Parents were cleaning out and found my VooDoo 5 5500

Posted by kf4zht@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 26 comments

When I was 13-14 I had built a couple computers for gaming and finally got a VooDoo3, my first gaming card. I was blown away, mostly playing Asheron's call at that time. When I heard the Voodoo 5 was coming out I worked all summer to save up with my parents kicking in the rest to get one right after they came out and were available. It got moved through a few different computers - the blue heatsinks were me, probably not knowing if they did anything but the off-center alignment must help. The slot cover is gone - I made several custom cases around that time and probably had it mounted odd.

Oh, and of course I stored it in a properly vintage and overkill case when I put it away lol. Brings back memories

Unfortunately the oldest PC I could find there has AGP, but its AGP 2.0 - the lower voltage version. This one is keyed 3.3v. I've been slowly keeping an eye out for something to test this in. Doubt I would do a full vintage setup but it would be really nice to know if it still works, maybe play some CS or OG starcraft. I think asherons call is long gone with the servers required

[-]

Away-Huckleberry9967@reddit

"Voodoo! I could do what you do. Easy! Believe me!"

What song?

(And don't google it!)

VeritasXNY@reddit

Asianometry only just released a good video about the soundcard era.

Turquoise_HexagonSun@reddit

OP, keep an eye out for a Dell Dimensions 4100. Its universal AGP works well with the Voodoo 5 and you can often find them cheap. Dell also used high quality PSUs. Every 4100 I’ve come across has had a 1Ghz PIII Coppermine which is plenty enough for the 5500 and the era. Not to mention these were some of the best looking Dells.

I’ve used my V5 5500 in 4100 without issue.

kf4zht@reddit (OP)

Big thanks for the tip. Trying to figure out which AGP version matched with which era processor plus the universal version was getting annoying

TarnishedAnus@reddit

Asherons call official subreddit

While i'm.not familiar with the game, it does seem to have an active following and remains playable thanks to community efforts.

FAMICOMASTER@reddit

Very nice! As a kid we had a computer store near where I went to school and the shelf behind the counter had a bunch of V5 5500s. I wish I'd had more money when I was a kid because when they shut down it all went for pennies.

heeman2019@reddit

Wow what a luck!! You should sell it and thank your parents for keeping it! So many parents just throw out their kids stuff (it's really insane to me).

wildman1024@reddit

Now put it on eBay for like $800 before it dies.

thestenz@reddit

If you didn't see this you might enjoy it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldTech/comments/1sfxa6z/comment/of4shor/?context=1

NeverEnoughSunlight@reddit

I would throw it in a box and play old stuff but any mobo that will run it has probably long since died

Corrosive23@reddit

Not really, I have working 440BX boards. A P2B with a Pentium 2 350 and a P3B-F with a Pentium 3 1000.

ReplacementOk1029@reddit

Yeah, these boards kinda luck out, just before the capacitor plague.

Nice

Cwc2413@reddit

Damn that’s a nice find! Very cool!

AdeptnessPersonal156@reddit

Rebuilding a Gateway G6-450 right now. It has the older AGP as I used it to test a number of AGP cards that didn't work on my usual AGP test board.

DhEXED@reddit

Ah my first "real" build was with the Voodoo5. Nice!!!!

Fragrant_Difficulty6@reddit

“That’s not the one that’s so far away.”

Syphor@reddit

Hell yeah! I still have my brother's from back then. Incredibly good card, even if it was... cranky sometimes to get working with some games. I assume/hope it still works; I know it did when it got stored... but there's a lot of years in between then and now...

I think I need to rebuild a vintage PC to try it out. Good luck on that with yours!

In the same boat. I know this one was working when it got put away and was always in at least an antistatic bag.

Really puts time into perspective - I work in IT and have access to literal pallets of tech junk. Even came across some US Robotics 56k modems and PCMCIA network cards a bit ago. But its been years since I've see a PC with an AGP slot.