[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Replacing an 8250 with a 16550a chip

tedm@agora.rain.com (Ted Mittelstaedt) (04/20/91)

I was looking over the data sheets for the 16550a Uart, and I noticed that
there is a DIP version of the chip as well as the more common square chicklet
packaging.
  Does anyone know if the pin-out on this chip is the same as the pinout of
  the older 8250 chip?
I have a serial card that uses an 8250 and I would like to use the 16550a 
so when I run DeskView the serial chip isin't chewing up all the processor
time.  has anyone plugged the 16550a into a 8250 socket on a serial card?
  
  Thanks,
     tedm@agora.rain.com

valley@gsbsun.uchicago.edu (Doug Dougherty) (04/22/91)

tedm@agora.rain.com (Ted Mittelstaedt) writes:

>I was looking over the data sheets for the 16550a Uart, and I noticed that
>there is a DIP version of the chip as well as the more common square chicklet
>packaging.
>  Does anyone know if the pin-out on this chip is the same as the pinout of
>  the older 8250 chip?
>I have a serial card that uses an 8250 and I would like to use the 16550a 
>so when I run DeskView the serial chip isin't chewing up all the processor
>time.  has anyone plugged the 16550a into a 8250 socket on a serial card?

According to Chuck F. of Omen Tech, they are plug compatible.
You should d/l and read the DSZ documentation for further
information/confirmation of this.  DSZ is available from the usual gang
of FTP sites...
--

	(Another fine mess brought to you by valley@gsbsun.uchicago.edu)

mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (04/23/91)

In article <1991Apr20.103614.1295@agora.rain.com> tedm@agora.rain.com (Ted Mittelstaedt) writes:
<I was looking over the data sheets for the 16550a Uart, and I noticed that
<there is a DIP version of the chip as well as the more common square chicklet
<packaging.
<  Does anyone know if the pin-out on this chip is the same as the pinout of
<  the older 8250 chip?
<I have a serial card that uses an 8250 and I would like to use the 16550a 
<so when I run DeskView the serial chip isin't chewing up all the processor
<time.  has anyone plugged the 16550a into a 8250 socket on a serial card?

There are a couple of pins with slightly different functions.  On my own card,
these pins were not actually connected to anything.  This allowed me to do 
exactly as you ask.. pull out the 8250 and replace with with a 16550a.

Nice chip!