Funky (as in The Spinners, not toe cheese) Video Card

[Grinder]

I scraped and reinstalled Windows 98se on a friend's computer this last
weekend. In the process I noticed this funky video card. On startup it
reports:

STB Velocity 128 (RIVA 128) Ver.1.81

In the Device Manager, before the install, it was called:

STB Velocity 128

I don't really want to try the drivers that are on Gateway's system
restore disc for a couple of reasons: 1) The restore disc is geared
towards Win95, and I would prefer to find the most up-to-date driver for
Win98se, and 2) I'm not that confident that this video card game with
the system originally. There is a driver for an "STBTV" for what it's
worth.

I found what appeared to be the right driver online, and it certainly
has enabled the higher resolution and color depths. For all intents and
purposes of the user, the card is nominal.

Because of an unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" left in the Device
Manager, though, I'm trying to make absolutely sure that I have the
proper drivers installed.

The physical description is thus: It is a two slot card. One card plugs
into an AGP port on the MP440BX mother board, and has the VGA output.
The other card, attached by a ribbon cable to the first, plugs into a
PCI. It exposes no ports on the back of the case, but it has a line
running from "Audio Out" on the card to the Auxiliary line of the sound
card.

Can someone help me figure out precisely what this card is, and where
up-to-date Win98se drivers are?

- - - - - - - - - -

I should also point out that my estimation of what the mother board is,
an Intel (Mount Prospect) MP440BX is as reported from Everest Home.
Looking at Intel's spec for this board, though, makes that speculation
dubious. My board apparently has on-board audio, but the spec does not
mention that as far as I can see.

At any rate, I should have the machine in my possession tommorrow to
make a more deliberate inspection.

As always, thanks for your time and consideration.

 

[WindsorFox]

I scraped and reinstalled Windows 98se on a friend's computer this last
weekend. In the process I noticed this funky video card. On startup it
reports:

STB Velocity 128 (RIVA 128) Ver.1.81

In the Device Manager, before the install, it was called:

STB Velocity 128

I don't really want to try the drivers that are on Gateway's system
restore disc for a couple of reasons: 1) The restore disc is geared
towards Win95, and I would prefer to find the most up-to-date driver for
Win98se, and 2) I'm not that confident that this video card game with
the system originally. There is a driver for an "STBTV" for what it's
worth.

I found what appeared to be the right driver online, and it certainly
has enabled the higher resolution and color depths. For all intents and
purposes of the user, the card is nominal.

Because of an unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" left in the Device
Manager, though, I'm trying to make absolutely sure that I have the
proper drivers installed.

The physical description is thus: It is a two slot card. One card plugs
into an AGP port on the MP440BX mother board, and has the VGA output.
The other card, attached by a ribbon cable to the first, plugs into a
PCI. It exposes no ports on the back of the case, but it has a line
running from "Audio Out" on the card to the Auxiliary line of the sound
card.

Can someone help me figure out precisely what this card is, and where
up-to-date Win98se drivers are?

It's an STB Velocity with the nVidia Riva 128 chip. Google is your
friend....
http://www.nvidia.com/object/riva_drivers
http://www.driverscollection.com/?V=STB&S=1

 

[pen]

I scraped and reinstalled Windows 98se on a friend's computer this last
weekend. In the process I noticed this funky video card. On startup
it reports:

STB Velocity 128 (RIVA 128) Ver.1.81

In the Device Manager, before the install, it was called:

STB Velocity 128

I don't really want to try the drivers that are on Gateway's system
restore disc for a couple of reasons: 1) The restore disc is geared
towards Win95, and I would prefer to find the most up-to-date driver
for Win98se, and 2) I'm not that confident that this video card game
with the system originally. There is a driver for an "STBTV" for what
it's worth.

I found what appeared to be the right driver online, and it certainly
has enabled the higher resolution and color depths. For all intents
and purposes of the user, the card is nominal.

Because of an unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" left in the Device
Manager, though, I'm trying to make absolutely sure that I have the
proper drivers installed.

The physical description is thus: It is a two slot card. One card
plugs into an AGP port on the MP440BX mother board, and has the VGA
output. The other card, attached by a ribbon cable to the first, plugs
into a PCI. It exposes no ports on the back of the case, but it has a
line running from "Audio Out" on the card to the Auxiliary line of the
sound card.

Can someone help me figure out precisely what this card is, and where
up-to-date Win98se drivers are?

Dell has some docs, also a clue about that add-on board. It connects to
the
digital video input on the card and is for DVD support.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/veloc128/
Google search produces several sources for drivers.

 

[Grinder]

It's an STB Velocity with the nVidia Riva 128 chip. Google is your
friend....
http://www.nvidia.com/object/riva_drivers
http://www.driverscollection.com/?V=STB&S=1

Thanks. I did find a driver that appears to work with the card, but
some reviews I've read of the "STB Velocity 128" mention the Riva
chipset, but not the additional PCI card. It's that difference, plus
the stray unknown device that has had me wondering if I need a more
specific description for the card.

