ODwilly I suppose the board is made by Intel. That would explain the unpopular chip set and the third power connector. My (much later) PD440FX PCB features this connector as well, yet it has not been soldered during assembly.

I suggest you test resistance between the connector and GND, +5V, +12V wires to make sure there'll be no fireworks once you connect it.

It looks like it could be one of those Gateway "Animga" boards.

http://webpages.charter.net/dperr/micronics/anigma.htm

Vetz... is that the $50 BIN ASUS P/I-XP55T2P4 from USA that I had somehow forgotten to follow up on? (guess I didn't like the ebay's buyer protection program... doubles the cost for overseas)

archsan wrote:

Vetz... is that the $50 BIN ASUS P/I-XP55T2P4 from USA that I had somehow forgotten to follow up on? (guess I didn't like the ebay's buyer protection program... doubles the cost for overseas)

Nope, I bought my board from Germany. http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mainboard-ASUS-P-I-XP5 … =item566859e270. The P55T2P4 (AT version) I found in the US: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Asus-P-I-P55T2P4-Moth … =item233f12655f

RacoonRider wrote:

vetz, these are really solid motherboards! I've got the exact same AT version. The fact that it has not got the COAST slot means that it already has full 512Kb L2 cache. The empty DIP sockets are for TAG RAM to remove 64MB caheable RAM limit.

btw, the XP55T2P4 was bundled with ASUS I-A16C sound card (Vibra16C). I have the card but not the board.

It's a kickass motherboard. It was actually THE motherboard to get in 1997 as reviews was going crazy for it. The AT version is the latest revision and full 512kb L2 cache. I already have a TAG RAM DIP ready to place in it.

The XP55T2P4 is revision 1.3, and is from early 1996. It does not support higher FSBs than 66mhz and it does not even officially support the MMX CPUs. It is missing a voltage regulator for 2.8V. Also it is the only ATX board I've seen with a Dallas RTC chip and not a coin battery. I choose to go for this board because of these quirks, but also since it had an ATX power supply connector (other boards, even later revisions I've seen has only AT connector).

Meljor wrote:

Wow! nice Asus boards! Can`t seem to find these anywere in my country (never use ebay).

Great stuff, love the atx version.

They are no that uncommon as they were very popular back in 1996/1997, so you might be in luck someday 😀

@gramcon, I think that the third power connector on the 486 board is for PCI cards that need 3.3V.

You're correct. Not necessary to connect unless you have PCI cards that need it.

How many programs/games could use Roland MPU-401 (MIDI) on MCA systems?

Not known, but a few. Raymangold have a thread about it here on Vogons. I plan on using it in another system than his, so hopefully I'll get more working.

vetz wrote:

Nope, I bought my board from Germany. http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mainboard-ASUS-P-I-XP5 … =item566859e270.

Well I missed that too. What a deal! 😀

Nec PC-FX GA
It arrived today. Apparently it has never been used, since it has no insertion marks on the board. But I'll have to dig an image from the floppy disk, since it didn't came with it. I payed the equivalent of U$250,00 for it, easily the most expensive retro thing I ever bought... it's a shame it has no more than half a dozen games worth trying.
These are the seller's photos, but since they are good, I see no point in taking new ones.

Nec made some brutal things in the 80s 90s.

The Zida Create LX-CT lives!
I'm pretty sure it's brand new board and it's very well featured with Creative 3D Audio and on board USB controller, but no USB ports so I'm assuming it's on a header.
Celeron 366 (Mendocino) and a Voodoo 3 AGP, which actually works, which is a bonus.
The AT 300w PSU works a treat and is also new.
Not sure which case to put this in as my only AT case is in use.

I finally purchased a true IBM Model M clicky keyboard...well actually, I purchased a few of them, mostly in pretty crappy shape with missing keys, but I have enough of them to put together at least 2 complete keyboards from all the incomplete ones I got...(here are some of the sellers photos...I have not had time to take ones of my own).

...that said, one of the ones was totally complete (not pictured - I will upload new pics soon)

So happy right now...I never knew that using a true clicky keyboard could make DOS gaming so much more enjoyable. I think for me it's because I played most old DOS games on my friends old IBM that had a clicky keyboard. I know they are widely available online, but I found it hard to find one at a decent price....It was one thing on my list for a while now, and I finally found one for a very good price.

I need SDL to PS/2 cables for a couple of them though (including the one that is in near mint condition (not pictured)....has anyone here made one of these cables?

