Date: Fri, 19 Sep 97 20:51:13 EST From: Dwight McKay (The Moderator) Reply-To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #32 To: Suns-at-Home-List Suns-at-Home Digest Fri, 19 Sep 97 Volume 10 : Issue 32 Today's Topics: Are they worth it? color -> greyscale? Removnig cover from Sun Tape Drives SPARCstation as X-term? Sun @ Home wannabe needs advice Sun equipment- FCC Class A or B (3 msgs) Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #30 Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #31 (2 msgs) VME CPU not in a VME cabinet +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Submissions: suns-at-home \ | | Requests: suns-at-home-request > @net-kitchen.com | | Archives: suns-at-home-archives / | | WWW Archive access: http://www.net-kitchen.com/~sah | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 21:23:33 -0400 (EDT) From: "John A. Plotecher" Subject: Are they worth it? To: Suns-at-Home Mailing List Is it a good idea to buy a used SPARCstation or would I be better off with a PC clone? I don't play a lot of games, but I do like 3-d graphics and such, programming, and Unix in general. What should I do (besides buying a $60,000 Silicon Graphics workstation?) :-) Thank you for your reply! John japlotec@mtu.edu http://www.csl.mtu.edu/~japlotec - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 97 23:39:22 PDT From: perryh@pluto.rain.com (Perry Hutchison) Subject: color -> greyscale? To: udo@dinges.xs4all.nl > Date: 19 Aug 97 18:13:18 +0100 > From: udo@dinges.xs4all.nl (Udo van den Heuvel) > Subject: color -> greyscale? > > I want to connect my 3/60 (with color framebuffer) to a greyscale monitor (2 > coax inputs). I can connect sync to sync but need to put R, G and B together > into 1 'video' signal ... > > Is this the correct way to do this? The usual way of driving a grayscale monitor is to just connect it to one of the color planes. I think the current convention is to use G, but I remember a SunOS 3.5-era manual saying that R was normally used. Either way, applications need to be manually configured for the grayscale monitor since they can't detect what the CG4 is driving. - ------------------------------ Date: 5 Sep 1997 08:04:56 -0400 From: M.HARDING@sp-cops-com.nhq.drhc-hrdc.x400.gc.ca Subject: Removnig cover from Sun Tape Drives To: suns-at-home@tigger.net-kitchen.com Someone please help! I cannot for the life of me see how to remove the covers from Sun tape drives (1/4", 4mm). I am trying to disassemble one to remove a faulty unit, and it seems to be held on my magic. Can anyone provide any hints? Please?!?!? Thanks, Matthew Harding Please reply to ktlgroup@sympatico.ca. - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 17:32:03 -0700 From: james@vaneyck.ahip.getty.edu (James Lockwood) Subject: SPARCstation as X-term? To: Suns-at-Home@tigger.net-kitchen.com > Since, it is an X-term, I really don't need a powerful base, but I would > like to be able to run 1280x1024 at 24 bit color. I do, however, want to > keep the machine as minimal as possible (given the slightly... exotic > pricing of SPARCstuff). > > Is something like this possible on a low end SPARC? And while I'm here I > might as well ask, anyone know any good distributors in North America that > would sell low end SPARCs for cheap? Basically, I'd like to grab one of > them el-cheapo deals, and stick a 24bit 1280x1024 frame buffer and monitor > on it. The cheapest you're likely to find for a 24-bit framebuffer is the MGX+, which will run you around $700-800. Are you sure you need 24-bit color? :) A Sparc 2 (around $200 for the bare base) would probably meet your needs fine, but by the time you're finished you'll be out quite a bit of money. I'd recommend a PC-based solution or a dedicated X-terminal box if you really need 24-bit. -James ============================================================================= James D. Lockwood The Getty Information Institute System Administrator 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 300 james@gii.getty.edu Los Angeles, CA 90049-1680 - ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 14:57:22 -0400 From: David Christensen Subject: Sun @ Home wannabe needs advice To: suns-at-home@tigger.net-kitchen.com Hi All! This has probably been visited many times over, but.... I'm