Ultra5 to Ultra10 (Re: [Sunhelp] Sun Ultra 5 models?)

[patl at Phoenix.Volant.ORG]

On 17-Aug-00 at 03:40, Dan Jameyson (jameyson at amist.org) wrote:
> Though I'm fairly happy with my Ultra5 the way it is, I'd still like to
> come up with the most functional and economic way to get Ultra10
> functionality. I'd love to have a Ultra5 tower that I could pump up with
> (internal) scsi and Creator3d.

You can put SCSI and other PCI cards in a U5.

> I'll assume the only differences between the U5 and U10 are case and PCI
> configuration (which can be solved by the $60 part from Sun).
> 
> If the Ultra10 cases are difficult to get a hold of, what about
> converting a PC tower case,

The question specificly applied to the installation of a Creator
framebuffer card; which does not go into a PCI slot.  It has its
own UPA slot which runs at 90 degrees to the PCI slots in the U10.
And the PCI slots are on a riser card which puts them at 90 degrees
to the customary position on PCs.  So it is unlikely that you would
find a PC case that would work.

>                             or ordering a workable case from one of the
> 3rd party ultrasparc workstation companies?

If you can find a U10 compatable 3rd party workstation; they may
make a box that the U5/U10 board will work in.

>                                              I've noticed that on the PC
> cases, both the motherboard mounting panel and back panel are modular,
> and could be removed and replaced or modified. I don't think it would be
> that expensive to have small pieces of sheet metal machined to the
> correct specifications. 

I wouldn't be surprised to discover that the U5/U10 motherboard's
mounting holes already line up with some of the mountpoints on
standard PCs.  The problem is with the back panel's slots for the
PCI and Creator cards.  In most of the PC cases I've seen the back
panel is an integral structural part of the frame; with only a small
customizable area for the ATX style cases.

I would also like to point out that the shielding around the
card slots on the U10 is vastly superior to anything I've seen
on any PC case.  Of course, this may not be important to everyone.


> Any thoughts on this one?

It could be cheaper and easier to actually buy an empty U10 case
from Sun.  Or see if you can get an Ultra AXi board without RAM
or CPU; and swap those from your U5.  (The theory being that they
are much more expensive than the motherboard itself.)

In any case, I don't see a cheap solution for adding a Creator
graphics card to an existing U5.



-Pat