| Title: | Alpha Workstation Conference |
| Notice: | See note 1.* for conference notices |
| Moderator: | WRKSYS::HOUSE |
| Created: | Wed Sep 07 1994 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1996 |
| Total number of notes: | 9122 |
I have a customer who purchased a number of AS500/333 workstations with
the 4D40T Graphics Adapter and Texture Memory. They also purchased a
DE500-XA 10/100 Ethernet Board. In addition, each station needs to
hold an ALTA T-LINK (PCI) communications card.
The customer has run into some 3-dimensional space problems that we did
not expect when they ordered the system. I will explain using the
64Mbit (Top) slot as slot #1 and the PCI slot next to the CPU mother
board as slot #2.
First thing they discovered is that they have to put the DE500 in slot
#4 because the CPU board's heat sink sits up so high that a full-size
board will not fit in that slot.
Second thing they discovered is that they cannot put the ALTA Board in
the 3rd slot because the 4D40T's texture memory causes that board to
use more than 2 slots! Seems that since the texture memory was not
designed on a slant, it stick into the end-space of the third slot down
from where it is mounted. Therefore, they are forced to put the ALTA
T-LINK board in slot #1.
That brings me to the PROBLEM. With the 4D40T's board in slot #2, the
heat sink on that board touches the heat sink on the CPU mother board.
Is this a cooling problem? Is this a grounding problem? Is this a
vibration problem?
Finally, why do we advertise that the 4D40T uses 2 PCI slots when it
actually encroaches on a third?
Thanks in advance for any resolution advice that anyone can come up
with,
Craig Blasingame
Sales Account Manager
Lockheed Martin Global Account Team
610-666-9631
PS. A very minor issue on this account is that the T-LINK board from
ALTA was delivered without the little extender "clips" that allow a PCI
board in an AS500 chassis to reach the stress relief slots on the far
side of the cabinet. Does anyone know where I could get a few of the
clips to give this customer for their T-Link boards?
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856.1 | slots | WRKSYS::DISCHLER | I don't wanna wait in vain | Fri Feb 14 1997 12:01 | 8 |
The 400 and 500Mhz machines (ev56, low power) have the lower heatsink
that allows three long slots. Sounds like you have the best slot
choices made considering the problem. The heatsinks are both ground
and are now right in front of the fan, so I don't anticipate trouble
unless the machines are moved or shocked repeatedly.
If what you desribed works, it sounds ok. I'll let graphics folks
comment on the 40t card.
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| 1856.2 | Should be OK | WRKSYS::DOTY | Russ Doty, Graphics and Multimedia | Fri Feb 14 1997 18:00 | 20 |
Hmmm, never heard of this one before.
The 4DT graphics cards (4D40T, 4D50T, 4D60T) fit within the physical
envelope specified by PCI 2.1.
I just checked with a 4D60T in an AlphaStation 500/500. The 4D60T is
higher than the 4D40T -- it has a plastic shroud over the texture
memory. I was able to plug in another PCI card in slot 3, with 1/8"
clearance between the cards.
This 500/500 did have the CPU heatsink blocking part of slots 3 and 4.
You should have no problems plugging in a card next to a 4D40T. The
texture memory does not extend into the space occupied by other cards.
Please double check and make sure that the texture memory is installed
properly.
Russ Doty
PowerStorm 4DT Product Mangler
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