EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Computers => Vintage Computing => Topic started by: max-bit on September 26, 2018, 10:46:27 am
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Hi !
I need to connect SGI INDY
Through 13W3 to the standard HD15 connector (D-SUB)
Does anyone have an accurate Pin to Pin connection?
I used a cable that works with SUN computers, but this cable does not work.
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SGI machines, including the Indy, output a normally standard RGB signal that can be converted to a standard VGA connector, but the issue arises when you have to have a monitor that supports having a composite sync signal on the green video signal. Not sure if you can mix some stuff around, but all the standardized pinouts are available on Wikipedia, and more detailed information on exact conversions are undoubtedly available for SGI machines elsewhere.
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I found some solutions on the site ...
http://laurent.granjon.free.fr/electronique/sgi2pc_gb.htm (http://laurent.granjon.free.fr/electronique/sgi2pc_gb.htm)
Just why is the producer different pin connections?
They could not make one standard?
f...ck :)
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that site is to use a 13w3 monitor with a pc.
sgi are a pain, officially they are only sinc-on-green.
but when i had some, many of them actually had sync outputs present - but not all systems.
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You can modify the Sun compatible cable:
https://phaq.phunsites.net/2006/08/25/using-a-sun-13w3-vga-adaptor-on-a-sgi-indy/
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Just why is the producer different pin connections?
They could not make one standard?
f...ck :)
Back then, SGI was THE BEST in terms of workstation: fastest machines, stable OS, great monitors (manufactured by SONY).
The reason for many standards is easy to understand: quality costs money!
Regards,
Vitor
PS: Still own a complete SGi Indy with 17" Monitor and two SGI O2...
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Just why is the producer different pin connections?
They could not make one standard?
Both 13W3 & the use of DE-15 for VGA (DE-9 was used before that) happened around the same time, given that the workstation folk doing 13W3 were running much higher resolutions, were unconcerned with cost and were coming down from individual BNC cables, vs the PC folk doing 640x480 (at most) and very concerned with cost it makes a lot of sense.
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Both 13W3 & the use of DE-15 for VGA (DE-9 was used before that)
Thank you for using the correct names for the D shell connectors.
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I am using an Extron 112 xi converter adapter 13w3 to BNC - HD15 (Dsub)
attention
Some converters have a damaged chip - LT1675 video buffer ...
This converter supports all SGI / SUN / IBM / Other computers with a 13W3 socket
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I totally agree.
Also, Irix 5.3 was a really good Unix.
Still, its amazing how far we have come. A little Raspberry Pi now costs $35 and has more power (and even more graphics power) than those big iron SGI machines that cost REALLY big bucks back in the 90s.
Also, back then a gig of RAM was a LOT.
Just why is the producer different pin connections?
They could not make one standard?
f...ck :)
Back then, SGI was THE BEST in terms of workstation: fastest machines, stable OS, great monitors (manufactured by SONY).
The reason for many standards is easy to understand: quality costs money!
Regards,
Vitor
PS: Still own a complete SGi Indy with 17" Monitor and two SGI O2...
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But today there is no software optimization.
The quality of the code (software) is generally very low.
Note that in SGI / SUN etc every processor cycle, each byte / bit was "polished"
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sgi are a pain, officially they are only sinc-on-green.
but when i had some, many of them actually had sync outputs present - but not all systems.
Some of the older Apple computers used sync on green as well.
There is some information on this website (https://users.soe.ucsc.edu/~davis/projects/mac/monitor.html#sog) which also includes pin-outs for the Indy.
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The Indy dose not require a sync on green monitor. The 13w3 connector has separate pins for h-sync and v-sync, as well as composite sync. As long as the monitor is compatable with the resolution and refresh rate, you should get a picture. On some monitors you may end up with a green tinted image.
Here are some 13w3 to DE-15 adapter diagrams. I saved these long ago...
As you have already found a SUN 13w3 adapter is different from a SGI 13w3 adapter.
A lot of this information is no-longer to be found on the internet, I have also attached a tar file with some random Indy information.
The current fourum on SGI stuff is at http://irix.cc (http://irix.cc)
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Currently, I've installed a processor R5000.180 to my INDY computer (512kB cache).
I had to upload only a new bios .... (it must be a B10 version)
In the next order I want to install a better graphics card (currently I have XL8).
I have a processor for sale CPU R4600.100
eBay auction: #264026172439
Price ~50 $ / 46 Euro
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I added a file from bios.
Attention !!! File ip24prom.070-9101-011_swap.bin should be programmed in 16 bit mode.
Bios version B10 supports CPU - R5000(SC)
Use Eprom TC574096D / 27C4002 (256x16)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5HXFZr0WfI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5HXFZr0WfI)
I was able to get a SUN/SGI 13W3 to HD15 adapters working for a few hours until it died on me..
you can also connect to the console port and boot it that way.
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Eprom SGI Indy 070-9109-011 Support CPU R5000
Price 35 $
eBay auction: #264079557615