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Sonnet Crescendo L2 G3 upgrade model compatibility

jessenator

Well-known member
So, I'm looking for a little clarity if there is any regarding the compatibility of the L2 version of the Sonnet Crescendo G3 upgrade. From what I've seen, most all will work on 64/54/65/5500 and similar-arch Macs/clones without issues. The oddballs are the LPX-40/Tanzania-based Macs/clones which needed specific models... is there rhyme or reason beyond the packaging/labeling to designate whether one of these is compatible with a 4400??

I don't want to keep jerking around people I'm trying to trade with over the wrong specs/numbers/literature...*

Here's where I'm coming from:

Currently on ebay (as of this writing) there is a 300 Mhz version, with this bit in the accompanying literature (btw, I messaged them, and there is no standard part # label on that card...):
kRmc0qh.jpg.9c9be75177fb6515f7131e38d15dedad.jpg


AJVlN7F.jpg.cf0ef85179345edf38c880956b6b1869.jpg


========================================================================================

However, I recently went back through my imgur archive and found this on a card I knew to be working in my 4400 (box label, and card):
10f3c1207aca741ec8437197f64dc7be.jpeg.8e30c4cf427a25bb51be8699713a0eee.jpeg


tR1Dsin.png.6589a8fdf2b7d9a03fe445774841d353.png


=======================================================================

After I had to sadly let that one go, I found a 500, which worked with a cocktail of system folder pieces (no box label with this one, and I also sadly had to let this one go): I must've just gotten lucky with this. It worked right out of the box at 400 MHz on my 4400 and required the system folder additions to work at 500 MHz (StarMax board).
a70qelQ.jpg.cea9679fd59e4ac77dc997775c78ee67.jpg


===========================================================================

And now my current one, *which I'm offering to trade for a 400 MHz model, does not work on any of my LPX-40 boards, regardless of the drivers, which has my head scratching:

C0qPb1y.jpg.74acc003f06f75824295dd39e464a72e.jpg


Well, this seems to be a revision thing? Or is it still dependent on what label is on the box?

Is there anyone here who can shed some light on which models/revisions are compatible with the 4400/LPX-40/Tanzania architecture?

Thanks

 
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jessenator

Well-known member
Is there any way to know, say, if this specific card would work on my 4400? It's a later(?) revision of the card from the previous 400 MHz card that I know worked, so would that equate to more universal model compatibility?
 

cCCptqsl.jpg.2f57b3e2a5d029e44ced5d535aa80429.jpg


One thing I noticed, is the PCB from this card (above, in this post) has this PCB version:
image.png

And my confirmed-compatible card seems to have the same (it was horribly cropped, but I see a "D" in it):
image.png

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
How do the production dates of the cards/copyright dates on boxes with the different compatibility lists jibe with the intro date of the 4400? Being a CHRP spinoff(?) wasn't the 4400 a very late, if not the very last implementation of that architecture?

 

jessenator

Well-known member
According to MacInfo.de :

Alchemy: August 1996
Tanzania: October 1996
Tanzania II: ? 1997
Gazelle: February 1997

As far as I can tell, LPX-40 (Tanzania) boards are the same arch with only certain versions having a different graphics chipset, perhaps on-board networking on some clone models—but the boards were designed to be that way for PREP/CHRP (which they really aren't compliant to 100% anyway).

The only difference between Tanzania and Tanzania II, from what I've gathered, is a few resistors swapped and a 50 MHz crystal to operate the faster bus. It's nowhere near the jump from Alchemy to Gazelle in difference. Not by a long shot.

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Caught me editing, it's modified Tanzania according to LEM. I wonder if they just happened to use the same Cache card of the lesser(?) Alchemy/Gazelle machines?

LEM has an interesting article: G3 Upgrades for the Level 2 Cache Slot





Manufacturer


CPU
Speed


Cache
Size


Cache
Speed


MacBench
5.0 rating*


Estimated
Street Price


Estimated
Value**









metabox
joeCARD T
adjustable bus
discontinued


320 MHz


1 MB


160 MHz


 


disc.


 




300 MHz


512 KB


150 MHz


disc.




260 MHz


512 KB


130 MHz


disc.









Newer Tech
discontinued


400 MHz


1 MB


200 MHz


 


disc.


 




400 MHz


1 MB


200 MHz


disc.




300 MHz


512 KB


150 MHz


disc.









Phase 5
Maccelerate!750TA
discontinued


300 MHz


1 MB


150 MHz


 


disc.


 









PowerLogix
discontinued


400 MHz


1 MB


160 MHz


 


disc.


 




320 MHz


1 MB


160 MHz


disc.




