What's the big deal about the Maestro series and why is the chip so big? Is it for DirectSound acceleration or something?

It looks like there are a ton of pins that aren't even being used.

Kahenraz wrote on 2022-07-06, 15:20:

What's the big deal about the Maestro series and why is the chip so big? Is it for DirectSound acceleration or something?

It looks like there are a ton of pins that aren't even being used.

Additional ram signals. Some cards had optional sockets.

Edit: right here on vogons, ESS ES1948F Maestro PCI card SRAM and DRAM upgrade

What is the memory for? Synthesizer samples?

Kahenraz wrote on 2022-07-06, 18:55:

What is the memory for? Synthesizer samples?

Likely for custom sound fonts and samples, since the Maestro was a licensed chip it was really up to the fabs what extras they included on the card, I doubt I will use it beyond checking it works as I really just wanted it to complete the set.

The Terratec Canyon3D card will get some use, I honestly wonder what the 3D is like and how it compares to say A3D or EAX.

Finding drivers for these PCI cards is my next adventure, might be difficult for a few of them, I know its downright impossible to find drivers for the MX400 which is also based on Canyon3D so hopefully the Terratec drivers are easier to locate.

I should have drivers for the Canyon3d based cards. I'll have to check this evening.

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-07-06, 19:10:

I should have drivers for the Canyon3d based cards. I'll have to check this evening.

All good mate, Terratec still has their FTP online with all their drivers including their legacy drivers, got the NT4 and VXD drivers for the DMX along with the midi sample sets !

Not sure if anyone here has backed their server up but it might be worth grabbing their legacy stuff.

Maestro-1 with DRAM and SRAM sockets.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-07-06, 19:21:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-07-06, 19:10:

I should have drivers for the Canyon3d based cards. I'll have to check this evening.

All good mate, Terratec still has their FTP online with all their drivers including their legacy drivers, got the NT4 and VXD drivers for the DMX along with the midi sample sets !

Not sure if anyone here has backed their server up but it might be worth grabbing their legacy stuff.

What's the address of the Teratec ftp site? I tried ftp.terratec.de and ftp.terratec.com in Filezilla and neither is recognised

15khz vga monitor, Amiga adapter for the vga monitor and Atari 1040 stf.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-07-06, 12:34:

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and […]
Show full quote

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and 1938 Solo-1 and picked up the Allegro, Canyon3D and 1688F+968F in this lot. Just need the Maestro and I think I may have all the major models, also grabbed a Sound Blaster CT 2810 that was going for cheap along with a Yamaha 718-s.

I have a thing for ESS sound cards, have always found them to be exceptional replacements for creative cards, the Terratec card I think was the big grab, it looks amazing if the photo is true.

Allegro.jpg
Allegro
Canyon3D.jpg
Canyon3D + 1688F

CT2810.jpg
SoundBlaster CT2810
Yammy.jpg
Yamaha 718-S

The odd one out in this haul was a 64mb GeForce 256 DDR which I saw pop up for 125 bucks, which is considerably less than the other 32mb models listed right now.

V6800.jpg

Asus V6800 256 DDR 64Mb

I can buy a 32MB Geforce 256 SDR for 100$. But I'm not sure worth it. I feel it's a bit expensive

SteveC wrote on 2022-07-04, 15:47:

Picked up an IBM PS/1 today and I love it! Just need an adlib (or clone) sound card for it.

I did a video https://youtu.be/m-6zoH4Vb0k

NyLan wrote on 2022-07-07, 20:39:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-07-06, 12:34:

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and […]
Show full quote

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and 1938 Solo-1 and picked up the Allegro, Canyon3D and 1688F+968F in this lot. Just need the Maestro and I think I may have all the major models, also grabbed a Sound Blaster CT 2810 that was going for cheap along with a Yamaha 718-s.

I have a thing for ESS sound cards, have always found them to be exceptional replacements for creative cards, the Terratec card I think was the big grab, it looks amazing if the photo is true.

Allegro.jpg
Allegro
Canyon3D.jpg
Canyon3D + 1688F

CT2810.jpg
SoundBlaster CT2810
Yammy.jpg
Yamaha 718-S

The odd one out in this haul was a 64mb GeForce 256 DDR which I saw pop up for 125 bucks, which is considerably less than the other 32mb models listed right now.

V6800.jpg

Asus V6800 256 DDR 64Mb

I can buy a 32MB Geforce 256 SDR for 100$. But I'm not sure worth it. I feel it's a bit expensive

You live in Geneva, Switzerland. Don't you buy expensive watches for fun singing "Je possède des thunes"? 100$ sounds bargain 😉
(yes, it's a joke)

NyLan wrote on 2022-07-07, 20:39:

I can buy a 32MB Geforce 256 SDR for 100$. But I'm not sure worth it. I feel it's a bit expensive

Horribly expensive if you ask me. Considering that super cheap GF2MX400 will do much better and still will be period-correct for any Slot 1/A or Socket A/370 build... So unless it is some very collector model in a box - I wouldn't bother.

debs3759 wrote on 2022-07-07, 17:48:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-07-06, 19:21:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-07-06, 19:10:

I should have drivers for the Canyon3d based cards. I'll have to check this evening.

All good mate, Terratec still has their FTP online with all their drivers including their legacy drivers, got the NT4 and VXD drivers for the DMX along with the midi sample sets !

Not sure if anyone here has backed their server up but it might be worth grabbing their legacy stuff.

