[comp.dcom.telecom] 16550 UART Compatibility With 16450

D1749@applelink.apple.com (Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,PRT) (03/10/91)

I don't really know if this is the right forum for this subject, but
it seems to be the most appropriate place I can find.  Does anyone
know if the 16550 UART is pin-compatible with the 16450?  I am losing
serial data and am considering upgrading to the 16550 which have built
in FIFOs. My guess is that DOS turns off interrupts when writing to
the screen buffer (I have a CGA card on a 286 system), and so serial
chars get lost (I am using a FOSSIL and the port is locked at 9600
baud).  So far, no one around here seems to have a manual for these
things (the 16450s and 16550s), so I'm really stumped right now.  Any
help - a quick yes (compatible) or no (incompatible) - is all I need!
 

joel disini  manila   d1749@applelink.apple.com
 

sw@eecs.nwu.edu, Steve Warner) (03/12/91)

(Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,PRT) writes:

> Does anyone know if the 16550 UART is pin-compatible with the 16450?

Yes, they are.  I have swapped the 16450 to 16550 on many of my PCs.

Be aware though that the 16550 will work exactly as a 16450 unless
software enables use of the fifo.  QMODEM, and some other [PC BASED]
terminal programs will support the 16550.

If the program you are using fails to explicitly enable the FIFO, it
will have no effect.


Steve Warner   -  Fremont, CA, USA  etc...
replies to:  sun!indetech!stables!sw    (forget what the header says)