dr.ido wrote on 2022-03-01, 10:52:

Bit of a stretch to assume that any random seller of hardware in Russia supports Putiin.

That's an assumption you made, not something that was implied by HanJammer.
Maybe one does not want to send money into Russia, because then it could be used to buy bread inside Russia, which means through taxes contributing to the Russian government actions. Nothing to do with actual support of Putin by the seller.
So what HanJammer has expressed is totally understandable and valid stand.

But let's try to keep politics away from this forum. 😀 I really like that this forum is quite clean of that stuff. 😀

Among other things I got a Hercules Game Theater XP recently. Apart from the name I haven't heard about this soundcard and can't find a lot of information about it except that originally it came with a break-out-box and a special cable.
Is this card still useful? Rare? Is it worth searching for the missing box and cable?

HanSolo wrote on 2022-03-01, 13:35:

Among other things I got a Hercules Game Theater XP recently. Apart from the name I haven't heard about this soundcard and can't find a lot of information about it except that originally it came with a break-out-box and a special cable.
Is this card still useful? Rare? Is it worth searching for the missing box and cable?

Doesn't look like its usable without that box

GigAHerZ wrote on 2022-03-01, 11:59:

That's an assumption you made, not something that was implied by HanJammer.
Maybe one does not want to send money into Russia, because then it could be used to buy bread inside Russia, which means through taxes contributing to the Russian government actions. Nothing to do with actual support of Putin by the seller.
So what HanJammer has expressed is totally understandable and valid stand.

^ this.

HanJammer wrote on 2022-03-01, 14:06:

GigAHerZ wrote on 2022-03-01, 11:59:

That's an assumption you made, not something that was implied by HanJammer.
Maybe one does not want to send money into Russia, because then it could be used to buy bread inside Russia, which means through taxes contributing to the Russian government actions. Nothing to do with actual support of Putin by the seller.
So what HanJammer has expressed is totally understandable and valid stand.

^ this.

If I could buy from a seller that doesnt support Putin in such a way that I know the money wouldn't go towards the government then I would happily buy stuff from them, I'm sure there are many Russian sellers that understand that and accept it.

The Russians that do support Putin . .well as they say, you made your bed now sleep in it.

What I will miss is buying from the Ukrainian seller I bought my recent GPUs from, they had so many nice items that I would have happily bought but I ran out of time and money.

They had a really nice Soltek 462 Golden Flame Motherboard with IDE raid, I really hope they are ok and I will see them return to selling on eBay when the war is over. (I refuse to be negative about it 😁 )

I think another benefit of not buying anything from russian sellers at this point, even from those who don't support this horrific regime, is to give them enough time to work out how to dispose their failed dictator.

But politics aside, I suspect this dilemma will be over soon, at least from buyers in western countries. USPS/Fedex halted shipments already, airmail to 36+ countries has been shut, SWIFT disconnect is about to kick-in and any means of transport will likely be reduced. I'd be surprised if anything purchased today would actually showed up.

HanSolo wrote on 2022-03-01, 13:35:

can't find a lot of information about it except that originally it came with a break-out-box and a special cable.

not a lot? Have you tried Google? The original support page still exists, besides plenty a review:
https://support.hercules.com/en/product/gametheaterxp-en/

I'd assume the one 3.5 mm connector on the backplate is the basic line out, so that should go a long way?

Functionality is probably close to the Terratec Xfire 1024:
http://www.amoretro.de/2012/03/terratec-dmx-x … dkarte-pci.html
That thing did a3d and EAX by slowing down my CPU a lot. People keep bashing the SB live!, but that thing actually worked.

So, expect good quality and that breakout box sure is fancy, but nothing of much use.

Hercules was a very old and renown graphics manufacturer, bought up by Guillemot in 1999.

mpe wrote on 2022-03-01, 14:29:

I think another benefit of not buying anything from russian sellers at this point, even from those who don't support this horrific regime, is to give them enough time to work out how to dispose their failed dictator.

But politics aside, I suspect this dilemma will be over soon, at least from buyers in western countries. USPS/Fedex halted shipments already, airmail to 36+ countries has been shut, SWIFT disconnect is about to kick-in and any means of transport will likely be reduced. I'd be surprised if anything purchased today would actually showed up.

Honestly surprised eBay hasn't blocked Russian seller pages and items from being shown outside of Russia.

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

Abit SM5-A.... just because they don't get mentioned so much so you have a hope in hell of finding one for under $100 🤣

I will shout out for abit sm5-a. This one is in my Socket 7 PC which I purchased new myself in about 1996. Still using it today now it is retro. I used it originally with a K5-133 now using a 233MMX at 266. The cpu soft menu is nice for adjusting fsb and mult from bios.

subnet_zero wrote on 2022-03-01, 16:07:

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

How about Asus P/I-P55T2P4 (Rev 3.0+)?

subnet_zero wrote on 2022-03-01, 16:07:

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

The Intel AN430TX is one of my favorites. It has an onboard Yamaha YMF715 for Sound Blaster compatibility with genuine OPL as well as a YMF704 General Midi synthesizer. This board is also ATX form factor so it will be easier to fit it into a case. The memory is SDRAM which is also nice.

