Thread

Q840av or Q950?

68kMLA Hardware 14 posts Aug 31, 2008 to Nov 30, 2008

#1 Sun, 31 Aug 2008 - 17:11 68kMLA

Which computer would be the better to use as a av machine. The 840av has a lot of built in features but the 950 can be upgraded by adding a Daystar Quad040 and a Audiomedia II

cards. Which would have more advantages?

#2 Sun, 31 Aug 2008 - 20:25 68kMLA

A stock 840av is better then a stock 950. Since you seem to have a source for Nubus cards I would think a 950 would be a better choice since you can easily expand it to levels an 840av cannot match.

If you can find a spigot pro or spigot pro av the 840av is pretty good.

There are plenty of DSP cards for 950's.

If you just want audio then an Audiomedia II in either machine is good.

#3 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 - 03:17 68kMLA

Finding the 16 mb ram chips seems to be the biggest problem.

#4 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 - 04:00 68kMLA

Until but recently, this seller was the cheapest source of new 16MB 30-pin non-parity (or parity at the same price) RAM SIMMs. He has none for sale at the moment, which may be an end-of-life phenomenon, or he may have stock on the way. Easy enough to ask him.

de

#5 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 - 05:44 68kMLA

16MB 30 pin SIMMs are not that hard to find, they are just hard to find cheap. Equipment that had those size SIMMs installed get gutted since the memory tends to be worth more then the computer.

#6 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 - 16:31 68kMLA

You may have noticed the word 'new' in my post. None of the parity RAM that I bought for my Q950 from mchowardelectronics had been used—and the tinned contacts show even a single use very clearly—although the nonparity 16s sometimes showed prior use. At about USD10 for 4 x 4MB and USD30 for 4 x 16MB, that seller was a treasure-house.

Another eBay seller is probably closer to Maconthemove, but dearer at USD50 for 4 x 16MB. Even fourniersean, however, is not currently offering much 30-pin 16MB stuff (parity or nonparity) for Macs.

de

#7 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 - 00:04 68kMLA

I have a few 30pin SIMMs but no idea what capacity they are. I have 7 of them, and not all are the same.

#8 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 - 18:56 68kMLA

You may get some help in reading your chips (the ICs, not the built-up SIMM cards) here, but be prepared for frequent frustrations and gaps in information.

de

#9 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 - 06:28 68kMLA

So far $112.00 USD + shipping for 256 mb is the cheapest.

#10 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 - 16:49 68kMLA

If you do a search for both those model numbers here you'll find quite a long thread discussing the merits of each.

#11 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 - 23:14 68kMLA

Which computer would be the best to test 30 pin sims, one at a time?

#12 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 - 23:22 68kMLA

On the testing SIMMs one module at a time bit, I'd say the LC since it's easy to work in and can accept memory in banks of two. Most Macs that use 30-pin SIMMs need memory installed in banks of 4.

#13 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 - 04:37 68kMLA

macsales.com sells the 16mb chips. They are $9 a piece, which isnt the cheapest, but there isnt any bidding and you know that they will be good

#14 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 - 04:58 68kMLA

Until but recently, this seller was the cheapest source of new 16MB 30-pin non-parity (or parity at the same price) RAM SIMMs. He has none for sale at the moment, which may be an end-of-life phenomenon, or he may have stock on the way. Easy enough to ask him.
de

Wow I know that store, I had no idea they sold on eBay. It is about 2 miles from my office and I usually stop by there once a month or so.