ATI X600Pro, X800XT, X800XL silver stab connectors?
 

Note: PCI express ATI capture cards have not been recommended and are not recommended, but they have the ATI Theater 200 chip on them.

There has been some discussion on these forums in recent days regarding their "Silver stab" connectors.. also sometimes called the AVIO connector or the dual row mini-shredded "wheat" biscuit connector.

I wanted to point out a few things since I have examples of each:

X600 Pro
X800 XT
X800 XL

The X600 Pro was the "first" PCI express card using the Theater 200 decoder chip.

Anyhoo...

The X600 Pro had only one version and its connector was called the ATI 6110018300 (or the '300') connector.

The X800 XT had only one version and its connector was called the ATI 6110018300 (or the '300') connector.

The X800 XL had only one version and its connector was called the ATI 6110020700G (or the '700G') connector.

Note: The X600 Pro and the X800 XT "shared" the same "Silver stab" connector (the '300'), but it was not the same as the X800 XL connector (the '700G'). The major differences are

(1) the 300 and 700G are not "swappable" that is you cannot substitute one for the other. They carry different signals on each pin.

(2) the 300 has F-type threaded RF connectors on the breakout side of the "Silver stab", the 700G does not have any F-type threaded RF connectors (none) it has two DIN connectors and it has a large chunky VGA female connector.

Other than the immediately recognizable "Silver stab" body these two different connectors share very little in common.

What confuses and throws people are:

A. That the X600 Pro "Silver stab" connectors are no longer available, this is true.. to a degree.. but a complete ATI X800 XT kit will have a compatible connector. If you get stuck with a X600 Pro without the "Silver tab" you could pick up an X800 XT to go with it or vice versa.

B. The X800 XL "Silver stab" is still somewhat available, but it will not work with an X600 Pro.. so beware, people get one of those and then find out it doesn't work.. its not a bad X600 Pro.. its trying to use an incompatible "Silver stab" with that card. The card is probably still good. Notice this also goes for the X800 XT, you can't use the '700G' connector with an X800 XT either.

My personal experience with PCI express is that it was the only tech supported by DirectX 10 or 11 so if your a Vista or 7 (or even a W10) type of person.. and want to try (or force the issue) your more likely to succeed with one of the 'X' cards. I have not succeeded satisfactorily yet!

I simply thought this a public service message to people who might be trashing X600 cards.. they have several ear marks that make me think they may be close to the quality of the 9600 cards.. just on a different bus form.. and woefully misunderstood.

one final bit of trivia.. there was an X800 XT (AGP) card.. I do not have one, they are extremely rare.. but they do exist.. I am not sure why it exists, backwards compatiblity perhaps? But its out there.

also, beware the ATI 6110018300G it is not the same as the ATI 6110018300 you have to be very careful to get precisely the correct connector. Pictures are usually best.. don't buy sight unseen if at all possible.

There are also VIVO versions of some of the pcie cards (with Theater 100 chips). These seem to use more standard DIN-connectors, maybe a bit easier that sourcing the weird breakout cable for the AIW ones.

I guess I should also ('stress') the X800 XT and the X800 XL cards (both) had incompatible "Silver stab" connectors.

I was over emphasizing the difference between the X600 and the X800 cards and their connectors above.

But it should be noted that the X800 XT and X800 XL ('used') the ('same') "Silver stab" design.. but two completely different ways.

For example: you could obtain an X800 XT with the ('wrong') "Silver stab" connector meant for the X800 XL and it would fit in the connector for the "Silver stab" but it would not work. And vice versa, you could obtain an X800 XL with the ('wrong') "Silver tab" connector mean for the X800 XT but it would not work.

The point of [avoiding] these because they are confusing is well taken.. but they are a fascinating study in the transition from AGP to PCI, from XP to Vista and beyond graphics hardware and drivers.

They did bridge the gap and carry the Rage Theater 200 chip forwards into the Vista "Age" and possibly beyond.. its just not well understood at this time ('by me'). The follow chips including the 550, 600, 650 and 750 did have some support under the later versions of windows.. but seem not as popular these days.. I'm not sure of its the reported AGC problems, or something in the drivers.. or the re-design of windows.. windows just became more and more "browsery" and less and less hardware oriented.