240 MHz


512 KB


120 MHz


disc.









Sonnet Technologies
Crescendo/L2 G3
updated 5/12/03


500 MHz


1 MB


250 MHz


 


$250


 




400 MHz


1 MB


200 MHz


$200




400 MHz


512 KB


133 MHz


disc.




350 MHz


1 MB


175 MHz


disc.




300 MHz


512 KB


150 MHz


disc.




250 MHz


512 KB


125 MHz


disc.









Vimage
VPower PF
discontinued


320 MHz


512 KB


120 MHz


 


disc.


 




240 MHz


1 MB


160 MHz


 


disc.


 







Crescendo/L2 G3 update stands out.

My first thought was that the 4400 might share some of the wonkiness of 5500/6500/TAM Gazelle related incompatibilities with expansion cards. Sonnet listed the Tempotrio as compatible with Gazelle, but dropped support and removed those machines from its compatibility list when the wonkiness induced incompatibility reared its ugly head.

Interesting questions.

 

jessenator

Well-known member
That article already has my false-o-meter twitching... The C500 and C600 are NOT LPX-40 based clones, but, Typhoon (aka Alchemy reference design) boards (it's even screen-printed onto the boards). This coincides with Sonnet's own literature, outlining the compatibility of whatever revision of the card it accompanied: lumping the C500/600 in with Apple's Alchemy offerings.

Also AFAIK the LPX-40 had two versions of a singular, universal board design (see my post above) in order to conform to the LPX standard of the time (or at least as close as Apple was willing to go...), and was never a referenced design, but always used the same Apple-stamped boards and populated with small variations of components (see above), regardless of OEM name on the case: as most were Motorola sub-licensees anyway. But I would defer to Franklinstein on that one, as they knows these clones better than I do.

But I digress, I wonder then if just a later revision of the card would be enough to be fully compatible...

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
That article already has my false-o-meter twitching...
As it should, take it with a LARGE BLOCK of salt LEM info should do that for everyone most of the time. LEM's a great source for general info and finding leads to further research. I use it like WikiPedia, a source for beginning a search for more reliable info much closer to first source. EveryMac is my second stop and significantly more reliable in general, but the crosslinking of LEM info is a far better bounce around just to see what's up kinda interface. Compare both, neither fully reliable and you can chip a far smaller hunk of salt off the LEM block for further research. [;)]  

 

jessenator

Well-known member
WikiPedia
Unfortunately, Wikipedia authors have taken to quoting LEM in their content :facepalm:  I've recently discovered the asimov.apple.wahtever repository (as well as an MIT repository?) of Apple tech notes, which has been very enlightening. I really would wish said authors would look to the same source materials instead of looking at LEM as it is: a glorified blog, sprinkled with facts, drowning in an opinion gravy.

I wish Sonnet had more, but I'm surprised they even had as much as they did, to be honest. Just the install manual, and the last revision :/  nothing about the actual revisions. 

Now I want to make a db of what's compatible with what like I did with the PPC daughter card db I made... just need more facts. Anyone we know here have at least quasi-intimate knowledge of Sonnet's products to make a more informed decision? I wonder if looking at old catalogs would help at all... 'm guessing they won't be as specific as is needed here.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Great project! :approve:

I'll try to pull together what I've saved along the way in case it went away on Sonnet's site. As a Radius fanatic, I segued into Crescendo/L2 G3 and related PCI expansion products for my 6360 based purchase and later upgrade plns when my favorite accelerator company went belly up. Pretty sure you can still get far enough into Sonnet's site to dig up what technical info was available, manuals, updates and such.

 

jessenator

Well-known member
From the manual:

At this printing [2000], the following Power Macintosh and Mac OS compatible computers can be upgraded with Crescendo/L2 processor upgrade cards:
• Power Macintosh 4400, 5400, 5500, 6400, 6500, 7220
• Performa 5400, 5420, 5430, 5440, 6360, 6400, 6410, 6420
• 20th Anniversary Macintosh
• Power Computing PowerBase
• Motorola® StarMax 3000, 4000, 5000, 5500

Note:
• Not all cards work in all machines; check the package for definitive compatibility.


So, it really is down to the packaging to be "definitive" (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

From a February 1999 capture of the Sonnet website:

CPU/Backside Cache:
PowerPC G3 250 with 125/512K backside cache.
PowerPC G3 300 with 150 MHz/512K backside cache.
PowerPC G3 300 with 150 MHz/1M backside cache.
PowerPC G3 400 with 200 MHz/1M backside cache.
 

FPU: Integrated with PowerPC processor.
 

Level 2 Backside Cache: 512K or 1MB.
 

