paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) (10/06/90)
I would like to run the FAS driver on a four port card. Does anyone have
a source for an inexpensive four port card that:
1) Allows all ports to use a single interrupt
2) Uses 16550 UARTS or has socketed 16450
3) Uses DB-25 connectors
4) Priced at $300 or less
I could hack a board that has 16450's sodered on, so this isn't
a show stopper. I could also live without DB-25s, RJ-45 would do.
I will use this board for a personal system so quanity one pricing is
what I am interested in obtaining.
Thanks,
Paul
--
Paul J. Emerson SDG Division of SAIC
Senior Technical Manager 450 Lakemont Ave.
UUCP:{ucf-cs|tarpit}!sdgsun!paul Winter Park, FL 32792
CIS: 72355,171 (407) 657-1300larry@nstar.uucp (Larry Snyder) (10/07/90)
paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) writes: >I would like to run the FAS driver on a four port card. Does anyone have >a source for an inexpensive four port card that: > 1) Allows all ports to use a single interrupt > 2) Uses 16550 UARTS or has socketed 16450 > 3) Uses DB-25 connectors > 4) Priced at $300 or less here is a message that someone posted a couple of months ago: Several people have asked where to get cheap 4 port asynch boards. The only one I have found is the MU-440 made by DFI and which is a knock off of the AST 4 port serial board. I have not seen any AST 4 port boards advertised for several years now. This board allows you to set the interrupts so that all 4 ports will generate an interrupt on the same line. There are other setups allowed also. Anyway, the board is available from: Microline Computers 46757 Fremont Blvd Fremont, CA 94538 (415) 770-1900 My most recent information is from a dealer price list and for quantity 2 to 10 the price is $115.00. A 1 year older retail price list from the same group had a price of $169.00. -- Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN USA {larry@nstar, uunet!sco!romed!nstar!larry, nstar!larry@ndmath.math.nd.edu} backbone usenet newsfeeds available Public Access Unix Site (219) 289-0282 (5 high speed lines)
jeff@marichal.austin.ibm.com (Jeffrey K. Johnson) (10/08/90)
In <1990Oct5.213445.6176@sdgsun.uucp> paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) writes: >I would like to run the FAS driver on a four port card. Does anyone have >a source for an inexpensive four port card that: > > 1) Allows all ports to use a single interrupt > 2) Uses 16550 UARTS or has socketed 16450 > 3) Uses DB-25 connectors > 4) Priced at $300 or less > >I could hack a board that has 16450's sodered on, so this isn't >a show stopper. I could also live without DB-25s, RJ-45 would do. >I will use this board for a personal system so quanity one pricing is >what I am interested in obtaining. I just bought an AST-Four Port/DOS card from ACP (800 FONE ACP or 800 366 3227) for $99 + $7.50 S/H. FAS has everything you need to make this card work. It comes with 4 socketed 16450 or equivalent UARTs. Mine came with 82450s which are also supported by FAS. The documentation clearly states that it uses 16450s. I replaced one of the UARTs with a 16550AN and it works great. All four ports share the same IRQ (2-7). On the downside: it is a dumb card, so you will lose some cpu cycles serving it more often that an intelligent serial port card. If you boot DOS, the card won't work as COM1 and COM2 when it is configured for Unix. It should work under VPix though I haven't tried it. Advanced Computer Products 1310 E. Edlinger Santa Ana, CA 92705 800 FONE ACP 800 366 3227 714 558 8813 714 558 1603 FAX (24hrs) I called AST Tech Support to find out the difference between the Four Port/DOS and Four Port/XN and their current Four Port/AT+ and they told me it was only software. I called up their BBS and downloaded the new DOS drivers. I have no connection with ACP or AST other than a satisfied customer. -- Jeff Johnson 10926 Jollyville Rd #1420 Computer Consultant Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343 0675 Email -> uunet!cs.utexas.edu!ibmchs!auschs!marichal.austin.ibm.com!jeff Disclaimer: "My views and opinions do not reflect those of IBM"
