RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:16:

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-02, 18:22:

The Voodoo 2s have surfaced back on eBay....

What makes you think its the same ones?

These are 8Mb cards ...not sure I would pay 199 quid for the 8Mb models even if it was a pair of them.

I do question that memory however as the ones from STB had 12Mb on one side so its possible the seller has them miss identified here, if thats the actual case then its still too damn expensive but about right for a pair of 12Mb cards.

Not sure why they assume its the same ones either.

Trashbytes wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:18:

These are 8Mb cards ...not sure I would pay 199 quid for the 8Mb models even if it was a pair of them.

I do question that memory however as the ones from STB had 12Mb on one side so its possible the seller has them miss identified here, if thats the actual case then its still too damn expensive but about right for a pair of 12Mb cards.

Not sure why they assume its the same ones either.

Sadly Voodoo prices are through the roof. The 12Mb ones seem to go for between £135 and £200.

8mb ones, whilst more limited, might make a good paring for an older system that won't have the CPU power to cope with games that need the 12mb card. Some people put Voodoo 2 in Pentium 1 / MMX systems, for instance, for DOS games and early Windows games. Maybe an early PII also would be a good target system for such a card...

I am just speculating though. I only have 12 Mb Voodoos. From what I have read, Unreal 1 and Quake 3 are two games that would run better on a 12Mb card (unless you lower texture settings). But those are games from mid 98 and late 99 respectively. Voodoo 3 is probably a better choice for those games. Having said that I have played Unreal 1 (Low settings @512x384) on my 300Mhz Pentium MMX with 4mb Voodoo 1. It was playable to be honest. Certainly not silky smooth, but I think quite representative of how people played it back then.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 09:21:

Sadly Voodoo prices are through the roof. The 12Mb ones seem to go for between £135 and £200. […]
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Trashbytes wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:18:

These are 8Mb cards ...not sure I would pay 199 quid for the 8Mb models even if it was a pair of them.

I do question that memory however as the ones from STB had 12Mb on one side so its possible the seller has them miss identified here, if thats the actual case then its still too damn expensive but about right for a pair of 12Mb cards.

Not sure why they assume its the same ones either.

Sadly Voodoo prices are through the roof. The 12Mb ones seem to go for between £135 and £200.

8mb ones, whilst more limited, might make a good paring for an older system that won't have the CPU power to cope with games that need the 12mb card. Some people put Voodoo 2 in Pentium 1 / MMX systems, for instance, for DOS games and early Windows games. Maybe an early PII also would be a good target system for such a card...

I am just speculating though. I only have 12 Mb Voodoos. From what I have read, Unreal 1 and Quake 3 are two games that would run better on a 12Mb card (unless you lower texture settings). But those are games from mid 98 and late 99 respectively. Voodoo 3 is probably a better choice for those games. Having said that I have played Unreal 1 (Low settings @512x384) on my 300Mhz Pentium MMX with 4mb Voodoo 1. It was playable to be honest. Certainly not silky smooth, but I think quite representative of how people played it back then.

I used Voodoo2 SLI back in the day and the 8Mb cards were gimped in both performance and resolution over the 12Mb cards, the 12Mb cards in SLI handled 1024x768 with little issue the 8Mb cards were locked to 800x600 and were about 10-15 FPS behind the 12Mb cards in performance. 10-15 FPS doesn't sound like much but it was huge back then and you really did want to get as much FPS as you could out of your hardware, I think modern GPUs have spoiled people 🤣. I remember playing some games at 10FPS and being stoked at that, that said games back then didnt seem to be as heavily impacted by FPS as modern games are and CRT screens could hide a multitude of slide show sins.

If I had to pick systems for the 8Mb cards then what you suggest sounds about right, lower end systems that are restricted to 640x480 where the 8Mb cards would excel at.

Need For Speed II SE was one that benefited from a 12 vs 8 MiB Voodoo 2. On a 12 MiB, there was enough texture memory to also display the dash board when using inside camera, the 8 MiB didn't. Which was the reason, I upgraded from an 8 to a 12 MiB within 3'ish months 🤣

PcBytes wrote on 2025-03-01, 11:06:

I'm unfortunately down with a (rather severe) cold but hopefully I'm getting one of the 2 job lots from my scrapper the following weeks.

