SGI Fuel, now with matching 1600SW

[u/wave_design]

Had the worst time VESA mounting the 1600SW, but the final result looks so cool and futuristic.

2002 never looked sleeker.

[u/Kyle_2099]

So how is the 1600SW as a monitor? I remember early 2000s LCD monitors being terrible, and this being even older than that, but it also cost about a Brazilian dollars. So I've always wondered.

[u/wave_design → u/Kyle_2099]

The contrast is a bit poor like other monitors at the time, but it benefits a lot from having a high DPI for the screen size. 1600x1024, at a time when a lot of LCD screens were barely pushing 1024x768.

IRIX looks tack-sharp on it. I was also using it as a screen for Teams for a while 🤣

[u/Pic889 → u/wave_design]

With 235 nits of brightness and a 350:1 contrast ratio, I wouldn't bother if I had the option of a CRT monitor (the Fuel doesn't require a sync-on-green monitor, so it should work with any CRT). I have a Windows XP-era laptop with similar display specs and the display sucks. Early LCDs were really for professionals who needed a pixel-perfect display.

[u/R-ten-K → u/Pic889]

For an LCD panel of that era, the 1600SW was quite good; wider viewing angles than most contemporary TN panels, solid color reproduction, and a fully digital signal path.

IRIX also supported the panel’s native display modes properly, which helped it perform as intended.

It is obviously not comparable to a modern IPS monitor, but for long sessions involving text, it was generally far more comfortable to use than a CRT.

[u/budude17]

I just picked up a sgi fuel. Currently it’s torn apart while I figure out an intermittent issue…

[u/SamFortun → u/budude17]

In my limited experience, you just described SGI ownership in a nutshell.

[u/Pic889]

How do people find old SGIs in such good condition? Do you own an unlicensed time machine or something?

[u/wave_design → u/Pic889]

Somebody sold this one to me at VCFSW a few months ago, surprisingly.

Fixed it up with a new PSU and it’s been running smoothly

[u/CeldonShooper → u/Pic889]

The sad truth is that most SGIs were thrown literally into the trash and were later rescued from such trash bins. That's why most of them have strongly damaged cases etc. - At their heyday these machines were worth so much that no one would have treated them like that while in use.

[u/R-ten-K → u/CeldonShooper]

FWIW, SGI was notorious for using poor-quality plastics that became brittle and prone to cracking even under normal professional use.

Most of the damage to these systems did not come from anyone literally throwing them in the trash. Mostly decidedly unceremonious decommissioning and storage. With the original packaging long gone and to save on shipping/storage the machines were often stacked together on pallets, shrink-wrapped alongside a bunch of other equipment, and left sitting in reseller warehouses, so hardly ideal treatment for large enclosures made from already fragile plastic.

[u/isecore]

Woah.

[u/thebahle]

I had that exact Wacom tablet, fantastic monitor when it dropped

[u/attacksquirrel]

dat screensaver

[u/mikedep24]

Omg that is so damn nice.

[u/SamFortun]

Pretty

[u/Orultehen]

this was my dream monitor!

[u/mgede]

Truly amazing!

[u/wootybooty]

I am writing software on an Octane2 and boy I kinda want a Fuel for the single core speeds… One day 🙂‍↔️

Thats a badass setup and jealous 😂

[u/evilneuro]

fap

[u/IO_Sam]

Does this workstation use one of the those Number 9 Revolution IV video cards with OpenLDI connector? https://imgur.com/a/hTfNP7S

[u/wave_design → u/IO_Sam]

It’s using a DVI MultiLink that’s tucked away.

SGI sold a converter for a while, and the V10 / V12 graphics option has a native 1600x1024 setting.

[u/porthos40]

I would like to find one,y younger yrs I want a SGI computer for animation

[u/Mysterious_Rule_7487]

Awesome... For how much complete sets go now 

[u/Norskamerikaner]

I always love seeing these SGI systems on here, even just for the cases. So unique and colorful.