Aublak wrote on 2020-09-27, 01:44:

Aublak wrote on 2020-09-23, 19:39:

So I've been drinking the 486 Koolaid lately and I decided I wanted to get into it. I don't really have a history with the 486 a […]
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So I've been drinking the 486 Koolaid lately and I decided I wanted to get into it. I don't really have a history with the 486 and yet here I am. I believe my first (family) computer was a Packard Bell with an early Pentium. Well maybe one of those school computers were likely a 386/486.

Anyways I bought this 486 mainboard (Epox GXA486SPM) along with a DX2, a Am5x86, and some unknown ram. Its missing it eprom chip, but I have a programmer arriving today. So we'll see how that goes.

Then I bought an entire 386sx computer because I just wanted the case. So now I guess I have a 386 as well. I don't even know how to get started with this, but I guess I'll figure it out as I go along.

The main thing I'm worried about is that PSU. I wouldn't know how to check it for safety.

So that Epox board isn't working out.

So I bought another 486 board (Biostar M B - 8433UUD - A). This one is going to need a bit of work.

Those are resistor packs but a bit of surface rust should not be a problem.

Artex wrote on 2020-09-25, 17:53:

So a word of caution, even if you list something as Not Accepting Returns, it's complete BS.

Been like that for quite some time. I remember posting about this some time back. "As-is" means absolutely nothing. Items are always returnable. Who pays the cost of the return can depend a bit. Many sellers know "as is" means nothing, but I think they like to put it in there to discourage the buyers who don't know any better. This cuts down on returns.

feipoa wrote on 2020-09-27, 09:57:

Artex wrote on 2020-09-25, 17:53:

So a word of caution, even if you list something as Not Accepting Returns, it's complete BS.

Been like that for quite some time. I remember posting about this some time back. "As-is" means absolutely nothing. Items are always returnable. Who pays the cost of the return can depend a bit. Many sellers know "as is" means nothing, but I think they like to put it in there to discourage the buyers who don't know any better. This cuts down on returns.

This one stings because the item left my possession working (and was sold as such) and is now being returned in supposedly non-working/degraded condition. So it's looking like I'm out not only the money paid for the item + shipping (and added insurance) + return shipping. Worst of all, I now will have a defective item that I can no longer sell for the price this piece sold for. It's a total joke and eBay did absolutely nothing to help.

Artex wrote on 2020-09-27, 15:07:

This one stings because the item left my possession working (and was sold as such) and is now being returned in supposedly non-working/degraded condition. So it's looking like I'm out not only the money paid for the item + shipping (and added insurance) + return shipping. Worst of all, I now will have a defective item that I can no longer sell for the price this piece sold for. It's a total joke and eBay did absolutely nothing to help.

Selling on ebay can be a very sketchy thing these days and I no longer do it because of situations like this.

Well i went and picked up that£8.50 lot today. A lot of it is junk but there is some nice parts in it too!

The AST machines are in good condition, with just superficial scratches to the cases. They weigh a tonne, and need a good clean. One is a P133 and the Other is a Pentium Pro 150

Here's some of the other bits in the lot

A Supermicro PIIIDR3! Intel 840 Dual Slot 1 Motherboard. Even has some RIMM's populated. This takes 133fsb CPU's. This will deffo be kept!

This looks like an Intel LX slot 1 motherboard, has a 233mmx CPU and bonus, OPL3 and OPL4 chips onboard

Another Dual CPU motherboard, SuperMicro P4DPE. Socket 603. Don't know what CPU's are under those heatsinks

A boxed Sound Blaster 16!

Overall worth the trip

Artex wrote on 2020-09-27, 15:07:

feipoa wrote on 2020-09-27, 09:57:

Artex wrote on 2020-09-25, 17:53:

So a word of caution, even if you list something as Not Accepting Returns, it's complete BS.

Been like that for quite some time. I remember posting about this some time back. "As-is" means absolutely nothing. Items are always returnable. Who pays the cost of the return can depend a bit. Many sellers know "as is" means nothing, but I think they like to put it in there to discourage the buyers who don't know any better. This cuts down on returns.

This one stings because the item left my possession working (and was sold as such) and is now being returned in supposedly non-working/degraded condition. So it's looking like I'm out not only the money paid for the item + shipping (and added insurance) + return shipping. Worst of all, I now will have a defective item that I can no longer sell for the price this piece sold for. It's a total joke and eBay did absolutely nothing to help.

When buying used car parts from businesses that disassemble and salvage parts from old wrecks, the parts typically have some kind of marking, to avoid that people return another, faulty part. I just wondered if it would be worth doing something like that to avoid scams?