Part #: BG3-250-512, BG3-300-512, BG3-300-1M, BG3-400-1M*
(*supports only 50 MHz bus machines.)
 

Part #: B4G3-250-512, B4G3-300-512, B4G3-300-1M.
(These models support the Power Mac 4400; and StarMax 3000, 4000, 5000, 5500.)
A capture from September 1999 which showcases the "new" 500 MHz version still has the same p/n nomenclature: #BG3 vs #B4G3

March 2000 has roughly the same content as the 09/99 capture...

June 2000 adds the PCC PowerBase (even though they had daughter cards???)
What's interesting is that the B4G3 product lines top out at 300 MHz, and the 400/1 upgrade says it only supports machines with a 50 MHz bus speed. HMMM.
AfwNsNbl.jpg.f229da420057fdd626befdc930a38227.jpg

that's my 4400 running the aforementioned, working 400 MHz upgrade card... and in any case, the BOX label said it was compatible (though interestingly the StarMax models aren't listed, even though, hardware-wise, they're identical...) which is bizzare, UNTIL January 2001:





Part # BG3*




 


 


Power Macintosh 4400, 5400, 5500, 6400, 6500, 72200




 


 


Performa 54xx, 6360, 64xx




 


 


20th Anniversary Macintosh




 


 


PowerBase Desktop, Minitower




 


 


UMAX C500, C600, C600X




 




Part # B4G3*




 


 


Power Macintosh 4400, 7220




 


 


StarMax 3000, 4000, 5000, 5500










Part #BG3


G3 Speed


L2 Cache Speed/Size


MSRP




BG3-400-512


400 MHz


133 MHz/512K


$249.95




BG3-400-1M


400 MHz


200 MHz/1MB


$349.95




BG3-500-1M**


500 MHz


250 MHz/1MB


$499.95





Part #BG4


G3 Speed


L2 Cache Speed/Size


MSRP




B4G3-300-512


300 MHz


150 MHz/512K


$199.95




B4G3-300-1M


300 MHz


150 MHz/512K


$229.95




B4G3-350-1M


320-350 MHz


160-175 MHz/1MB


$299.95







There it is... At some point it just becomes part of the main list of supported products. The segmentation starts to make less sense by this point, but... well, there's some sort of an answer at least... Now if only the board rev dates matched these dates.

 
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jessenator

Well-known member
As a point of interest, this chart (part of a slick I uploaded to Archive.org) matches, within acceptable margins, what results I got with mine:

M9LOiiv.png.118a82ca8a5266551b58bc93f2bda49d.png


 

Franklinstein

Well-known member
I'm pretty sure the bulk of it is being able to cope with either 40 or 50MHz buses without hassle (Sonnet makes a big deal about their 'no switches, etc' motto) and possibly only certain speed ratings or model revisions could auto-detect and switch between 40 or 50MHz, hence the restrictions. Sonnet's Fortissimo trickery would be required if you wanted to try to run an x400 model at 500MHz (the PPC 750 will not clock over 10x bus speed, so you'd have to fake it using Fortissimo if you wanted 500MHz on a 40MHz bus). The L2 cache slot form factor may have been too small to work Fortissimo into though, hence the inability to use the fastest card in 40MHz machines.

 

jessenator

Well-known member
So after finding that mention of a PR/Account Management correspondence on 6400Zone, I started corroborating, with what's left on WayBack Machine, across other contemporary review sites, and it seems that assumption was correct: from February 23 1999 all of the L2 upgrades will work on the 4400/StarMax/LPX-40 clones. So the #B4G3-xxx LPX-40/Tanzania-specific cards must have been surplus, I guess? or perhaps to be sold at a different price point, due to the motherboard-specific compatibility?

Sonnet announced Monday [February 22, 1999] that they had sold out of the 240 MHz G3 L2 upgrades and would be replacing them in their product line with a 250 Mhz model at the same price (US$399). Similarly, from now on all of Sonnet's L2 upgrades will also support the Power Macintosh 4400 and the Motorola StarMax line.


The 400 MHz card hadn't been announced yet from what I've gathered, so it's safe to assume all 400 MHz and 500 MHz rev cards should be compatible with the LPX-40-based Mac(s) and clones. The announcement date for the 400 MHz card is March 19, 1999, so that puts it in the window of compatibility with these machines.

There are anecdotes housed on 6400Zone that talk of customers being sent the #B4G3 p/n (LPX-40-only) cards by mistake, but haven't run into any of people being sent the #BG3 cards and they not working on a 4400—at least as far as the 400+ speed cards anyway.

