VOGONS


First post, by pitchshifter

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Hello,
I got this card with 1mb, that seems to have bad image only in games. Already replaced tantalum capacitors, and tried only with 512k.
The issue still remains, and im out of ideas. Anyone saw a similar issue?
Br,

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Reply 1 of 5, by Jo22

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pitchshifter wrote on 2024-03-21, 19:46:

The issue still remains, and im out of ideas. Anyone saw a similar issue?

Hi, don't despair. If there was a serious damage with the ET4k, it would likely involve the RAM or the RAMDAC.
The RAM seems fine, also because it's being used to the fullest by applications in standard VGA.

And the RAMDAC is being socketed, it can be replaced by one of the other supported models.
That CEG chip seems to be still on sale, for example.

I'm just a layman, of course. Other users can be of better help, I think.

ET4k has some minor compatibility issues with certain games, also.
There were patches and workarounds, I believe.

Edit: If the VGA BIOS is the culprit, it can be replaced.
Either by replacing the ROM chips, or during runtime. Have a look for a so-called "RAM BIOS" utility.
It copied a VGA BIOS in RAM, to improve speed. That BIOS often is stored inside the utility itself, it's being independent of the ROM chips.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 2 of 5, by pitchshifter

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You are saying that i can update the bios of the vga with such program? Do you have any idea where can i find that? Does it work in Dos?
Br,

Jo22 wrote on 2024-03-21, 20:47:
Hi, don't despair. If there was a serious damage with the ET4k, it would likely involve the RAM or the RAMDAC. The RAM seems fin […]
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pitchshifter wrote on 2024-03-21, 19:46:

The issue still remains, and im out of ideas. Anyone saw a similar issue?

Hi, don't despair. If there was a serious damage with the ET4k, it would likely involve the RAM or the RAMDAC.
The RAM seems fine, also because it's being used to the fullest by applications in standard VGA.

And the RAMDAC is being socketed, it can be replaced by one of the other supported models.
That CEG chip seems to be still on sale, for example.

I'm just a layman, of course. Other users can be of better help, I think.

ET4k has some minor compatibility issues with certain games, also.
There were patches and workarounds, I believe.

Edit: If the VGA BIOS is the culprit, it can be replaced.
Either by replacing the ROM chips, or during runtime. Have a look for a so-called "RAM BIOS" utility.
It copied a VGA BIOS in RAM, to improve speed. That BIOS often is stored inside the utility itself, it's being independent of the ROM chips.

Reply 3 of 5, by Jo22

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pitchshifter wrote on 2024-03-21, 22:53:

You are saying that i can update the bios of the vga with such program? Do you have any idea where can i find that? Does it work in Dos?
Br,

Yes, but only in RAM (takes up 24 to 32KB of memory, depending on the VGA BIOS).
It won't flash/update the content of the physical ROM chips.

After a reset, the VGA BIOS stored in ROM chips on the ET4000 will be in charge again.

Such an utility can often be found on the original diskette of a VGA card.

Here's another thread in which I did do that, to give an idea:
Fixing a VGA issue in Qemu 0.9 (&Kqemu)

This one won't work with your ET4000, of course. You need an ET4000 utility.
I assume it exists, because the ET4000 was very popular.

Edit: You need the driver/utility diskette for an ET4000AX.
Maybe it can be found here: http://vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=63
If not, please try other sources. Internet archive, vintage computer sites etc.
That toasty tech page has Windows 2.x drivers for old VGA cards that were supported.
ET4000 was one of them, maybe it has the utility, too.

Edit: Please keep in mind that this is just an idea how to fix your problem.
Other ET4000 users here have more experience with the nature of the Tseng cards.
The ET4000 was being very popular in demoscene and among users of fast 486 PCs with ISA slots.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 4 of 5, by Jo22

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pitchshifter wrote on 2024-03-21, 22:53:

You are saying that i can update the bios of the vga with such program? Do you have any idea where can i find that? Does it work in Dos?
Br,

Hi, if you haven't found things yet, please have a look here: Re: tseng labs e3000

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 5 of 5, by pitchshifter

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I also realize that the Image do some glitching when i touch this ic..nowhere else in the card it does that. Already check solder joints and nothing..

Vdiag seems ok..

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