See here for a comparison recording.

https://youtu.be/BEoOLF5dFIc

I feel just as bad for the Russian citizens who don't have any say in their government's decisions and are having their hard-earned Rubles devalued because of Putin's foolish and shameful war as I do for the people of Ukraine who deserve to live in freedom and peace.

That's the thing when you're a dictator: when you make bad decisions, it's all on you, and you alone. (Well, and also on the cabal of oligarchs supporting you.)

I hope both these sellers and their families stay safe.

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-01, 20:19:

subnet_zero wrote on 2022-03-01, 16:07:

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

How about Asus P/I-P55T2P4 (Rev 3.0+)?

Isn't the TX chipset better than HX?

HanSolo wrote on 2022-03-01, 13:35:

Among other things I got a Hercules Game Theater XP recently. Apart from the name I haven't heard about this soundcard and can't find a lot of information about it except that originally it came with a break-out-box and a special cable.
Is this card still useful? Rare? Is it worth searching for the missing box and cable?

I have a boxed one of these. I have seen the box and cable show up separately on eBay a few times.

Just one more of the many things I have not actually had time to test.

debs3759 wrote on 2022-03-01, 21:27:

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-01, 20:19:

subnet_zero wrote on 2022-03-01, 16:07:

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

How about Asus P/I-P55T2P4 (Rev 3.0+)?

Isn't the TX chipset better than HX?

Slightly faster memory due to SDRAM vs EDO.
But also cannot cache more then 64MB compared to 512MB.
And IMO the at the time "meh" thing: 2x the HDD interface speed, 33 MB/s vs 16.

Kahenraz wrote on 2022-03-01, 21:18:

The Intel AN430TX is one of my favorites. It has an onboard Yamaha YMF715 for Sound Blaster compatibility with genuine OPL as we […]
Show full quote

subnet_zero wrote on 2022-03-01, 16:07:

I just got 4 Pentium 233 MMX (SL27S) for 20€. Some bent pins and scratches, but none missing. Now I need a working Socket7 mobo that supports it. Any recommendations?

The Intel AN430TX is one of my favorites. It has an onboard Yamaha YMF715 for Sound Blaster compatibility with genuine OPL as well as a YMF704 General Midi synthesizer. This board is also ATX form factor so it will be easier to fit it into a case. The memory is SDRAM which is also nice.

See here for a comparison recording.

https://youtu.be/BEoOLF5dFIc

IMG_20210811_162316_resize_26.jpg

IMG_20220301_161558.jpg

I would like one of those, please, thanks. 😁 🤣

How many kidneys do you require? other organs? how much in spare limbs?

bofh.fromhell wrote on 2022-03-01, 22:07:

Slightly faster memory due to SDRAM vs EDO. But also cannot cache more then 64MB compared to 512MB. And IMO the at the time "meh […]
Show full quote

debs3759 wrote on 2022-03-01, 21:27:

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-01, 20:19:

How about Asus P/I-P55T2P4 (Rev 3.0+)?

Isn't the TX chipset better than HX?

Slightly faster memory due to SDRAM vs EDO.
But also cannot cache more then 64MB compared to 512MB.
And IMO the at the time "meh" thing: 2x the HDD interface speed, 33 MB/s vs 16.

Intel designing Triton II series: "Hey, we've got three features necessary to make these chipsets technologically relevant going forward over the next few years."
TestPanel: "Cool, certainly would be great to buy a motherboard with all of those."
Intel: "So we're giving one feature to each version."

BitWrangler wrote on 2022-03-01, 22:18:

Intel designing Triton II series: "Hey, we've got three features necessary to make these chipsets technologically relevant going […]
Show full quote

bofh.fromhell wrote on 2022-03-01, 22:07:

Slightly faster memory due to SDRAM vs EDO. But also cannot cache more then 64MB compared to 512MB. And IMO the at the time "meh […]
Show full quote

debs3759 wrote on 2022-03-01, 21:27:

Isn't the TX chipset better than HX?

Slightly faster memory due to SDRAM vs EDO.
But also cannot cache more then 64MB compared to 512MB.
And IMO the at the time "meh" thing: 2x the HDD interface speed, 33 MB/s vs 16.

Intel designing Triton II series: "Hey, we've got three features necessary to make these chipsets technologically relevant going forward over the next few years."
TestPanel: "Cool, certainly would be great to buy a motherboard with all of those."
Intel: "So we're giving one feature to each version."

I think it was more of a leap frog with the competition to stay relevant.
I mean Intel probably knew that the Pentium 2 would take the performance crown (and then some).
But keeping the (future) lower end Pentium side feature relevant was important to not lose to much to the competition.
And the release cycles were insane, 4 important iterations of the Pentium chipsets in 2 years (FX to TX, not counting MX, LX and NX cause those were meh =).
And even back then the chipset manufacturers realized that a new CPU should have a new platform, cause ppl wanna buy new gear and ofc. they want the latest!

But looking at the features from chipset to chipset it certainly looks like you have a point =)