What's the address of the Teratec ftp site? I tried ftp.terratec.de and ftp.terratec.com in Filezilla and neither is recognised

terratec.ultron.info
/audio is their soundcard drivers

is the one I got from the Terratec site

Thanks

NyLan wrote on 2022-07-07, 20:39:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-07-06, 12:34:

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and […]
Show full quote

Got a nice little haul recently, I think I now have all the major ESS sound cards, I already had the 688F+968F, 1868F, 1869E and 1938 Solo-1 and picked up the Allegro, Canyon3D and 1688F+968F in this lot. Just need the Maestro and I think I may have all the major models, also grabbed a Sound Blaster CT 2810 that was going for cheap along with a Yamaha 718-s.

I have a thing for ESS sound cards, have always found them to be exceptional replacements for creative cards, the Terratec card I think was the big grab, it looks amazing if the photo is true.

Allegro.jpg
Allegro
Canyon3D.jpg
Canyon3D + 1688F

CT2810.jpg
SoundBlaster CT2810
Yammy.jpg
Yamaha 718-S

The odd one out in this haul was a 64mb GeForce 256 DDR which I saw pop up for 125 bucks, which is considerably less than the other 32mb models listed right now.

V6800.jpg

Asus V6800 256 DDR 64Mb

I can buy a 32MB Geforce 256 SDR for 100$. But I'm not sure worth it. I feel it's a bit expensive

I dont even look at the SDR models, they are priced too much on eBay for what they are, the 32Mb DDR models are also priced stupidly usually 100 USD more than the SDR ones, I have not seen a 64Mb DDR model show up before but at 125 USD it was worth grabbing for me as I likely wont see another at that price again. (I have the Glasses and software from another similar Asus gpu already)

All I have available to me for collecting is eBay and other online sites since I live in BFE Rural Australia, sure the prices are not amazing but considering the options.

HanJammer wrote on 2022-07-07, 22:34:

NyLan wrote on 2022-07-07, 20:39:

I can buy a 32MB Geforce 256 SDR for 100$. But I'm not sure worth it. I feel it's a bit expensive

Horribly expensive if you ask me. Considering that super cheap GF2MX400 will do much better and still will be period-correct for any Slot 1/A or Socket A/370 build... So unless it is some very collector model in a box - I wouldn't bother.

I partly agree, but since this is a 64Mb DDR model at SDR pricing and this is the first 64Mb model I've seen in the last year and I needed this one to round out my early nVidia collection I grabbed it.

Sometimes its not about the performance 😀

I think that the GeForce SDR/DDR would be a nice piece to a collection. I don't have either. But realistically, would you ever want or need to use over over, say, a GeForce 2 MX or other?

If you want it to have, get it. If you want it to play games from ~2000, get a GF2 GTS/Pro, IMO.

I have 2 GF256DDR cards and an SDR variant. Haven't gotten the third card installed yet and they're cool to have.

Speaking of, I bought another Walkman and this time the WM-FX401 since I've been having poor luck with the WM-F2081 lately (they seem to work fine one day and they run horrible the next day).

Seller's photo:

The WM-FX401 has the Mega Bass, which the WM-F2081 lacks and it suffers the same plague: belts turning to goo, expanding, or snapping. Once I receive the unit, I'll give it a good cleaning and replace the belt. It's nice to have these old Walkmans that have an integrated radio so if my family and I go to the drive-in movie, we could use the Walkman to tune into the station without having to rely on the car stereo (especially the newer cars these days have the 10 minute period for running accessories, such as the radio).

smtkr wrote on 2022-07-08, 01:55:

If you want it to have, get it. If you want it to play games from ~2000, get a GF2 GTS/Pro, IMO.

*nods

I have a GeForce 2 GTS and Ultra but also a GF3 ti 200 and 500 so I'm pretty set for nice GPUs from that era and if I need I have both AGP and PCI versions of the MX400 so for me this was more about completing the collection, I guess the only one left is a NV1 but that is strictly a curiosity only type of acquisition and only a reality at a price that doesnt kill my bank or burn my eyes.

Not even sure I could make a use case for an NV1, its really the type of card you buy and put on a shelf or donate to a GPU museum.

bjwil1991 wrote on 2022-07-08, 02:13:

I have 2 GF256DDR cards and an SDR variant. Haven't gotten the third card installed yet and they're cool to have. […]
Show full quote

I have 2 GF256DDR cards and an SDR variant. Haven't gotten the third card installed yet and they're cool to have.

Speaking of, I bought another Walkman and this time the WM-FX401 since I've been having poor luck with the WM-F2081 lately (they seem to work fine one day and they run horrible the next day).

Seller's photo:

70873a8e-2ed2-4abe-a30a-b52fe6bd2f57wvsb_06261.jpg

The WM-FX401 has the Mega Bass, which the WM-F2081 lacks and it suffers the same plague: belts turning to goo, expanding, or snapping. Once I receive the unit, I'll give it a good cleaning and replace the belt. It's nice to have these old Walkmans that have an integrated radio so if my family and I go to the drive-in movie, we could use the Walkman to tune into the station without having to rely on the car stereo (especially the newer cars these days have the 10 minute period for running accessories, such as the radio).

That's a nice bit of retro kit right there, its a shame that such things have been relegated to the dollar bargain bin of electronics nowadays, I remember when they used to cost both arms and your right leg to own.

10 mins on accessories ...never seen that here in Australia.