HELP! Is a PCI Riser Card Upgrade Kit for PB450/4X4 worthwhile?
Kirk Sansom
I'm a flight-simmer in need of higher frame rates than my current PB
can produce. First, I'm mad as heck at this cheap junk that didn't
include one ounce of secondary SRAM cache (which for this machine is
VERY EXPENSIVE and NEVER goes down ... EVER!!!!, either 128k [$50] or
512k [$120] compared to $30 to $50 for 512k of Pipeline Burst SRAM
cache on a Pentium machine) %#!@!!
Anyway, I'm considering upgrading the processor to an AMD 133MHz 5x86.
(Someone told me this chip worked great for them). I'd also like to
take advantage of the new 128-bit PCI 3D video cards, but I need the
optional PCI Riser Card Upgrade Kit w/BIOS upgrade to utilitize the
new cards. I'm wondering if my PB450 motherboard will support the
latest-greatest PCI video cards with this riser-card upgrade or if it
would be a waste of money, expecially with no secondary cache.
(sigh ... what a shame!)
A local repair shop has some spare PB PCI riser cards lying around and
will sell me one for $20 bucks, but I still need the BIOS upgrade. (my
current version is PhoenixBIOS 4.03). Is it worth even $20 for a used
one, let-alone the astronomical price PB probably wants for their new
kits ... if they have any.
Has anyone tryed this upgrade approach? Does anyone have a spare PCI
riser card for the 4X4 case for sell?
Thanks,
__________________
Kirk Sansom
kir...@NOSPAM.worldnet.att.net
ksa...@NOSPAM.juno.com
Jackson, MS
Remove NOSPAM before replying
Louis Cyphere
>I'm a flight-simmer in need of higher frame rates than my current PB
>can produce. First, I'm mad as heck at this cheap junk that didn't
>include one ounce of secondary SRAM cache (which for this machine is
>VERY EXPENSIVE and NEVER goes down ... EVER!!!!, either 128k [$50] or
>512k [$120] compared to $30 to $50 for 512k of Pipeline Burst SRAM
>cache on a Pentium machine) %#!@!!
>
Where are you getting your prices from
JDR Microdevices www.jdr.com has the cache chips
you need for less than $50 I also have a PB450 machine
and am going to install the 512kb cache and here is what I found
For 512kb cache you need
1 -64kX1-15ns 22 pin sram chip item# 4c187-15 $4.99
1-32kX8-15ns 28 pin sram chip item# hm62832-15 $3.29
4-128kX8-20ns 32 pin sram chips item# 7c1024-20tpc $8.99 ea
$35.96 for 4
Which adds up to $44.24 plus S&H
their site is kink of a pain to find things on so just enter the chip
type you are looking for into their search box and you will find
the chips that you need.
Good Luck
Louis
ProCen
On the other hand, $20 for the riser, $50 for the cache and $100 for the cpu
totals $170 for a computer that is still running at about half the speed of,
say, a $190 K5 "barebones" with all of the above (and PCI video) included:
"worth" being the operative term, and I also inclined to include the
flexibility to do future upgrades in that consideration as well. I really love
my PB450, and applaud PB's producing a "dummy-proof" computer that a
"cheapskate" was willing to pay for. But....
david williams