The chassis expansion anthology for PowerMacs

[Syntho]

Wait, I think Knezzen gave me incorrect info. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded chassis, not a Magma. The PCI 7RX is Magma-branded. Plus it's a 7 slotter. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded 13 slot, so that explains the confusion. The Magma 7-slot PCI 7RX is indeed compatible with both 9600s and G4s, it's definitely the one with the most compatibility across different types of Macs.

[mrhappy]

And to add to this: The bridge/magma card in the chassis is identical to the one in the computer.
Switching the cards places from the chassis to the computer doesn't do a thing functioning wise, everything works just as great as it did before the switch. So you could probably just buy two of the magma PCI cards with the connector you want and the cable you want, and it should work.

Knez this is an interesting 'discovery!!

On your chassis model it would normally have:

 'P7B Backplane'... 01-03515-00 (the board with the PCI sockets)

'Interface Card'... 01-03522-00 (the card installed in chassis)

'Host Card'... 01-03521-00 ( the card installed in the computer)... going by memory here so I'm not 100% sure of the numbers

So Knez... are you using 2 'Interface' cards or 2 'Host' cards in your rig?? This could make things easier for someone trying to piece together a system, knowing that 2 of the same cards could be used!!

[mrhappy]

Wait, I think Knezzen gave me incorrect info. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded chassis, not a Magma. The PCI 7RX is Magma-branded. Plus it's a 7 slotter. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded 13 slot, so that explains the confusion. The Magma 7-slot PCI 7RX is indeed compatible with both 9600s and G4s, it's definitely the one with the most compatibility across different types of Macs.

I was thinking something like this might be the case...BTW... Digidesign put their 'Brand' on both SBS AND Magma chassis but they are easily distinguished by their appearance.

[mrhappy]

I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded 13 slot

I thought Knezzen had a 13 slot too... at least a some point! 

[Knezzen]

Wait, I think Knezzen gave me incorrect info. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded chassis, not a Magma. The PCI 7RX is Magma-branded. Plus it's a 7 slotter. I was thinking he had a Digidesign-branded 13 slot, so that explains the confusion. The Magma 7-slot PCI 7RX is indeed compatible with both 9600s and G4s, it's definitely the one with the most compatibility across different types of Macs.

I didn't. It has a Digidesign front panel (with the Pro Tools logo) and Magma internals with the serial number from the picture above.
Picture attached of the front of the chassis. I also have a 13-slot Magma branded chassis, with picture also attached. This chassis does not work reliably with my G4. Hope this sorts out the confusion.

[Knezzen]

It can be that someone switched front panels on the 7-slot sometime in it's life, or that they actually made Digidesign branded 7-slot Magma chassis for the EU market (I have no idea).

[Trace-Elliot]

was (or is ) a pcmcia hostcard for powerbooks aviable ??

[Mat]

Are you asking for something like that?

http://www.macobserver.com/tips/dm2/2001/20010517.shtml
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan01/articles/magma.asp

Edit: and it seems to be still available for 1 to 13 PCI slots:
http://magma.com/products/kits-and-parts/cards-and-backplanes/cardbus-host-card-for-laptop-cbhif/

[MacOS Plus]

was (or is ) a pcmcia hostcard for powerbooks aviable ??

  As Mat noted with his links, yes, there is specifically a cardbus (not the earlier-generation PCMCIA) interface for the Magma chassis with the later compact cable connector.  I own one, and an alternate PCI host card, for my 2-slot chassis.  As in most other instances, the shorter the cable, the better.

  I also own the earlier expansion bay interface for the Wallstreet Powerbook.  It has the original large cable connector and I use it with an older revision of the 4-slot chassis.  I also have the original version of the PCI interface card for it with the large connector.

  I was thinking of posting pictures of my own expansion chassis here along with some notes.  I'll look into it when I have some time.

[MacOS Plus]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread...