 

JRL

Well-known member
Sorry to interrupt the Sonnet-centric discussion but in case this info helps - I picked up an Interware Booster (320mhz l2, same as the Vimage mentioned in LEM) and it doesn’t state compatibility with the Tanzania based clones. I could try it in my 4400 though.

6DE9CA54-A97D-4CA4-B46E-42C0227DE708.jpeg

 
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jessenator

Well-known member
I picked up an Interware Booster
That's pretty neat! Interware had some fascinating upgrade products.

Back when I bought my first 400 MHz Sonnet L2 the same seller had a Vimage-branded version. Its proportions weren't nearly as nice and "long" as that version you have, or the Sonnet flavors; it was super blocky and I wonder if it would've blocked 12" PCI cards. I kick myself every so often for not picking it up as well, the price being what it was :(  OH well. Another white whale appears to be the LittleJoe from Metabox... don't think I've seen one in the wild, just the lo-res image on EveryMac. I assume they just lost out to the "simplicity" of Sonnet, maybe?

Your Interware box does have the typical (well, JDM probably) Alchemy/Gazelle models listed, so I'm fairly confident it won't work, and please don't feel obligated to open your mint-in-box piece on my account ;)  but if you're interested, go for it.

In general I find the L2 slot upgrades fascinating, in the same way I find the PM7200's G3 upgrade fascinating. All those circuit design gymnastics required to do what Apple didn't want to have happen.

 

Franklinstein

Well-known member
Vimage-branded version. Its proportions weren't nearly as nice and "long" as that version you have, or the Sonnet flavors; it was super blocky and I wonder if it would've blocked 12" PCI cards
You probably saw the early 4400-specific model. Those were huge, roughly 2x taller than the later 64*54 models, and AFAIK only available at 240MHz. The 64*54 would probably work in a 4400 or other Tanzania clone but it's designed to be smaller to fit comfortably in the Alchemy models. They're a good choice to use in a Power Color Classic mod since they don't require you to cut away the chassis to fit unlike the taller Sonnet cards.

 

Coloruser

Well-known member
JoeCard? I can offer some info on that. I was one of the developers behind all the JoeCard products for the different CPU slots. I have to check my notes from the late 90s but I clearly remember that - although the L2 slot looks the same - the behaviour of LPX ( Tanzania) and Alchemy/Typhoon/Gazelle to initialize the CPU upgrade in the L3 slot is quite different. That´s why early units have different PCBs and logic for Tanzania and Alchemy etc. In later designs, the logic to autoconfigure init way 1 or 2 was included in the designs. That may also be true for Sonnet and others.
 

DarthNvader

Well-known member
JoeCard? I can offer some info on that. I was one of the developers behind all the JoeCard products for the different CPU slots. I have to check my notes from the late 90s but I clearly remember that - although the L2 slot looks the same - the behaviour of LPX ( Tanzania) and Alchemy/Typhoon/Gazelle to initialize the CPU upgrade in the L3 slot is quite different. That´s why early units have different PCBs and logic for Tanzania and Alchemy etc. In later designs, the logic to autoconfigure init way 1 or 2 was included in the designs. That may also be true for Sonnet and others.
Never had one of the L2 CPU upgrades, but that's such a cool feat of engineering, nice to run across someone that knows something about them.

I just picked up a PM7100/80AV, and I didn't know but there are NUBUS G3/G4's for these things, if I can find one.

What I've always wondered is how the handoff works?

How can you boot from one CPU, then use another?

I know Ryan Rempel of Xpostfacto worked with Sonnet to try and enable the L2 upgrades to work with OS X, but I don't think anything ever came of it, not sure why.

Sonnet made that cool little Crescendo 7200 on a PCI card, and I'd like to get my hands on one to see if I could get it to work in a modern Intel Mac's PCI-E slot, or work within qemu-system-ppc in PCI passthrough. I know that someone wrote a driver for it of Amiga OS.
 

jessenator

Well-known member
I was one of the developers behind all the JoeCard products for the different CPU slots.
That's really neat :D Thanks for chiming in. It's not often we get a developer/engineer to add what they can on these kinds of topics. I know a lot of times NDAs etc. can prevent eve the more earnest ones, but I for one appreciate the comments!

I somehow never put 2 and 2 together until now that Metabox was a German company—makes sense now that I've seen a couple of mentions of clone licensees bundling JoeCards in Europe (I think Umax did this at some point to circumvent the language of the license agreement? but those were daughter card CPU replacements, not cleverly designed upgrades). Also, perhaps that's why I haven't seen them pop up here in the States or even so much as seen a photo beyond this horribly low-res one on EveryMac:
1642714935153.png
 
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