Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucsd!usc!cs.utexas.edu!rice!sun-spots-request
From: chris@com50.c2s.mn.org (Chris Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun
Subject: Re: What do you do with an old SUN 3/160? (SPARCize it?)
Keywords: Hardware
Message-ID: <9405@brazos.Rice.edu>
Date: 27 Jun 90 20:50:15 GMT
Sender: root@rice.edu
Organization: Sun-Spots
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Approved: Sun-Spots@rice.edu
X-Refs:  Original: v9n232
X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 240, message 7

In article <9247@brazos.Rice.edu> wjb@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu (Bill Bogstad) writes:
>X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 232, message 9
>
>I have under my care a 3/160-8 which is rapidly being left in the dust by
>all the new Sun SPARC machines.  I would like to attempt a brain
>transplant, but I find the current SUN selection of upgrades rather
>confusing.

You are correct.  A 3/160 and 3/180 both have 9U VME bus backplanes, and
may, in fact, have identical CPU boards.  

I don't know what the mechanical details of the SPARCsystem 370 pedastal
are, but it is also a 9U VME bus backplane, as far as I know.  Maybe it's
not standard 9U or something strange like that.  If someone out there who
has one and has seen or also owns a 3/160,180,260,280 or 4/260 would
respond, we'll know for sure.

I'm with you on this.  If all you want is more CPU power, I don't see any
reason to get a new pedestal, too.  You may need the SUN-4 keybaord and
mouse, however, if you are using the display console as the newer CPU
boards may not talk to the older keyboard and mouse.

I've never noticed economy pricing in Sun's upgrades, so it will pay to do
your homework on this one.

   ...Chris Johnson          chris@c2s.mn.org   ..uunet!bungia!com50!chris
 Com Squared Systems, Inc.   St. Paul, MN USA   +1 612 452 9522