  I just wanted to comment I found it odd the manufacturer never offered the board-mount plug-end in a cable-crimp type also.  This would have made it dead-simple to assemble a simple two-headed cable that could have joined two of the Digi 5-node cables into one 8-node.  The demonstration PCBs depicted in the photo in the catalog would have been great for this if they actually had all the tracings joining the two headers they attached to it, but alas it seems not.  It would end up costing far less to just build a longer cable from scratch than to make such a board.  The point is moot for me anyway because I already own an 8-node cable.

  Does anyone have the source listing for the comparable connector on the nubus TDM cards?  Those I could use because I only have short cables for that version.

[RTIInstaller]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread...

  I just wanted to comment I found it odd the manufacturer never offered the board-mount plug-end in a cable-crimp type also.  This would have made it dead-simple to assemble a simple two-headed cable that could have joined two of the Digi 5-node cables into one 8-node.  The demonstration PCBs depicted in the photo in the catalog would have been great for this if they actually had all the tracings joining the two headers they attached to it, but alas it seems not.  It would end up costing far less to just build a longer cable from scratch than to make such a board.  The point is moot for me anyway because I already own an 8-node cable.

  Does anyone have the source listing for the comparable connector on the nubus TDM cards?  Those I could use because I only have short cables for that version.

I might be mistaken but I thought the nubus connectors were readily available? at most electronics parts centers?

I initially tried to locate a connector that could be used to splice two 5 node cables together, but I was never able to locate a part that would work for this purpose that came pre assembled.

[mrhappy]

I just wanted to comment I found it odd the manufacturer never offered the board-mount plug-end in a cable-crimp type also. 

I think that cable length is the major problem here. The reason that 'only' 7 MIX cards are recommended in a 13 slot chassis is due to the cable length and not being reliable beyond the 7 card distance. They probably figured it wouldn't be worth the reliability headache by throwing 'extenders' into the equation.

[Trace-Elliot]

super !!  thank you !!

[donnynall]

im trying to figure out what order to put the cards in the chassis. i have 2 controller cards which one goes in the computer and which one goes in the chassis? whats the model number that goes in the computer? if anyone could help i would greatly appreceate it thank you all

[mrhappy]

There's a bunch of info in this thread that should help you out.

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2172.0.html

[donnynall]

ive looked it up and down and its no where to be found.

im trying to figure out what order to put the cards in the chassis. i have 2 controller cards which one goes in the computer and which one goes in the chassis? whats the model number that goes in the computer? if anyone could help i would greatly appreceate it thank you all

[Knezzen]

It's hard to say without some more info or pictures. Just try the cards in different positions and see what works

[donnynall]

did all that but no dice:(thanks anyways

[mrhappy]

If you run Digitest it should show you which slots the cards go in and if they're ok.

[MacOS Plus]

  Card order within the chassis depends on which model number it is.  Digidesign has quite a bit of reference material about this as it applies to their systems, but even I had a hard time figuring it out.

  I have two SBS chassis that use the 85224030/85224040 interface board pair.  From everything I've read about SBS/Bit3, the lower-numbered board goes in the host computer and ideally should go in the slot nearest the CPU.  The chassis-end card should have a clearly-marked dedicated slot in the chassis and must go there.

  The other things critically important are that the board pair must be a properly matched pair, and in some cases the bridge chip must be a certain later version to function at all in anything later than a beige-era Mac.

[mrhappy]

And to add to this: The bridge/magma card in the chassis is identical to the one in the computer.
Switching the cards places from the chassis to the computer doesn't do a thing functioning wise, everything works just as great as it did before the switch. So you could probably just buy two of the magma PCI cards with the connector you want and the cable you want, and it should work.

Knez this is an interesting 'discovery!!

