Guess the hardware p0rn star.

[Charlie]

Hope the title says it all:

To kick off; a motherboard that will hopefully get a few heads scratching.

-
( click the thumbnails )

1st piccie is a little blurry because I was having one of those 'ohhh, babyyy' moments...
...and also so I didn't give the game away too easily.

Extra points for:
1st Piccie:
-What's the big card on the right?
...And for 'geek points' why is it unusual?
-What's that little 'card' on the left side for?
...And for the serious hardware bore - why shouldn't it be there?
2nd Piccie:
-WTF is under that weird-ass heat sink?
...And what's the clock speed? ( clue: you'll be lucky! )
-How much of each kind of Ram is there?
...And who made it? ( to answer that will take the ultimate in computer-anal types )

For the observant:
Who does my wife's web hosting?

Anyone want to supply answers..?

Anyone want to supply further p0rn..?

[musashi5150]

The CPU card in the first pic is an X86 card that most likely belong in an Acorn. Should be running at 100Mhz? But looking at that fan it's probably overclocked?

[musashi5150]

Reminds me of a RiscPC... but I'm sure it's been "messed with". Hmm..

[Merlin]

@Mushashi5150

It's definitely an ARM based machine, just behind the riser card to the front right of the first picture is an ARM processor.

My guess is an Acorn PC 600 RISC PC with 32Mb memory and the riser card is home to something like a 486 DX4 PC processor either running at 100 or 133Mhz, more likely 133 with the extra heatsink in place.

Like this one:



Possibly one of these:



And here's the motherboard from a PC600, looks familiar...???



Merlin

[ganralf]

There's writter Arcon Computers all over the place, most likely a RiscPC. Ok, i know nothing about RiscPCs. But:
If the right card in the first picture is a PC card, then the CPU looks like some kind of overdrive 486. I say its unusual because the CPU is upgraded.
The left card in the first picture looks like a audio mixer, to ba able to connect CD ROM's audio to the machines audio output. Guess this model should'nt have it.
The card in the second picture read on the left edge Stro......CPU .... Hmmm a StrongARM CPU, a CPU upgrade for the RiscPC?
No idea about clock speed RAM sizes or your wife's web hoster though.

[Charlie]

No pulling the wool over EAB members eyes, eh?

So far so good:
Yes - It's a RiscPC mobo. ( But not a 600 - guesses? )
Yes - There's a '486 x86 card that's been upgraded with an Evergreen '586 module. ( the only one? )
Yes - The Mozart is a 16bit sound card, so why shouldn't it be there..?
Yes - There's a StrongARM processor under that odd heat sink. Much over-clocked - guesses? The card's been modded to allow overclocking - the dip switches may give a clue...

The ram could be tricky unless you know Acorn modules ( sad ).

Hey, I like this... Keep em coming.

Anybody want to submit some other p0rno shots..?

BTW: Merlin do you have psychic powers? No idea how you managed to guess I have a 'two slice' RPC. I don't suppose you know what colour mine is?

[Merlin]

@ Charlie

My guess was based on the idea that with other hardware such as CD or DVD drives, floppy etc. you would need a two slice machine to fit it all in and allow enough room for air to circulate and prevent overheating. The case is off white (or at least should be).

OK, next guesses, is the machine an A700 model and the memory could be 8Mb EDO, am I getting warmer? I think I overestimated the memory size for 30 pin modules. The 700 series had onboard 16-bit sound which fits with what we have gleaned so far. The Strongarm would have been a 202Mhz model in the upgraded 700 series, if you have overclocked it I am not sure what it would overclock to. maybe 300Mhz?

Merlin

[Charlie]

"I say Holmes! Masterful deduction."

As it happens my RPC is a two slice, but metallic black with silver bits - yum, yum. ( Currently in bits )

Close enough, I think.
Specifics:
-Originally an early SA200. Upgraded by Acorn prior to sale with a rev1 mobo & 202mhz processor. They then stuck a nasty SA200 badge over the 600 logo. Sounds a bit like C= stunt...
-The rev1 mobo has 16bit sound, but as mine only produces 8bit for some reason it's got a 16bit Mozart card in it.
-The SA200 has been over-clocked and gone into my other RPC to be replaced by, yes you're right, a SA233 modded for 300mhz. Getting that much headroom required swapping the crystals between the two SA's. Oh, and maybe one of the few to run cool enough to do without a fan. ( I must try a faster crystal one day )
-A bit low with the memory: 65mb. Well, I need a bit of ram for Win98...
...must try to over-clock the '586 at some point too.

To do..?
Not a lot, but if anyone knows where I can find a Viewfinder GFX card I'd be a very happy bun.. mouse.

Sorry, showing off now. ( and probably to people who may be thinking 'isn't this an Amiga board?' )

So, is this a good thread..?
Any more weird hardware p0rno to dribble over?

[Merlin]

@ Charlie

Like my avatar says, I am am ageing Jedi, the Force helped me along with this deduction.

Yes, you are off the map a little bit with the Acorn kit, not exactly 68xxx based eh? Never mind, it keeps the grey slushy stuff active.

BTW, I worked with a RISC PC many years ago, so maybe I did have a bit of an inside track on this

LOL

Merlin

[Charlie]

@ Merlin:
Yeh, not much to do with Amiga's ( if at all ) but as my RPC was in bits & the camera was to hand...

May try a much harder mobo in a few days.

Still, if Keropi can talk about old PC's...