Today's e-waste rescue here is a lovely Tandy 2500 RSX Harddrive model. The person who tossed it evidently had no idea what was in it. It was maxed out with 8 meg RAM, an original sound blaster, a Tseng ET4000 and a TopTek cd-rom card (although the cd-rom drive was missing). It also had an original Tandy branded mouse stuffed in the cd-rom bay.

I'm thrilled to be able to give this guy a home!

retrotechrestoration wrote on 2024-06-18, 19:00:

Today's e-waste rescue here is a lovely Tandy 2500 RSX Harddrive model. The person who tossed it evidently had no idea what was in it. It was maxed out with 8 meg RAM, an original sound blaster, a Tseng ET4000 and a TopTek cd-rom card (although the cd-rom drive was missing). It also had an original Tandy branded mouse stuffed in the cd-rom bay.

I'm thrilled to be able to give this guy a home!

Good to see these old rigs still show up every now and then.
I don't blame the people throwing them out not realising the demand but makes you wonder though how many Pre Pentium PC's are missed each year.

chinny22 wrote on 2024-06-18, 23:50:

retrotechrestoration wrote on 2024-06-18, 19:00:

Today's e-waste rescue here is a lovely Tandy 2500 RSX Harddrive model. The person who tossed it evidently had no idea what was in it. It was maxed out with 8 meg RAM, an original sound blaster, a Tseng ET4000 and a TopTek cd-rom card (although the cd-rom drive was missing). It also had an original Tandy branded mouse stuffed in the cd-rom bay.

I'm thrilled to be able to give this guy a home!

Good to see these old rigs still show up every now and then.
I don't blame the people throwing them out not realising the demand but makes you wonder though how many Pre Pentium PC's are missed each year.

i had the same thought, for every one that is caught before its scrapped how many are lost - most computers, the vast majority ever made, from this era must be long gone by now

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system.

The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

Nice haul 😀

douglar wrote on 2024-06-22, 04:11:

...The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

Matrox Magnum Graphics Controller MG-104-M / MG-108-M ?

https://ardent-tool.com/video/Matrox_MG108M.html

Re: 8bit PVGA1A OEM VGA for Olivetti. Drivers ?

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2024-06-22, 07:45:

Nice haul :) […]
Show full quote

Nice haul 😀

douglar wrote on 2024-06-22, 04:11:

...The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

Matrox Magnum Graphics Controller MG-104-M / MG-108-M ?

https://ardent-tool.com/video/Matrox_MG108M.html

Re: 8bit PVGA1A OEM VGA for Olivetti. Drivers ?

Seems like it’s that or something similar. I wish the hard drive was still there. It would have had clues. I suspect that the “-m” suffix on the part number is just for the microchannel version. It would be nice if it turned out to be 8514a compatible.

Edit: I found this:
http://www.os2museum.com/wp/the-8514a-graphics-accelerator/

Matrox Magnum/MG Series accelerators from1989/1990, which claimed by Matrox had 100% compatibility to 8514/A?

Matrox was using the Western Digital chipset in combination with TI’s TMS340C25.

Line-up:
MG-104 (1024×786, 4 bit color)
MG-108 (1024×786, 8 bit color)
MG-124 (1280×1024, 4 bit color)
MG-128 (1280×1024, 8 bit color)

douglar wrote on 2024-06-22, 04:11:

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system. […]
Show full quote

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system.

IMG_2822.jpeg

IMG_2823.jpeg

The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

IMG_2824.jpeg

WOW, the big tower "Technical" is beautiful!
More, post more! 😀

Nexxen wrote on 2024-06-22, 22:45:

douglar wrote on 2024-06-22, 04:11:

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system. […]
Show full quote

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system.

IMG_2822.jpeg

IMG_2823.jpeg

The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

IMG_2824.jpeg

WOW, the big tower "Technical" is beautiful!
More, post more! 😀

https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108

Here’s the 1990 review of the MG-108. It goes for several pages.

https://books.google.com/books?id=KjwEAAAAMBA … 0mg-108&f=false

The MG-108 seems fine with a Trident 8900c, but the et4000 card that came with it is flakey. Took a few tries to get it to boot. Now it works ok for a minute, but then starts introducing lots of blinky noise characters and repated characters in text mode and odd colored bars in Doom. Doesn’t crash but it is pretty much unusable. Would that be a bad memory chip? Doesn’t look exactly like the bad memory as I expect to see it. Looks like a bad buffer maybe?

douglar wrote on 2024-06-23, 03:12:

https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108 […]
Show full quote

Nexxen wrote on 2024-06-22, 22:45:

douglar wrote on 2024-06-22, 04:11:

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system. […]
Show full quote

Found a bunch of Dell computers and an old socket 2 system.

