True Period Correct Check (Abit LX6) \ VOGONS

True Period Correct Check (Abit LX6)

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First post, by W Gruffydd

Posted on 2017-09-08, 05:08

W Gruffydd Offline

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Feel to use this thread to check the actual release date of general old hardware.

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The requirement for my latest builds is that the hardware was released and obtainable in a given calendar year.

In this case, the year is 1997, and I was hoping I'd snagged an Abit LX6 motherboard from this time.

Here is the board. Let me know if you need clearer pics of any particular part.

There is no silk-screened revision number, but it's clearly Revision 1.1. I was optimistic, because Anand reviewed Revision 1.1 back on November 30, 1997.

Then I saw these. A 1998-labeled ROM chip? What's more, an October 1998 manufacturing sticker? Were they still making LX chipsets in Q4 of 1998, when BX reigned supreme?

I don't see how this board could have been manufactured in 1997 anymore. I'm willing to trade "down" for another period-correct 1997 version, either a 1.1 with no '98 tags or a ≥ 1.0 revision.

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Bonus question: What is this plastic strip sitting across the LX northbridge?

My list of wanted hardware

Reply 1 of 6, by lazibayer

Posted on 2017-09-08, 05:57

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Not everyone can afford BX and intel has to fight k6-2 with the combination of LX+celeron. My first slot1 combination was C366 + LX in 1999.
I reckon the bar is designed to support the heatsink .https://youtu.be/oFAG5gnSvRo

Reply 2 of 6, by W Gruffydd

Posted on 2017-09-10, 22:29

W Gruffydd Offline

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I'm learning a lot of about hardware dating. I'll look first for the PCB manufacturing code next time.

It's July 19 - July 25, 1998. This has me curious about typical production timetables, as the northbridge sticker was placed and/or printed 2.5 months after the PCB was made.

At any rate, I greatly underestimated the production longevity of hardware of late '90s hardware, by failing to consider markets beyond 'computer enthusiast with relatively-high disposable income.'

My list of wanted hardware

Reply 3 of 6, by firage

Posted on 2017-09-10, 22:57

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The design or manufacturing week markings seem to fairly consistently indicate calendar week numbers, but it's possible that in some places they refer to fiscal years starting e.g. in April, July or October. "9830" is guaranteed to be January 1998 or later regardless, but a theoretical "9823" could land at the end of 1997. That'd be a true example of a Creative Technology date, for one, if they did track their fiscal.

My big-red-switch 486

Reply 4 of 6, by W Gruffydd

Posted on 2017-09-22, 03:53

W Gruffydd Offline

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Does anyone have evidence of the fiscal year being used in a PCB manufacturing codes?

My list of wanted hardware

Reply 5 of 6, by lazibayer

Posted on 2017-09-22, 04:10

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I guess the board is made in 9830 and the chips are soldered on later.

Reply 6 of 6, by Rodoko

Posted on 2017-09-22, 04:17

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The bracket on top of the LX chipset is to hold the PII's (Or Celeron's) heatsink to prevent breaking the slot in half due to weight :3

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