As bizarre as it may seem.. I've become somewhat more interested in Vista these days as that platform tried very hard to support all hardware from XP drivers to W7 drivers.. by W8 they were throwing out the baby with the bath water and de-supporting perfectly good hardware for no reason at all.

Thanks for helping to unpeel the onion on the different variants of things and what's compatible.

I was fortunate to find the rare second part of the chain (AVIO connector) needed to use a PCIExpress based ATI card. I can understand why it may not be recommended from that perspective. It is very important to spread awareness that you need the correct connector for your card. The dollars spent to acquire card and connector was also very decent, and I wouldn't think it's significantly different from AGP based solutions.

My capturing experience with an XP box started with a Tevion USB (ATI 600 equivalent, which is recommended on this forum) purchased brand new from lordsmurf, then switching to an X600Pro (because my XP machine did not have AGP and elected to go with card upgrade over building another machine).

I've never used an AGP based ATI Theatre based card, so I am not comparing. What I can compare is that the X600Pro was a great improvement for me from the ATI 600 USB device I was using. The quality of my captures was a big step up in my eyes. The size of my captures also dropped significantly. I am not seeing loss of detail. In fact, I see more detail and with less bytes consumed. This could suggest it is less noisy, but just an uneducated opinion. No plans to post examples of what was better and trying to prove my case to anyone. This is just one person's experience to suggest it is worth other's consideration, as they are very affordable, if not that available, and worth a look if you looking for non-AGP options.

Another huge plus of the card over a USB was being able to adjust the brightness and contrast levels via the capture card settings (Levels menu in Virtualdub). Where as with the USB, I had to have an external Proc Amp to prevent clipping of input levels due to no levels control on the USB device.

With all of that said, It certainly seems to me that what's most important is the chipset used. I am not seeing logic from a chipset based perspective that concludes not to recommend these cards as an alternative for those that do not have AGP XP machine. For what it's worth, the quality is excellent, in my view. I am very pleased with the results, and will ultimately be recapturing everything I did originally with the ATI 600 USB. Although I have not seen an AGP card's results, I am quite pleased with what I have now, and don't see a need to look elsewhere.

Just my :2cents:

Yep, your observation pegs. AIW is better than 600 USB.

The only thing about AIW PCIe is shift/offset, I try to avoid it when possible (AGP doesn't do it), and the fact that MMC is essentially crippled, no dropped frames counter, making it semi-useless for MPEG capturing. It works fine, it's AIW/Theatre, but doesn't do what I need or want.

I've not seen some of the cards in this thread, mostly just the x600, x1800 and x1900. The cards got worse.

.. the x600, x800 XT and x800 XL are not to be confused with their Huger, Larger Hungrier x1300, x1800 and x1900 cousins.. the smaller half-length cards are very different.

The transition period was very weird, the ATI 2006 edition came in two variants, AGP (based on the 9600) and PCI express (based on the x1300) strange choices. First why not trade on the 9600 name recognition? Second why use an x1300?

ATI began internalizing much of the bridge chip functions for the bus connector into the chips they made (probably as a cost saving measure) later in the game. Until their PCI express was simply a part of the decoder chip as well.. by the 550 chip it had become 'both' a PCI 32 bit and PCI express 64 bit bridge chip as well as an encoder. Each later decoder chip included both functions as well.

.. what's that saying... "jack of all trades, master of none?"

While integrating all those functions on one chip saved them a lot of money.. I have trouble thinking they could optimize for every bus architecture and still optimize for decoding without any interference on those tiny chip dies and be the best at cooperating with every motherboard implementation of PCI and PCI express.. all with the same chips.

Plus we do know the x1300, x1800, x1900 were heat monsters.. and included the largest GPUs ever bound together with a decoder into an All In Wonder.. ever.. prices for basic capture devices were falling well below 200 usd a pop by that time. its all circumstantial.. but I think the x600 and x800 XT and x800 XL were the last of the best.

That also brings up another point.

There are three kinds of motherboards:

1. Desktop
2. Workstation
3. Server

Most people went for the economy version or 'Desktop' version with rather weak power supplies and VRMs that don't age well.

