Mandrew wrote on 2025-08-26, 08:43:

This one was originally paired with the Tulip AT compact and that shipped with both the MDA and the CGA option. I've yet to see a MDA card with a 6DIN connector but this has the original 6DIN-9pin cable included.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2025-08-26, 08:29:

Why did they use other type of connector? Most likely those monitors were also sold for other applications, such as bundled with some terminal

Good explanation, the same chassis was probably sold to multiple manufacturers based on application and the 6DIN connector was cost effective.

Yes, I saw that it was Tulip branded tube, but it is pretty much certain that it isn’t manufactured by them. As an european computer brand I can almost bet that the monitor is manufactured by Philips and nearly identical to what I disucssed, at best with some slight modifications in addition to the different badge. If I remember correctly, some of those Philips monitors had a fixed cable with 6-pin connector, but monitor was supplied with an adapter for PC-standard 9-pin. It is a simple and cheap solution when the monitor uses correct signaling, just a rewire.

The monitor was probably originally aimed towards some specific application, maybe a Philips made terminal or something. For other purposes they just supplied an adapter or specific cable as that doesn’t require any big changes in the chassis assembly line. So yes, cost optimization is the reason for this type of stuff, as it is pretty much always with choices regarding large scale manufacturing.

Today's loot secured on local auction saite.
Audigy 2ZS was dirt cheap, but with AWE64 Gold there is always 1 fellow collector even on obscure local sites so I had to stand my ground in bidding war. Still way below ebay prices.

I have my original Audigy card I bought back in days so bracket is not an issue. However with AWE64 Gold sourcing separate original bracket may cost me arm and leg.
Probably need to 3D print it...

Good catch.

Though I can't stand cards of any kind being sold without their bracket. Is it really worth taking it off for, let's say, a scrapper?

I picked up this Advantech PCM-5825 PC104 type single board computer used from China when I realised the NS Geode GX-1 is actually a Cyrix MediaGX, and therefore has great DOS and Win9x compatibility.

What is this format actually called? The manual seems to just refer to it as 3.5" drive size, which makes finding anything online next to impossible! Sure I've seen it referred to as "Biscuit" too? There is a PC/104 connector, but the format is longer?

To begin with I thought it was filthy with oil or something, but it seems like the whole board might have been covered in a kind of lacquer that has yellowed?

Only tested as far as BIOS and booting into DOS from a CF card - seems to work fine though!

Most of the connectors are 2mm pitch pins, and it came without the matching cables that break out to normal sized connectors. I can't imagine crimping 34 pins of a 2mm Dupont connector onto the end of a floppy cable will be much fun ...

The Chips&Technology M6900 graphics chip seems an odd choice - doesn't the MediaGX have integrated graphics?

PD2JK wrote on 2025-08-26, 19:16:

Good catch.

Though I can't stand cards of any kind being sold without their bracket. Is it really worth taking it off for, let's say, a scrapper?

Also interesting that this scrapper decided to put the bracket retention screw/bolt back on the AWE64 card. 🤔

pan069 wrote on 2025-08-26, 21:32:

PD2JK wrote on 2025-08-26, 19:16:

Good catch.
Though I can't stand cards of any kind being sold without their bracket. Is it really worth taking it off for, let's say, a scrapper?

Also interesting that this scrapper decided to put the bracket retention screw/bolt back on the AWE64 card. 🤔

Here is your explanation 😀

vutt wrote on 2025-08-27, 06:40:

pan069 wrote on 2025-08-26, 21:32:

PD2JK wrote on 2025-08-26, 19:16:

Good catch.
Though I can't stand cards of any kind being sold without their bracket. Is it really worth taking it off for, let's say, a scrapper?

Also interesting that this scrapper decided to put the bracket retention screw/bolt back on the AWE64 card. 🤔

Here is your explanation 😀

In true scrapper fashion. 😀

No, no, must have been one of the more careful ones... no teeth marks 😁

When I saw that on an auction site I could not resist... It is mine now and I'll be the coolest boomer in the open-space, at least according to me.

vutt wrote on 2025-08-27, 06:40:

pan069 wrote on 2025-08-26, 21:32:

PD2JK wrote on 2025-08-26, 19:16:

Good catch.
Though I can't stand cards of any kind being sold without their bracket. Is it really worth taking it off for, let's say, a scrapper?

Also interesting that this scrapper decided to put the bracket retention screw/bolt back on the AWE64 card. 🤔

Here is your explanation 😀

At least the card survived. She is a beauty.

Hi everyone,

Just received a pinnacle themed bundle, 2x pinnacle callisto rev 7.0 and a MovieBox USB (no psu, an it takes a 3.3v input.... hope it didn't received an over voltage ....). I already had one lonely breakout snake in my collection for the callisto card, so now I have 2 sets. The matrox breakout snake is also a good find, because I do have one matrox RT.X100 that was missing it. all for the low price of 10€.

Next, a 486 motherboard from Expertboard, the EXP8449 Rev1.0. Sold as is, with an issue on the cpu socket lever. Everything else seems good, no shorts, no leaking battery, no scratched traces.

A 486 board with PCI slots, I wonder who might have bought this back then...

mtest001 wrote on 2025-08-28, 11:38:

A 486 board with PCI slots, I wonder who might have bought this back then...

People who wanted to access the PCI slots. Besides, not all ISA only boards supports 3.3V CPUs, but every board with PCI slots support the 3.3V CPUs.

mtest001 wrote on 2025-08-28, 11:38:

A 486 board with PCI slots, I wonder who might have bought this back then...

There were a lot, actually, back when the AMD 5x86-133 was a budget alternative to a Pentium PC

dominusprog wrote on 2025-08-28, 11:56:

mtest001 wrote on 2025-08-28, 11:38:

A 486 board with PCI slots, I wonder who might have bought this back then...

People who wanted to access the PCI slots. Besides, not all ISA only boards supports 3.3V CPUs, but every board with PCI slots support the 3.3V CPUs.

PCI was around a couple of years before it took off, and there are P5 Pentium classic, 60 and 66Mhz boards with 5V PCI 1.0 so there may be a board or two around that are PCI 1.0 5V for 486 and officially max out with a DX2.... if an AT format board, they are probably recognisable by lack of onboard I/O, which is another pain in the butt about early PCI, since PCI multi i/o cards were super hard to find in 1995, never mind now.

Edit: Here is an example, socket 2, no 3.3V regulator in sight... https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/tekram-g486ip

I am now the proud owner of a 1950XT AGP, one of the last 3 cards I need for my collection.

First ISA/EISA in my 'collection' 😉

mtest001 wrote on 2025-08-28, 11:38:

A 486 board with PCI slots, I wonder who might have bought this back then...

PCI spec relesed in 1992, pentium didn't come out until 1993 so possibly quite a few people 😀
I have a Gateway 486 DX2 system to restore that has PCI slots..

Here are some of my acquisitions from the past few months. Thrift shops, Tip Shops, Garage Sales and of course eBay.

Bought Magewell Pro Capture AIO Video Capture Card. This is one that can capture VGA, audio on a PCIe card.

Hope this works well for vintage computer capturing. Will plan on getting another capture card made by Datapath Pro VGA, the true VGA capture card.
I have a ivy bridge 8 core HP Z420 workstation. Also got the SAS controller, 1.92TB SAS SSD to try out. Need to put these together.

Two Samsung SATA 100GB SATA SSDs, in silver 15mm height. As opposed to standard 9.5mm height in typical black.

Cheers,