I also saved an ad on the bay for Xeon P3s (550/100/512 I think?) for one of the boards - an XG-DLS. I have absolutely ZERO (both physically and in knowledge) of those Slot 2 beasts yet I'm not giving up on getting it working.

There's something about voltage on the Xeon P3s. Some are 5/12V, others are 2.8V (AFAIR) depending on if they have internal supply circuitry or not. I don't know how catastrophic it would be to use the wrong one, and which version the XG-DLS uses.

And if it's even an issue on the Tanners Xeons or only applies to Cascades (which is somewhat Coppermine based).

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-03-03, 13:52:

Need For Speed II SE was one that benefited from a 12 vs 8 MiB Voodoo 2. On a 12 MiB, there was enough texture memory to also display the dash board when using inside camera, the 8 MiB didn't. Which was the reason, I upgraded from an 8 to a 12 MiB within 3'ish months 🤣

I have a 12Mb Voodoo 2 in my Pentium II 300Mhz machine. There is no dash in 3DFX mode. But there is in Software mode. What am I doing wrong? I just assumed it was a quirk of glide mode in this game.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:16:

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-02, 18:22:

The Voodoo 2s have surfaced back on eBay....

What makes you think its the same ones?

same, fairly distinctive passthrough cable

same model numbers and other identifying marks from the original auciton

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:33:

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:16:

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-02, 18:22:

The Voodoo 2s have surfaced back on eBay....

What makes you think its the same ones?

same, fairly distinctive passthrough cable

same model numbers and other identifying marks from the original auciton

Yes. It's the exact same cards. The markings on the SLI cable, placement of stickers on the cards and the funky blue-ended passthrough cable are all clearly identical, even with the blurry photos.

Also, they sold less than a week after the other one sold, both in the UK. Makes perfect sense.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:42:

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:33:

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 07:16:

What makes you think its the same ones?

same, fairly distinctive passthrough cable

same model numbers and other identifying marks from the original auciton

Yes. It's the exact same cards.

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:44:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:42:

Lostdotfish wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:33:

same, fairly distinctive passthrough cable

same model numbers and other identifying marks from the original auciton

Yes. It's the exact same cards.

Yeah, what are the chances that two pairs of Voodoo IIs that have all identical features would not only have that same weird aftermarket passthrough cable but ALSO be sold in the UK within a week?

Not that it really matters. People buy stuff. People sell stuff. At least the seller bothered to install them in a system... though not having a 3D game running means they were only partially tested. Still, it's a lot better than the guys that just grab lots of scrap boards and then dump the valuable items back on ebay with zero testing, listed as "used pulls from a working environment" as if they were just taken out of a workstation in an office somewhere. When asking about this practice I've been told that old stuff usually works so they don't need to test them. Nice, so lying about the condition is okay then. Keep it classy sellers. -_-

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-03-03, 14:15:

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-03-03, 13:52:

Need For Speed II SE was one that benefited from a 12 vs 8 MiB Voodoo 2. On a 12 MiB, there was enough texture memory to also display the dash board when using inside camera, the 8 MiB didn't. Which was the reason, I upgraded from an 8 to a 12 MiB within 3'ish months 🤣

I have a 12Mb Voodoo 2 in my Pentium II 300Mhz machine. There is no dash in 3DFX mode. But there is in Software mode. What am I doing wrong? I just assumed it was a quirk of glide mode in this game.

That's weird. I'm pretty sure it was like that 🤔 does it report all its memory?

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-03-03, 18:57:

That's weird. I'm pretty sure it was like that 🤔 does it report all its memory?

The Voodoo driver reports 4mb framebuffer, 8mb texture memory.