IMG_2822.jpeg

IMG_2823.jpeg

The CPU and HD were pulled from them, but there are some curious parts left. Looks like a Tseng card and some sort of matrix cad monster

IMG_2824.jpeg

WOW, the big tower "Technical" is beautiful!
More, post more! 😀

https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108

Here’s the 1990 review of the MG-108. It goes for several pages.

https://books.google.com/books?id=KjwEAAAAMBA … 0mg-108&f=false

The MG-108 seems fine with a Trident 8900c, but the et4000 card that came with it is flakey. Took a few tries to get it to boot. Now it works ok for a minute, but then starts introducing lots of blinky noise characters and repated characters in text mode and odd colored bars in Doom. Doesn’t crash but it is pretty much unusable. Would that be a bad memory chip? Doesn’t look exactly like the bad memory as I expect to see it. Looks like a bad buffer maybe?

Maybe a bad solder joint? Only thing that comes to my mind. Or core bga broken somewhere.

Here's all the bits--

"Technical" AT Mid Tower Case
AIR 486UL VER. 1.1 128KB L2 https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/advanc … 486ul-ver.-1.1b
Xpert 693 Tseng 4000 VGA
Matrox MG-108 8514a https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108
Creative Labs Soundblaster-16-Value CT2980 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/crea … 16-value-ct2980
Intel Ether Express 16TP
Generic Floppy IDE ATBUS-5B
Jumperless Tape Controller 026-320 Rev B
SIIG Modem & Generic LPT COM Card

Dell XPS P100C AA 638276-404 Mobo Socket 5 motherbaord. This was during the awkward non standard ATX power period https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/dell-d … -p__c-minitower
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 PCI S3 Vision 968 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/numb … -motion-771-pci
3COM Etherlink XL 3C900 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … -xl-3c900-combo
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Vibra 16S CT2800
Symbios LPT & US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Diamond Viper 330 PCI Riva 128 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/diamond-viper-v330
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Matrox Millennium 2MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-2mb
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Inspiron 660 Intel B75 based E145B3 MS1003 Motherboard
nVIDIA GeForce GT 620 Graphics 1GB

Which PCI VGA card was the coolest?
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 / S3 Vision 968
Diamond Viper 330 PCI / Riva 128
Matrox Millennium 4MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-4mb

Not quite vintage yet, but might find its way into some older builds...

After some barren weeks at the work dumpster, today was my lucky day. Huawei is company non grata at the moment for a lot of businesses with a lot of US relations, so some Huawei-based project that had been on hold for a few years was literally binned. Mostly uninteresting Huawei networking stuff, but also some of the systems that were being networked. Highlights were some Dell EMC VEP1425/1445 edge compute nodes, basically headless SFF computers with octocore Atom CPUs and 2 10Gb SFP+ cages. I might well be using one of those as my new home server as at 16W peak draw it uses half of what my current i3-2100 does, outperforms it in CPU terms and 10Gb of course 😉

However there were also older Advantech systems. There again they were low-power, but no 10Gb stuff and built out of more standard components (although still not a standard ITX form factor) including DDR3L DIMMs and most interesting of all: 64GB and 128GB SATA M.2 SSDs. Paired with M.2 to SATA adapters and maybe SATA to PATA, or PCI SATA controllers, those might well end up on some vintage systems of mine.

Just saw a case with "Core i3 8th Gen" discarded at an e-waste recycler.

8th Gen?! That thing could run Win11.

douglar wrote on 2024-06-23, 18:36:

Here's all the bits-- […]
Show full quote

Here's all the bits--

"Technical" AT Mid Tower Case
AIR 486UL VER. 1.1 128KB L2 https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/advanc … 486ul-ver.-1.1b
Xpert 693 Tseng 4000 VGA
Matrox MG-108 8514a https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108
Creative Labs Soundblaster-16-Value CT2980 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/crea … 16-value-ct2980
Intel Ether Express 16TP
Generic Floppy IDE ATBUS-5B
Jumperless Tape Controller 026-320 Rev B
SIIG Modem & Generic LPT COM Card