 

[Grinder]

Dell has some docs, also a clue about that add-on board. It connects to the
digital video input on the card and is for DVD support.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/veloc128/
Google search produces several sources for drivers.

Thanks. There is/was a DVD-ROM in the PC, but it's defunct. The
machine *will not* boot, however, if the "add-on" board is removed.

 

[kony]

I scraped and reinstalled Windows 98se on a friend's computer this last
weekend. In the process I noticed this funky video card. On startup it
reports:

STB Velocity 128 (RIVA 128) Ver.1.81

In the Device Manager, before the install, it was called:

STB Velocity 128

I don't really want to try the drivers that are on Gateway's system
restore disc for a couple of reasons: 1) The restore disc is geared
towards Win95, and I would prefer to find the most up-to-date driver for
Win98se, and 2) I'm not that confident that this video card game with
the system originally. There is a driver for an "STBTV" for what it's
worth.

Gateway used STB Velocity 128 on ~ '97-98 Pentium 2 systems.
Odds are it's original equipment, but you're right not to
use the original drivers because they were very bad- bad
enough that it was memorable how problematic they were in
the win95 era.

Do you need *full* driver or only basic?
I have both, the basic was what MS put on the WinME disc,
essentially same as full but with fewer features... meaning
it can do less but fewer features on most any card tends to
mean more stable too. I don't recall any particular
instabilities on the last driver sets though, just
occasionally that if changing resolutions the taskbar would
get stuck 1" up too high but my memory of that is so vague,
it could've even been win95 on which it happened. There was
also a complimentary app called Vision95 or Vision98. Don't
install that, it was buggy crap.

I found what appeared to be the right driver online, and it certainly
has enabled the higher resolution and color depths. For all intents and
purposes of the user, the card is nominal.

Because of an unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" left in the Device
Manager, though, I'm trying to make absolutely sure that I have the
proper drivers installed.

Does it have the TV on it?
Gateway did sell TV cards too.
Hold on a second and I'll see if i can dig up a pic of the
card gateway used, the one without tv, just a normal STB
Velocity (which btw, is more often called a Riva128 as that
was the reference design for that GPU, the STB and Velocity
names don't signify anything proprietary of themselves).

http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/STB_NV3_RIVA128-1.JPG
(I don't think the heatsink on it is original equipment).
http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/STB_NV3_RIVA128-2.JPG
~380K ea.

The physical description is thus: It is a two slot card. One card plugs
into an AGP port on the MP440BX mother board, and has the VGA output.
The other card, attached by a ribbon cable to the first, plugs into a
PCI. It exposes no ports on the back of the case, but it has a line
running from "Audio Out" on the card to the Auxiliary line of the sound
card.

I think you have a normal card, similar to one of the above,
and the complimentary add-on card is an MPEG decoder card,
possibly a Chromatic Research mPact card. Come to think of
it, I even had some Gateway boards that had their version 2
chip soldered onto it... odd boards, they had rambus cache
memory onboard for it, was implemented as a VLIW media
processor on their "Anigma" board. I dont' think the mPact2
driver worked for mPact1 though... but if it is mPact2, I
may have the last driver(s) for it.

Can someone help me figure out precisely what this card is, and where
up-to-date Win98se drivers are?

The markings on the card itself, particularly on the main
chip, is the strongest evidence.

I don't know where to find the last drivers online, you'll
have as much luck Google searching that as I will. Once you
figure out the chipsets used, then if I have the
corresponding drivers I'll post them for d/l. Well I
already know what a Velocity 128 is so here's that,

http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/riva128.zip
~ 2MB

- - - - - - - - - -

I should also point out that my estimation of what the mother board is,
an Intel (Mount Prospect) MP440BX is as reported from Everest Home.
Looking at Intel's spec for this board, though, makes that speculation
dubious. My board apparently has on-board audio, but the spec does not
mention that as far as I can see.

What led you to the "MP" part above?
I think they used some SE440BX (Seattle) version 1 and/or 2.
Looked like this,
http://www.zdsparts.com/images/182427t.jpg

What did you need to know this for though?
IIRC, you don't need drivers for it in Win98se, and for the
audio, you should get the newest driver from the respective
chipset manufacturer.

Well, "maybe" not the newest, as the newest might be a WDM
driver which probably works fine, but in some rare cases
with other old hardware, the VXD driver seemed to do best.
IOW, I'd get both while at their website then try the WDM
first, ready to switch to VXD if it didn't work well. The
VXD is sometimes specified as the Win95/98 driver while WDM
for 98SE/ME but tends to work on 98SE too.

At any rate, I should have the machine in my possession tommorrow to
make a more deliberate inspection.