The higher end Workstation boards had two of most everything and higher quality chips and VRMs to support all of that, even today they don't run cheap.. but usually less than 100 usd

Server boards are so custom and weird they are probably best consigned to the trash bin.

My point is variability in the implementation of PCI and PCI express on motherboards varied from manufacturer to manufacturer.. from board to board, from Intel to VIA chipsets.

And then there were tweakers and overclockers. I think the ability to tweak developed out of the 'need' to tweak things at the factory since they didn't know how their latest motherboards would function until after they were made and already in the hands of customers.. so that BIOS updates could 'fix' things in the field.

Workstation motherboards had far less leeway.. and had to be more stable when they arrived.

All of this would effect the stability and performance of a PCI or PCI-X or PCI express connection.

There was only ever really ('one') PCI 32 bit All in Wonder before the jump to AGP. But there were many AGP and a few PCI express.. mostly due to the bandwidth required for the GPU.. the Theater 200 decoder was merely a passenger along for the ride.

My argument here is for the 'discrete'-ness of a separate decoder chip from all the other chips, much for the same reason a separate VCR and capture DVR or capture PC is a good idea. It gives you the option to fix unintentional problems and conflicts after the initial design.. to revise upwards.. rather than to have to 'live with' it until the next major chip redesign. (And) for the sometimes awkward breakout cable design.. with well isolated and insulated signals paths.. as opposed to the tight 'choker' collar cables where tiny wires can pickup cross-talk.. much like the small traces on a motherboard with integrated audio sound chips can't avoid the limitations of physics.

Fair point. I should have mentioned my experience is limited to lossless capture. I haven't done MPEG capturing, and don't have plans to. Although the full install disc for the X600Pro has been posted by another member on this forum in a thread I created when first learning about which secondary connector I needed. I don't know if having the full SW install for that card resolves the MMC issues you mentioned.

jwillis84 and all:

I would like to find a pin-out for the X600 I/O "stab connector." That is to say, which pin numbers correspond to the analog inputs. There is a pin-out posted in another thread for what is probably the X800 XL with a PAL breakout. As noted above it is very different from the X800 XT/X600. (For starters the ground pins are very different.) I have attached a pin-out showing what I measured as the I/O grounds on the x600 PC board (sorry for using red to indicate the grounds).

My plan is to improvise an analog input connector that fits into the I/O jack and carries the composite, s-video, and audio input lines (5 signals - I figure no need for the outputs or RF lines) to a BOB. I intend to do this using some thin (0.020" thick) PC board.

The PCIe X800XT and X1800XT use the "silver stab" connector for VGA output and the domino input and output DIN connections (The output DIN is replaced with a SCART plug on European models). The X800XT (AGP?) and the X600 use it for the input and output DIN and the TV and Radio RF inputs. This uses less pins, so naturally there are likely more grounds. Whats annoying is the pins for the input and output DINs don't appear to be the same between the two connectors!

Finding composite, S-Video, and audio inputs should be easy using the preview window and a live source probing the pins. The PCIe cards can capture audio as well as video eliminating any clock drift issues using a separate sound card may present. The bigger issues is even if you know the pinout, its impossible to build a breakout cable because getting the actual connector is impossible. It was likely a custom part made for ATI.

I wouldn't say impossible, just requires some innovative use of off the shelf materials and fine work. It will be be ugly but should work. What amounts to some thin, double sided PC boards etched to provide the needed contacts to pig tails with S-VIDEO and RCA connectors, and sufficient "chewing gum and gaffers tape" to hold it together. Back-to-back single sided 0.020" PC board appears to be a workable thickness. Only need a total of 5 input leads plus grounds for capture.

Having the pin-out solves the most difficult part of the problem because ringing out the tiny pins on a live board without the connector, presents a challenge. There are 19 non-ground leads. A/V output and "antenna" would account for 7 of them. Are the others selected VGA and/or DVI? or variations of the SCART??

Also, anyone know what the eight-pin and 10-pin headers on the board do?

I'm pretty sure there are no VGA or DVI out connections on the X600 connector.

Here's a copy of the manual: Attachment 12006
It has a few pages showing the connections used.

Also, here's an image of the X600 connector.

