Is a Voodoo2 wasted on a Pentium 233 MHz system?

Posted on 2022-07-17, 23:39

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

I am working on finishing up a few 90s builds and still debating on what components to put in which system. The first one I'm working on finishing up is a Pentium 233 MHz system with 64 MB SDRAM which I plan to use for DOS/Win98, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to use a RIVA 128 as the primary …

---

Re: Help me finish this build

Posted on 2022-07-11, 19:31

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I'm definitely planning to pick up a MK8330 card in the near future. I didn't know about that one so thanks for the tip. Also I currently have a CT2940 with the OPL chip which I was thinking about using in this system, probably in conjunction with the Live! I know about the hanging note bug, so are …

---

Help me finish this build

Posted on 2022-07-11, 02:43

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I have a CTX socket 7 system I'm in the process of cleaning all the components, and now getting ready to put it back together, and I'm stuck debating on video and sound options. My goal for this system is later DOS games and Win95/98 games which can run on this processor without issue. Here are the …

---

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2022-07-09, 21:57

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Well I've spent so much time acquiring stuff and almost no time actually going through, cleaning and testing stuff, so now I'm in the mode of taking stuff apart to thoroughly inspect and clean everything, inventory all that I have, and completely piece together some systems. Most of the towers I …

---

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2022-07-08, 23:51

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I picked up 7 complete "old" computer towers from a guy near where I work on my way home for $60. For the price it's worth the gamble, even if just for the cases. No idea what's in any of them, but there are 4 beige boxes so I might find some gold nuggets, or at least a gem or two. The Dell should …

---

Re: Load DOS games from scsi Zip/Jaz drive?

Posted on 2022-07-07, 00:58

by

by Brawndo

in DOS

in DOS

So as far as the disks being their own drive letter, yeah there's no reason it wouldn't work. I'm thinking more in terms of performance, if there's a discernible difference running games off the disks vs running games off the hard drive. I think I'll just have to try it and see.

---

Load DOS games from scsi Zip/Jaz drive?

Posted on 2022-07-06, 23:58

by

by Brawndo

in DOS

in DOS

So as the title states, does anybody have any experience playing DOS games directly off an Iomega scsi Zip or Jaz drive? Any issues within a pure DOS environment? This is not a question of what's practical, I'm well aware that scsi devices are almost completely impractical on a personal computer. …

---

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2022-07-05, 23:18

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

A Sound Blaster 16 CT2940 WITH the Yamaha OPL goodness. Need to clean and test it but it looks good.

---

Re: How important is having a turbo button?

Posted on 2022-07-03, 19:58

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Are you sure your 486DX-33's BIOS doesn't provide turbo support from the keyboard? Control-Alt-Minus and Control-Alt-Plus? You're likely to get hooked and end up building a 286 anyway :D I actually don't have a 486 system yet, but I'm beginning to find parts to put one together. I wasn't aware of …

---

How important is having a turbo button?

Posted on 2022-07-03, 18:54

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

So I know what the purpose of a turbo button is on a 486 PC, but my question is if a guy has the means to have multiple DOS PCs, say a 33 MHz system, a 66 MHz system, and a Pentium, is having a case with a turbo button really necessary? If I have 3 PCs at those speeds, am I missing much of anything …

---

Re: Anyone use a Terratec Maestro?

Posted on 2022-07-01, 19:41

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

There are a lot of different Terratec Maestro cards, with different chips on them. The Maestro 32/96 is perhaps the most famous, with CS4232 and Dream 9233 synth with 4MB Roland GS ROM, but there's also the Maestro 16, with a relabeled OPTi 82C92x, the 16/96 with OPTi 82C924 and Dream 9233 (but …

---

Re: Anyone use a Terratec Maestro?

Posted on 2022-06-30, 16:03

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Sold mine years ago as most of the Midi tracks often sounded very off/weird. I went for a Terratec 16/96 Gold (ESS 1868F based) and mounted the X2GS daughterboard. Way cheaper and sounds the way it's supposed to. School me since I'm still learning about these older sound cards, what does the …

---

Anyone use a Terratec Maestro?

Posted on 2022-06-30, 14:02

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I found a YouTube video comparing a bunch of different sound cards, mostly OPL chips, and he threw in a Terratec Maestro with the Crystal CS4232 chip and it sounds vastly different, but it does sound pretty good in most of the demos. I didn't care for it in Quake. Just curious if anybody has one …

---

Re: What to do with my AWE64 Gold?

Posted on 2022-06-30, 13:10

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Is an AWE64 optimal in a DOS only system? Maybe a Windows 95/DOS system? Depends on whether you want to play around with soundfonts or not. In pure DOS, with the stock drivers, the AWE64 is limited to SBK soundfonts and can only use them on older real-mode games. They won't work with later …

---

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2022-06-30, 04:41

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Got this today, original Live drive for my 1998 PC which will be rocking the original Live sound card. I also have the CT4660 daughterboard for it so the sound package is complete!

---

What to do with my AWE64 Gold?

Posted on 2022-06-28, 00:37

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

So as the title states I have an AWE64 Gold in a static bag not being utilized and I'd like to put it in something. The "slowest" PCs I have are both 233 MHz socket 7 systems, one is a AMD K6 and the other is a Pentium MMX. I also have several super 7 systems with a mix of K6-2/3, a slot 1 Pentium …

---

Re: Release dates of Adaptec SCSI cards?

Posted on 2022-06-28, 00:08

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Thanks! That's a ton of info and very helpful. Looks like I'll need an Adaptec 2940 U2W to be period correct for a 1998 system.

---

Release dates of Adaptec SCSI cards?

Posted on 2022-06-25, 18:33

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I'm on a personal quest to find the release dates of the line of Adaptec SCSI cards throughout history and having a hard time finding anything on the internet. Does anybody have this info or can point me in the right direction? Primarily interested in cards released through the 90s.

---

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2022-06-24, 05:00

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

This arrived today, and arguably the best score I've landed in awhile for what I paid. A what seems to be brand new ASUS P5A motherboard in the box with the ribbon cables in the sealed package, unused manual, and the board itself looks brand new. I've seen most used/untested P5A motherboards sell …

---

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2022-06-24, 04:02

by

by Brawndo

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

This arrived today, and arguably the best score I've landed in awhile for what I paid. A what seems to be brand new ASUS P5A motherboard in the box with the ribbon cables in the sealed package, unused manual, and the board itself looks brand new. I've seen most used/untested P5A motherboards sell …

---