Major Jackyl wrote on 2025-03-03, 05:13:

The "Mystery Machines" are two Dells, a Dimension L733R(s370, no AGP) and an Optiplex GX300 (dual slot 1)

The attachment 20250302_225524.jpg is no longer available

I still have an L733R (or similar, but I think that's the same number) that I got from a relative. I almost got rid of it, but it survived the culling.
It's the smallest case I've come across that still uses a standard size ATX power supply.

shamino wrote on 2025-03-04, 01:38:

Major Jackyl wrote on 2025-03-03, 05:13:

The "Mystery Machines" are two Dells, a Dimension L733R(s370, no AGP) and an Optiplex GX300 (dual slot 1)

The attachment 20250302_225524.jpg is no longer available

I still have an L733R (or similar, but I think that's the same number) that I got from a relative. I almost got rid of it, but it survived the culling.
The thing that made it interesting to me is that it's a small case that still uses a standard size ATX power supply.

Oh, how I wish that were so. It may be "ATX-Shaped" but it is one of the proprietary DELL PSUs, with the switched pins on the 20 and a whole new thing, P2, with all blue wires. It is quite amazing how small it is, though. Not much weight to it, either. I have a FX5200PCI that might make it a usable "gaming" computer (again?). Otherwise stuck with on-board. Looks like the thing was in art class, then storage, then a shitty garage, then to me. Got paint all over it and full of dead insects. Ick. For ONE DOLLAR, I was not about to leave it to die.

Major Jackyl wrote on 2025-03-04, 01:50:

shamino wrote on 2025-03-04, 01:38:

Major Jackyl wrote on 2025-03-03, 05:13:

The "Mystery Machines" are two Dells, a Dimension L733R(s370, no AGP) and an Optiplex GX300 (dual slot 1)

The attachment 20250302_225524.jpg is no longer available

I still have an L733R (or similar, but I think that's the same number) that I got from a relative. I almost got rid of it, but it survived the culling.
The thing that made it interesting to me is that it's a small case that still uses a standard size ATX power supply.

Oh, how I wish that were so. It may be "ATX-Shaped" but it is one of the proprietary DELL PSUs, with the switched pins on the 20 and a whole new thing, P2, with all blue wires. It is quite amazing how small it is, though. Not much weight to it, either. I have a FX5200PCI that might make it a usable "gaming" computer (again?). Otherwise stuck with on-board. Looks like the thing was in art class, then storage, then a shitty garage, then to me. Got paint all over it and full of dead insects. Ick. For ONE DOLLAR, I was not about to leave it to die.

I just checked mine - what I have is an L667r, but presumably the case and mobo are probably the same (Celeron 667 vs 733).
I don't have the original PSU in it anymore but maybe it was the goofy Dell pinout.

I compared with a standard microATX motherboard I have handy and it looks like the mounting points match. So you should be able to put a standard microATX board in this case, and of course a standard PSU to match. However the case has all the front panel connections tied together, not separate. So at least some motherboards would need some adaptation on the power/reset/etc hookups.

shamino wrote on 2025-03-04, 02:11:

I just checked mine - what I have is an L667r, but presumably the case and mobo are probably the same (Celeron 667 vs 733). I do […]
Show full quote

Major Jackyl wrote on 2025-03-04, 01:50:

shamino wrote on 2025-03-04, 01:38:

I still have an L733R (or similar, but I think that's the same number) that I got from a relative. I almost got rid of it, but it survived the culling.
The thing that made it interesting to me is that it's a small case that still uses a standard size ATX power supply.

Oh, how I wish that were so. It may be "ATX-Shaped" but it is one of the proprietary DELL PSUs, with the switched pins on the 20 and a whole new thing, P2, with all blue wires. It is quite amazing how small it is, though. Not much weight to it, either. I have a FX5200PCI that might make it a usable "gaming" computer (again?). Otherwise stuck with on-board. Looks like the thing was in art class, then storage, then a shitty garage, then to me. Got paint all over it and full of dead insects. Ick. For ONE DOLLAR, I was not about to leave it to die.

I just checked mine - what I have is an L667r, but presumably the case and mobo are probably the same (Celeron 667 vs 733).
I don't have the original PSU in it anymore but maybe it was the goofy Dell pinout.