I only have the other cable type that includes 2x VGA outs with no RF inputs. Maybe someone who has an X600 or X800XL can help more.

BW

That is what I am seeking - a pin out for the X600 silver stab.

Were I able to beg or borrow a complete one (with the break outs( one I would ring it out and post the pin-out mapping.

will map the pins later this week

closest connector is mini DVI

i do not know if it will fit

DVI to mini DVI adapter
Mini DVI to DVI Adapter

DVI breakout board
DVI-DM-BO-V1A

Thanks. That will be a big help

I've looked at the mini-DVI pin out, but have not examined an actual connector to verify the physical size and shape either. (I'm not a Mac guy so it is not in my old cables bin.) It does contain a polarizing barrier at one end that would have to be cut out in any case. The other question is whether or not all the needed leads extend in the cable from the plug. If the grounds are connected in the plug it couid present a problem as well.

x600_IO.jpg pin numbers

20 - Luma
22 - Chroma
24 - CVBS
17 - Audio Left
19 - Audio Right

the pin numbering is the same on both diagrams

pin 20 on the x600_IO diagram

is the same as

pin 20 on the mini_dvi diagram

note: the mini_dvi diagram is of the socket, not the silver stab plug

If one wants to modify an Apple adapter (Assuming it physically fits otherwise), the key needs to be cut out of the plug.

the ATI socket has rounded corners, which appear similar to the style of the Apple socket

the 2007 Apple mini-DVI connector looks highly derivative of the 2004 ATI connector

The mini-DVI connector dates to late 2003. It first appeared on the 12in Powerbook G4.

i use a Mac, I have nothing against Mac's

Thanks! That is a big help.

I suspect there is a significant size difference between the AYI A/V port and the Mini-DVI.

I measure the width of the ATI X600 IO port at about 0.37"

Scaling from photos (using the USB size for comparison) the MAC port appears to be more like 0.47", 30% larger. But I don't have a MAC at hand to verify measure. The attached graphic shows it. Does that make sense to any MAC owners reading this?.

Dimensions on a diagram for male (mini DVI)
6 mm x 10 mm

Dimensions on a silverstab for male (mini DVI)
6 mm x 10 mm


The service manual for the
PowerBook G4 (12-inch 1.33 GHz)

Has a photo on http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/atta...1&d=1592890254 comparing the USB type A port to a mini DVI port


Whatever the difference it seems to be within 1 mm difference on each side of the connector.

I do not know tooling but that might just be for fit tolerance.


Your calculation between 0.37 and 0.47 inches is 0.1 inches difference which is 2.54 mm, cut in half on either side.. that margin is a bit large from what I can see.. but not outside the realm of possibility.. especially since those pictures are at an angle.

Generally manufacturers don't size to odd dimensions, so I'm more likely to believe they landed on an even number 10 mm overall makes sense to me.

Also 0.37" and 0.47" dance right around 10 mm


But Hey.. you don't have to trust me.

The adapter cable is $13 off amazon or $3 off ebay from china.

You could also spot weld some 32 gauge wire wrap wire or use conducting glue.


I think I may have upset some reading the form.. so I'll back away from this for now.

Unless someone else wants the rest of the pinout, those were for the Purple Input connections.

The pattern of the signal connections suggests the Outputs are on the top rail, since these all fell on the bottom rail.

There were also similarities in the signal layout to the Apple mini DVI arrangement.. but I think talking about that may get me in trouble.

Goodnight.

Ok.. I've seen it all now. :smack:

Using a FFC cable back to back as a connector and breakout cable.


Homemade Macbook mini-DVI to VGA adapter

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/atta...1&d=1592894076

technical drawing for the mini DVI socket

Thanks. The drawing makes things more clear.

Contact spacing on the ATI IO appears to be about 0.035" (~0.83 mm).

Contact spacing on the Mini-DVI drawing is 1.00 mm.
Contact width on the Mini0DVI is 0.40 mm leaving 0.6mm guard band.

That adapter kludge is my kind of guy :salute:

-- merged --

Have ordered a low cost Mini-DVI adapter to see if it will work/fit. Probably arrive late this week or early next week.

Thanks.

It should be a very interesting experiment.

The drawing comes from a place in China near where the original Wieson connector was made.