Dell XPS P100C AA 638276-404 Mobo Socket 5 motherbaord. This was during the awkward non standard ATX power period https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/dell-d … -p__c-minitower
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 PCI S3 Vision 968 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/numb … -motion-771-pci
3COM Etherlink XL 3C900 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … -xl-3c900-combo
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Vibra 16S CT2800
Symbios LPT & US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Diamond Viper 330 PCI Riva 128 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/diamond-viper-v330
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Matrox Millennium 2MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-2mb
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Inspiron 660 Intel B75 based E145B3 MS1003 Motherboard
nVIDIA GeForce GT 620 Graphics 1GB

Which PCI VGA card was the coolest?
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 / S3 Vision 968
Diamond Viper 330 PCI / Riva 128
Matrox Millennium 4MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-4mb

Wow, those AWE32 Upgrade cards are awesome things to find just shoved in an old Dell! Must have been quite a surprise since you can't identify them from the outside.

Also, did those boards have integrated Sound Blaster chips? I have never thought of using the AWE32 Upgrade cards as add-ons for integrated sound, but it actually makes more sense that they would be used this way in OEM systems if the buyer wanted more versatile MIDI capabilities. Anyway, very nice lot of systems!

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:35:

Also, did those boards have integrated Sound Blaster chips? I have never thought of using the AWE32 Upgrade cards as add-ons for integrated sound, but it actually makes more sense that they would be used this way in OEM systems if the buyer wanted more versatile MIDI capabilities. Anyway, very nice lot of systems!

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … er-eye#expchips

The motherboards have Creative CT2505 - Vibra 16C PNP, which is almost a sound blaster, no?

douglar wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:41:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:35:

Also, did those boards have integrated Sound Blaster chips? I have never thought of using the AWE32 Upgrade cards as add-ons for integrated sound, but it actually makes more sense that they would be used this way in OEM systems if the buyer wanted more versatile MIDI capabilities. Anyway, very nice lot of systems!

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … er-eye#expchips

The motherboards have Creative CT2505 - Vibra 16C PNP, which is almost a sound blaster, no?

Yep, that is about what I expected. I figured it would probably be their most integrated chip before going Ensoniq PCI.

It's kind of funny to think about how the lack of integrated audio on motherboards was really a physical space limitation until that time period. Imagine all the components of a CT2230 crammed onto a motherboard 🤣 . And yet, to the average user, the capabilities wouldn't have been much different from the tiny Vibra 16C chip. (Yes I know that there are many differences and shortcomings of the Vibra, I am just talking about basic capabilities that normal human would notice.)

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:35:

douglar wrote on 2024-06-23, 18:36:

Here's all the bits-- […]
Show full quote

Here's all the bits--

"Technical" AT Mid Tower Case
AIR 486UL VER. 1.1 128KB L2 https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/advanc … 486ul-ver.-1.1b
Xpert 693 Tseng 4000 VGA
Matrox MG-108 8514a https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108
Creative Labs Soundblaster-16-Value CT2980 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/crea … 16-value-ct2980
Intel Ether Express 16TP
Generic Floppy IDE ATBUS-5B
Jumperless Tape Controller 026-320 Rev B
SIIG Modem & Generic LPT COM Card

Dell XPS P100C AA 638276-404 Mobo Socket 5 motherbaord. This was during the awkward non standard ATX power period https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/dell-d … -p__c-minitower
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 PCI S3 Vision 968 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/numb … -motion-771-pci
3COM Etherlink XL 3C900 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … -xl-3c900-combo
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Vibra 16S CT2800
Symbios LPT & US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Diamond Viper 330 PCI Riva 128 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/diamond-viper-v330
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Matrox Millennium 2MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-2mb
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Inspiron 660 Intel B75 based E145B3 MS1003 Motherboard
nVIDIA GeForce GT 620 Graphics 1GB

Which PCI VGA card was the coolest?
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 / S3 Vision 968
Diamond Viper 330 PCI / Riva 128
Matrox Millennium 4MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-4mb

Wow, those AWE32 Upgrade cards are awesome things to find just shoved in an old Dell! Must have been quite a surprise since you can't identify them from the outside.

Also, did those boards have integrated Sound Blaster chips? I have never thought of using the AWE32 Upgrade cards as add-ons for integrated sound, but it actually makes more sense that they would be used this way in OEM systems if the buyer wanted more versatile MIDI capabilities. Anyway, very nice lot of systems!

