VOGONS


First post, by ocdmonkey

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So, finally got a Voodoo 3 card, only to find out that my current Windows 98 computer has the wrong kind of AGP (1.5 V instead of 3.3 V). Not one to give up easily, I found that most of my motherboards with an AGP on them have a 1.5 V one, save for one off of a Dell Windows 98 computer from my childhood. Only problem is that it has that ATX 6-wire AUX connection that looks like the AT style connectors, and the only one PSU I could find with that connection seems to be dead. So, now after searching I've found a few possible PSUs, but on Amazon I also found this:

https://www.amazon.com/FSP-Pin-ATX-6-Pin-Conn … n+AUX+connector

Now, I don't have anywhere near a complete understanding of how power works, but my extremely limited understanding makes me more than a bit skeptical of this. However, if it does work, it would save me around $20 on a complete PSU, assuming I can find a normal ATX PSU in my collection that works (which I believe I should). So, basically, I'm wondering if anyone here would know if this adapter is a sound idea, or if I should just get a PSU with the proper connector.

Sorry if this was a little bit of a rambling question, I just wanted to make sure I gave any possibly relevant context. Thanks in advance for any help!

Reply 1 of 7, by yawetaG

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Well, if it provides the proper voltages to the proper cables it could theoretically work, although I'm not sure whether a proprietary Dell PSU has any other differences beyond the connectors and voltages themselves. Someone else who can shine a light on that?

*eyeballs FireWire to USB connector that shows up in "Customers Also Shopped For" and that can't possibly work - fortunately not the same seller*

Reply 2 of 7, by Anonymous Freak

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Look up your model of Dell's tech specs - Dell had a period where they were notorious for using power plugs that look like some existing standard, but aren't quite it. We had a bunch at work where the "CPU AUX" power plug looked like a PCIe 6-pin plug (where most motherboards use either a 4-pin or an 8-pin CPU AUX plug,) but of course it was both physically incompatible, and electrically different layout.

Over the course of the last year, every single one of those Dell power supplies has failed. (six of 'em.) We slowly retired the machines, but the last machine was the primary desktop of a VP. We cannibalized parts from the last other working one to fix his when it died - then it died again a few months later. Had to special order a new power supply.

Reply 3 of 7, by Anonymous Freak

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yawetaG wrote:

*eyeballs FireWire to USB connector that shows up in "Customers Also Shopped For" and that can't possibly work - fortunately not the same seller*

What the everloving frack are those?!?! I thought "yawetaG had to be seeing things", went and looked. I'll be damned they exist.

WHY???

Seriously, what possible use could those adapters exist for?

Reply 4 of 7, by tayyare

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yawetaG wrote:

Well, if it provides the proper voltages to the proper cables it could theoretically work, although I'm not sure whether a proprietary Dell PSU has any other differences beyond the connectors and voltages themselves. Someone else who can shine a light on that?

*eyeballs FireWire to USB connector that shows up in "Customers Also Shopped For" and that can't possibly work - fortunately not the same seller*

Actually they work but in a different manner. You will have a USB cable, and two of these connectors. Plug them both ends, and you will have a firewire cable. I had a travel pack like that in the past. It had RJ11, RJ45 and firewire plugs that can be attached to the tips of a single USB cable, which also came with it. I'm not sure if USB cable was a standard one or a specialized one. Idea was having 4 different cables available with a single physical cable I guess.

GA-6VTXE PIII 1.4+512MB
Geforce4 Ti 4200 64MB
Diamond Monster 3D 12MB SLI
SB AWE64 PNP+32MB
120GB IDE Samsung/80GB IDE Seagate/146GB SCSI Compaq/73GB SCSI IBM
Adaptec AHA29160
3com 3C905B-TX
Gotek+CF Reader
MSDOS 6.22+Win 3.11/95 OSR2.1/98SE/ME/2000

Reply 5 of 7, by yawetaG

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tayyare wrote:
yawetaG wrote:

*eyeballs FireWire to USB connector that shows up in "Customers Also Shopped For" and that can't possibly work - fortunately not the same seller*

Actually they work but in a different manner. You will have a USB cable, and two of these connectors. Plug them both ends, and you will have a firewire cable. I had a travel pack like that in the past. It had RJ11, RJ45 and firewire plugs that can be attached to the tips of a single USB cable, which also came with it. I'm not sure if USB cable was a standard one or a specialized one. Idea was having 4 different cables available with a single physical cable I guess.

I wonder what the performance of that cable would be like for the non-USB uses. Firewire is specced for much higher speeds than USB, and a network cable has a very different build than a USB cable.

Reply 6 of 7, by ocdmonkey

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Thank you so much yawetaG and Anonymous Freak! Since the normal aux cable fit I never would have thought to check if it was different. Thankfully I still have the manual for the computer I took it from, and it was a Dell Dimension XPS Rxxx system. Found a cable at a lower price as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Connector-Adapter … R/dp/B0042GMAY2

Reply 7 of 7, by tayyare

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yawetaG wrote:
tayyare wrote:
yawetaG wrote:

*eyeballs FireWire to USB connector that shows up in "Customers Also Shopped For" and that can't possibly work - fortunately not the same seller*

Actually they work but in a different manner. You will have a USB cable, and two of these connectors. Plug them both ends, and you will have a firewire cable. I had a travel pack like that in the past. It had RJ11, RJ45 and firewire plugs that can be attached to the tips of a single USB cable, which also came with it. I'm not sure if USB cable was a standard one or a specialized one. Idea was having 4 different cables available with a single physical cable I guess.

I wonder what the performance of that cable would be like for the non-USB uses. Firewire is specced for much higher speeds than USB, and a network cable has a very different build than a USB cable.

I used the usb one, the network one and the modem one. It was years ago (hint: modem 🤣) but I remember all being working correctly. I can't say anything about the speed though, but this is something you use in business trips at hotel rooms for short connections/small tasks like updating your inbox or sending some emails, etc., so speed was probably not that important, at least for me.

Actually it was given to us project managers by the company I was working for. Cheap Chinese stuff. It was a very similar thing like that (without that many cables but all the connectors):

sku_34007_1.jpg

GA-6VTXE PIII 1.4+512MB
Geforce4 Ti 4200 64MB
Diamond Monster 3D 12MB SLI
SB AWE64 PNP+32MB
120GB IDE Samsung/80GB IDE Seagate/146GB SCSI Compaq/73GB SCSI IBM
Adaptec AHA29160
3com 3C905B-TX
Gotek+CF Reader
MSDOS 6.22+Win 3.11/95 OSR2.1/98SE/ME/2000