On your chassis model it would normally have:

 'P7B Backplane'... 01-03515-00 (the board with the PCI sockets)

'Interface Card'... 01-03522-00 (the card installed in chassis)

'Host Card'... 01-03521-00 ( the card installed in the computer)... going by memory here so I'm not 100% sure of the numbers

So Knez... are you using 2 'Interface' cards or 2 'Host' cards in your rig?? This could make things easier for someone trying to piece together a system, knowing that 2 of the same cards could be used!!

FYI... was doing some troubleshooting yesterday and was attempting to get a Magama 7 slot working but I don't have the proper 'host' card... so I tried using the 'interface' card in a Quicksilver but the QS wouldn't start until the card was removed. It IS possible that the 'interface' card is bad but if not, then the 'host' and 'interface' cards aren't interchangeable.

Kneezan were you using 2 'host' cards in your rig??

[Blzproductions]

Hi

Bit of a noob in some ways...although I've been using Macs since OS7.something (I do miss my original Startrek screen saver).

Have set up my TDM system quite nicely (TDM MIX 3 with SampleCell TDM) and have an SBS expansion chassis and cable lying around. I can find compatible host cards on Ebay, but don't know if I'm going to need extensions/drivers/software to get the Mac to see it. Don't really want to spend $100-£200 on the host card if it's going to be dead in the water, and I can't find any usefull info in this regard online.

Anyone know what the score is here?

(Apologies if I'm going over old questions/discussions again)

Cheers

B

[mrhappy]

Think there is a bunch of info in this thread that could be of interest.

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2172.0.html

[Syntho]

 I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

[teroyk]

I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

There is old version cables and cards (physically wider, don't remember how many pins) and new version cables and cards. 7-slot chassis are in both versions (not sure about anothers). PCMCIA cards are only for new versions.

[Syntho]

I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

There is old version cables and cards (physically wider, don't remember how many pins) and new version cables and cards. 7-slot chassis are in both versions (not sure about anothers). PCMCIA cards are only for new versions.

Is that for Magma, or SBS? Take a look here, I found something interesting: https://www.ebay.com/itm/392518094843 - it's the exact cable that I've got. I don't know if it fits onto that Magma interface card though.

Take a look at this too: https://www.ebay.com/itm/PCIHIF68-Magma-PCI-Expansion-System-Host-Interface-01-03527-00/122667677293?epid=1103647574&hash=item1c8f90366d:g:T80AAOSwOTVZoEMM - according to its name, it's the 68pin one, but the number 68 might not have to do with the pins. Maybe the cables are interchangeable between brands?

Maybe both Magma and SBS used older 80pin ones then both switched to 68 pin ones or something too.

[teroyk]

I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

There is old version cables and cards (physically wider, don't remember how many pins) and new version cables and cards. 7-slot chassis are in both versions (not sure about anothers). PCMCIA cards are only for new versions.

Is that for Magma, or SBS? Take a look here, I found something interesting: https://www.ebay.com/itm/392518094843 - it's the exact cable that I've got. I don't know if it fits onto that Magma interface card though.

Do I remember right that SBS chassis are rebranded Magma?
Your first ebay link is for older version card/cable and chassis.
And second is for new version of card.

[Syntho]

SBS isn't rebranded Magma, but a Digidesign-branded one is an SBS rebranded as Digidesign.

[teroyk]

SBS isn't rebranded Magma, but a Digidesign-branded one is an SBS rebranded as Digidesign.

But Digidesign chassis are rebranded Magma

[Syntho]

SBS isn't rebranded Magma, but a Digidesign-branded one is an SBS rebranded as Digidesign.

But Digidesign chassis are rebranded Magma

You sure? I've read many times on the digidesign forum about SBS manufacturing the Digidesign ones, and I had a Digidesign one myself with SBS all on the inside of it. I didn't think Magma had anything to do with Digidesign but I may be mistaken.

[teroyk]

SBS isn't rebranded Magma, but a Digidesign-branded one is an SBS rebranded as Digidesign.

