[kikems]

Now I have my Crimson Elan R4000 100 Mhz. Tested and works but I have some questions.

1- Now I have installed Irix 4.05 . What is the best Irix recomended ? , I know that I can install up to Irix 6.2 but I think this Irix OS can be too big and slow for this machine.
2- The keyboard fail "C" key , I'll try to repair but.... anyone know if exist and adapter to PS2 or USB keyboard ?.
3- The Crimson have the VideoFrame module, What software use this module ?
4- I'm only have Irix intalled, I need help with old apps for this SGI Crimson, please help me. I'm looking for old 3D apps or similar tools.

<ATTACHMENT filename="Crimson.JPG" index="1">     </ATTACHMENT>
<ATTACHMENT filename="Irix405.JPG" index="0">     </ATTACHMENT>

[Irinikus]

Very nice!

[dexter1]

<QUOTE author="kikems" post_id="737" time="1528106931" user_id="81">

1- Now I have installed Irix 4.05 . What is the best Irix recomended ? , I know that I can install up to Irix 6.2 but I think this Irix OS can be too big and slow for this machine.

Since you have the VideoFramer board (and the breakout box + cable!), IRIX 5.3 would be the OS of choice: i believe Jan-Jaap posted something about the VideoFramer not being supported in 6.2. You can go oldschool with 4.0.5 but it's a bit limited in terms of development options and software. IRIX 6.2 is the last OS and is fine with at least 64 mb of ram, but you lose the VideoFramer support.

2- The keyboard fail "C" key , I'll try to repair but.... anyone know if exist and adapter to PS2 or USB keyboard ?

There is a <URL url="https://www.ebay.com/itm/SGI-Indigo-Onyx-PS-2-keyboard-mouse-converter-/152915199766">PS2 to IRIS 4D keyboard converter, designed by Richard Shockley

3- The Crimson have the VideoFrame module, What software use this module ?

IRIX 5.3, install the vfr package:

Code:

vfr                              VideoFramer Option Support Software 2.3.3
   vfr.man                          VideoFramer Manual Pages
   vfr.man.relnotes                 VideoFramer Release Notes
   vfr.man.vfr                      VideoFramer man pages
   vfr.sw                           VideoFramer Software
   vfr.sw.diag                      VideoFramer diags
   vfr.sw.vfr                       VideoFramer Software

4- I'm only have Irix intalled, I need help with old apps for this SGI Crimson, please help me. I'm looking for old 3D apps or similar tools.

The Elan has geometry acceleration, but no textures. Old CAD programs could be neat to showcase the Crimson, although the VideoFramer is quite unusual and rare. Maybe someone could give you pointers to existing software.

[Silicon Classics]

Very nice! My Crimson has never worked due to a bad power supply, great to see one in action. Where did you get it? How much RAM installed?

Dexter1 is right, IRIX 5.3 is probably the best balance of usability and efficiency for your machine, and there's quite a lot of commercial graphics software that runs on it. The Adobe apps should all work, as well as older versions of Alias, Soft3D, Wavefront, etc.

[kikems]

<QUOTE author="Silicon Classics" post_id="742" time="1528132531" user_id="66">

Very nice! My Crimson has never worked due to a bad power supply, great to see one in action. Where did you get it? How much RAM installed?

Dexter1 is right, IRIX 5.3 is probably the best balance of usability and efficiency for your machine, and there's quite a lot of commercial graphics software that runs on it. The Adobe apps should all work, as well as older versions of Alias, Soft3D, Wavefront, etc.

Ok thanks , I have Irix 5.3 copy, I'll try to install. I have Adobe apps but not have older Alias, Soft3D or Wavefront apps, I'm trying to find it for install in this Crimson.

First I need repair my keyboard , some keys fail and can't use shell commands to configure IRIX or obtain more info. I think this Crimson have 32 Mb of ram but not sure.

[jan-jaap]

Hi, congrats on what looks like a nice Crimson.

I've got IRIX 6.2 on my Crimson because I wanted pthread support and MIPSpro compilers. It works fine, but takes a while to boot. I do have 256MB, a faster disk and FDDI for faster networking. IRIX 5.3 will work just fine as well as long as you have at least 32MB. IRIX 4 is probably quickest to boot, but then you'll have little software to choose from as there aren't many COFF apps around.