Bancho wrote on 2020-09-27, 16:58:

A boxed Sound Blaster 16! https://i.imgur.com/39iIQWpl.jpg […]
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A boxed Sound Blaster 16!

Wow, the world is in alignment. I was just looking for a photo of the ASP variant of the SB16 box and there it is. Thanks! That was my first SB16 model. Nice grab.

Bancho wrote on 2020-09-27, 16:58:

Another Dual CPU motherboard, SuperMicro P4DPE. Socket 603. Don't know what CPU's are under those heatsinks

They will be socket 603

Bancho wrote on 2020-09-27, 16:58:

Well i went and picked up that£8.50 lot today. A lot of it is junk but there is some nice parts in it too! […]
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Well i went and picked up that£8.50 lot today. A lot of it is junk but there is some nice parts in it too!

The AST machines are in good condition, with just superficial scratches to the cases. They weigh a tonne, and need a good clean. One is a P133 and the Other is a Pentium Pro 150

Here's some of the other bits in the lot

A Supermicro PIIIDR3! Intel 840 Dual Slot 1 Motherboard. Even has some RIMM's populated. This takes 133fsb CPU's. This will deffo be kept!

Nice! It's even got the 64b PCI bridge.

This looks like an Intel LX slot 1 motherboard, has a 233mmx CPU and bonus, OPL3 and OPL4 chips onboard https://i.imgur.com/hljD […]
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This looks like an Intel LX slot 1 motherboard, has a 233mmx CPU and bonus, OPL3 and OPL4 chips onboard

Intel AL440LX aka 'Atlanta'. As solid an LX board as you're going to find - and nice sound 😀

Bought AMD Wraith RGB heatsink for my socket 754. Overkill yes, but like the quality and can make this very quiet.

Cheers,

Bought a VIA Epia 5000 (c3 533mhz) and a used Coolermaster Elite 120 Advanced case for my itx retro setup.
I planning replace the c3 800 rig for a pentium 3 1ghz and adding a V3 or GF2 GTS +V2 combo.

Bancho wrote on 2020-09-27, 16:58:

A Supermicro PIIIDR3! Intel 840 Dual Slot 1 Motherboard. Even has some RIMM's populated. This takes 133fsb CPU's. This will deff […]
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A Supermicro PIIIDR3! Intel 840 Dual Slot 1 Motherboard. Even has some RIMM's populated. This takes 133fsb CPU's. This will deffo be kept!

Nice find!!! 😁

Picked up this interesting ISA VGA video card based on the TOPRO TP6508IQ (HM86508) It is a single chip solution that supports both ISA and PCI.
This particular card is an AAEON MCB-265B.
Looks like it is compatible with the CHIPS F65545

This particular card was made in 2001 (seller's pics)

And the datasheet:

The different drivers I have found so far support Windows 3.1 , 95, NT3.5, NT4 plus some specific application drivers for DOS.

Still downloading some other drivers. Actually downloading a whole ftp I found with stuff for legacy industrial computers.

Looks like it should have full VESA support as well.

Card comes with 1MB and can be upgraded to 2MB and 512KB framebuffer but it looks like the framebuffer is only for a certain type of LCD screen unless I am reading it wrong.

Edit:
Almost forgot... It is supposed to also be able to emulate Hercules, CGA and EGA.

Artex wrote on 2020-09-27, 15:07:

feipoa wrote on 2020-09-27, 09:57:

Artex wrote on 2020-09-25, 17:53:

So a word of caution, even if you list something as Not Accepting Returns, it's complete BS.

Been like that for quite some time. I remember posting about this some time back. "As-is" means absolutely nothing. Items are always returnable. Who pays the cost of the return can depend a bit. Many sellers know "as is" means nothing, but I think they like to put it in there to discourage the buyers who don't know any better. This cuts down on returns.

This one stings because the item left my possession working (and was sold as such) and is now being returned in supposedly non-working/degraded condition. So it's looking like I'm out not only the money paid for the item + shipping (and added insurance) + return shipping. Worst of all, I now will have a defective item that I can no longer sell for the price this piece sold for. It's a total joke and eBay did absolutely nothing to help.

Curious, what part we talking about? I've seen some computer parts marked as another posted mentioned for car parts. I think it is kind of tricky selling used computer items on eBay because damage done by the user is not usually visible. For insurance claims, it is also not visible damage. Due in part to such complications, I haven't bothered selling on eBay in 15 years, and probably never will again. If I perish, I told my wife to send my computer landfill site to CPUshack and sell it via consignment, with proceeds going to kid's education.

Not computer stuff, however to use with my vintage computer stuff....