But Digidesign chassis are rebranded Magma

You sure? I've read many times on the digidesign forum about SBS manufacturing the Digidesign ones, and I had a Digidesign one myself with SBS all on the inside of it. I didn't think Magma had anything to do with Digidesign but I may be mistaken.

Ok..both might be right..I have seen 7-slot Digidesign chassis that has Magma stuff inside...but maybe some anothers are SBS manufactured.

[mrhappy]

I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

The connectors for SBS and Magma are different... I think the Magma uses the wider connector.

[mrhappy]

Ok..both might be right..I have seen 7-slot Digidesign chassis that has Magma stuff inside...but maybe some anothers are SBS manufactured.

Yes, Digi branded both SBS and Magma chassis with the Digidesign logo... The SBS seems to be more common though.

[Syntho]

I used to have the SBS 7-slot chassis and the cable it came with appeared to be proprietary and 68-pin. i was just doing inventory and stumbled upon another cable just like it, but with one difference: this time the connector is wider and is 80-pin. Exactly the same, but wider. Does anyone know if the 80pin one was for a 13-slot chassis or something else maybe?

The connectors for SBS and Magma are different... I think the Magma uses the wider connector.

That's what I'm thinking. I saw a picture posted by Knezzen of his Magma chassis and the connector looks wider than the SBS one. They're exactly of the same type and look 99% identical, the only difference is that one is wider than the other.

[tunedbytad]

I will post Pic and Video of my working expansion Chassis this weekend, :-) 

[smilesdavis]

got the earliest one for nubus 1r slot digidesign 1990s early logo

[tunedbytad]

I will post Pic and Video of my working expansion Chassis this weekend, :-) 

Tutorial / Show N Tell / PT Community thread here:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,6467.0.html

Video is up
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X8yrgy-I0o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X8yrgy-I0o</a>

[smilesdavis]

well please for the next video tell us what cables to buy
what expansion chassis are compatible
what cards to get in what amount and what revisions to avoid
basically a BillOfMaterials

thanks for doing this

also ive heard you can use multiple mix cards that true?

[tunedbytad]

well please for the next video tell us what cables to buy
what expansion chassis are compatible
what cards to get in what amount and what revisions to avoid
basically a BillOfMaterials

thanks for doing this

also ive heard you can use multiple mix cards that true?

will do maybe even today

[smilesdavis]

thats so much i bought so much but without guidance no red line

at this point in time everyone with first hand experience is an expert

[smilesdavis]

anyone got a MAGMA cardbus CDROM?

MAC.sit   From CDROM "MAGMA CB03A"
[3429KB] MAGMA.SIT. A stuffit file with all the drivers, extensions and utilties that are currently distributed on the MAGMA Cardbus Drivers and Utilities CDROM Disk. Updated June 28, 2002

im looking for an image

[Pink Flamingo]

Hi there!

Looking for some help here. I'm currently looking for a PCI expansion chassis for a Pro Tools 24 system (pre MIX era) including a Power Macintosh G3 Minitower 300 (which only offers 3 PCI slots) a d24 card, 3 farm cards and a Samplecell II card. I was recently offered a Digidesign MAGMA PCI-7 PXB which was being used to run a Pro Tools 24 MIX system (at least I was told so) so I'd like to know if it would work in my setup without problem. I checked a digicompat file but didn't find any info about this one on the Pro Tools 24 section (but it doesn't also appears on the PT24 MIX section and apparently works in that environment).

What do you guys think? Thank you all in advance.

[mrhappy]

I'd like to know if it would work in my setup without problem.

Has that ever happened?? Haha!

I have a few of those chassis but use in mix systems so not sure about your rig... just make sure you have the interface cards for the computer, the chassis and the connecting cable if you're gonna give it a try.

[smilesdavis]

Hi there!

