Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a DVD-RAM disc or dedicated drive in the wild. Love those caddies too.

I kind of wish caddies for optical media had taken off. I understand why they didn't ($$), but it makes storing & using them so much more convenient.

Yep they were very expensive. Just now I'am playing with it, classic CD/DVD working, DVD-RAMs not reading. Maybe need software, need search more information about.
You can use cartridge or without it.

a NOS case with "97" style.
Hercules Terminator 3D/DX 4M PCI S3 ViRGE/DX

Amazing case, where do you keep finding these 😕

Predator99 wrote:

Just got this as a part of a (overpriced!) lot...: :depressed: […]
Show full quote

Just got this as a part of a (overpriced!) lot...: 😢

mgavlb.jpg

Dont know if this was a good deal, but this one
http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/cpu/item/ … ima-ultima-plus

seems to be quite cool and unique.

Whats the upper card? Ethernet? There are 3 of them...anybody recognizes the logo with the dots?

Arrived today:

Beautiful card, but...

...looks like it has already been fixed? 😐

The other card is indeed a Thomas Conrad Ethernet. I like these, but unfortunately they dont have a ROM socket and TP-connectors:

From another cheap scrap-lot 😎

appiah4 wrote:

Amazing case, where do you keep finding these 😕

A company bought it many years ago, but they never used it.

Whoever did the soldering on that video card completely botched it up. It is very easy to see that some of the legs are soldered/shorted together.

cyclone3d wrote:

Whoever did the soldering on that video card completely botched it up. It is very easy to see that some of the legs are soldered/shorted together.

Some no-clean flux and a heat gun should clean that up.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SRA-312-No-Clean-Flu … S!-1:rk:52:pf:0

I use no-clean flux when I either reflow the solder, remove solder using the solder wick or desoldering iron, or make the soldering work faster.

chose007 wrote:

Yep they were very expensive. Just now I'am playing with it, classic CD/DVD working, DVD-RAMs not reading. Maybe need software, need search more information about.
You can use cartridge or without it.

I would assume just _reading_ a (formatted) RAM-disc with something on it should work in any DVD drive, regardless of software. As long as the drive itself has reading ability (check status with a program, Nero DiscSpeed or Opti Drive Control etc). I guess(!) it would be treated as any old DVD disc.

But if the disc is brand new and empty, then you have to format it, before transferring files (via winXP, not sure about win98), AND first install a driver for the OS of course.

I've gotten 'DVD-RAM Driver 5.0.2.5' to work in XP, formatting and writing to the disc. And also found a driver for win98('LF-D311' for Panasonic drive), not tested any writing, as current drive(in the win98 PC) does not have that option ticked (when analyzed by software). Non-caddy version (4.7gb Panasonic discs).

As for operations in DOS etc, I have yet no clue though, untested... Was more than hard enough to make it work in XP... 😵

Some drivers from ftp.panasonic.com, not really tested (+pdf 'manual' located a few lines above):

bjwil1991 wrote:

I use no-clean flux when I either reflow the solder, remove solder using the solder wick or desoldering iron, or make the soldering work faster.

Yes, I will remove that with my desoldering gun and report. But if the previous owner turned it on in that state it is most likely trash anyway...

Good luck, man.

I received something in the mail today from liqmatrix!

Motherboard w/ a 486 DX4-100! Yesss!

Oh! There's more stuff in the box!

Huh. What goes there?

And what are these for?

O-Oh, I see!

I'm super excited! There were also some AT backplanes in the package, along with P3-1000 and P3-1266 CPUs and a new Intel NIC. 😀 Will probably save all of this for when the cold weather hits and turn these into winter projects. 😀

Was away for almost a week and came back to find some parcels had arrived...

Despite the underwhelming performance, I've always had a weak spot for VRAM and mid 1990s Diamond boards, so had to go for this upgrade Stealth3D 3000 (Virge/VX).

Then there's the Matrox lot on the right. Had sort of hoped the G400 was actually a max that had lost its fan, but no, just a regular G400. The Parhelia 512 -128MB is pretty neat though.

Further back there's the SB16, a CT2910, so a real OPL3, a good low-noise CT1703-A and best of all: non-PnP, all resources can be configged by good old jumpers.

Also got a GoldenOrb rip-off, not from Thermaltake, but the design looks identical. That thing is going on some or other P3.

Also got a GoldenOrb rip-off, not from Thermaltake, but the design looks identical. That thing is going on some or other P3.

I have one of those and it's really loud. I don't like it. It's too loud. I am going to remove it and go with a standard heatsink.
I need a silent PC. My PSU is silent. Just the Thermaltake Golden orb is too loud. Maybe if you can get some sort of fan speed controller to slow down the fan because it spins at FULL speed.

dionb wrote:

Then there's the Matrox lot on the right. Had sort of hoped the G400 was actually a max that had lost its fan, but no, just a regular G400. The Parhelia 512 -128MB is pretty neat though.

That Parhelia is a beauty. Nice score!

Always wondered why Matrox used those LONG VGA connectors. Was it extra shielding, did they hide ICs under there, or did they just want to move the pins farther back on the board? Anyone know?

Predator99 wrote:

The other card is indeed a Thomas Conrad Ethernet. I like these, but unfortunately they dont have a ROM socket and TP-connectors:

Just learned...this is no ethernet..!

https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/network-cards/T/ … ary-TC3045.html
https://books.google.de/books?id=qRzjFB6Ic3oC … -conrad&f=false

Its a proprietary interface with 100mbit over the ISA bus 😎

xjas wrote:

... Always wondered why Matrox used those LONG VGA connectors. Was it extra shielding, did they hide ICs under there, or did they just want to move the pins farther back on the board? Anyone know?

Looking at photos of a G450, some models traded a VGA output for a DVI, and the DVI port's holes are positioned closer to the slot cover than those of the VGA's. The other VGA port seemingly could also be replaced but I'm not sure with what (S-Video jack, maybe?).

Apparently a high performance evolution of ARCNet. Cool.

I actually used to have a twisted pair ARCNet hub.