Bring back the "Turbo" button

[misry]

We seem to be assuming the Turbo switch was a momentary on/off like a current power switch. It was a toggle between sorce A and source B with ground in the middle. Seems to me some might have had the switch plugged in backwards compaired to others.

My Turbo's had a pretty light to tell me when they were on. And the IBM 286 someone mentioned earlier had Turbo built into the keylock so you couldn't enable/disable it by mistake.

 

[turpit]

I remember when I got my first computer, a 486-66, and I pressed the Turbo button, it felt sooo cool and empowering. I wish computer manufacturers would bring it back. Perhaps a button to slow down the CPU and one to overclock it. I would gladly pay extra $$$ for that option.

While your at it, why dont you make a wish to bring back stone and chisel [/sarcasm]

 

[ches111]

Might want to try this:

http://www.matrixorbital.com/product_info.php?pName=mx411&cName=lcd-mx4-series

It is a front panel disply with programmable buttons.

Not sure but I think there are many many base operations that it does similar to the turbo button..

 

[stallyn]

Wow I feel old for sure, My turbo button on my 286 didnt work half of the time back then, then again I hated the pee yellow monochrome monitor with 64KB video ram, Simcity was fun to watch tapping that old turbo though 😛

 

[symbi0nt]

While 'The turbo' button has been explained countless times in this thread already as not actually boosting your speed..

yeah, a big red button marked 'TURBO' that automatically OC'd your comp to preset settings would be a pretty ego boosting touch.

 

[rbarone69]

I am sure everyone fails to realize that the “turbo button” served a dual purpose.

1) Slow down the computer for applications that needed it.
2) Make it feel like the computer was "giving a little extra".

It really should have been called a "slow" button, but that doesn’t exactly appeal to the masses. This thread proves that the general marketing purpose of the label “turbo button” actually worked; giving the people a sense of getting something more out of their computer.

Now, ask yourself this. If you had a choice to buy a computer with a "slow button", or a "turbo button", which would you buy? Especially if you didn’t know much about computer hardware.

This thread would be a great case study for college students and common human thinking. I am personally very surprised that a bunch of computer geeks (yes I’m a geek too) actually fell for it.

I also think that the person who labeled that button had a genius marketing idea.

 

[wickedmonster]

I am sure everyone fails to realize that the “turbo button” served a dual purpose.

1) Slow down the computer for applications that needed it.
2) Make it feel like the computer was "giving a little extra".

It really should have been called a "slow" button, but that doesn’t exactly appeal to the masses. This thread proves that the general marketing purpose of the label “turbo button” actually worked; giving the people a sense of getting something more out of their computer.

Now, ask yourself this. If you had a choice to buy a computer with a "slow button", or a "turbo button", which would you buy? Especially if you didn’t know much about computer hardware.

This thread would be a great case study for college students and common human thinking. I am personally very surprised that a bunch of computer geeks (yes I’m a geek too) actually fell for it.

I also think that the person who labeled that button had a genius marketing idea.

Now, instead of saying "Turbo", imagine if it said "NOS" or "Go baby, Go!" that would be sweet.

With today's multicore processors, it would be nice if you could power down those cores during idle times and fire them up for gaming. Hence, the need for "turbo" functionality.

 

[compman99]

Im using a 1992 bios( i got in 1997) 486dx4 (Was Intel 100 mhz) with the AMD 586 Evergreen Overdrive chip 133 mhz ( i bought in 1998 for like 158 dollars at compusa)lol

A beautiful TALL tower built with pride from Insight !!!! with 256 external cache

Windows 95a full floppy version 199.00 in 1999 lol ,32 mb Ram 500 mb Hard Drive ,

AND HERES THE BRAGGIN:::: ATI MACH 64 Turbo 4 MB SVGA ISA Videocard (rare) Nova 15.4 Widescreen LCD.

On a Comcast Cable connection 6 mb down 3 mb up !

and it has the turbo button i tested what it did by turning it on and off and pushed in with the yellow light on audio is 99 percent perfect then i turn it off and it chops real bad so i would say it slows it down when its off with the yellow light out lol.


also the Evergreen Technologies speedtest disk (ETDIAG.exe ) says lower readings

( ON ) Benchmarks Dhrystones 22601 (without 256 cache enabled 20374) 16mhz cpu bus, 66 mhz cpu core ( ON )

says cpu mode: Real

cpu Cache: 16k Unified,WT, Enabled


( OFF ) Benchmarks Dhrystones 4654 (without 256 cache enabled 1243 ) 15 mhz cpu bus, 60 mhz cpu core ( OFF )

says cpu mode Real

cpu cache disabled

LOOKS LIKE ITS ENABLING AND DISABLING THE INTERNAL CACHE (doesnt effect the 256 external cache)

and changing the core and bus speed

(just changing the voltage what ya think)
old school overclocking my heart is racing!!!



well back to my crappy 3.4 ghz HT 1024 cache 800 fsb cpu ,
ATI 512 x1600pro AGP,
250/80/30 gig drives,dvd burner,
Dell 24inch Widescreen lcd crap !!!! sigh ....

compman99

 

[badge]

Nearly everyone who posted to this thread between 8-27-2006 and 8-29-2006 are no longer here. The last post was nearly three years ago. So, maybe creating a new thread on the subject would be better.

 

[djcoolmasterx]

lol

 

[yargnodrog]

I do not profess to know how all of the computers that came out with a "TURBO SWITCH" nor do I care to debate the question that being the case. However, I do know how my no name 486 box with the Intel DX4 Processor works. The stock speed on it is 100 MHz. By pressing the "TURBO SWITCH" it slows the processor down to 8 MHz. And yes this was designed to run or play programs or games that were wrote for the slower speeds a few years earlier such as one of my Tandy 1000 boxes running DOS 3.2. at 7-10 MHz. Mine does not have a function to down clock it to anything other than the 8 MHZ from the 100 MHZ. I say that because of one post that stated you could clock it at what ever you wanted.

Now that the above is all out of the way, I would very much like to ask, does anyone know where one might get the parts or switch to repair one? Mine is sort of trashed out concerning the wiring and leads to the front panel and the clock that is on the front. I think the switch is still working on the MOBO but since I cannot see the clock switch from the 8 MHz. and 100 MHz. I cannot confirm this to be the case.

I searched on eBay with no luck so I googled it and found this post on Tom's.

Any HEADS out there have an idea where to buy one for the MOBO one has managed to nurse along for the past 20+ years?

It would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Pallida mors]

I remember when I got my first computer, a 486-66, and I pressed the Turbo button, it felt sooo cool and empowering. I wish computer manufacturers would bring it back. Perhaps a button to slow down the CPU and one to overclock it. I would gladly pay extra $$$ for that option.

if you got a amd system msi has a good M.B. with an oc button 990FXA-GD80

 

[Jorge Riva Melendez]

what i remember is that when i've pushed the button to toggle it "on" on my XT 8086, the speed went from 4.79Mhz to 8Mhz. so, i think intelamduser was rigth.