Looking for some help here. I'm currently looking for a PCI expansion chassis for a Pro Tools 24 system (pre MIX era) including a Power Macintosh G3 Minitower 300 (which only offers 3 PCI slots) a d24 card, 3 farm cards and a Samplecell II card. I was recently offered a Digidesign MAGMA PCI-7 PXB which was being used to run a Pro Tools 24 MIX system (at least I was told so) so I'd like to know if it would work in my setup without problem. I checked a digicompat file but didn't find any info about this one on the Pro Tools 24 section (but it doesn't also appears on the PT24 MIX section and apparently works in that environment).

What do you guys think? Thank you all in advance.

read the digidesign expanded system guides of the corresponding pro tools version of your choice

[Protools5LEGuy]

read the digidesign expanded system guides of the corresponding pro tools version of your choice

http://akarchive.digidesign.com/support/docs/Expanded_Systems_Guide.pdf

There is a brand called Bit-3 that later became SBS (?)

They became Abaco systems

I have a partial system that I want to complete.

It is a SBS bit 3 very old 7 slots. I have the guest card and need to find the host card plus the cable

[smilesdavis]

The digidesign 12slot nubus is a modified second wave 8slot

[Protools5LEGuy]

More pictures of the chassis

Digging in http://akarchive.digidesign.com/support/docs/4X/43expchassis.pdf

Found that the chassis could be even from Protools III era, I think, as it has a IBM controller it could be

[Protools5LEGuy]

Digging in http://akarchive.digidesign.com/support/docs/4X/43expchassis.pdf

It can be for 3 generations

[smilesdavis]

We should start dumping the Chassis bridge chip roms

I guess the corresponding Pro Tools Card for above diagrams are:
Pro Tools III (d24, PCI) Pro Tools 24 (d24, PCI), Pro Tools Mix (Mix Card, "Mix Core")

[Protools5LEGuy]

We should start dumping the Chassis bridge chip roms

I think, way more important, to determine the 4 tipical models from Protools III - 4, and make pictures of host+guest cards. Those cards are going dumpster daily if we dont make them inmistakenly clear what they are.

I have determined that my SBS chassis, being one of those with the backplane controller between the DSP card (3 PCI+backplane card+ 4 PCI layout), having a REV. A backplane card and comming with d24 + DSP Farm II + DSP farm + having a IBM chipset should be a old world system. Year 1997-99.

After looking for the specs of the IBM 27XXX chip found that is in fact a PowerPC  60x age bridge set.

[Protools5LEGuy]

I can find guest cards for the IBM27-82353B backplane card I have. It should be same chip number but the B

But some cost 250 bucks and others 8 bucks. But none of the same Rev.A I have. And there is no info if different revision number cards should work or not.

Going Abaco systems www to find info about these systems is pointless until someone put more light on these SBS/Bit 3 chassis.

It seems a more valid choice to look for Magma chassis instead of SBS ones.

Also we need to know European and USA places where we could order new cables. And the pinout of these cables is needed too

[Protools5LEGuy]

I have merged my first call about info on the subject (The chassis expansion anthology for PowerMacs) with the other older post from Knez/Knezzen about his magma chassis.

If someone find other posts about chassis in this forum, please point me to them so I can consolidate/merge all post info here.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Found on eBay a complete SBS set of my partial setup.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204219050946

450 Bucks and dont send to Spain...

[Protools5LEGuy]

SBS isn't rebranded Magma, but a Digidesign-branded one is an SBS rebranded as Digidesign.

But Digidesign chassis are rebranded Magma

You sure? I've read many times on the digidesign forum about SBS manufacturing the Digidesign ones, and I had a Digidesign one myself with SBS all on the inside of it. I didn't think Magma had anything to do with Digidesign but I may be mistaken.

Ok..both might be right..I have seen 7-slot Digidesign chassis that has Magma stuff inside...but maybe some anothers are SBS manufactured.

Avid and Digidesign used to put its logo over any system they sold.

