iraito wrote on 2024-07-02, 20:01:

I would never use those old ass original PSUs, first they barely deliver the right amount of voltage, second some of the components in them are so old that the voltage output is totally out of whack hence hurting the device.
I have 2 OG MT-32 old and new and i use new PSUs, filtered and with a higher amperage than needed, having more amps never ever hurts, it keeps the PSU cooler and power delivery more stable.

That's not correct, the original power bricks of Roland modules are very simple, consisting of a large transformer, rectifying diodes and a capacitor. This generates the 9VDC input voltage that doesn't need to be too precise since it is then regulated down to 5V by the 7805 inside the module, as luckybob explained above. It's a classic linear design, and even though it requires a huge transformer and is not very efficient, it should produce cleaner power than a switching power supply. By using a modern switching PSU you don't gain any noticeable advantages, you may be even introducing more noise than with the original.

Switching PSUs are used because of size and efficiency reasons, so for things that need like 100W or more of power they are the most logical solution. But for low power stuff like these Roland modules a simple linear PSU is as good (or maybe even better) than a switching one.

Note that I use the modern Roland switching adapters myself, purely for convenience since the original PSUs of my modules are from Japan so they need a 100VAC input and I live in a 220V country, so it's much simpler to use the small modern brick instead of adding another step down transformer to the mix.

I wanted to use the regulator I mentioned because I can drop a SUPER common 12v brick without a 2nd thought. It made ZERO difference in the sound. Granted, my before comparisons were from the youtubes.

zuldan wrote on 2024-07-02, 08:51:

Found this Sound Blaster ViBRA-16 (CT2260) in an old machine. It has an OPL3 chip, Line Out and Speaker Out. CD-ROM headers for Creative, Panasonic, Mitsumi and Sony. It also has a wavetable header. Usually the ViBRA-16’s I find don’t have an OPL3 chip so pretty happy this one does. Not sure if this particular revision has the midi bug. Will do some testing.

It will have both hanging note bugs, and I had card with that chipset briefly and recall some strange behavior with reverse stereo. Like, even stranger than usual for a SB16.

Bear in mind "Brick" power bricks with actual transformer will read high on voltage with no load, needs about 50mA to pull them down to working voltage.

badmojo wrote on 2024-07-02, 23:09:

It will have both hanging note bugs, and I had card with that chipset briefly and recall some strange behavior with reverse stereo. Like, even stranger than usual for a SB16.

That’s a real shame. Sounds like it will just have to be a display card 😭

bearking wrote on 2024-07-02, 19:30:

Is 9.26 Volts too much for 9 V rated power supply? Measured without a load. I don't think so... bit I'm not a specialist.

The attachment 20240702_222538.jpg is no longer available

PS: I'm from Europe

Usually +/- 10% is considered "in spec".
Even mains power.

zuldan wrote on 2024-07-03, 00:44:

That’s a real shame. Sounds like it will just have to be a display card 😭

Well it does look cool at least!

Managed to snag three things today for a good price. First is a nice little DVD decoder that, as far as I know, barely works with anything.

Second was a spare Aureal Vortex 2 card, this time more obvious. It even says 2. My previous card will be going to a friend of mine to throw in his first vintage machine.

Last, technically least, but by far most interesting is this Intel 8/16 ethernet card complete with an AUI adapter. I've only ever had AAUI, never AUI. More importantly, it means I can get my XT on the internet, failing to render anything but a telnet session.

Hell yeah.

luckybob wrote on 2024-07-02, 20:46:

I wont a battle against a gold-scrapper! I also know ebay links are taboo, but I dont care: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235627579 […]
Show full quote

I wont a battle against a gold-scrapper! I also know ebay links are taboo, but I dont care: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235627579658

Some choice images if you dont want to click the ePay link: https://imgur.com/a/Vx4Ebms

Mind telling me (us) what's so special about this lot?
Must confess not being very familiar with tech almost as old as my old eyes, but given the fact it was a glorious battle against a gold-scrapper there must be something of worth comprised.

BetaC wrote on 2024-07-03, 04:13:

Second was a spare Aureal Vortex 2 card, this time more obvious. It even says 2. My previous card will be going to a friend of mine to throw in his first vintage machine.

The attachment IMG_3604.jpg is no longer available

TBS400, actually a Turtle Beach Montego 2, it's a very nice PCI sound card, for windows 98 , try to get all the original software and DOS.

ChrisK wrote on 2024-07-03, 07:41:

luckybob wrote on 2024-07-02, 20:46:

I wont a battle against a gold-scrapper! I also know ebay links are taboo, but I dont care: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235627579 […]
Show full quote

I wont a battle against a gold-scrapper! I also know ebay links are taboo, but I dont care: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235627579658

Some choice images if you dont want to click the ePay link: https://imgur.com/a/Vx4Ebms

Mind telling me (us) what's so special about this lot?
Must confess not being very familiar with tech almost as old as my old eyes, but given the fact it was a glorious battle against a gold-scrapper there must be something of worth comprised.

There is a 386 processor board in there. (very bottom center) Legend has it, some BIG bank didn't want to shell out the money for 486 processors and was big enough that even IBM was willing to spin a special processor board for the IBM model 90. Only one company was foolish enough to do this, so the 386 board is exceedingly rare. I've spoken to people and a NIB 386 model 90 was last sold for $5000.

more info than you can want here; https://www.ardent-tool.com/complex/

Everything else is going to be tested and resold, it would be super cool if I break even, but i'm not going to hold my breath. I am SO good at buying stuff, and i'm a complete failure when it comes to re-sale.

I can't make out what the paper on that board says, but I think I can read the word "GOOD" on it. That bodes well for your special board.

