Pull Sun video card and install in PC?

That XVR-100 ( P# 375-3181 ) card will probably not work in a PC.

Granted, it's an off-the-shelf ATI card, but it's the version

that requires an OBP in the computer, instead of a BIOS.

It's an ATI Radeon MAC Edition 64MB 2D framebuffer.

Apple and Sun SPARC systems don't have a BIOS,

but a different sort of low hardware layer for their systemboards.

The eeprom on the graphics card expects to interface

with that other sort of systemboard design.

You are welcome to play with it; you won't "break" anything.

( ... and the S-video port is non-functional, by the way )

If I were to try it, I'd scrounge around the Internet for OLD drivers

rather than use new ATI Catalyst bloatware.

Go to ATI's web site and search their knowledgebase,

using "radeon 7000" as your keywords.

Read the white papers and FAQ's that come from such a search.

For example, here's the ATI product manual, from their web site:

https://support.ati.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?questionID=1180

There are Sun-specific manuals for it at the Docs.Sun.Com web site.

If you have a Spectrum login account to Sunsolve, there are product details

in that version of the Sun System Handbook, but not the public (free) SSH.

I wouldn't expect much success with the XVR-100 card in a PeeCee.

Now ... in an Apple G4 ?That's a different story.

rukbat at 2007-7-6 14:09:07 >