NUBUS Card Identification

[macuserman]

Was looking at a computer for sale and I saw this picture of the cards in it I'm curious about what you think the middle card might be? It appears to have male/female serial or VGA ports on the outside of the card if that helps.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Got a couple of gueses, but that SCSI2 termination block/connector stands out like a sore thumb.

 

[cheesestraws]

Can you post a pic of the back of the machine, if you have one?

 

[macuserman]

Can you post a pic of the back of the machine, if you have one?

There you go!

Got a couple of gueses, but that SCSI2 termination block/connector stands out like a sore thumb.

Care to share your guesses?

 

[Johnnya101]

Might be a 1., video card, 2. ??, 3., external SCSI?

 

[chillin]

Is that a Quadra/Centris 650? I think the odds are equal it's a DOS card and those are serial ports on the back for the machine on the card. If so, this would probably be the first DOS card (Houdini I), I believe first shipped in 1994 with some 6100, but were also compatible with NuBus Quadras, and originally known simply as "the DOS card." A later DOS card for 6100 (66 MHz 486DX2, Houdini II) I think could also be used in NuBus Quadras.

I suspect there are members here intimately familiar with the DOS compatibility cards and can confirm or deny my speculation.

The first card is either some graphics card for Macintosh monitors (if DB-15) or possibly a 10Base2 network interface, which used the same connector. Judging by the connector, the last card appears to be a fast wide SCSI card.

Upon further consideration, judging by this thing being quite maxed out, I bet most likely it is a graphics card for a second monitor, a Houdini II card and a fast wide scsi card. I wonder what other surprises could be in this machine. This is just how I'd like to build out my own Quadra 650.

 

[macuserman]

Is that a Quadra/Centris 650? I think the odds are equal it's a DOS card and those are serial ports on the back for the machine on the card. If so, this would probably be the first DOS card (Houdini I), I believe first shipped in 1994 with some 6100, but were also compatible with NuBus Quadras, and originally known simply as "the DOS card." A later DOS card for 6100 (66 MHz 486DX2, Houdini II) I think could also be used in NuBus Quadras.

I suspect there are members here intimately familiar with the DOS compatibility cards and can confirm or deny my speculation.

The first card is either some graphics card for Macintosh monitors (if DB-15) or possibly a 10Base2 network interface, which used the same connector. Judging by the connector, the last card appears to be a fast wide SCSI card.

It is, I was thinking it might be a DOS card but I've never seen one quite like that and there isn't much to go on so I was just curious about it.

 

[Danamania]

It's not the same card, but it gives me REALLY strong avid vibes, like this one that came with my Q950.

truevisionnuvistafront | Applefritter

www.applefritter.com

Edit: actually the main part of the card DOES look the same, but with a different end on it. All the visible components in the same spot.

 

[macuserman]

It's not the same card, but it gives me REALLY strong avid vibes, like this one that came with my Q950.

truevisionnuvistafront | Applefritter

www.applefritter.com

Edit: actually the main part of the card DOES look the same, but with a different end on it. All the visible components in the same spot.

View attachment 36960

I think your right, bummer not a super interesting card for me at least.

 

[cheesestraws]

Edit: actually the main part of the card DOES look the same, but with a different end on it. All the visible components in the same spot.

Bingo! The ports match, the components match, and the blue connectors for the daughterboard are also unusual. Think you're right here.

See also this thread perhaps for link to software etc: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?thr...sterious-nubus-card-truevision-nuvista.37709/

 

[chillin]

DOS cards came with different memory configurations, and that's the side that's different, the side where most here, I imagine, already recognized as memory.

Since the mystery is effectively resolved, I'm going to risk OT... I'm curious about them, but I don't know much about the DOS cards, just what I've read here and a few other favs. Obviously the DOS cards run DOS. What else can they run? I think I've seen screenshot proof of Windows 2, 3 & 95 and speculations about 98, also OS/2. But weren't there 386 and 486 ports for NeXTSTEP? I doubt many would be interested if so, but I think there must have been a Xenix port for 286 and AIX ports for 386 and possibly 486. Probably a decent number of Linux distros for 486. Also, a nice joke that may be the most useful setup would be running NetBSD on both the host and the card. If you know, please tell me what can be done. Thanks.

 

[Unknown_K]

AVID version of the Nuvista card (you can tell because it has a cable attachment that would go to a DSP Nubus card).

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Care to share your guesses?

Blue interboard connection screams NUVISTA TRUEVISION to me, but my card's the Rev 2.0 from 1990 version of the 'fritter board. Simple, half populated ZIP VRAM extension. Mine has the daughterboard lacking on the 'fritter card. Same pair of DE9 connectors on the back.

The card to the right reminds me of my Digital F/X FRAME BUFFER card,. But mine has a 2/3 length daughtercard to which the external connector is attached. It's the same connector used for fast/Wide SCSI2, but could more likely be for a breakout box. ISTR it being used for ChromaKey work. Then known as Blue Screen now gone Green. The one in that box could well be a later, more densely packed single PCB design?