Populating empty ATI VIP / AMC feature header on AIW Rage 128 Pro

[cybertheque]

The Rage 128 Pro cards (AIW and others) have an empty set of 26 pin and 12 pin header pads
that logically should correspond to the VIP or VGA feature connector and the AMC feature
connector (ATI) standard. Checking continuity with an ohmmeter on known ground pins
suggests a cable cross-over or some other inconsistency. Has anyone populated these
headers and successfully used them as a feature connector? Do you have the pin assignments
and/or custom cable wiring data? A 'webarchive.org' page from an old ATI support site
has low-res photos of a cable with some random re-routed wires showing, but counting pins
on this photos is quite inaccurate.

Thanks,

Michael

[cybertheque]

"cybertheque" wrote:
> Do you have the pin assignments and/or custom cable wiring data?

After some digging, I have compiled the following data:
(Note, the web interface for this forum by default is not using fixed-width fonts;
copy and paste the text below into an ascii editor and view in fixed-width to
render the tables and artwork correctly.

================================================== ====
VIP connector Pin Assignments (from a 3rd party 'VIP'-capable device manual)
NOTE: these _DO_ _NOT_ correspond to observed pin assignments on the Rage 128
AIW Pro

Pin Name Desc
--- ---- ----
1 D0 Input data (LSB-multiplexed YUV)
3 D1
5 D2
7 D3
9 D4
11 D5
13 D6
15 D7
17 CLOCK Pixel Clk Input
8 HS HSync Input
12 VS VSync Input
10 FLD Field Input (opt)
14 SCL I2C Clk Out (opt)
26 SDA I2C Data I/O (opt)

2,4,6,16,18,20,22,23,25 GND

================================================== ===========
From a 'VFX1' support manual:

ATI Technical Support feature connector info: The 26 pin BERG connector
on ATI products is KEYED with pin Z13 missing and should be labelled as
follows:
------------------------------------------------------------ -----


Y1 J2 Y13
+---------------------------------------+
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . |
+---------------------------------------+
Z1 Z13 (pin missing)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
IBM defines the feature connector in the following manner:
Pin Name Description
Y1 C0 Colour BIT 0: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y2 C1 Colour BIT 1: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y3 C2 Colour BIT 2: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y4 C3 Colour BIT 3: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y5 C4 Colour BIT 4: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y6 C5 Colour BIT 5: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y7 C6 Colour BIT 6: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.
Y8 C7 Colour BIT 7: an output when 'Select Internal Video' is hi.

Y9 DAC Clock Video clock for adapter palette/DAC. Output when
'Select Internal DAC Clock' is high.

Y10 DAC Blanking Blanking Signal for adapter palette/DAC. Output when 'Select
Internal Syncs' is high.

Y11 Ext. H Sync Output when 'Select Internal Syncs' is high.

Y12 Ext. V Sync Output when 'Select Internal Syncs' is high.

Y13, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z8, Z9, Z10 & Z11 Ground

Z4 Select Internal Defines colour pins (C7 to C0) as outputs when high.
(Video) The adapter pulls this signal to +5 volts through a 4.7K ohm resistor.

Z5 Defines SYNCS and blanking pins as outputs. The adapter uses 4.7K ohm
pull-up resistor.

Z6 Defines the DAC Clock pin as an output.

Z7, Z12 & Z13 Not used
ATI card connector pinouts are from Tan Irwin at ATI Technical Support.
================================================== ======================

The good news is that the AIW Rage 128 Pro (16MB) sitting on my desk has the proper Y1 and Z1 legends
on the header pads and the ground pins map to the above table correctly. I will solder in a header and
test the board connected to a hardware mpeg board as soon as time permits.

Regards,

Michael

[Nelson37]

What exactly is the goal of this operation?

[cybertheque]

"Nelson37" wrote:
> What exactly is the goal of this operation?

Video overlay support for some specialized boards that currently work with AIW Pro
(which has an AMI feature connector).

On further testing it seems that most of the VIP signal pins on my test AIW 128 16MB
(Theater-based) seem to be unconnected I have a photo of an AIW 128 (unknown if
it is Bt829 or Theater) which _has_ a 26-pin header which presumably is functional.

Do any ATI engineers participate on these forums? Is there a version of the 128
Theater which has functional AMC or VIP ports (with or without an installed header)?

Michael