I compared with a standard microATX motherboard I have handy and it looks like the mounting points match. So you should be able to put a standard microATX board in this case, and of course a standard PSU to match. However the case has all the front panel connections tied together, not separate. So at least some motherboards would need some adaptation on the power/reset/etc hookups.

Hmmm. I hadn't even though about that, 🤣
Yeah. Put a more "modern" computer in there! Can't be anything hot, though, don't looks like this thing has any lungs. If this thing ends up "unfixable" I might try that.

Got this absolutely filthy unit today for free from another customer:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:52:

... the guys that just grab lots of scrap boards and then dump the valuable items back on ebay with zero testing, listed as "used pulls from a working environment" as if they were just taken out of a workstation in an office somewhere. When asking about this practice I've been told that old stuff usually works so they don't need to test them. Nice, so lying about the condition is okay then. Keep it classy sellers. -_-

I'm OK with that on Ebay (well, not really OK, but I can deal with it) - as long as the seller list it as "used", I'll have Ebay on my side and refund me if the item doesn't work.
On the other hand, there's a guy in the local flea market that does exactly this - pulls stuff without testing them and sells them at rip-off prices. Since he always has a large stand of hardward on display, people fall for his crap all the time. I only bought one thing and luckily he didn't damage it too much (small resistor crushed near the chipset of a motherboard that he pulled the chipset heatsink off of), so I was able to repair it. Didn't want to bother talking to him, because I know he won't budge and deny all fault. Worse, when I inquired about another item, he double the price on me from what he had last time, since he though I wasn't aware of prices and would just throw him business like some of the other clueless people. Ha, NOPE! That board that I got from him was the first and last time he'd get a penny out of me. And I spread the word to others in that place.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-03-04, 03:38:

Got this absolutely filthy unit today for free from another customer:

Nice little find.
Looks like the mobo needs caps too, besides the cleaning.
Probably worth checking the PSU for the same as well. AcBel are decent units otherwise. I recapped a similar mATX unit for a P3 IBM last summer. Really nice PSU FWIW, just needed a few new caps on the output.

momaka wrote on 2025-03-04, 10:38:

I'm OK with that on Ebay (well, not really OK, but I can deal with it) - as long as the seller list it as "used", I'll have Ebay […]
Show full quote

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-03-03, 16:52:

... the guys that just grab lots of scrap boards and then dump the valuable items back on ebay with zero testing, listed as "used pulls from a working environment" as if they were just taken out of a workstation in an office somewhere. When asking about this practice I've been told that old stuff usually works so they don't need to test them. Nice, so lying about the condition is okay then. Keep it classy sellers. -_-

I'm OK with that on Ebay (well, not really OK, but I can deal with it) - as long as the seller list it as "used", I'll have Ebay on my side and refund me if the item doesn't work.
On the other hand, there's a guy in the local flea market that does exactly this - pulls stuff without testing them and sells them at rip-off prices. Since he always has a large stand of hardward on display, people fall for his crap all the time. I only bought one thing and luckily he didn't damage it too much (small resistor crushed near the chipset of a motherboard that he pulled the chipset heatsink off of), so I was able to repair it. Didn't want to bother talking to him, because I know he won't budge and deny all fault. Worse, when I inquired about another item, he double the price on me from what he had last time, since he though I wasn't aware of prices and would just throw him business like some of the other clueless people. Ha, NOPE! That board that I got from him was the first and last time he'd get a penny out of me. And I spread the word to others in that place.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-03-04, 03:38:

Got this absolutely filthy unit today for free from another customer:

Nice little find.
Looks like the mobo needs caps too, besides the cleaning.
Probably worth checking the PSU for the same as well. AcBel are decent units otherwise. I recapped a similar mATX unit for a P3 IBM last summer. Really nice PSU FWIW, just needed a few new caps on the output.

Good eye! Yeah, looks like it needs a few for sure.

Picked up this Herc Dynamite TNT from the Bay for 25$. Pretty neat, I believe it's the fastest stock TNT Gen 1 produced at 98Mhz Core 125Mhz Mem. The active cooling is nifty as well.