486-era Gimmicks PC \ VOGONS

486-era Gimmicks PC

Topic actions

Post a reply

First post, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-16, 20:04

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

Hi,
I'm working on an idea for a gimmick PC, basically something that has a lot of gimmicks from the 386-486 era (1989-1996 roughly, and yes, I realize that overlaps Pentium). Here are some examples of items in my collection that I'm talking about:

TechMedia speaker case
Gimmick: it sounded bad, and the magnets on the speakers were unshielded.

TEAC PA-10 personal amplifier.
Gimmick: this was for Karaoke in Japan, after the long workday. Mostly I did this because the amp in the TechMedia case sucks, but it also adds a VU meter.

Newq Gold. Stupid VFD for a drive bay. I can't use this and the TEAC PA-10 at the same time, not enough room.
Gimmick: not a real spectrum analyzer

NEC PC-FX GA A PC-FX with a 3D accelerator that hardly anybody wrote code for. A DOS/V ISA card, it and the software work fine on DOS/english Windows 3.11, aside from character set.
Gimmick: poor adoption of the PC-FX means fewer games, and barely any that support the (quite capable) 3D accelerator. Still cool.

Creative Labs 3DO Blaster Yep, that one.
Gimmick: 3DO had poor adoption, not a lot of great games.

NVIDIA NV1/Diamond Edge 3400 This can't work in the same system as a 3DO Blaster. It requires a video card with a VESA feature connector that implements pixel bus (giving the numeric values for the current pixel that are palette lookup table in the DAC, digitally, to another card, so it can decide when to do color-key overlay). But I think in a dream world, I can probably figure out a way to talk to the RAMDAC to get the pixel bus and enough signals to make it work. I might experiment with this and a different card.
Gimmick: hard to call this one a gimmick. It's really more that programming for the quadratic texturing was hard.

Gravis Ultrasound Classic
Gimmick: low amount of support, SB emulation drivers suck. Great for demoscene, though.

Miromedia Surround Dolby Pro Logic decoder
Gimmick: Not a lot of games had surround back then.

3D Blaster VLB
Gimmick: one of the first consumer 3D accelerators. Limited performance due to low amount of VRAM.

Here's a photo of this system (not yet built to specs) running both of the console cards at the same time:

Here is a video of the PA-10 in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFF2tDFsBLU

I want to hear about the gimmicks you remember from this era.

Last edited by furan on 2021-04-16, 20:24. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 1 of 27, by Doornkaat

Posted on 2021-04-16, 20:18

Doornkaat Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2328
Joined: 2017-04-02, 06:50

I approve! 😁👍
Especially the extra amp in the desktop case with integrated speakers. 😄

Reply 2 of 27, by imi

Posted on 2021-04-16, 20:29

imi Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2799
Joined: 2019-06-16, 13:46
Location: europe

this is madness...

I like it ^^

Reply 3 of 27, by weedeewee

Posted on 2021-04-16, 21:37

weedeewee Online

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2913
Joined: 2021-01-31, 16:09
Location: Belgium

Nice.

Could use this as well... https://cdii.blogspot.com/2019/10/philips-med … ernational.html 😁

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 4 of 27, by vetz

Posted on 2021-04-16, 21:42

vetz Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 4154
Joined: 2012-04-23, 17:13

So what is the full spec of this build?

Another gimmick (if room) would be to put in a ReelMagic card for some MPEG decoding with the few games supporting it.

3D Accelerated Games List (Proprietary APIs - No 3DFX/Direct3D)
3D Acceleration Comparison Episodes

Reply 5 of 27, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-16, 21:42

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-16, 21:37:

Nice.

Could use this as well... https://cdii.blogspot.com/2019/10/philips-med … ernational.html 😁

Yeah, I've been trying to find one for 5 years. 😀 Not sure it will happen. 🙁

Reply 6 of 27, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-16, 21:45

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

vetz wrote on 2021-04-16, 21:42:

So what is the full spec of this build?

Another gimmick (if room) would be to put in a ReelMagic card for some MPEG decoding with the few games supporting it.

It doesn't have a full spec - that's why I made this thread. I'm planning to swap the ISA backplane + Intel 486 DX4-100 WB on a half-size PICMG card it has, for a PVI-486SP3. I will probably use an IBM Blue Lightning DX2/66 for kicks.

I'd still like to find an i2m PCI CD-I playback card, as rare as they are. I have the RealMagic card + games, but only 4 ISA/VLB slots with the PVI-486SP3, all reserved for cards so far.

Reply 7 of 27, by cyclone3d

Posted on 2021-04-17, 06:10

cyclone3d Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 7905
Joined: 2015-04-08, 06:06
Location: Huntsville, AL USA

The PC-FXGA card was meant to be used to play NEC PC-FX console games on a computer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PC-FX_games

LGR review.
https://youtu.be/JM04vH2et5A

Only 62 official games released for that console, but it kinda came at a bad time because the Playstation and Saturn were released just a bit before the PC-FX.

It was also only released in Japan.

So not really a gimmick... just not something that most people would have had a use for.

It is basically the PC-FX console on an ISA card. It just uses the PC for the CD drive and for the save game files.

So if you already had a PC, you could save a bit of money by getting the PC-FXGA ISA card or the PC-FX PC98 card.

