So few days ago I bought Virtual i-O iGlasses along with the PC upgrade kit on local auction portal. Seems to be complete will all paperwork and accessories. Seller stated they worked last time they were used (many years ago) - we will see. Nobody was bidding on it and almost nobody watched it and I bough it for a very modest price. 🤣 people are really clueless. While iGlasses offered similar (if not better from what I vaguely remember from the 90s where I tested both side-by-side) visual quality as the VFX1 they were a bit more clunky - instead of using internal ISA card they used external box. Also head tracking was worse and they never got as popular as VFX1. It's one of the reasons they are rarely found nowadays. One advantage they have over VFX1 is that they are a bit more functional because you can input any video source with composite output (old game consoles, TV tuners, and so on) or VGA output (VFX1 also was able to ingest CVBS signal but Forte never made it possible because there is no RCA connector on the headset). They need some love (usual problems with foam falling apart) but they will fit nicely my growing collection of VR headsets (including the vintage ones).

Got yet another YMF724, which is low profile, fit to my planned SFF rig.😁
It doesn't have sb-link header so I'm gonna try DSDMA on it.

that looks like a C-media chip with fake branding ^^

crazii wrote on 2021-12-13, 15:03:

Got yet another YMF724, which is low profile, fit to my planned SFF rig.😁
It doesn't have sb-link header so I'm gonna try DSDMA on it.
DSC_0302.JPG

YMH724B 😁

Obviously not Yamaha.

But interesting because it's soooo fake 😀

HanJammer wrote on 2021-12-13, 16:07:

YMH724B :D […]
Show full quote

crazii wrote on 2021-12-13, 15:03:

Got yet another YMF724, which is low profile, fit to my planned SFF rig.😁
It doesn't have sb-link header so I'm gonna try DSDMA on it.
DSC_0302.JPG

YMH724B 😁

Obviously not Yamaha.

But interesting because it's soooo fake 😀

Damn, I didn't see that. 😁 😁 😁

Shit that was too careless of me, fortunately it costed me only $2. And I thought it was a good bargain.🤣🤣🤣

ChrisK wrote on 2021-12-13, 10:44:

Looks like a good catch, for a hand full of dollars EUROs: IMG_20211213_105935.jpg […]
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Looks like a good catch, for a hand full of dollars EUROs:
IMG_20211213_105935.jpg

Had some battery acid damage but is still working.
Including FPU, 128k cache and 8 Megs of RAM.
My first 386 board.

Does anybody know a CPU interposer with ZIF socket that can fit into the PGA socket? Like these but for a reasonable price?
https://www.arieselec.com/product/10004-pga-z … burn-in-socket/

Would be great for testing my CPU collection without having to press them in this PGA socket and risking pin damage.

That's a cutie. It might "ruin you"/"spoil you" on 386s though, being at the fast end of the spectrum. It should be a rule that you have to do all your office tasks on a 386sx16 for a month so you can appreciate a nice 20 or 25 🤣

That's a cutie. It might "ruin you"/"spoil you" on 386s though, being at the fast end of the spectrum. It should be a rule that you have to do all your office tasks on a 386sx16 for a month so you can appreciate a nice 20 or 25 🤣

Not sure if there's a jumper for 16 MHz at all. Have to have a look...well...nope. 25 MHz is the slowest it can go. Should have trashed it the first moment it was in my hands. Shame on me.
At least I can disable the cache and remove 4 megs of RAM. No, better, fit only four 256k RAMs. That should give this damn 486DLC a lesson 🤣

crazii wrote on 2021-12-13, 16:10:

HanJammer wrote on 2021-12-13, 16:07:

YMH724B :D […]
Show full quote

crazii wrote on 2021-12-13, 15:03:

Got yet another YMF724, which is low profile, fit to my planned SFF rig.😁
It doesn't have sb-link header so I'm gonna try DSDMA on it.
DSC_0302.JPG

YMH724B 😁

Obviously not Yamaha.

But interesting because it's soooo fake 😀

Damn, I didn't see that. 😁 😁 😁

Shit that was too careless of me, fortunately it costed me only $2. And I thought it was a good bargain.🤣🤣🤣

Those CMedia chips are supposed to have DOS support as well. Not sure how good it is though. I just got a NIB one that came with the original driver CD and it does have DOS stuff on it.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-12-13, 22:12:

crazii wrote on 2021-12-13, 16:10:

HanJammer wrote on 2021-12-13, 16:07:

YMH724B 😁

Obviously not Yamaha.

