The AXPpci33 uses 3.3 volts only for the PCI bus, and few PCI cards need 3.3
volts. This is in contrast to the EB164, which needs 3.3 volts for the
processor.

You can still buy AT/3.3 power supplies, but they are expensive. You can
convert an ATX power supply to AT/3.3 by changing the connectors, but this
is not everybody's pastime.

The speed of an AXPpci33 depends on the cache it carries.

The EB164 is a much faster board but needs the AT/3.3 power supply. The
PC164 is faster yet and uses an easily modified ATX power supply.

The SIMMs used by these three boards are easily found second hand for less
than a dollar per megabyte. Some other Alphas need memory that cannot be
found second hand and costs 4 dollars per megabyte new.

Paul Smith

> -----Original Message-----
> From: port-alpha-owner@netbsd.org [mailto:port-alpha-owner@netbsd.org]On
> Behalf Of Ken Seefried
> Sent: Saturday, 02 December, 2000 05:50 PM
> To: 'port-alpha@netbsd.org'
> Subject: RE: AXPpci33 motherboard
>
>
>
> I recall (could be wrong) that this is a special "AT + 3.3v" power supply.
> I had to hunt hard to find one for my Alpha PC64 motherboard.  It
> cost more
> than it was worth, considering the speed of the resulting box, but I'm a
> sucker for vintage technology.  FWIW, I found it at
> http://www.computersurplusoutlet.com; ask if they still have the
> PS for the
> PC64.
>
> I would also point out that the AXPpci33 is really, really slow
> (much slower
> that the PC64, for example).  Basicly I've found it to be on par with a to
> mid-range '486.  It can be slower, depending on your particular execution
> profile, and very rarely faster. You'll hate X on it.
>
> And as the previous poster pointed out, the required 72-pin ECC SIMMs are
> shockingly expensive, and are needed in pairs.  I recall they have to be
> "single-sided" variety (12-chip) as well; e.g., not all SIMMs will work.
> This rule apparently  precudes using 32MB SIMMs, BTW (none of mine work,
> anyway).  You get 4MB, 16MB & 64MB options, although the odd-ball 12MB
> Multia SIMMs might work.  I suppose some 128MB would work as well, if you
> could find them and were crazy enough to spend the money.
>
> Were I you, and I really wanted an Alpha that slow, I'd look for a Multia,
> which is nearly the same thing horsepower-wise without the ugly
> power supply
> issues (and they come with X-compatable video, scsi, ethernet and usually
> some usable memory).  I find my Multia cute and nostalgic.  Alternatively,
> eBay always offers a number of compatable Alphas that are somewhat more
> modern.
>
> Best of luck!
>
> Ken Seefried, CTO
> DigitalMoJo, Inc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: George A. Dowding
> To: zaft@azstarnet.com
> Cc: port-alpha@netbsd.org
> Sent: 12/2/00 7:51 PM
> Subject: AXPpci33 motherboard
>
> I have one of those and I have yet to get it working.  It
> requires a power supply that I have never been able to find.  Look at
> the bootom right of the picture and you will see two rows for power
> connections. One of them is for a normal AT power supply and the other
> is for the PCI option bus, kind of a pre ATX power supply. You  must
> use 72pin parity ram which is  dificult to find especially if you want
> sizes larger that 16Mb.
>
>
> zaft@azstarnet.com writes:
>  > Greetings,
>  >
>  > 	I'm considering buying one of these on Ebay:
>  >
>  >
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=512079219&r=0&t=0
> &showTutorial=0&ed=976235497&indexURL=0&rd=1
>  >
>  > (sorry for the long URL)
>  >
>  > 	Any gotchas for running NetBSD on it?  Can I just use a standard
> AT
>  > case & power supply with it?  What about running X?
>  >
>  > 	Thanks in advance.
>  >
>  > GZ
>
> --
> Thanks,
> George
>
> dowdingg@math.uaa.alaska.edu
> http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/~dowdingg
>