I could not find a drawing for the original ATI connector for the x600 pro.

I don't speak Mandarin or read Chinese.. but from what I could tell from forums in 2004, they referred to the early ATI AIW x600 pro as having MiNi DVI/LVDS connectors.

MiNi DVI is what we would later call mini DVI under Apple

LVDS is what we would later call DVI

I also couldn't find definitive (proof) this was an "early" design of what Apple used as their proprietary mini DVI, but it seems the design originated in 2002.. got adopted or modified "slightly" by Apple in 2003 and was briefly used in a few Apple laptops before Steve Jobs announced they would be unifying all desktops and laptops using mini display port.

(I am not Besmirching "Apple reputation" here.. it could be the opposite.. Apple may have designed it.. and once it got to China..Wieson may have appropriated and repurposed it.. I do not know.) the idiot proof "key" seems to be the difference. Maybe ATI stopped using because Apple didn't like the similarities.. (again I don't know).. all of that is not important to me.

Its all very (loose) research and inference on my part.. I'm not trying to write "history" here. That was a turbulent time.

I am sort of putting it out there that it does look like Wieson was commissioned by ATI to make these for the x600 and the x800 and then they stopped using them. I do not know why for sure.. but it seems (maybe) Apple using and then quickly abandoning them for display port was along the same lines. That is they wanted to adopt more conventional and accepted standards.

The tolerances will be very close.. and making sure the contacts make contact and don't short will be very important.

I am very tempted to get one of those very cheap mini DVI adapters myself.

The ones made specifically by Apple, did not bring all the pins out. The ones made by third parties and Dynex (Best Buy) apparently did. I haven't looked at the DVD-D pins that the Apple mini DVD bring out.. they may be sufficient, or they may be missing one or two.. its a matter of checking the Apple pin mapping versus DVI-D

I think it will be a major win.. simply to know the physical connector "works" or "does not" work.

If it doesn't work.. well there will always be the flexible flat cable (FFC) approach.. lol.

I noticed there are actually quite a few "boxless" X600 pros up for sale around the web without the silver stab connector.. this could prove useful information for other people.

Also the x800 xt and x800 xl people use a silver stab, with a different pin out.. so that's potentially a lot of people.

Wieson also made the VID I/O connector used in the ATI-based display/capture board made for use with Pinnacle Liquid Edition 5.5. Files on the display driver disk date to 2003. It was based on the ATI Radeon 8500, had the ATI Rage Theater chip, an IEEE1394 port, single DVI port, but no TV tuner. The VID I/O connector was a 5x6 matrix with a corner pin missing an one blank (28 net pins). The associated BOB has a 6-pin firewire port, S-VIDEO I/O, and RCA I/O for audio and CVBS.

Wieson also made the IEEE1394 port on the Pinnacle board.

x600_IO.jpg pin numbers

(inputs)

20 - Luma
22 - Chroma
24 - CVBS
17 - Audio Left
19 - Audio Right
9 - RF (TV)
1 - RF (FM)

(outputs) - composite / s-video connector block

4 - Luma
6 - Chroma
8 - CVBS
- Audio Left (no pins, connected to Green Tip of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
- Audio Right (no pins, connected to Green Ring of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
13 - Line out (blue)
26 - SPDIF (orange)

A clever arrangement.

Line out (blue) must be plugged into the sound card, so the sound card can record sound after it is decoded from the RF or routed from the audio inputs back out to the sound card.

Speaker out (green) must be plugged into the sound card, so the sound card can play sound and be routed back out to the audio outputs on the output connector block.

Digital out (orange) must be plugged into an external decoder, so its not routed anywhere, but remains available if a coaxial connection is made to a stereo or av amp with a digital input.

note (1): To successfully capture, Line out should be connected to the sound card line in (blue) or "no sound" will be captured, even though the audio Left and audio Right connectors may be attached to the video source.. because.. that is simply routed back out the Line out pin to the sound card.

note (2): The x600 card has an (internal) white sound connector on the Upper Left hand edge of the card next to the silver tv tuner shield. A "sound blaster" four pin connector can be used to attach this to the AUX input of a sound card without using the external Line in (blue) connector to connect the sound source to the sound card. This (optional) cable is not provided.

