Re: SPARCStation VSIMM

JKB hi,

4MB vsimms are also an option... slighty lower max resolution For about $50. Also look up the parts via alternate Xxxx part numbers, there are also alternate 501 part numbers for them I listed the one I have below.

https://bayinfotech.net/stores/index.php?do=business&act=detail&id=5012481

Alternate part number for 8MB vsimm is 501-2482... I have one in hand but haven't ran it in an SS20 as of yet. They list online for about $120. I cannot vouch for any of these memory resellers but I have bought and received memory from memoryx and oempcworld before (which I think both are gone/renamed or sold off now there are a couple websites around that look similar to thiers not sure if they are the same people).

Also consider that there is an custom FPGA Sbus card in the works that might be able to eventually fit the bill... check the mailing list archives of the past couple months if you are interested.

Also a ZX isn't as bad as many claim... unless you intend to heavily load your machine it would be fine it also isn't *that* slow. I've even ran solaris 9 + opera on it... just give it adequate cooling.

Also if you are having issues with NetSurf on 8bit displays... let those guys know on their mailing list they are super nice guys and fixed Netsurf on Sparc (endian issues) years ago with just a bit if info go on from my end... you might also try running Opera via Solaris compatibility layer as it runs surprisingly well on Solaris and I know macallan, who has worked a decent amount on the SX and other video drivers, was running it that way on his Sparcbook 3GX.

Sorry for the slightly scatterbrained reply but I figured any info I could cough up would help. And I have probably spent more time searching for oddball parts for Suns that most (I even aquired a Fujitsu AG-10e from Amibay after years of search by a fluke chance of running into a person on vogons vintage computer forum that had found one).

Chase

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 11:26:47 AM EDT, Aaron <aranderson%gmail.com@localhost> wrote:

Hello! Let me start with a preemptive apology for posting slightly

off-topic, but after a year of searching, I've exhausted every other

avenue I can think of! My SS20 is running NetBSD 9.2 quite nicely, but

its capabilities in X are hamstrung by an 8-bit SBUS framebuffer.

E.g., NetSurf won't render, Afterstep looks terrible, etc.

I'm not interested in a ZX/Leo for several reasons (poor driver

support, very unreliable hardware, heat issues), which leaves an 8MB

VSIMM (p/n: 501-2482) as the only real option. Since this is the

closest thing to an online SPARC community I'm aware of, might anyone

on this list have a lead on one of these rare birds?

Recyclers claiming to have them cancel my orders and there's been

nothing on eBay in over a year, so I'm resorting to Hail Marys :)

- Aaron

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