witters@tc.fluke.COM (John Witters) (11/08/88)
I'm going to be designing a peripheral for the IBM AT bus. I'd like to find a
good technical reference for the AT bus. I'd really like to have something
which describes both the "official" bus, as well as "ill behaved", but popular
versions of the bus. The reference should include detailed timing
specifications and bus protocols. The ideal reference would also include
memory maps, interrupt levels, and DMA channels used by popular AT peripherals.
Does Peter Norton publish anything like this?
Thanks.
-John
--
* * * John Witters
* \ * John Fluke Mfg. Co. Inc.
* \ * P.O.B. C9090 M/S 245F
* P A G\I N G * Everett, Washington 98206
* \ *
* \ * (206) 356-5274
* * * witters@fluke.comdsd@hpsad.HP.COM (Donald StDenis) (11/11/88)
>/ hpsad:comp.sys.ibm.pc / witters@tc.fluke.COM (John Witters) / 9:34 am Nov 7, 1988 / >I'm going to be designing a peripheral for the IBM AT bus. I'd like to find a >good technical reference for the AT bus. I'd really like to have something >which describes both the "official" bus, as well as "ill behaved", but popular >versions of the bus. The reference should include detailed timing >specifications and bus protocols. The ideal reference would also include >memory maps, interrupt levels, and DMA channels used by popular AT peripherals. This reference looked interesting, but I only got a glance at it: "The XT-AT Handbook" 76pgs, $9.95, Annabooks in CA, (619)271-9526. My manager ordered one and I got to glance at it, it had quite a bit of info, but I'm not sure what. >Does Peter Norton publish anything like this? I don't know. >Thanks. > >-John Your welcome, -- Donald St. Denis R&D Department HP-UX Email address: dsd@hpsad Hewlett-Packard Signal Analysis Division Telephone: US (707) 794 4489 Rohnert Park, CA 94928
keithe@tekgvs.GVS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson) (11/15/88)
In article <5887@fluke.COM> witters@tc.fluke.COM (John Witters) writes: >I'm going to be designing a peripheral for the IBM AT bus. I'd like to find a >good technical reference for the AT bus. Oh, wouldn't we _ALL_! (Well, a lot of us anyway...) > I'd really like to have something >which describes both the "official" bus, as well as "ill behaved", but popular >versions of the bus. The reference should include detailed timing >specifications and bus protocols. In my short search all I could find was "English language" descriptions of the various functions, but nothing with timing diagrams or even timing relationships between/among the various signals. Please let us know if you find a good hardware reference manual. (Lessee, the IBM manual has schematics - should I type it into a simulator and see what happens???) (Hey - that's 'sposed to be a JOKE!) keith
jmbj@whuts.att.com (BITTMAN) (11/16/88)
> >good technical reference for the AT bus. > > Oh, wouldn't we _ALL_! (Well, a lot of us anyway...) > > > I'd really like to have something > >which describes both the "official" bus, as well as "ill behaved", but popular > >versions of the bus. The reference should include detailed timing > >specifications and bus protocols. > > In my short search all I could find was "English language" descriptions of > the various functions, but nothing with timing diagrams or even timing > relationships between/among the various signals. > > Please let us know if you find a good hardware reference manual. > Byte had an article on interfacing to the IBM PC bus, which is VERY similar to the AT bus: add 8-data lines, 8-int lines, 4-addr lines... The issue was the IBM-Special Edition from last year (1987). The article included timing, even some schematics for a peripheral board, etc. The article may talk about the AT, I don't remember. DMA is not mentioned, but I've heard that it's really not that great an idea anyway. If you need more help, let me know, I can send you a short piece of assembly code which demonstrates how to use hardware interrupts from a peripheral board. If you need even more help I can send the schematics.... Another good reference is the Intel Data Book, the bus is basically just an extension of the Processor. About 3 years ago, when I was first designing this board, the ONLY reference which I could find that addressed the issue of hardware interrupts was a book by Sam's, but I forget the title... I hope this mish-mash of information is helpful to all the IBM-PC hardware hackers out there... Jim Bittman, whuts!jmbj
jerry@starfish.Convergent.COM (Gerald Hawkins) (11/16/88)
From article <4254@tekgvs.GVS.TEK.COM>, by keithe@tekgvs.GVS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson): > In article <5887@fluke.COM> witters@tc.fluke.COM (John Witters) writes: >>I'm going to be designing a peripheral for the IBM AT bus. I'd like to find a >>good technical reference for the AT bus. >> I'd really like to have something >>which describes both the "official" bus, as well as "ill behaved", but popular >>versions of the bus. The reference should include detailed timing >>specifications and bus protocols. - - I mailed this earlier directly to the poster. Someone can correct me if I am wrong ... There is NO SUCH DOCUMENTATION. There is NO OFFICIAL BUS. It is likely that IBM created the bus without ever producing timing specs. Convergent created the first 8086 based individual workstation slightly before IBM did the PC, and we also created no proper bus documentation--a situation that IBM never remedied (but Convergent did). I guess there is an advantage to being small. So, when you design a peripheral for IBM, be forewarned that IBM won't even accept that such a thing might work with their machines; and if it works with a real IBM, it may not work with all compatibles. The only way to tell is to test with a representative sample. So they tell me in our design group. As the designer of a PC-AT compatible, you get the chore of testing the product with every major (and many minor) software packages, plus most of the major add-in cards. Good Luck! Rainy Days and Automatic Weapons Fire Alway Get Me Down. These opinions are mine. Jerry. (jerry@starfish.convergent.COM) -----
Dion_L_Johnson@cup.portal.com (11/16/88)
Ironically, there is more information in the oldest IBM PC Tech Ref manuals than in some newer ones. Most of the info extrapolates to AT bus. Look for part no. 6025005, ca 1981 publication. Try at rare/old bookstores, etc. :-)