(outputs) - HDTV / YPbPr connector block

"to be continued"

-- merged --

Slight curve ball.

There are two (brown) molex headers just on the card.

The shorter one has pins for (Inputs) CVBS, Luma and Chroma

The longer one has pins for (Outputs) CVBS, Luma and Chroma

So.. it turns out.. you can by-pass the mini DVI connector entirely and simply use the molex connectors on the card for video capture.

And since decoded audio comes out of the white molex connector next to the tuner shield.

You could avoid using the mini DVI connector entirely.

In theory its a solution.

But in practice its a cabling challenge.

I still think it would be better to use the mini DVI connector.

But this is a distraction from working on the HDTV / YPbPr connector block.

-- merged --

=== x600_IO.jpg pin numbers ===

(inputs)

20 - Luma
22 - Chroma
24 - CVBS
17 - Audio Left
19 - Audio Right
9 - RF (TV)
1 - RF (FM)

(outputs) - composite / s-video connector block

4 - Luma
6 - Chroma
8 - CVBS
- Audio Left (no pins, connected to Green Tip of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
- Audio Right (no pins, connected to Green Ring of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
13 - Line out (Left channel, connected to Blue Tip of TRS)
15 - Line out (Right channel, connected to Blue Ring of TRS)
26 - SPDIF (orange)

(outputs) - HDTV / YPrPb connector block

4 - Y (green)
6 - Pr (red)
8 - Pb (blue)
- Audio Left (no pins, connected to Green Tip of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
- Audio Right (no pins, connected to Green Ring of TRS) - comes from the sound card speaker out plug
13 - Line out (Left channel, connected to Blue Tip of TRS)
15 - Line out (Right channel, connected to Blue Ring of TRS)
26 - SPDIF (orange)

=== Internal Headers on the Card ===

header (white)(Not certain this is a Sound Card connector)(next to tuner shield)

1 - GND
2 -
3 - GND
4 -

(inputs) header (brown short, JU3) (pin 1 starts from Left, facing the open side from inside)

1
2 - GND
3
4 - Chroma
5 - GND
6 - Luma
7 - GND
8 - CVBS

(outputs) header (brown long, J6)(pin 1 starts from Left, facing the open side from inside)

1 - GND
2 - SPDIF
3
4 - GND
5
6 - Chroma, Pr
7 - GND
8 - Luma, Y
9 - GND
10 - CVBS, Pb

That info for the JU3 and J6 headers tends to make chasing the Silver Stab a moot issue. But when I get the Mini-DVI connector I will post results.

Thanks again.

Don

Maybe..

You could tool up your own side-by-side back plane connector which plugs into those headers for CVBS and S-Video (or YPbPr) and then use only the sound card for inputs and outputs of sound.

What I'm not sure about is with the PCIe cards they (may) have started capturing sound in the capture card or continuing to pass it to the sound card.. I (think) all of the T200 chip capture cards strictly passed audio to the sound card.. and it was only with the T550 and beyond hardware MPEG2 cards that imported the process of audio capture.

So.. all that to say.. yeah.. think so

Something like this $12 back plane bracket would make a good part to start with. Running video signals to the x600 and running separate audio cables to the sound card aux inputs.

A/V Bracket and Cable Set

Hauppauge also has a $14 back plane bracket that could be used

A/V Bracket and Cable Set with full height and half height brackets
Model number 01097

Sometimes chasing "solutions" you keep finding more "answers" than you need.. or ever expected. [The Best] solution is never obvious in the beginning.

-- merged --

Interesting "future" research news.

I checked an x800xt and x800xl I have at home and the x800xt "appears" to have two brown molex connectors and a white molex connector just as the x600pro. The x800xl only has one however.. it might be for inputs or outputs.

I checked a Euro 9600xt and it clearly has sections on the card with (no) headers but with plated through solder holes labeled in white silkscreen video in, video out, audio in, audio out.. those "may" be input and output connections.

I checked a N.A. 9600xt and it has anonymous plated through holes with (no) headers in a different location and no silk screening.

That sort of means there may be many occasions where these headers offer access to the inputs and outputs without the crazy Wieson dongle breakout cables.. if they eventually all get pinned out.