I got a couple around, I can never decide what to do with them. I've got a couple of AWE32s and an AWE64 so not really devoid of AWE options. They might end up with a Cardinal DSP 16 and an ALS 100 for giggles.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-07-16, 03:08:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:35:

douglar wrote on 2024-06-23, 18:36:

Here's all the bits-- […]
Show full quote

Here's all the bits--

"Technical" AT Mid Tower Case
AIR 486UL VER. 1.1 128KB L2 https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/advanc … 486ul-ver.-1.1b
Xpert 693 Tseng 4000 VGA
Matrox MG-108 8514a https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matrox-mg-108
Creative Labs Soundblaster-16-Value CT2980 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/crea … 16-value-ct2980
Intel Ether Express 16TP
Generic Floppy IDE ATBUS-5B
Jumperless Tape Controller 026-320 Rev B
SIIG Modem & Generic LPT COM Card

Dell XPS P100C AA 638276-404 Mobo Socket 5 motherbaord. This was during the awkward non standard ATX power period https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/dell-d … -p__c-minitower
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 PCI S3 Vision 968 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/numb … -motion-771-pci
3COM Etherlink XL 3C900 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … -xl-3c900-combo
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Vibra 16S CT2800
Symbios LPT & US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Diamond Viper 330 PCI Riva 128 https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/diamond-viper-v330
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Dell XPS P200s Intel te430vx-tiger-eye Socket 7 Motherboard https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … 430vx-tiger-eye
Matrox Millennium 2MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-2mb
3COM Etherlink III PCI 3C590 Combo https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/3com … iii-3c590-combo
Creative Labs AWE32 Upgrade CT1920
US Robotics Modem

Inspiron 660 Intel B75 based E145B3 MS1003 Motherboard
nVIDIA GeForce GT 620 Graphics 1GB

Which PCI VGA card was the coolest?
Number Nine 9FX Motion 771 / S3 Vision 968
Diamond Viper 330 PCI / Riva 128
Matrox Millennium 4MB / PCI https://theretroweb.com/expansioncards/s/matr … -millennium-4mb

Wow, those AWE32 Upgrade cards are awesome things to find just shoved in an old Dell! Must have been quite a surprise since you can't identify them from the outside.

Also, did those boards have integrated Sound Blaster chips? I have never thought of using the AWE32 Upgrade cards as add-ons for integrated sound, but it actually makes more sense that they would be used this way in OEM systems if the buyer wanted more versatile MIDI capabilities. Anyway, very nice lot of systems!

I got a couple around, I can never decide what to do with them. I've got a couple of AWE32s and an AWE64 so not really devoid of AWE options. They might end up with a Cardinal DSP 16 and an ALS 100 for giggles.

Oh yeah, they make a great addition to any "way too many MIDI options" build, for sure. 😁

... come to think of it, I never did make that build. I need something with scads of ISA slots...

oh wait... I got one of these last year!

I've been waiting to get a smoking deal on a Via C3 to throw in there for maximum speed flexibility but I just haven't found the right one yet.

Hmm... which sound cards from the collection should go in those 6 ISA slots? Dedicated MIDI cards would be the easiest ones to throw in of course... So, regardless of what sound cards actually end up in it I could throw in an AWE32 Upgrade, this Dream 97PNP2, maybe one of these (which I'd have to wire into the aux input of another card). I think I'm to the point where I could finally do this build and not feel like it's missing something.

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:12:

Just saw a case with "Core i3 8th Gen" discarded at an e-waste recycler.
8th Gen?! That thing could run Win11.

That's how I upgrade my computer nowadays because why should I spend money on this when companies throw 5 year old rigs and flawless IPS monitors in the trash?

Mandrew wrote on 2024-07-16, 06:43:

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:12:

Just saw a case with "Core i3 8th Gen" discarded at an e-waste recycler.
8th Gen?! That thing could run Win11.

That's how I upgrade my computer nowadays because why should I spend money on this when companies throw 5 year old rigs and flawless IPS monitors in the trash?

Agreed, bought an i7, albeit only 6th gen, not win11 capable at the recycling station's shop, with motherboard and 16GiB of DDR4 for DKK400 (~US$60) for the kid's gaming computer, which was running a Xeon E3-1270 (v1). Pretty neat upgrade

Yesterday I've got formatter for HP LaserJet 4 along with font cartridge for Cyrillic.