[net.micro.pc] needed: information on XT upgrade

ir44@sdcc6.UUCP (Theodore Schwartz) (01/08/86)

I am receiving from a donor a PC/XT and an Apple laser printer.
For some years I have been using Unix on a terminal, planning to
buy an AT. 1. Can the XT be upgraded to an AT using one of the 
advertized coprocessor boards? How compatible with AT would it
be? I would also add a faster larger hard disk. I would like to
stay with Unix/Xenix? Would it run with such an upgrade? 
2. I have been told I can drive the Apple laser writer from
Microsoft Word which incorporates Postscript? Has anyone done
this from a PC? Can it be run from troff under Unix? I would be
grateful to have advice from anyone with experience with the
upgrade or with the Apple laser writer. I should receive the
stuff in a couple of weeks.
bee

kc@rna.UUCP (Kaare Christian) (01/09/86)

>          1. Can the XT be upgraded to an AT using one of the 
> advertized coprocessor boards? How compatible with AT would it
> be?

There is a product from Red River Technology that you should know about.
It is an AT compatible system board with an XT compatible size/mounting
dimensions.  By purchasing this board you can replace the system board
in your xt, but keep chassis, power supply, disks, etc. (I don't know if
you can retain your keyboard.)  This board contains the new AT compatible
chipset from Chips and Technologies Inc. so it contains many fewer chips
than a traditional AT motherboard.  As of this minute, the Red River
AT motherboard is the only one with an XT form factor.

I haven't tried this personally, but a board is on order and I should
know more in about a week. The results of my trials and tribulations
(if any) with this board will eventually be published in PC magazine,
so you can get more information there some time "not too far off, now."

RRT can be reached at 817-571-5714.

hes@ecsvax.UUCP (01/10/86)

> >          1. Can the XT be upgraded to an AT using one of the 
> > advertized coprocessor boards? How compatible with AT would it
> > be?
> 
> There is a product from Red River Technology that you should know about.
> It is an AT compatible system board with an XT compatible size/mounting
> dimensions.  By purchasing this board you can replace the system board
> in your xt, but keep chassis, power supply, disks, etc. (I don't know if
> you can retain your keyboard.) ...

   I just received an ad for a similar product.  It's the BULLET-286
motherboard.  It will replace an XT motherboard (XT only), and is available
in either 6 or 8 MHz versions, both with no wait states.  It traps and
emulates 8088 instructions not compatible with the '286, duplicates the
pc/xt expansion bus, lets you use your old keyboard, ...   It installs
"in under 10 minutes using only a screwdriver."  There is a
30 day money-back guarantee.  This board is apparently from Wave Mate Corp.,
but the ad I got was from UNISOURCE Software Corp., 71 Bent St., Cambridge,
MA  02141.  (617)491-1264.  They say you have to call to get the price - and
they want volume purchase and will give an "agressive price" based on this.
--henry schaffer
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