If it wasn't for looking deeply into the 'faux' mini DVI connector on the x600pro.. these may have remained overlooked and stayed in obscurity forever.

The same method of sourcing a parallel back plane with regular cvbs, s-video and audio connectors.. and running custom header connectors to the capture card, and to the aux in of the sound card may work for them as well.

At this point its mostly speculation.. but definitely appears possible with the x600 pro cards.

That A/V bracket looks interesting. Your research is opening up a world of possibilities.

I note it is for a 10-pin header so it wound need modification or replacement for the 8-pin input header on the X600 Pro.

Some might choose to cut the "brackets" board connector off and rewire to a different female connector for the x600 board.

I'm a bit less destructive.. I'd think about getting a 10 pin male connector and daisy chain it to a new 8 pin female. That way you could rewire in transit from the original bracket connector to any position you like in the final 8 pin connector. Also some of the wires would need to connect to an internal sound card four pin position connector for the AUX input of the sound card.

A (second) bracket could be used to bring the second brown connector signals out to a Third side by side back plane connector set for Outputs. If you care about Outputs.. in this day and age.. I can't imagine why anyone would.

I tend to like the modular "snap together" leggos look.

So:

1. original card backplane, mini DVI, DVI, VGA
2. Inputs backplane
3. Outputs backplane

This by-passes the need for a Purple "Barney" connector block for Inputs, or similar Domino connector block for Outputs. Some people might actually prefer that discordant looping nest of colored wires.. but to each their own.. it doesn't exclude that possibility.

But if you want a "Purple "Barney" solution, the $12 eBay solution looks better since it has spare round (din) connector spots already in the top of that bracket that are empty and unused.. perfect for inserting female din connectors to accommodate those connection spots.. without resorting to a mini DVI. Or you could just use the holes to thread female din connectors through and wire them to the new board connector directly and not worry about trying to fit or mount them in the bracket holes. Or remove the bracket board entirely and simply use the bracket to let threaded female Din to board connector cables through the case with minimum effort.

And then none of "that" means the original mini-DVI from Apple, or a Silver stab couldn't also be used if one is ever found or salvaged from a lost or deceased board.

So many possibilities.

Interesting that ATI used so many different A/V connectors. Even among the Mini-DINs they had several different pin counts, pin spacings, and polarizing splines. And none clearly marked as to which system once they are out of their bag and the part number is no longer visible.
.

You bring up good points.. things I've wondered about myself.

But the more WST parts numbers and ATI parts numbers I see, they sort of start to make sense.

There appears to be a builders code embedded in the string of numbers which specifies how the breakout cable or puck is built. Wieson actually has the ATI Purple "Barney" connector displayed on old copies of their website in archive.org as a demo of their OEM cable solutions. -- Its usually printed in small Grey white letters on the axial length of "one" of the black cables coming out of the proprietary connector. It can be (very) hard to see, even under a magnifying glass.. but its usually there.

I do not know the scale of ATI as a company back then, they were pretty famous and altruistic I believe.. participating in a lot of education and pure research activities in Canada. But these Theater 200 cards generally ran at the high end in price > $400 or more.. (with inflation > $557.38 today) so they weren't for the typical masses.

Their cabling strategies were innovative but they had to find someone to manufacture them and "try" different things. Wieson was a contractor that would do small batches on spec.. so it looked like a good fit for them.

All of the connections were not "standardized" in 2003 - 2004, how to connect HDTV (analog), DVI (digitial), what to do with audio? analog or digital. A lot of people including Apple seemed to think Firewire was the future. MPEG2 still cost money to license. That ATI brought some semblance of "order" to it was a miracle. I've developed a lot of respect for that scrappy little Canadian company.

Today.. the suite of cables and connectors appear confusing and mystifying.. and unnecessary.. but at the time.. they were the Best of the Best.

They were also struggling with NTSC video.. ATSC was barely on the horizon in the US and Canada delayed picking a system to see how it worked out in the US.. I think they were very smart for doing that.

They were better than Hauppauge and AverMedia at the time I think.. but now they are gone.. and Hauppauge and AverMedia are the only two with Windows 10 solutions on the market. But streaming has eclipsed that for the most part.