81ramirez wrote:

Nec PC-FX GA
It arrived today. Apparently it has never been used, since it has no insertion marks on the board. But I'll have to dig an image from the floppy disk, since it didn't came with it. I payed the equivalent of U$250,00 for it, easily the most expensive retro thing I ever bought... it's a shame it has no more than half a dozen games worth trying.

I'm not one to say "I'm glad I don't have console XYZ", but PC-FX is not a system I'd go to any effort to acquire.

I nearly bought one in Akiba, but passed on it because of luggage space... Well that was the excuse at that moment, luggage space didn't stop me buying Saturn Virtual On sticks! 😜

Be sure to let us know how you get on with this!

81ramirez wrote:

Nec PC-FX GA http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/903/ysydGL.jpg […]
Show full quote

Nec PC-FX GA

I wonder if the gamepad is limited to supported by PC-FX GA games only.

SquallStrife wrote:

I'm not one to say "I'm glad I don't have console XYZ", but PC-FX is not a system I'd go to any effort to acquire. […]
Show full quote

81ramirez wrote:

Nec PC-FX GA
It arrived today. Apparently it has never been used, since it has no insertion marks on the board. But I'll have to dig an image from the floppy disk, since it didn't came with it. I payed the equivalent of U$250,00 for it, easily the most expensive retro thing I ever bought... it's a shame it has no more than half a dozen games worth trying.

I'm not one to say "I'm glad I don't have console XYZ", but PC-FX is not a system I'd go to any effort to acquire.

I nearly bought one in Akiba, but passed on it because of luggage space... Well that was the excuse at that moment, luggage space didn't stop me buying Saturn Virtual On sticks! 😜

Be sure to let us know how you get on with this!

I'd certainly feel more comfortable with this system, if it was backward compatible with PC-Engine. It's unbelievable the way that Nec managed to fuck-up its entire library with that anime/whatever thing they did. The other interesting aspect of this board (other than being a videogame ISA board), is that it apparently has a 3D chip onboard, that was an (never released) add-on for the PCFX.
I don't know about the reliability of this article: http://www.giantbomb.com/nec-pc-9801/3045-112/
It says it had polygon rendering performance surpassing the Playstation, and that it was the most powerful 3D graphics card on the market up until it was surpassed by the PowerVR... but in my opinion, it doesn't sound quite believable.

Anyway, I decided to buy this board after being severely outbid in two 3DO Blaster auction... ridiculous isn't it??? Who knows... maybe someday both will coexist in one of my system...

RacoonRider wrote:

81ramirez wrote:

Nec PC-FX GA http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/903/ysydGL.jpg […]
Show full quote

Nec PC-FX GA

I wonder if the gamepad is limited to supported by PC-FX GA games only.

I'm wondering the exact same thing. It would be better yet, if it was built for a 5 1/4 bay.
When I get the time to test it, I'll probably make a thread bout for it.

Number Nine #GXE64 PRO 4MB (1994)
This card was pretty expensive back in 1994.

Nice Vetz! I have the VLB version of that one.

Artex wrote:

Nice Vetz! I have the VLB version of that one.

You've gotten hold of the VLB version of the PRO card as well now?... I only have the GXE64 (Vision864) as VLB (and also as PCI)

vetz wrote:

Artex wrote:

Nice Vetz! I have the VLB version of that one.

You've gotten hold of the VLB version of the PRO card as well now?... I only have the GXE64 (Vision864) as VLB (and also as PCI)

Ahh.. Missed the "Pro" part. Mines the plain old GXE64.

Vetz - is that a SCSI connector on the GXE64Pro? And what's the "VGA Pass Through" do?

obobskivich wrote:

Vetz - is that a SCSI connector on the GXE64Pro? And what's the "VGA Pass Through" do?

It's not a SCSI connector, even though it looks like one. Its a sort of VGA pass through as well. Pass through were popular on MPEG cards back in the days. It's just an internal connector for the VGA image to another card.

"VGA Feature Connector"

vetz wrote:

obobskivich wrote:

Vetz - is that a SCSI connector on the GXE64Pro? And what's the "VGA Pass Through" do?

It's not a SCSI connector, even though it looks like one. Its a sort of VGA pass through as well. Pass through were popular on MPEG cards back in the days. It's just an internal connector for the VGA image to another card.

Oh so like those STB IMPACT cards or something like that?