But interesting because it's soooo fake 😀

Damn, I didn't see that. 😁 😁 😁

Shit that was too careless of me, fortunately it costed me only $2. And I thought it was a good bargain.🤣🤣🤣

Those CMedia chips are supposed to have DOS support as well. Not sure how good it is though. I just got a NIB one that came with the original driver CD and it does have DOS stuff on it.

I was going to buy a C-Media one in the beginning, there're plenty of low profile cards (033C, 037C, 037D), but I've learned that some C-Media chips don't have FM so I decided find something else.

Found this very well known case on Kleinanzeigen (Craigslist in Krautland):

In an unusual color:

Judging by the imprint on the plastic parts, it's an original Chieftec and not a clone.
Sadly the front door (and the pin holding it) broke off. 🙁 I will scavenge the plastic parts as well as the HDD cage for my blue Dragon, which is missing those parts.

It also came with a 120GB Maxtor, which is in excellent condition. But the power on hours confuse me. It says: "59(?)hours", while the power on count is 5000+. After I have performed a few tests it jumped to "61(?)hours". Maybe a backup drive? It wasn't inserted in the case.
There wasn't much on it, except of 10GB's of 90s music. Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!

Haven't tested anything else yet, but for just 12€ I'm already satisfied.
Didn't even have to pay for gasoline, as it was just 500m away from me.

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2021-12-14, 05:40:

Found this very well known case on Kleinanzeigen (Craigslist in Krautland): IMG_6482.JPG In an unusual color: IMG_6486.JPG Judgi […]
Show full quote

Found this very well known case on Kleinanzeigen (Craigslist in Krautland):
IMG_6482.JPG
In an unusual color:
IMG_6486.JPG
Judging by the imprint on the plastic parts, it's an original Chieftec and not a clone.
Sadly the front door (and the pin holding it) broke off. 🙁 I will scavenge the plastic parts as well as the HDD cage for my blue Dragon, which is missing those parts.

It also came with a 120GB Maxtor, which is in excellent condition. But the power on hours confuse me. It says: "59(?)hours", while the power on count is 5000+. After I have performed a few tests it jumped to "61(?)hours". Maybe a backup drive? It wasn't inserted in the case.
There wasn't much on it, except of 10GB's of 90s music. Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!

Haven't tested anything else yet, but for just 12€ I'm already satisfied.
Didn't even have to pay for gasoline, as it was just 500m away from me.

Asus M2N32 SLI Deluxe, I used to have one of those boards a couple years ago, loved that board until it died of USB Overcurrent Protection.

Looking to buy a ISA sound card and right now I have two im looking at a CT2290 (Has OPL3 chip) or a CT2940 (Cant see an OPL on it), really just trying to find the best ISA Sound Blaster that has full DOS compatibility while still working fine under Win98se, OPL3 and wavetable support would be nice too.

CT2290 im looking at, is fully populated with wavetable header, bracket is MIA but shouldn't pose any issue at being replaced and the card looks ok physically for its age. (Could use a good clean though)

Sellers Image

CT2940 being the other option and it too is fully populated with wavetable header, but cant see an OPL3 chip on it.

Sellers Image

I'm also looking at grabbing a CT1900 Wavetable daughterboard but that depends on cost and availability.

Anyone have some good pointers on what to keep an eye on when selecting ISA SoundBlaster cards, I was never that well versed in the better models to buy and am open to any suggestions.

TrashPanda wrote on 2021-12-14, 11:27:

Looking to buy a ISA sound card and right now I have two im looking at a CT2290 (Has OPL3 chip) or a CT2940 (Cant see an OPL on […]
Show full quote

Looking to buy a ISA sound card and right now I have two im looking at a CT2290 (Has OPL3 chip) or a CT2940 (Cant see an OPL on it), really just trying to find the best ISA Sound Blaster that has full DOS compatibility while still working fine under Win98se.

CT2290 im looking at, is fully populated with wavetable header, bracket is MIA but shouldn't pose any issue at being replaced and the card looks ok physically for its age. (Could use a good clean though)

Sellers Image

CT2940 being the other option and it too is fully populated with wavetable header, but cant see an OPL3 chip on it.