Oh, for IRIX 6.2 and Reality Engine you *must* apply some patches because otherwise you've got no display output after installation. The fix includes Reality Engine firmware so I don't expect this to happen with Elan graphics.

Regarding the keyboard: Crimsons shipped with either the 4D keyboard (big heavy thing with spiral cord attached) or Indigo keyboard. Both can be stripped down. I've successfully fixed dead keys by removing the key cap and spraying some deoxit into the switch. The switches are soldered to the PCB so you can't simply replace them.

[kikems]

<QUOTE author="jan-jaap" post_id="752" time="1528144221" user_id="183">

Regarding the keyboard: Crimsons shipped with either the 4D keyboard (big heavy thing with spiral cord attached) or Indigo keyboard. Both can be stripped down. I've successfully fixed dead keys by removing the key cap and spraying some deoxit into the switch. The switches are soldered to the PCB so you can't simply replace them.

I'm recover 2 key switch with deoixt as you say, and the "C" replaced switch with "Home" key.

[kikems]

Now I need found how to move install data for Irix 5.2 to this machine. I have a big HD of 2 Gb, CDROM with caddy and DAT unit and network transceptor to BNC. I have some questions.

1- Can I connect external HD to the SCSI connector, removing terminator for share content with my other SGI machines?
2- I look that I have some connector for Analog Video, but found 1 connector for digital video in and digital video out What I can connect to this connectors?. I have VideoFramer for connect to analog video.
3- Exists transceptors for network with RJ45 connection ?.

<ATTACHMENT filename="Videoconnectors.JPG" index="4">     </ATTACHMENT><ATTACHMENT filename="DriveUnits.JPG" index="3">     </ATTACHMENT><ATTACHMENT filename="SCSI.JPG" index="2">     </ATTACHMENT><ATTACHMENT filename="Ethernet.JPG" index="1">     </ATTACHMENT><ATTACHMENT filename="Network_Transceptor.JPG" index="0">     </ATTACHMENT>

[jan-jaap]

<QUOTE author="kikems" post_id="867" time="1528567412" user_id="81">

Now I need found how to move install data for Irix 5.2 to this machine. I have a big HD of 2 Gb, CDROM with caddy and DAT unit and network transceptor to BNC. I have some questions.

1- Can I connect external HD to the SCSI connector, removing terminator for share content with my other SGI machines?

Yes, but when the system is up and running I'd use ethernet for that. Also, the two SCSI ports in the photos are wired to a VME option card and it *could* be high voltage differential SCSI. If you hook up anything other than that, e.g. a regular SE or LVD SCSI disk, you will destroy it. There are two more SCSI connectors underneath the drive bays. They share the two regular SCSI buses hanging off the IO3B with the drives in the drive bays, and are regular (safe!) SE SCSI. Use those.

<QUOTE author="kikems" post_id="867" time="1528567412" user_id="81">

2- I look that I have some connector for Analog Video, but found 1 connector for digital video in and digital video out What I can connect to this connectors?. I have VideoFramer for connect to analog video.

Those connectors go with the VideoLab option. I have it in my 4D/380VGX "Predator" rack. Strange, I thought this was a Crimson Elan? The VO1 VideoLab is a GVO (graphics-to-video), but bi-directional. It can do wicked things like taking a live video input and mapping it as a texture onto geometry, or putting out the display output as a video signal. Thing is, it tightly integrates with VGX graphics, so if those connectors are going somewhere there has to be a VGX in there. Which is much cooler than Elan anyway

The two digital connectors are D1 (parallel) digital connections. Converters to SDI exist(ed), typically made by AJA. Analogue video is probably component and not composite. This was aimed at professionals, not consumers.

The VO1 card is a monster:
<ATTACHMENT filename="VideoLab.jpg" index="0">[attachment=140]</ATTACHMENT>
<QUOTE author="kikems" post_id="867" time="1528567412" user_id="81">

3- Exists transceptors for network with RJ45 connection ?.

Yes, what you want is a CentreCom 210T. They are compact: with bigger transceivers you'll have trouble to close the front door with the RJ45 cable in the tranceiver.

[kikems]

Here a video that I share in youtube channel, opening and cleaning Crimson. Sorry, I'm speak in spanish all video.

<URL url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPfG_LMSbhU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPfG_LMSbhU