I bought a dual pack of shelf's for my computer stuff and other hobby things. They are grey and not galvanised, so I can have them inside the house at my computing area / home office. And I chose them in 40cm in dept, so I can have AT-Cases on the shelf's as well.

These here

£15 SS7 set up arrived today. Testing was annoying as it does not physically fit into my AT test case so I only tested as far as windows..
But it did boot fine. Seemed to run well too! the HDD included booted straight into windows 98se and was choc full of sensitive personal files...

So my £15 got me:
PC Chips M577 Super socket 7 motherboard. (has built in audio and usb but need the breakout boards for that... So will disable.)
AMD K6/2 - 300Mhz
96mb SDRam
4.1gb Quantum Fireball
Geforce 2 mx400 64mb.
PCI SCSI controller
Set of IDE cables without the blocked pin that some have... Surprisingly short on these so I'm actually happy with that included.

I think this is the 3rd SS7 I have had in my hands and seemingly the first one to work properly. Hopefully get some time at the weekend to fit it into a case and mess around properly.

Quite a haul today - an ISA video card that the seller gave me a great offer on, a very thin VLB card that may or may not work. And a still sealed MS Mouse from 1997 - it's a serial/PS2 with the adapter, so always useful 😀 It seems a shame to open the box though, even if it is in quite a state.

darry wrote on 2020-09-22, 04:26:

I just ordered a Roland VS-880EX from Japan to replace my Akai DPS12, which I have been using as a mixer . The reason for this i […]
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I just ordered a Roland VS-880EX from Japan to replace my Akai DPS12, which I have been using as a mixer . The reason for this is the "issue" discovered and described in this thread : Noisy AWE64 recording from any input (line in, EMU8000 MIDI, etc) + upcoming AWE64 comparison

The VS-880EX is not perfect and it definitely is not new, but

a) it has an uncompressed mode, but that is limited to 6 tracks, which is enough for me
b) it has 6 analogue balanced inputs
c) it has S/PDIF output
d) its hard drive is 2.5MM, IDE and can be replaced by a CF card or likely an IDE to SATA converter
e) it has a universal PSU
f) it is relatively inexpensive

Wish anal retentive perfectionist me luck. Hopefully the VS-880EX will not be worse than my DPS12 😉

EDIT: I would have just bought a modern mixer, but finding one that has S/PDIF output (USB is what they all have) and does not cost multiple arms and legs is practically impossible .

Well, there is good news and bad news . The Roland VS-880EX that I received is positively spotless . It looks like it has never been used and that is the good news .

Now for the bad news : a storage device is required for the device to be usable, but none was included with mine .
Though these units can run off an internal IDE hard drive (or adapted CF card), they have a proprietary connector inside . An adapter is required to connect a standard 2.5mm 44-pin IDE drive and this adapter was apparently not included with the VS-880EX if the unit was ordered without an internal hard drive . Alternatively, I could hook up an external SCSI hard drive to the unit , which would mean either getting a SCSI enclosure and a SCSI2SD or gutting my Akai DPS12 for its internally installed SCSI to SATA adapter and hooking that up through a SCSI enclosure (alternatively I could get a DB25 to IDC50 SCSI adapter and an external power source).

The least painful of these options was trying to locate the required IDE adapter, either an HDP88 or HDP88-DLE . These are practically unobtainium . I managed to find exactly ONE of them for sale on the planet and it was, unsurprisingly, in Japan . So I registered with Buyee and did what was necessary . With shipping, this thing is likely to end up costing me about 100$, for what is likely a passive adapter (judging from photos) . Thank you Roland, I hope the profits were good .

This thing better be worth it .

So I ordered a presumably 486 computer with this as one of the expansion cards:

Looks like it is some sort of MIDI card to me. It is not an Music Quest MXQ-32M as the RCA ports are not spaced properly and the MXQ-32M also doesn't have the ports labeled.

Anybody recognize this card from this sad pic.

The RCA plugs are IN, OUT, and I think TRIG

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-09-29, 01:19:

So I ordered a presumably 486 computer with this as one of the expansion cards: unknown_card.jpg […]
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So I ordered a presumably 486 computer with this as one of the expansion cards:
unknown_card.jpg

Looks like it is some sort of MIDI card to me. It is not an Music Quest MXQ-32M as the RCA ports are not spaced properly and the MXQ-32M also doesn't have the ports labeled.

Anybody recognize this card from this sad pic.

The RCA plugs are IN, OUT, and I think TRIG

going by the "TRIG" connector I'd assume it's a frame grabber card

something like this:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gQUAAMXQdm5RAR4H/s-l1600.jpg
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/C0IAAMXQiM5Q9djU/s-l1600.jpg