I find this impressive really and it doesn't appear all that difficult at all.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/story.html?id=1041719082
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/story.html?id=1041719082
Turn Your RADEON 9500 into RADEON 9700 in No Time!
- Thread starter Sabastian
- Start date
a.) You must has a 128MB 9500. Currently only a few 3rd party vendors do this.
b.) You must have a 9500 on the 9700 board. Now ATI have the 9500 PRO board finalised I doubt the 9500's using the 9700 board will remain much longer. If this is the case, it will be impossible to get the 256-bit interface as the traces just aren't in place.
b.) You must have a 9500 on the 9700 board. Now ATI have the 9500 PRO board finalised I doubt the 9500's using the 9700 board will remain much longer. If this is the case, it will be impossible to get the 256-bit interface as the traces just aren't in place.
Doomtrooper
Veteran
Yes it looks like the 9500 Pro layout has changed from the Anand Article...
New 9500
Early 9500 Test Board
Grrr....
New 9500
Early 9500 Test Board
Grrr....
Seems that xbit is down.
The article can be found here:
http://www.digit-life.com/news.html?1070#1070
and the original article, here:
http://www.overclockers.ru/news/newsitem.shtml?category=2&id=1041715156
The article can be found here:
http://www.digit-life.com/news.html?1070#1070
and the original article, here:
http://www.overclockers.ru/news/newsitem.shtml?category=2&id=1041715156
DeathKnight
Regular
Does anyone else think that the power connector is just way too close to the memory in the new 9500 layout?
Doomtrooper
Veteran
Gonna be tough to put some Ram Sinks on for sure..have to offset it a bit, yet BGA ram doesn't get near as warm.
Even though it isn't on a 9700 PCB you could turn on the extra 4 pipelines... (Maybe!) So a 8x1 pipeline with 128 bit DDR at 275 MHz. :? Guess that would be a 9500 Pro and not a 9700.
That is if the 4 pipelines that is disabled isn't damaged... Which I would think they are in most cases! Or am I wrong?
That is if the 4 pipelines that is disabled isn't damaged... Which I would think they are in most cases! Or am I wrong?
BobbleHead
Newcomer
DaveBaumann said:
Why does the introduction of the 9500Pro PCB with only 128-bit memory preclude board vendors from building the 256-bit plain 9500? Just because ATI offers their 9500 as only 128-bits to save a bit of money doesn't mean some enterprising vendors won't produce the 256-bit version as a somewhat enhanced 9500 (non-Pro).
I'd imagine that at least a few of them will. If you're sticking 128MB of memory on the card anyways, your memory cost is identical. The only cost difference then becomes a slightly more complex 256-bit interface, instead of the 128-bit interface. Since that PCB is the same as the 9700 one, you already have a board design, and you can build a bunch of them, using them for both models and putting on the appropriate speed-grade of memory. Since you're building the PCBs anyways for the 9700, the only difference then becomes the incremental cost difference to build the 2 different PCBs, which will be minor. In the end the cost of the 256-bit 9500 with 128MB of memory will be only slightly more than a 128-bit 9500 with 128MB of memory, primarily because you eliminate 1/2 the termination resistors/caps ($0.01/ea = approx $4), and perhaps you use slightly cheaper regulators/etc.
Well, ATI may force them to. Second, cost will be an issue - not only are there the board manufacturing costs, but also the board yeild to consider - 9500 PRO PCB consists of fewer layers and its yeild will almost certianly be higher.
Also, AFAIK, the main board vendor to be offering 9500's at the moment are Sapphire, who manufacture ATI's boards anyway - they are/will be producing ATI's 9500 PRO board for ATI so they may as well do it for themselves.
Also, AFAIK, the main board vendor to be offering 9500's at the moment are Sapphire, who manufacture ATI's boards anyway - they are/will be producing ATI's 9500 PRO board for ATI so they may as well do it for themselves.
I think the board fallout because of the extra layers would be minimal.
But I'm sure ATI is doing their best to keep the 9500 crippled so that they can continue to sell the 9700 a the same margins. (My company does the same thing)
But I'm sure ATI is doing their best to keep the 9500 crippled so that they can continue to sell the 9700 a the same margins. (My company does the same thing)
2B-Maverick
Newcomer
Now perhaps a SOFTWARE solution in sight!
Take a look at digit-life.com
hmmmm.... but its supposed to be out in 1-2 weeks only. Long time to wait.
But think of the consequences THIS could bring: the enthusiasts could just order a 9500 128MB instead of a 9700 and try out, if the 4 extra pipes work. If they dont work, they can send the card back.... hmmmm
Take a look at digit-life.com
hmmmm.... but its supposed to be out in 1-2 weeks only. Long time to wait.
But think of the consequences THIS could bring: the enthusiasts could just order a 9500 128MB instead of a 9700 and try out, if the 4 extra pipes work. If they dont work, they can send the card back.... hmmmm
RussSchultz said:
The percentage of people who will find out about this "trick" is probably pretty low (all things considered), so I'm not sure it will be that big a deal for them.
Personally the mod seems too risky to me. I've had enough graphics cards die on me to convince me that they are just too fragile to mess around with. Maybe I just have bad luck...
Slides said:
And betterer!
http://www.guru3d.com/forum/showthread.php?s=0a1898ecd7494d4e6403bb032a9b999d&threadid=44908
That's pretty sweet.
If I had to put money on it, my guess is that the 4 pipe to 8 pipe trick is pretty fool proof and we won't see any people complaining their 9500 couldn't be made into an 8 pipe. (I still don't believe that the 9500 is built from chips that had one or more pipes fail.)
If I had to put money on it, my guess is that the 4 pipe to 8 pipe trick is pretty fool proof and we won't see any people complaining their 9500 couldn't be made into an 8 pipe. (I still don't believe that the 9500 is built from chips that had one or more pipes fail.)
That was the claim. I don't believe it to be true. I believe the failure mechanisms would be so varied to prevent any product from being _based_ on reviving failures.
But that's only my opinion.
But that's only my opinion.
Looks like everybody know by now. I went to a local webshop. They had lots of different Radeons, but of the 9500 128MB, they only had 5 left. A few minutes later I refreshed the page, and they only had 2 left. A few minutes later I refreshed again and now they where out of stock.
But they still have lots of the other cards...
Radeon 9500 64MB: 20-49 left
Radeon 9700: 100+
Radeon 9700pro: 100+
I was actually sitting there contemplating buying one... I can still buy from somewhere else, of course, but I'm not in a hurry... unless the next batch has been changed to prevent tampering... hmm, what to do...
But they still have lots of the other cards...
Radeon 9500 64MB: 20-49 left
Radeon 9700: 100+
Radeon 9700pro: 100+
I was actually sitting there contemplating buying one... I can still buy from somewhere else, of course, but I'm not in a hurry... unless the next batch has been changed to prevent tampering... hmm, what to do...
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