery is the best suggestion, before going any further.

There is some Secret about the 8900 Series.

Get this one:

Its a 8900D-R ISA with 32bit Memory.
Speed equals to ET4000.

PCBBench on 486DX4 100Mhz (2x50) PCChips M919 without L2 Cache.

Trident 8900D-R ISA 32bit RAM, 1Mb - (Mode 100) - 7.3 fps
Trident 8900D-R ISA 32bit RAM, 1Mb - (VGAMODE) - 18.1 fps

7.3 fps is pretty good with a ISA Card.

ET4000 in my other System only scores about 6.3 fps in pcpbench (Mode 100) (AM5x86 133, 4x33 / 256Kb L2).

/\ He doesn't really have to hunt for an specific Trident card. He is going to use music software, not games or benchmarks.

This is a pretty good card and comes up some times new for ~ 20 Euro on Ebay 😉
So is not that expensive.
if he want to run 3.1/3.11 too i really would recommend the better Version, or something like Cirrus Logic GD5426

i found this manual to the ega wonder card

it says it supports vga modes? does that mean it might work with some type of adapter to connect it to a VGA LCD (i have mostly samsung VGA LCDs)

what are my options here.. do i have to find + buy an "RGB" monitor to actually use the 386?? i havent even booted it up yet....
im so curious...

it has a composite output - does this mean i can connect it to a televison.. via yellow RCA video cable?
please.. im confused

if the card supports VGA modes.. cant i just get a cable like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10Ft-D-Sub-DB15-15pin … -UAAOSwo0JWLY5y
and connect it up?
(10Ft D-Sub DB15 15pin Male to DB9 9pin Male VGA Multisync Monitor Cable)

http://retrorgb.com/rgbmonitors.html

this site looks pretty cool - from what hes explaining on his site hes saying that RGB is superior in some ways for some uses??

Here is a real pic