looking for some recommendations for a sparc at home. I do some devlopment in Remedy, some database work, perl & tckl, and would also like to get rid of my Intel box. Since I cant afford an Ultra or even thing of getting a 5, someone offered me a Sparc LX w/32mb, 1gb, a 16", type 5, and a 2x cd for $1300. I could probably get memory and maybe the hd cheaper myself, but still. And i'd need to procure solaris on my own, but thats about $250. Applix licenses will be another story though ($850). =( Having built in ISDN access would be cool, and audio is nice too. Anyway, I'm open to suggestions and ideas. Thanks! Dave Christensen Omni Services Inc. - Info. Systems Div. Remedy Administrator 400 South Main Street Suite 309 dchris@omni-services.com Culpeper, Virginia 22701 DID: 540/829.5527 Fax: 540/829.5549 >> - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 17:35:59 -0700 From: james@vaneyck.ahip.getty.edu (James Lockwood) Subject: Sun equipment- FCC Class A or B To: Suns-at-Home@tigger.net-kitchen.com > Other SS2 questions: > Is the SCSI interface SCSI-I or SCSI-II? > scsi-1 No, it's plain-vanilla SCSI-II (5mb/sec). > How well does the system perform running Solaris 2.5.1? > very well; as fast as or faster than sunos 4.1.4. Agreed, provided you have enough memory (24-32mb is a practical minimum). > quantum fireball [what a name] 6g are ~$450. these draw about the > same power as the sun0424s that ss2s originally came with; i wouldn't > try anything faster like atlases or barracudas because i don't think > the ss2 cooling flow is up to them. you're still limited to 2g > partitions [for the moment], but just imagine -- 12g [2*6] internal... Why are you limited to 2gb partitions? Solaris (and SunOS with Online:DiskSuite) supports partitions larger than 2gb (although versions of Solaris before 2.6 do not support files larger than 2gb). The only thing you have to watch out for is that the root partition isn't larger than 1gb (I think) because the PROM monitor can't handle boot blocks too far into the disk. -James ============================================================================= James D. Lockwood The Getty Information Institute System Administrator 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 300 james@gii.getty.edu Los Angeles, CA 90049-1680 - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 18:11:01 -0700 From: james@vaneyck.ahip.getty.edu (James Lockwood) Subject: Sun equipment- FCC Class A or B To: Suns-at-Home-List@tigger.net-kitchen.com > >Other SS2 questions: > >Is the SCSI interface SCSI-I or SCSI-II? > > If by SCSI-II you mean 10MB/s, then no. This is a pet peeve of mine. SCSI-II designates an enhanced command set and connector specification, but does not mandate higher speeds. The Sparc 2 certainly uses SCSI-II, but at the normal (5mb/sec) rate. Fast SCSI-II = 10mb/sec Wide SCSI-II = 10mb/sec Fast/Wide SCSI-II = 20mb/sec There is no such thing as SCSI-III. People often mistakenly use this term to designate Fast/Wide SCSI-II or Ultra SCSI. -James ============================================================================= James D. Lockwood The Getty Information Institute System Administrator 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 300 james@gii.getty.edu Los Angeles, CA 90049-1680 - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 22:17:21 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike Frisch Subject: Sun equipment- FCC Class A or B To: Sandwich Maker On Wed, 20 Aug 1997, Sandwich Maker wrote: > Other SS2 questions: > Is the SCSI interface SCSI-I or SCSI-II? > scsi-1 It's a SCSI-2 interface. Plain 5MB/s SCSI-2. Mike. ====================================================================== Mike Frisch Email: mfrisch@saturn.tlug.org Northstar Technologies WWW: http://saturn.tlug.org/~mfrisch Newmarket, Ontario, CANADA ====================================================================== - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 17:29:23 -0700 From: james@vaneyck.ahip.getty.edu (James Lockwood) Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #30 To: Suns-at-Home-List@tigger.net-kitchen.com > I'm trying to get a VME Sparc CPU board working, not in a VME cabinet. Are > there any pointers out there on what VME grant signals need to be