ATI Rage LT Pro AGP question

[eyoungren]

So, this is my 'NAS' - 500mhz PowerMac G4 AGP, which I picked up early 2019.



It came with this card (was a dual monitor setup with the stock Rage 128 and this card):



I've identified the card as a ATI Rage LT Pro AGP. I also identified the weird port as being VESA.

Anyone know anything about this? I've finally gotten around to identifying the card. Adapters can be had cheap to go from VESA to DVI but you're limited to 1280x1024 max (which is the major reason VESA didn't take off).

Was this a BTO card? Up until last year I've never seen one.

 

[wnlewis]

The best information that I have found came from a WorthPoint ad that provided eBay photos and probably the advertisement information:

ATI 3D Rage LT Pro 8MB PCI Video Card VGA Apple Power Macintosh. . . . . .This is a . . . . . .video card for vintage Macintosh computers. This is ideal for upgrading your PCI PowerMac's internal video capabilities, or adding an additional display. Compatible machines include the Power Macintosh 6400, 6500, 4400, 7200, 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 9500, 8600, 9600 and G3/G4 machines. The minimum recommended system software for this video card is 8.1. The card may require driver software to enable all acceleration features - no software is included. Testing was performed on a Power Mac 9500 without any software installed. Picture quality was great with no flicker or noise.

My own speculation again:

The processor clearly says AGP. The card apparently was designed for LapTop (LT) use. The word PRO indicates application to desktop computers. Although the processor says AGP, the card is clearly a PCI card, and this particular card was built for the Macintosh market. So, it is not a flashed card. The part number is: 109-54100-00. Although the WorthPoint advertisement lists it as a: 109-54100-10, the photo clearly shows -00 at the end of the part number, just like your card.

The WorthPoint, worthopedia number is: ati-3d-rage-lt-pro-8mb-pci-video-card-1810928930.

PriceBlaze has a refurbished one available for $199.95.

It might be somewhat rare since except for this information, I found nothing else about what appears to be an AGP PC video card, repackaged in PCI form for the Macintosh market (mostly pre-AGP macs).

ASAP IT Technology does list the part number on their request for quote page. So possibly it was/is a Built To Order item.

 

[Amethyst1]

I also identified the weird port as being VESA.

The port is just called DFP. It was one of the predecessors to DVI. VESA themselves are a standardisation association.

I'll stop nitpicking now

 

[weckart]

Never heard of this before but Wiki says

The Rage LT Pro was often used in desktop video cards that had a VESA Digital Flat Panel port to drive some desktop LCD monitors digitally.

So it may have been less of a rarity at the time than it seems. Perhaps bundled with systems that shipped with LCD monitors.

 

[Amethyst1]

Perhaps bundled with systems that shipped with LCD monitors

And with DFP LCD monitors.

 

[weckart]

And with DFP LCD monitors.

Yeah, that's what I meant. I don't remember this connector at all but would assume that there was a brief period where OEMs were bundling the new, shiny monitors with the few cards ready for them until DVI took over.

 

[Amethyst1]

I'm still dreaming of getting my hands on an affordable SGI 1600SW. The first-ever widescreen LCD with an even more obscure OpenLDI connector.

1600×1024 pixels across 17.3 inches - not bad for 1998 eh? *drool*

 

[DiegoVLatam]

I remember having that video card in my first PC (a COMPAQ Presario )back in 1998:

Compaq Presario 5070 - K6-2 350 MHz : none. Series Specs

Compaq Presario 5070 - MT - K6-2 350 MHz - 32 MB - 4 GB overview and full product specs on CNET.

www.cnet.com

Mine was different and always baffled me that the card was portrayed as AGP but it was integrated into the motherboard since COMPAQ PC didn’t have a real AGP port.

 

[Amethyst1]

I apologise for necro-ing and pseudo-hijacking this thread which I've just rediscovered but as it touches one of my favourite subjects I've done some additional research.

I've identified the card as a ATI Rage LT Pro AGP.

The card is an ATI XClaim 3D Plus (manual).

Adapters can be had cheap to go from VESA to DVI but you're limited to 1280x1024 max (which is the major reason VESA didn't take off).

The reason for this is that the PanelLink TMDS transmitters that were used on DFP cards max out at 112 MHz pixel clock, which is enough for 1280×1024 at 60 Hz using standard timings, or e.g. 1600×1024 at 60 Hz using timings with reduced blanking intervals. However, your card uses the original (older) Silcon Image SiI140 transmitter, which maxes out at 86 MHz pixel clock. This limits it to 1024×768 at 60 Hz using standard timings, or e.g. 1280×1024 at 56 Hz using timings with reduced blanking intervals.

I don't remember this connector at all but would assume that there was a brief period where OEMs were bundling the new, shiny monitors with the few cards ready for them until DVI took over.

So far I've been able to track down the following LCDs from the 1998≈2000 period which came with a DFP connector. Resolution is 1024×768 and size is 15" unless otherwise noted. (I'm aware that Wikipedia lists some additional Compaq LCDs.) The Princeton DPP500, released in July 1998 AFAICS, was first.

• Acer F50P
• Compaq Presario FP500 (14")
• Cybercomp Vision 1500 TPS/TPT
• Elsa Ecomo 17DFP99
• Elsa Ecomo 20DFP99 (18" 1280×1024)
• Gateway FPD1500
• MAG LT 530F
• Mermaid Ventura 150DT
• Princeton DPP500 (14")
• Princeton DPP560
• Princeton DPP800 (18" 1280×1024)
• Relisys TL520
• Viewsonic VPD150
• Viewsonic VPD180 (18" 1280×1024)
• Viewsonic VP151
• Viewsonic VP181 (18" 1280×1024)

 

[Amethyst1]

@eyoungren: So here's one of the specimens you could jab into the DFP port. It's also the prime candidate for the "Ugliest LCD I've ever seen" award. That chin...

If the graphics card ever arrives I might even be able to experience that 1998 14” panel in all its glory…

 

[Amethyst1]

If the graphics card ever arrives I might even be able to experience that 1998 14” panel in all its glory…

I should have complained earlier. The ATI Xpert LCD in all its glory, including the 4 MB RAM upgrade (for 8 MB total):