Breaking even after splitting an auction is always a win. Good luck!

vmunix wrote on 2024-07-03, 13:35:

BetaC wrote on 2024-07-03, 04:13:

Second was a spare Aureal Vortex 2 card, this time more obvious. It even says 2. My previous card will be going to a friend of mine to throw in his first vintage machine.

The attachment IMG_3604.jpg is no longer available

TBS400, actually a Turtle Beach Montego 2, it's a very nice PCI sound card, for windows 98 , try to get all the original software and DOS.

I've used them before, yeah. Only problem I am havinf with it now is that windows doesn't want to install the damn gameport driver leaving me without any joysticks or my SC-55. Probably going to just scrap the install and retry from the top.

amnesia wrote on 2016-07-08, 09:16:

Finally got the remote for the Fujitsu PCTV i mentioned 1½ week ago - this is needed to go from TV mode to PC Mode - and fortunately, this works like a dream.

Dual sync monitor - I'm loving it. I had the fear that it would be some interlaced useless image, but everything is good 😉

The attachment PCTV.JPG is no longer available

Hi Amnesia

Do you still have the remote? If so could you upload a picture? I recently got this PC and would like to see what one looks like.

Ordered this plain looking Radeon 9550 for my early 2000s Pentium 4 build, before I decided on a semi-tacky theme. Arrived today, installed it, and the fan lights up blue. Almost shed a tear.

Now I just need to find a Socket 478 board that's purple, red, or some other garish colour (at a reasonable price). I even welcome some questionable SiS or VIA chipset as part of the charm.

Was the 9550 the one that was moddable to 9700?

Grabbed this Roland MX-5 mixer. Really like these mixers for simple mixing midi synthesizers or turning down noisy sound cards. Nice and basic plus it's beige!

myne wrote on 2024-07-04, 03:23:

Was the 9550 the one that was moddable to 9700?

The 9500 and 9500 Pro used the same chip as the 9700 Pro (R300). The 9500 Pro had the same fully unlocked core as the 9700 (at lower clocks than the 9700 Pro), but the memory bus was cut from 256bit to 128bit. This is a physical change to the card design so cannot be modded. The 9500 had the same core except with half of the Pixel Shaders, TMUs and ROPs disabled. Importantly, most cards that became a 9500 non-pro kept the 256bit memory bus, which made a huge difference on these cards. Since the cut-down parts of the core were physically still there but had just been disabled, people found ways to enable them to make lower-mid range 9500 perform like the 9700, which was the second fastest card available at the time.

The 9550 on the other hand uses the newer chip from the 9600 (RV350), which is cooler and more efficient but has nothing to unlock. Still a surprisingly solid card as long as it has 128bit memory and isn't some kind of "SE" model.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-04, 03:51:

myne wrote on 2024-07-04, 03:23:

Was the 9550 the one that was moddable to 9700?

The 9500 and 9500 Pro used the same chip as the 9700 Pro (R300). The 9500 Pro had the same fully unlocked core as the 9700 (at lower clocks than the 9700 Pro), but the memory bus was cut from 256bit to 128bit. This is a physical change to the card design so cannot be modded. The 9500 had the same core except with half of the Pixel Shaders, TMUs and ROPs disabled. Importantly, most cards that became a 9500 non-pro kept the 256bit memory bus, which made a huge difference on these cards. Since the cut-down parts of the core were physically still there but had just been disabled, people found ways to enable them to make lower-mid range 9500 perform like the 9700, which was the second fastest card available at the time.

The 9550 on the other hand uses the newer chip from the 9600 (RV350), which is cooler and more efficient but has nothing to unlock. Still a surprisingly solid card as long as it has 128bit memory and isn't some kind of "SE" model.

The 9550 is noted for being very overclockable though. At 250/400, the core clock is particularly low when you consider the 9600 and 9600 PRO are 324/378 and 400/600 respectively. Midnight Geek had little trouble OC'ing his to the latter 9600 PRO clocks.

I would have liked to get a 9500/9700/9800 for a little more grunt, but they're a bit too pricey for just a fun build.

giantenemycat wrote on 2024-07-04, 04:13:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-04, 03:51:

myne wrote on 2024-07-04, 03:23:

Was the 9550 the one that was moddable to 9700?

The 9500 and 9500 Pro used the same chip as the 9700 Pro (R300). The 9500 Pro had the same fully unlocked core as the 9700 (at lower clocks than the 9700 Pro), but the memory bus was cut from 256bit to 128bit. This is a physical change to the card design so cannot be modded. The 9500 had the same core except with half of the Pixel Shaders, TMUs and ROPs disabled. Importantly, most cards that became a 9500 non-pro kept the 256bit memory bus, which made a huge difference on these cards. Since the cut-down parts of the core were physically still there but had just been disabled, people found ways to enable them to make lower-mid range 9500 perform like the 9700, which was the second fastest card available at the time.

The 9550 on the other hand uses the newer chip from the 9600 (RV350), which is cooler and more efficient but has nothing to unlock. Still a surprisingly solid card as long as it has 128bit memory and isn't some kind of "SE" model.

The 9550 is noted for being very overclockable though. At 250/400, the core clock is particularly low when you consider the 9600 and 9600 PRO are 324/378 and 400/600 respectively. Midnight Geek had little trouble OC'ing his to the latter 9600 PRO clocks.

I would have liked to get a 9500/9700/9800 for a little more grunt, but they're a bit too pricey for just a fun build.

Absolutely, they make great cards for most games made between 1998 and 2003. I've never overclocked one myself, but I used a 9600 Pro for a while back in the day and it was an excellent card (coming from a dead Ti 4400 and a terribly underpowered FX 5600 non-ultra that was sent as replacement). Getting anywhere in that performance range on a budget would be awesome for a P4 build. 😀