Can Anyone Identify This SuperMac NuBus Video Card?

[Superdos]

So I finally got keys for the car I had my Quadra 700 stuffed into the trunk of... pulled it out last night and just got to it today to see which video card was inside. I remember it having GX printed on it, and so I thought for the longest time it was a Thunder IV GX.

This was pulled out of a Radius 81/110 quite a few years ago and left in my Quadra for a long, long time.

What card is this which I posses? I can't find ANY images of it on the internets at all, even when looking up information about it.

I'd love to know the exact model before I go dropping it in my IIvx all willy-nilly.

Any help into the identification of this card is appreciated greatly. Thanks!

 

[Superdos]

Whoops, nevermind on that. it's a SuperMac-branded Thunder II GX 1152.

http://www.vintagecomp.com/room/mactune/VideoSuperMac/ThundrII1152.htm

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Unless you're absolutely sure on that ID, don't jump to conclusions, the Thunder II GX 1360 looks exactly like that as well:

http://lowendmac.com/video/thunder2gx.html

Set it up in a NuBus Mac, any Mac and . . . https://68kmla.org/forums/index.php?/topic/9157-peripherals-links-project-rev-30/&do=findComment&comment=96711

 

[olePigeon]

My guess is a Thunder II GX 1360.

 

[Macdrone]

I have a Supermac card like that but the add on part I don't have.

Is that more memory or acceleration?

 

[Unknown_K]

Its a DSP board. You can use them on other cheaper cards like the Thunder/24 as well.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Interesting point. I don't know what the pricing was, but the Thunder/24 was about two years older. Did production continue as a lower cost alternative? It's from the G-World RAM era and could have had a higher price tag than the later series at introduction despite its lower specs. Capabilities change, but tech level and pricing seem to operate on a different timeline.

It also seems more likely to me that the Thunder II GX series was designed around a DSP board already in the product lineup that was time tested and in no further need of development. I've not seen a good pic of that daughtercard before. Is it the same as the one on your Thunder_II_GX_1600, oP? Are there components on the solder side of the DSP board? it's the only daughtercard I recall having a cover, is it insulation only or a combination of that and RFI shielding as we//?

Are those 9 ICs DRAM? would that be a parity setup for funneling the output of the two(?) DSPs to the controller ASIC? I need to compare it to the 4 DSP card on my Radius_Thunder_IV_GX_1600. Is there any chance we can get scans of both SuperMac cards uploaded to 'fritter's NuBus Mafia? I think we all need to revisit/revitalize that project.

Cool stuff!

 

[olePigeon]

The Radius Thunder IV has slower DSPs, but 4 of them.  Not sure how it compares to the 2, but faster DSPs on the SuperMac.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Interesting, but I'm more interested in the architecture of the DSP boards than clock rates.

 

[NJRoadfan]

I think i have the same card, if I recall it was a 1152, the 1360 has more memory on it.

 

[NJRoadfan]

Yep, that card is definately a Thunder II GX 1152, look at the ROM chip. Should work fine in the IIvx, but the control panel for the card is dodgy in later revisions of System 7.

 

[Unknown_K]

I have a Thunder II 1600 and it seems to have more RAM (1600x1200 24bit I think is what it does).

 

[olePigeon]

The 1600 has 13w3 connector, so it's easy to tell it apart from the other cards.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Did you get your 13w3 x 1600 x 1200 display issues ironed out?

 

[olePigeon]

Well, the display "works" with the card at 1600x1200, so from that aspect, yes.  However, those lazy pixels drive me nuts.  I found out I can get them to go away after a while by running one of those pixel fixer videos.  Unfortunately they come back immediately after the LCD is switch off.

So for now I run it at 1024x768.

 

[Unknown_K]

Where did you get the cable (part number) for the 13w3 connection?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

. . . for now I run it at 1024x768.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! :

< . . . damn, my sides hurt! >

.

 

[NJRoadfan]

It doesn't help that 13W3 ports have a few different pin outs. Early and late Sun machines use a different pinout.... then there is SGI's pin outs. Which one does the 1600 card use?

 

[Unknown_K]

Finding the correct supermac cable is the problem.