Doh! Goes in the "Always try it yourself" file. I'm the one who suggested those cards, then after Renegade's posting where it didn't work, I put it aside and didn't try it myself, figuring it would take more effort.
I have a chip programmer. I could have lifted the socketed chip and installed the firmware and had a working card all this time. Possibly in time to purchase more of those nice socketed boards with the 4 Mb chips already installed. Just so I'm clear, I do not blame Renegade at all. He reported his experience. I just should have tried it myself.
Still, it's nice to have the explicitly explored information that Doug has generated. Now we know what will and won't work and why.