Sellers Image

I'm also looking at grabbing a CT1900 Wavetable daughterboard but that depends on cost and availability.

Anyone have some good pointers on what to keep an eye on when selecting ISA SoundBlaster cards, I was never that well versed in the better models to buy and am open to any suggestions.

Sound Blaster: From best to worst

Basically you need to pick three of 5

1. Yamaha OPL3
2. Bug-free MPU-401
3. No Vibra artifacting
4. Single-Cycle DMA bug
5. Low Noise

CT1740: 1, 2, 3
CT2230/2290/2740/2920: 1, (2*), 3, 5
CT2800/2860/2890/2900: 1, 4, 5

Special mention for CT2770/2840 which are Value cards that satisfy 1, (2*), 3, 5 but lack wavetable headers.

* Only Type-2 bug, so these are generally considered the most precious

appiah4 wrote on 2021-12-14, 11:44:

Sound Blaster: From best to worst […]
Show full quote

TrashPanda wrote on 2021-12-14, 11:27:

Looking to buy a ISA sound card and right now I have two im looking at a CT2290 (Has OPL3 chip) or a CT2940 (Cant see an OPL on […]
Show full quote

Looking to buy a ISA sound card and right now I have two im looking at a CT2290 (Has OPL3 chip) or a CT2940 (Cant see an OPL on it), really just trying to find the best ISA Sound Blaster that has full DOS compatibility while still working fine under Win98se.

CT2290 im looking at, is fully populated with wavetable header, bracket is MIA but shouldn't pose any issue at being replaced and the card looks ok physically for its age. (Could use a good clean though)

Sellers Image

CT2940 being the other option and it too is fully populated with wavetable header, but cant see an OPL3 chip on it.

Sellers Image

I'm also looking at grabbing a CT1900 Wavetable daughterboard but that depends on cost and availability.

Anyone have some good pointers on what to keep an eye on when selecting ISA SoundBlaster cards, I was never that well versed in the better models to buy and am open to any suggestions.

Sound Blaster: From best to worst

Basically you need to pick three of 5

1. Yamaha OPL3
2. Bug-free MPU-401
3. No Vibra artifacting
4. Single-Cycle DMA bug
5. Low Noise

CT1740: 1, 2, 3
CT2230/2290/2740/2920: 1, (2*), 3, 5
CT2800/2860/2890/2900: 1, 4, 5

Special mention for CT2770/2840 which are Value cards that satisfy 1, (2*), 3, 5 but lack wavetable headers.

* Only Type-2 bug, so these are generally considered the most precious

Whats the MPU-401 bug ? and how do you identify card numbers that have it ?

Looks like the CT2290 would be an ok pick or does that one have the Bug ?

Thanks for the help here, there are far to many Soundblaster cards to pick from !

Came in last Saturday, think I forgot to post it up here. Paid about $47.13 with shipping (207RON).

Gericom 1st Supersonic M6-T 1200MHz. The actual OEM is FIC (First International Computer) though, but the build quality is really great.
Also came with lots of software, the original user manual, as well as the XP recovery disc. The charger was a hacked up Dell charger that I retired for an previously repaired ASUS charger (that at least doesn't have duct tape lmao).

Specs:

Intel Pentium 3 1200MHz SL5GN Tualatin
VIA Apollo Pro 133T/ VT82C694T chipset (desktop)
2x256MB Samsung PC133 SODIMM SDRAM
40GB Hitachi Deskstar DK23EA-40 (originally had a 30GB Fujitsu that I took out - quite a bad choice as it seems to slowly die - I have a 50% prepped a 60GB WD Scorpio to replace it again)
ATI Mobility Radeon M6-P 32MB AGP4x GPU
Windows 98 SE w/ NUSB3.6E + KernelEX

Oh, wow, that's a very nice machine ! 😁

xcomcmdr wrote on 2021-12-14, 20:09:

Oh, wow, that's a very nice machine ! 😁

I really like the front bezel look.

Yeah, if I'm not mistaken it's there to play audio CDs while the laptop is powered off.

Just like the HP Omnibook XE3-GC I used to have (but the Omnibook's screen was shit).

xcomcmdr wrote on 2021-12-14, 22:01:

Just like the HP Omnibook XE3-GC I used to have (but the Omnibook's screen was shit).

I have 2 and the screens aren't that bad.
S3 + Polka audio! 😀