srlncnc@badger.dosli.govt.nz (Chris Crook) (05/17/91)
Is there any way of putting more than 4 COM ports onto a PC for a bulletin board application. Chris
richard@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Richard Begg) (05/17/91)
In article <1991May16.205258.4191@dosli.govt.nz>, srlncnc@badger.dosli.govt.nz (Chris Crook) writes: |> Is there any way of putting more than 4 COM ports onto a PC for a |> bulletin board application. |> |> Chris It is possible to buy multi com port boards for PCs, these boards have their own processor to rotate the ports etc. However they are pretty pricy, The cheapest one I have seen is an 8 port model which retails for about $800 in Oz. Perhaps these things are more common, and cheaper in the states. Another option perhaps is to pick up a cheap PC and turn it into a terminal server, this would give you another 4 ports, however it would involve a fair amount of comms programming to get it to work. -- Richard Begg (richard@asis.unimelb.edu.au) Programmer ASIS/ITS - University of Melbourne
jimh@sequent.com (05/17/91)
In article <665@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> richard@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Richard Begg) writes: >In article <1991May16.205258.4191@dosli.govt.nz>, srlncnc@badger.dosli.govt.nz (Chris Crook) writes: >|> Is there any way of putting more than 4 COM ports onto a PC for a >|> bulletin board application. >|> >|> Chris > >It is possible to buy multi com port boards for PCs, these boards have >their own processor to rotate the ports etc. However they are pretty >pricy, The cheapest one I have seen is an 8 port model which >retails for about $800 in Oz. Perhaps these things are more >common, and cheaper in the states. Another option perhaps is >to pick up a cheap PC and turn it into a terminal server, this would >give you another 4 ports, however it would involve a fair >amount of comms programming to get it to work. The DigiBoard DigiChannel PC-8/Xe I/O Controller was about $350 and the octicable was about another $50 last time I looked. This provides 8 lines of serial I/O. I think you can find much cheaper boards than this. Your best bet is to get 'Computer Shopper' and take a look. I have used the DigiBoard, however, and it is a very robust board. In the latest shopper, Computer Discount Warehouse (800) 726-4CDW has the PC/8 for $424.73 and the PC/4 for $286.10. > >-- >Richard Begg (richard@asis.unimelb.edu.au) >Programmer ASIS/ITS - University of Melbourne -- Jim Harrie Technical Support Engineer Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. (503) 578-5778 Internet: jimh@sequent.com UUCP: uunet|tektronix|ogicse!sequent!jimh --
blaise@kira.UUCP (Christopher Blaise) (05/19/91)
From article <1991May16.205258.4191@dosli.govt.nz>, by srlncnc@badger.dosli.govt.nz (Chris Crook): > Is there any way of putting more than 4 COM ports onto a PC for a > bulletin board application. > > Chris Look into a digiboard (name of manufacturer escapes me). TBBS uses it exclusively, and the configuration that it recommends (never tried it with any others), is simply using COM1 and/or COM 2 with different interrupts for each line/modem... -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christopher Blaise - blaise@emily.uvm.edu "I just wanna be loved... ]]]]]]]]]]]]] Fido: 1:325/107 is that so WRONG?!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------
david@csource.oz.au (david nugent) (05/20/91)
blaise@kira.UUCP (Christopher Blaise) writes: >From article <1991May16.205258.4191@dosli.govt.nz>, by srlncnc@badger.dosli.govt.nz (Chris Crook): >> Is there any way of putting more than 4 COM ports onto a PC for a >> bulletin board application. > Look into a digiboard (name of manufacturer escapes me). TBBS uses > it exclusively, and the configuration that it recommends (never tried it > with any others), is simply using COM1 and/or COM 2 with different > interrupts for each line/modem... Ah.. but the Digiboard is one of those neat devices which can share IRQ's between different COM ports. Provided your software understands this, and perhaps can take advantage of the shared port mask available on the bus, then you shouldn't have any problems in using them all on the same IRQ. -- David Nugent Unique Computing Pty Limited Communications/PC/Unix Consulting 3:632/348@fidonet 28:4100/1@signet Internet/ACSnet: david@csource.oz.au Uucp: ..!uunet!munnari!csource!david