Confirmed: Rad9700 Pro for the price of a 9500 !

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hapahaole

Member
Jul 17, 2001
188
0
0
Well I ordered one, holy crap I hope I dont kill it trying the mod. :)

Wish I could figure out if its ok to just move the existing resistor that's on there to the new spot, I'd imagine getting a resistor that size would be a pain.
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
I think it might work if you just add a resistor to position 1-2 and leave the resistor at position 2-3. But I'm just guessing. In the bios, there's probably some piece of code that does something like this:

if (jumper1 == 1)
{
8pipes_register_flag = 1;
}
else if (jumper2 == 1)
{
8pipes_register_flag = 0;
}

In any event, I don't think anything would be fried because these resistors are nothing more than hard wired jumpers.
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
Here's what I want to know: Do all the Sapphire 9500's non-pros use the 9700 PCB or do only the older ones? Do new Sapphire 9500's use the new 9500 128bit bus PCB?
 

tart666

Golden Member
May 18, 2002
1,289
0
0
AFAIK, there are no 9500 128MB on their own PCB as of yet. But then again, I've been wrong before...

This is according to digit-life.com
 

Kazuo

Member
Oct 14, 2002
145
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0
I don't think the 9500 with 128MB can have anything but a 256-bit wide bus. I could be wrong, but I'd imagine that's why ATi says that the 9500 will only come with 64MB (obviously they were wrong). Maybe in R9500 mode it can't address the 128MB with a 128-bit wide bus? That'd be excellent news for everyone, it effectively makes it impossible for ATi to rectify this without a change to the R300s used in the R9500.
 

Inspirer

Member
Jul 11, 2002
50
0
0
I like the way people guess what is possible and what's available just by readyng reviews on the web.

I belive ATI and other vendors as well can do anything they want with memory configuration. 128bit wide bus allows lot's of memory. they just have to use different memory chips, assuming that the memory controler is flexible enough.

my guess is that they had such a good yield on r300, that they decided it would be a waste of time designing and testing different PCBs. they much rathered differentiating the cards by using resistors and more or less memory modules.
This way, they can use most of the chips manufactured for the model that's selling best.

the 9500Pro is the exception with a unique PCB hence it's late and unavailable.

If, in the following weeks vendors decide to put an end to the Hacking fiesta, they can start making 9500 128mb cards with 128bit buses like the 9500Pro, or a thousand other creative solutions that smarter people than me can come up with.

new designs with the same brand names will cause a great deal of confusion to the people looking for the hackable cards.

but, I don't believe vendors will slow down their factories just so that a few soldering geeks won't get performance they didn't pay for.
the vast majority of people don't have a clue it's possible, and others wouldn't dream of doing it.
Lastly, another guess of mine would be that comparable performance will be available for the same prices within 4 months so why bother with a new PCB ?
 

EdipisReks

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2000
2,722
0
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Originally posted by: hapahaole
Well I ordered one, holy crap I hope I dont kill it trying the mod. :)

Wish I could figure out if its ok to just move the existing resistor that's on there to the new spot, I'd imagine getting a resistor that size would be a pain.

yeah, its ok just moving the existing resistor.
 

Inspirer

Member
Jul 11, 2002
50
0
0
I hope the software hack thing is not a rumor :)

If all that's required to enable those pipelines is the removal of a query in the BIOS, or better yet, the drivers, then it would be pretty embarassing for the hardware tweakers :)
 

Kazuo

Member
Oct 14, 2002
145
0
0
It'd be great if there's a way to modify the BIOS so that it works without software doing stuff every time Windows is run (and it'd really suck if it only worked in Windows).
 

frustrated2

Golden Member
Mar 12, 2000
1,187
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Well hopefully all of this isn't just hype as ordered a radeon 9500 128 meg today. Before they are all gone:)
 

bunnyfubbles

Lifer
Sep 3, 2001
12,248
3
0
supposed software and hardware upgrades, if one doesn't work you can fall back on the other, doesn't seem too shabby! A vid card BIOS flash would definately be sweet, but I guess this way is a little "safer."
 

Killrose

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 1999
6,230
8
81
Well I have'nt received mine yet. will be tommorrow for sure. But I don't know if I should solder it or wait for the OEM 128mb software trick. I have read some disturbing tales of this not working for people over at Rage3d forums with-out some video corruption.
 

Auric

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,591
2
71
It just keeps getting better :)

Now those crazy Russians have used electrically conductive glue to simply short the "jumper" positions together, thus the current flows through the glue (path of least resistance) and effectively enables the 1-2 position instead of 2-3.

xbitlabs

Now, where does one get tiny quantities of electrically conductive glue on the cheap? This seems easier for those that do not have the necessary soldering equipment and experience but I assume it is actually more permanent if the glue is like common epoxy. And if it ain't then how could it stand the heat?
 

EdipisReks

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2000
2,722
0
0
iirc, silver thermal paste (ie Arctic Silver) has a reistance under 6 ohms. it should work fine. does anyone remember what the resistance of graphite is? if it is under 6, then you should be able to use a pencil.
 

Kazuo

Member
Oct 14, 2002
145
0
0
It has to be WELL below the value to be definite though. And it's a 6.8kOhm (6800 Ohm) resistor on the VPU. I think graphite tracks are about 1kOhm... try it and see :) To be sure, you may want to remove the resistor across 2-3 anyway by scratching it off or something. If it really just is a jumper, this was sort of a "Well, duh" solution, don't you think? :p
 

EdipisReks

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2000
2,722
0
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it's not just a jumper, and you have to have the resistor in place for the conductive glue by pass to work. you are trying to make it select the path of least resistance, and that isn't going to work properly if there is only one path. removing the resistor and using a pencil has been tried, and it isn't very succesful.
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
I think the conductive glue trick is bad. I specifically tell people not to do this on my web page for a possible pencil trick. The thing is, the resistors are there for a reason: to prevent too much current from flowing. The pins in question are no doubt connected to some I/O pin on the R300 chip. I/O lines are only for communication and can't handle any significant amount of current so you need a resistor in line to choke down the current flow. By just shorting pins 1 & 2 like XBIT recommends, you'll probably putting WAY WAY too much current into the R300. Even if the voltage available at pin 2 were only 1 volt, you could potentially be putting several amps into the R300 if there are no other resistors inline. Unless theres another transistor in the circuit somewhere on the PCB or in the R300, you could possibly kill your R300.

Possible pencil only way of doing this.
 

BarMan

Banned
Jan 4, 2001
1,204
0
0
This is turning a 9500 Pro into a 9700

not a 9500 into a 9700 Pro, there are differences
 

hovenas

Senior member
Jan 5, 2001
616
0
0
PPL, these news are all extremly exciting. I would like to know if this applies to other 9500's than Sapphires and if so which?
What should I look for when I buy? I am looking at Connect3d's version, a 9500 w 128mb. Will it hold? Somewhere I read that it
must be visibly comparable to the 9700 board. What to spot for? AKING TO KNOW!!!
THx all
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
This is turning a 9500 Pro into a 9700
Not so. This is about turning a 9500 non-pro into a 9700 non-pro. Specifically:
If you have a 9500 with the 9700 pcb & 128MB ram, you can turn the 9500 into a 9700.
If you have a 9500 with the 9700 pcb & 64MB ram, you can turn the 9500 into a 9500 pro.
If you have a 9500 with the 9500 128bit pcb, you can turn it into a 9500 pro
If you have a 9500 pro, you can't do anything with this hack.