What would you do with a Tualatin PC with ISA slot in an SFF case? \ VOGONS

What would you do with a Tualatin PC with ISA slot in an SFF case?

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First post, by RetroPCCupboard

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I have acquired a small PC in a MicroATX low profile case. The motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-6VEML.

It supports Tualatin (currently has a 1.3Ghz Celeron). Has an ISA slot. There is no AGP slot. It has onboard Trident Blade3D graphics.

According to this, the onboard audio works in DOS:

VIA 686B AC'97 audio works really well in DOS (SB Pro stereo + OPL3 emulation!)

So, what would you do with it?

The ISA slot seems a little wasted here to me, as I am not aware of any low profile ISA soundcards. For PCI video there aren't too many options that I think make sense here.

Thoughts?

Reply 1 of 8, by cyclone3d

Posted on Today, 19:08

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Put it in a different case? Make an external enclosure and extension cables so you can use the slots?

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Reply 2 of 8, by wierd_w

Posted on Today, 19:11

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There's an old thread about low profile isa soundcards, but with a functional onboard one I question why.

Any low profile ISA/EISA sound card out there.

I'd want to put dualboot svardos + winxp setup on there, and use it for a compact game appliance.

Reply 3 of 8, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on Today, 21:20

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cyclone3d wrote on Today, 19:08:
Put it in a different case? Make an external enclosure and extension cables so you can use the slots?

Yeah, it does seem to me that better use could be made out of the Tualatin with a full-size PCI slot.

wierd_w wrote on Today, 19:11:

There's an old thread about low profile isa soundcards, but with a functional onboard one I question why.

Any low profile ISA/EISA sound card out there.

I'd want to put dualboot svardos + winxp setup on there, and use it for a compact game appliance.

I would think that it wont be as compatible as genuine soundblaster. But, yeah, I should try onboard audio

Reply 4 of 8, by NeoG_

Posted on Today, 21:24

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A PicoGUS and a WP32 or WavetablePi

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Reply 5 of 8, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on 59 minutes ago

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wierd_w wrote on Today, 19:11:

I'd want to put dualboot svardos + winxp setup on there, and use it for a compact game appliance.

I have never heard of svardos. I see now that it was based on FreeDOS (which I have heard of).

Is there any reason in particular you'd use that OS over MS-DOS?

Reply 6 of 8, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on 31 minutes ago

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NeoG_ wrote on Today, 21:24:

A PicoGUS and a WP32 or WavetablePi

I have been considering getting a PicoGUS for another PC. But that isn't low profile, so won't fit in this case.

I kinda bought this PC without looking properly. Just saw ISA and Tualatin then hit the "Buy" button, as was cheap. I noticed afterwards the lack of AGP.

Reply 7 of 8, by Major Jackyl

Posted on 18 minutes ago

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I have a similar board. I use it only for testing Tualatin CPUs without taking apart my primary Tually PC (which has TUSL2).

I also ran windows 7 on it, for a good laugh. The 20GB drive was basically completely consumed and it took maybe 4+ hours? Absolutely useless after that, 🤣 No drivers for the VGA or audio in windows 7, not that it matters much; absolute slug-fest

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Reply 8 of 8, by Shponglefan

Posted on 8 minutes ago

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Lack of AGP seems like a big hindrance to a Tualatin level system. Unless maybe running a Voodoo4 or 5 PCI card maybe?

But if the intent is to keep it in the existing case, then not a lot of options.

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