These ATI Theater 200 cards are still the "Best" for NTSC video capture.. but they are getting harder to find and learn to support. They're almost two decades old.. and people still use them!

I don't knock them anymore for using such a bizarre selection of custom connectors to bring out adapters to common familiar A/V ports.. but its not a pursuit for the casual user.. you have to want to understand them, and use them right.

Finding the "optional" IDC header by-pass on many of the cards.. is practically game changing.. until now, loosing those dongles or silver stabs has been a death sentence for these cards. But not any more!

Possible connector pigtail for the 8-pin header.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JST-PH-2-0m...gAAOSwj1haiaJ4

Very nice !

I cut open the cable on a purple AV input puck (PN 6140004600). These appear to be readily available at moderate prices. They contain S-VIDEO, and CVBS, left, and Right audio RCA connectors at the puck and a special 8-pin mini-DIN connector at the other end.

The wires in the cable connect to the following at the puck:
Red shielded - for Right audio RCA and its shield
White shielded - for left audio RCA and its shield
Black shielded - for CVBS RCA and its shield
A foil wrapped bundle containing a drain wire and four small wires
The foil and drain are connected to the 8-pin mini-DIN's metal shell, but not not the grounds in the purple puck.
Small white - Luma
Small red - Luma ground
Small Green - Chroma
Small black - Chroma ground

The 8-pin mini-DIN connector is not a standard connector - it has 4 special splines in the metal shell that do not match with the typical 8-pin mini-DIN connectors that have 3 splines.

Have attached a pin map for the connector and a photo of the conductors in the purple puck's cable that I played with.

I put the information in the other Thread about the x800 series of connectors, they are "labeled" as AV In and AV out headers, and the white molex connector is labeled "Line out".. significant information.

I think eventually.. both these threads should be consolidated or collapsed into a simplified "How to work around not having a Silver Stab adapter" or something like that.

The famous 9600 series looks hopefully to be in a similar (if not more complex) situation.. I'll have to take a long look at those. They had a (lot) of different models that shared that crazy 26 pin "box" connector.. great cards.. but hmm.. I don't know.

The "$12 back plane bracket" in post #29 has a 10-pin connector, but it has 0.10" (2.54 mm) pin spacing, not 2 mm, so it will not connect to the ATI header. It also has a bit of PC board that apparently contains 10 tiny(180-10459-0000-A00 printed on the board, and 800-10459-0001-000H in a paper tag).

The 10 pins on the bracket's header: 5 pins correspond to a common ground and the other 5 correspond to the left & right audio, Y, C, and CVBS signals. The bracket has two empty holes that labeled for FM and TV, and jacks labeled for SVID IN, CVID IN, LAUD IN, and RAUD IN. The leads are about 10" shielded.

The header pin mapping is attached.

This Pin out may be reversed if its (actually) the same as the European Pin out included in their User Manual for a AIT 9000 from Connect3D.

I rather like that because it would mean a confirmation of this discovery. Until now we just didn't have documented Proof of what the headers were for, it also is starting to look like this an ATI "standard".

(inputs) header (brown short, JU3) (pin 1 starts from Left, facing the open side from inside)

1
2 - GND
3
4 - Chroma
5 - GND
6 - Luma
7 - GND
8 - CVBS


From the AIW R9000PRO User Guide.pdf User manual

Pin	Signal
1	CVBS / Y in
2	Video Ground
3	Luma / Pr in
4	Video Ground
5	Chroma / Pb in
6	Audio Left in
7	Audio Ground
8	Audio Right in

FWIW I mapped the 8- and 10-pin headers on my AIW X600 PRO 128M to the 32-pin stab connector (pin map in post #8) as follows:

The 8-PIN: (counting from the top edge of the card)
1 - ?
2 - Gnd
3 - ?
4 - 22 (C in)
5 - Gen
6 - 20 (Y in)
7 - 23 (?) - [differs from what jwilis84 found]
8 - 24 (CVBS in)

The 10-PIN:(counting from the top edge of the card)
1 - 8 (CVBS out)
2 - 12 (?)
3 - 4 (Y out)
4 - GND
5 - 6 (C out)
6 - ?
7 - Gnd
8 - ?
9 - 26 (SPDIF out)
10 - Gnd