granted > for a VME cpu to _think_ there's a big, empty VME bus out there? Just power. :) > Essentially, I've got a VME-based Sparc CPU and I want to run it standalone, > without a VME backplane. It's got an SBus on it, but I can't get it to > bring up anything on a monitor attached to a CG3. > > If this is hopeless, what's the smallest VME box available? A 4/110? A 3/50 or 3/60 chassis would probably be the minimum, assuming that cooling isn't a problem (a 4/300 will work in a 3/60 chassis except for serial ports, but it overheats rapidly). -James ============================================================================= James D. Lockwood The Getty Information Institute System Administrator 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 300 james@gii.getty.edu Los Angeles, CA 90049-1680 - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 04 Sep 1997 18:44:27 -0400 From: Howard Huntley Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #31 To: Suns-at-Home@tigger.net-kitchen.com I have the sunOS v4.1.1 installed and I plan to upgrade to SunOS v4.1.3U which I got a good deal on the purchase price. I want to know what the difference is between the version listed above and the SunOS v4.1.4. Is it worth the time to get the more recent v4.1.4 or go all the way to Solaris 2.5.1 or 2.6 to run on a Sparc 1 or maybe later on a Sparc 2? NetCom's NetCruser v3.0/Eudora Pro v3.0/Forte Agent v.99f/OS/2 Warp v3.0/Win95/Linux, Sun SPARC CU-SeeMe: HHuntley@ix.netcom.com InterNet Phone: hhuntley@pub1.ipn.vocaltec.com http://pw2.netcom.com/~hhuntley/hhunt.html Jacksonville Electric Authority, Micro Systems Specialist: hunth@jea.com - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 08:42:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Rick Leir EPS Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #31 To: Dwight McKay > I have a SparcStation, running Sunos 4.1.3_U1. > problems with the system sticking when X-Sessions finish. > Any ideas? Is it just a missing patch. This system is currently > unpatched. I also have a problem with certain applications crashing > OpenWindows, e.g. Cooltalk, when ran on a remote display e.g. Linux > XFree86, the programs work fine. OpenWindows pre 2.5.3 is a NEWS server, and though it had its technical merits, I would try to get away from it. 2.5.3, .4, .5 have X11R5. Instead of patching this, you might want to use NetBSD assuming you want to stay with a BSD'ish flavour. Linux for Sparc is also a good option. Both of the free options will bring you up to date with X11R6. Both might require a few days to install if you have problems unless you have done it before (might be just an hour!). Both have good support FAQ's on the net. cheers -- Rick Rick Leir rleir@igs.net http://www.igs.net/~rleir 613-828-8289 7951 Rocinante It's not the size of the dog in a fight that counts, but the size of the fight in the dog. -- Jim Barksdale - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Sep 1997 08:05:43 -0400 From: Michael Thompson Subject: VME CPU not in a VME cabinet To: Suns-at-Home@tigger.net-kitchen.com >Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 13:49:33 -0400 (EDT) >From: Ethan Dicks >Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V10 #30 >To: Suns-at-Home@tigger.net-kitchen.com > >I'm trying to get a VME Sparc CPU board working, not in a VME cabinet. Are >there any pointers out there on what VME grant signals need to be granted >for a VME cpu to _think_ there's a big, empty VME bus out there? > >Essentially, I've got a VME-based Sparc CPU and I want to run it standalone, >without a VME backplane. It's got an SBus on it, but I can't get it to >bring up anything on a monitor attached to a CG3. > >If this is hopeless, what's the smallest VME box available? A 4/110? > >Thanks, > >-ethan > There are quite a few VMEbus signals that need to be in a quiescent state for the CPU to be happy. Many VMEbus backplane manufacturers have backplanes with a terminator module that plugs onto the back of the backplane. You could install just the terminator module on the CPU's J1 connector to run without a backplane. A Schroff P/N 23011-004 should work. Michael Thompson E-Mail: M_Thompson@IDS.net - ------------------------------ End of Suns-at-Home Digest ******************************