If all else fails, test everything the user needs and
ignore/disable anything else. IOW, upgrading from Win95 to
98 is more important than having a working MPEG card to most
people. Riva128 might've hard partial MPEG decoding assist
but IIRC, wasn't so great till a few years later.

 

[Grinder]

Do you need *full* driver or only basic?

I would like to get rid of the unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" on the
system, but I'm not sure if the display adapter is the source of the
shortfall.

Does it have the TV on it?

I don't think so. There's only one port on the one card -- a VGA adapter.

http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/STB_NV3_RIVA128-1.JPG

That's the card.

I think you have a normal card, similar to one of the above,
and the complimentary add-on card is an MPEG decoder card,
possibly a Chromatic Research mPact card. Come to think of
it, I even had some Gateway boards that had their version 2
chip soldered onto it... odd boards, they had rambus cache
memory onboard for it, was implemented as a VLIW media
processor on their "Anigma" board. I dont' think the mPact2
driver worked for mPact1 though... but if it is mPact2, I
may have the last driver(s) for it.

The weird thing is that I can't get video if that "add-on" card is not
plugged in. If it's just an MPEG decoder, shouldn't I just be able to
leave it off and lose DVD playback?

The markings on the card itself, particularly on the main
chip, is the strongest evidence.

I'll put up digital photographs tomorrow.

I don't know where to find the last drivers online, you'll
have as much luck Google searching that as I will. Once you
figure out the chipsets used, then if I have the
corresponding drivers I'll post them for d/l. Well I
already know what a Velocity 128 is so here's that,

http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/riva128.zip

Thanks. That's the "basic" set of drivers?

What led you to the "MP" part above?
I think they used some SE440BX (Seattle) version 1 and/or 2.

Everest. It sound right because I read that Intel had put some custom
boards, MP440BXs, together for gateway.

Looked like this,
http://www.zdsparts.com/images/182427t.jpg

What did you need to know this for though?
IIRC, you don't need drivers for it in Win98se, and for the
audio, you should get the newest driver from the respective
chipset manufacturer.

I thought if there were multiple drivers needed for the motherboard --
sound, networking -- that I might find a set identified by name of that
board.

 

[kony]

I would like to get rid of the unknown "PCI Multimedia Device" on the
system, but I'm not sure if the display adapter is the source of the
shortfall.


I don't think so. There's only one port on the one card -- a VGA adapter.


That's the card.

It needs no add-on card to work, it is a typical standalone
AGP card.

The weird thing is that I can't get video if that "add-on" card is not
plugged in. If it's just an MPEG decoder, shouldn't I just be able to
leave it off and lose DVD playback?

You don't even lose DVD playback, it's just going to be
slower depending on the CPU speed (I forget what that was if
you'd mentioned it), and that nVidia didn't have so much
MPEG assist in their GPUs in those days. So I suppose it
could still mean no DVD playback simply because the system
is then not powerful enough to do it... but it'll try to do
it, maybe on a good optimized player it'd be possible still,
I couldn't be sure.

It is curious that you don't get video without the add-on
card. Did you try clearing the CMOS? I wonder if the
video card itself had a different bios when paired with an
MPEG card, but I didn't think it did. You didn't still have
the cables connected and unterminated?

I'll put up digital photographs tomorrow.


Thanks. That's the "basic" set of drivers?

It's the two newest, AFAIK. One may still be on nVidia's
website. Vision 98 isn't included, I don't even know if i
have that or deleted it years ago.

Everest. It sound right because I read that Intel had put some custom
boards, MP440BXs, together for gateway.

Gateway also had some that were practically identical to
retail boards too. You should be able to tell from the bios
string, it would've been the same except for the vendor ID
code in it.

I thought if there were multiple drivers needed for the motherboard --
sound, networking -- that I might find a set identified by name of that
board.

Maybe, but you're still as well off getting the last release
for Win9x... just getting them straight from the respective
chipset manufacturer since at that time these feature
weren't south or northbridge integral, the chip on the board
was the same difference as having a PCI card. Except, it
tended to make for lower featured but better sounding audio
than many of today's integrated audio implementations.

 

[Grinder]

It is curious that you don't get video without the add-on
card. Did you try clearing the CMOS?

No, I didn't think to do that.

I wonder if the
video card itself had a different bios when paired with an
MPEG card, but I didn't think it did. You didn't still have
the cables connected and unterminated?

No, the "extra" card was pulled, and I took the umbilical with it.

- - - - - - - - -

At this point, I may not get another crack at the machine. The owner of
the PC blames every typo she makes on her husband, so he's a bit wary to
allow *anything* else to be done to the machine now that she appears
generally satisfied as to its operation.

Personally I don't feel very motivated to sell the idea that I should
take the machine to a broadband connection to apply any outstanding
updates. They've got dial-up. They can spend the next several months
getting those updates under their own steam.

I'll hang on to the driver you've offered, it may come in handy if they
have problems. Thanks for your efforts in my regard.