And to top it off, you have to hook up a separate display (composite or S-Video) to use it.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 8 of 27, by cyclone3d

Posted on 2021-04-17, 06:13

cyclone3d Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 7905
Joined: 2015-04-08, 06:06
Location: Huntsville, AL USA

Oh.. as far as backplanes setups go.... If you are going for a 486 setup, you can get a PCI/ISA SBC and a PCI/ISA backplane. That can give you up to 4 PCI and a bunch of ISA, you just have to have a backplane that will also work with your specific 486 SBC due to fun with PCI addressing or else you may end up with only 1-2 PCI slots actually working. I found that out the hard way so I have a few extra PCI/ISA backplanes.

And I am pretty sure that I will still only have a max of 3 PCI slots available due to the onboard video being PCI.

That system is in limbo because I haven't had time to mess with it in quite a while.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 9 of 27, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-17, 07:42

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

I’m confused as to why you’re explaining what the PC-FX console is - I’ve had the PC-FX GA in this system for years. 😀 The console was a flop, and the card is a gimmick. The bottom photo has it hooked up to a composite monitor. Did you skip reading the post maybe?

It currently has an ISA backplane, but I can’t use a PICMG backplane, as I need VLB for the 3D Blaster VLB.

Reply 10 of 27, by Hezus

Posted on 2021-04-17, 07:46

Hezus Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 395
Joined: 2019-05-05, 12:48

This thing is ridiculous. I want one.

Visit my YT Channel!

Reply 11 of 27, by Doornkaat

Posted on 2021-04-17, 09:00

Doornkaat Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2328
Joined: 2017-04-02, 06:50

Too bad the case only has two 5.25 inch drive bays. A CD changer would be a nice gimmick as well, especially on a desktop case where the drive is always easily accessible.😄

Reply 12 of 27, by mpe

Posted on 2021-04-17, 10:04

mpe Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 1084
Joined: 2018-06-12, 21:19
Location: London, UK

Nice one. Might make more sense to go for Gravis Ultrasound ACE rather than Classic as the latter is a resource hog (considering a number of periherals you want to use in your system).

Blog|NexGen 586|S4

Reply 13 of 27, by weedeewee

Posted on 2021-04-17, 10:17

weedeewee Online

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2913
Joined: 2021-01-31, 16:09
Location: Belgium

While you're at it... throw in a pcmcia/cardbus adapter 😀

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 14 of 27, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2021-04-17, 11:08

The Serpent Rider Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 5660
Joined: 2017-03-25, 19:07
Location: The Hole

Gimmick: poor adoption of the PC-FX means fewer games

Not to mention, that some of them were quite spicy.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 15 of 27, by waterbeesje

Posted on 2021-04-17, 17:15

waterbeesje Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 681
Joined: 2020-01-06, 20:53
Location: The Netherlands

As there won't be much front space left, there's another option. Install any SCSI card with external header and get a CD-ROM tower. Ludicrous but cool in its own way.

Stuck at 10MHz...

Reply 16 of 27, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-17, 17:15

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-17, 10:17:

While you're at it... throw in a pcmcia/cardbus adapter 😀

PCMCIA is near-ISA and CardBus is near PCI, not sure where the gimmick part would come in. I use a CardBus to PCI bridge from laptops to add extension cards (have added a 3dfx this way).

Reply 17 of 27, by furan

Posted on 2021-04-17, 17:16

furan Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 303
Joined: 2014-09-07, 10:05

waterbeesje wrote on 2021-04-17, 17:15:

As there won't be much front space left, there's another option. Install any SCSI card with external header and get a CD-ROM tower. Ludicrous but cool in its own way.

I have to use a panasonic/matsushita drive with the 3DO Blaster. I have tested, and so far it works with any drive I've tried that uses that interface, but that can't be external over something like SCSI.

Reply 18 of 27, by weedeewee

Posted on 2021-04-17, 17:43

weedeewee Online

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2913
Joined: 2021-01-31, 16:09
Location: Belgium

furan wrote on 2021-04-17, 17:15:

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-17, 10:17:

While you're at it... throw in a pcmcia/cardbus adapter 😀

PCMCIA is near-ISA and CardBus is near PCI, not sure where the gimmick part would come in. I use a CardBus to PCI bridge from laptops to add extension cards (have added a 3dfx this way).

ok ok ... it's clear you just have to add a fufme.

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 19 of 27, by cyclone3d

Posted on 2021-04-17, 18:52

cyclone3d Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 7905
Joined: 2015-04-08, 06:06
Location: Huntsville, AL USA

furan wrote on 2021-04-17, 07:42:

I’m confused as to why you’re explaining what the PC-FX console is - I’ve had the PC-FX GA in this system for years. 😀 The console was a flop, and the card is a gimmick. The bottom photo has it hooked up to a composite monitor. Did you skip reading the post maybe?

It currently has an ISA backplane, but I can’t use a PICMG backplane, as I need VLB for the 3D Blaster VLB.

It was more for people who didn't know what it was.

I still have my TG16 with CD expansion and around 100 games. Kinda one of my favorite consoles.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Go to top of page Go to top of page

Back to General Old Hardware

Main menu

Common searches