To summarize the are 3 brands

    Second Wave (mostly nubus stuff)

    SBS / Bit-3 brand (could have a Digidesign logo or Protools logo over)

    Magma brand (could have a Avid/ Digigidesig / Protools logo over

There are SBS and Magma modells based on the DEC 2.1 chipset and maybe Avid forced them to make them compatible and they choose to do it or not.

Maybe only ones are 80 pins and others are 68 pins.

All those questions need to be answered.

[DieHard]

Found on eBay a complete SBS set of my partial setup.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204219050946

450 Bucks and dont send to Spain...

That looks in great shape for its age!

I hate looking at the stuff, cause it makes me want to buy it, even though I wouldn't know what to do with it these days

[Protools5LEGuy]

This is all I am going to dig in chassis. I have done my part on the SBS family.

I am not going to play russian rullette with host cards + building new cables.

My chassis looks nice unpowered at the bottom of the rack...      

I have all I need from PT TDM with MIX Core + MIX Farm + DSP Farm II + DSP Farm

[Protools5LEGuy]

https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts/datasheet/205/IBM27-82660.php

Part   IBM27-82660
Category   Logic => Memory Interface
Title   Controller/Driver
Description   Powerpc 60x Memory Controller And Pci Bridge
Company   IBM Corporation

I have merged most post about chassis in this post and made sticky

[mrhappy]

I have merged most post about chassis in this post and made sticky

Good idea... makes it easier to find info that I've forgotten!

[mrhappy]

My chassis looks nice unpowered at the bottom of the rack... 

Yeah they're fairly 'hefty' so having it at the bottom of the rack will lower the center of gravity and serve to stabilize the rack from falling over!!! Good thinking Protools5LEGuy!!! Haha!

Just took a peek around and I currently have 4 chassis... 1 Digi branded SBS and 3 variously branded Magma models. They're all loaded with 'Mix' cards except for one of the Magamas, which is empty as I 'borrowed' the power supply for the SBS when that one had a problem.

At some point I'd like to try one of the 'older' DSP cards as there are a few plugins I'd like to try that won't run on the newfangled 'Mix' era cards.

[redstudio]

I bought a Magma 13 slot digidesign.. problem. I have everything (rack and two pci cards) but I'm missing the cable..
does anyone know and the scsi cables ( looks like VHDCI ) are compatible to connect or are they custom cables?

[mrhappy]

I think we may have dug up some connector info on one of the older Chassis threads. SBS and Magma used different cable connectors that aren't interchangeable with each other.

What I'd like to know is if the cable/connector for the Magma 13 slot chassis is that same one used on the lower slot count 7-8 slot model?? If it is, that would make your cable search much easier as there seems to be many more of the smaller chassis out there!!

[redstudio]

I had Magma 7 and 13 and I always used the same pci and cable ( looks like a scsi VHDCI.. ) it would be interesting to know if the Vhdci cable is compatible with normal scsi Vhdci cables, does anyone have any information?

[mrhappy]

I think Knezzen has made his own cables in the past and might have an answer?? ?

[ivanshpak]

I had Magma 7 and 13 and I always used the same pci and cable ( looks like a scsi VHDCI.. ) it would be interesting to know if the Vhdci cable is compatible with normal scsi Vhdci cables, does anyone have any information?

This is definitely an ordinary SCSI VHDCI cable, you can buy it, but not longer than a meter

[mrhappy]

This is definitely an ordinary SCSI VHDCI cable, you can buy it, but not longer than a meter

Good to know!

[redstudio]

I can confirm..just bought and tried (1 metre..) It works!.. curious: why doesn't it work longer than one metre? there are also 3 meters long cables and it would be convenient to remove the magma from under the desk and put it in the rack .. let me know, thanks

[robespierre]

The longer the cable, the greater the skew (divergence in signal timing between wires). The SCSI protocol has ways to correct for skew, and negotiates lower transfer speeds when longer cables are used. The PCI bus does not have those abilities.