engwall@mtha.usc.edu (Ralph Engwall) (10/09/90)
In article <1990Oct5.213445.6176@sdgsun.uucp> paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) writes: > > >I would like to run the FAS driver on a four port card. Does anyone have >a source for an inexpensive four port card that: > > 1) Allows all ports to use a single interrupt > 2) Uses 16550 UARTS or has socketed 16450 > 3) Uses DB-25 connectors > 4) Priced at $300 or less > A short while back there was some talk here about a dumb 4 port serial board called a MU-440 made by DFI. I think this board is supposed to be a clone of the AST 4 port/AT plus. I remember seeing this board for sale at a computer swap meet for about US$100. I've also seen a 386 Sys V driver for this thing at an ftp site, but I don't have that info with me now. I don't know if the board has socketed URATS. I haven't used this board myself, but I'd like to hear from anybody that has. -- +-------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | Ralph Engwall | Q: Why am I banging my head against the wall? | | engwall@mtha.usc.edu | A: Because it feels *so* good when I stop. | +-------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
jdeitch@jadpc.cts.com (Jim Deitch) (10/09/90)
In article <27447@usc.edu> engwall@mtha.usc.edu (Ralph Engwall) writes: > >In article <1990Oct5.213445.6176@sdgsun.uucp> paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) writes: >> >> >>I would like to run the FAS driver on a four port card. Does anyone have >>a source for an inexpensive four port card that: >> >> 1) Allows all ports to use a single interrupt >> 2) Uses 16550 UARTS or has socketed 16450 >> 3) Uses DB-25 connectors >> 4) Priced at $300 or less >> > > A short while back there was some talk here about a dumb 4 port >serial board called a MU-440 made by DFI. I think this board is >supposed to be a clone of the AST 4 port/AT plus. I remember seeing >this board for sale at a computer swap meet for about US$100. I've >also seen a 386 Sys V driver for this thing at an ftp site, but I don't >have that info with me now. I don't know if the board has socketed URATS. >I haven't used this board myself, but I'd like to hear from anybody that >has. > I recently picked up an AST four port, minus the octopus cable but with docs at a local electronics parts reseller. It was $40.00 with 2 16450 uarts. They are socketed on the AST card. These guys buy out all the old equipment when a company upgrades or goes out of business. If there is one in your area that is another source for these cards. Jim -- UUCP: {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!jadpc!jdeitch ARPA: crash!jadpc!jdeitch@nosc.mil INET: jdeitch@jadpc.cts.com
root@gold.doit.sub.org (Christian Seyb) (10/11/90)
In <1990Oct07.001233.1770@nstar.uucp> larry@nstar.uucp (Larry Snyder) writes: >Several people have asked where to get cheap 4 port asynch boards. The only >one I have found is the MU-440 made by DFI and which is a knock off of >the AST 4 port serial board. I have not seen any AST 4 port boards I have such a board. Unfortunately I don't have a manual for it. I made several attempt to get the meanings of the DIP switches via the net - so far without any success. So, if anyone of you got a manual, please mail (or post) the description of the DIP switches of the MU-440 card. regards Christian -- Christian Seyb | Internet: cs@gold.doit.sub.org uucp login: nuucp Fuchsweg 86 | Mailbox: +49-8106-34593 24h 300-19200 PEP 8011 Baldham | +49-8106-34692 24h 300-19200 HST -- Lieber fuenf vor Zwoelf, als gar keine nach Eins.
tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de (Thomas Hoberg) (10/13/90)
Probably a FAQ, but is the 16550 plug in compatible with the 8250(or similar) from Intel? Is there any difference between 8250/16450 and 16550 that is detectable by software, or rather, do they need any different programming or is the buffer in the 16550 completely transparent? I heard, for example, that only 16450s are supported by OS/2 (no flames please) so there should be some difference between the Intel and the Motorola chip. ??? Tom. ---- Thomas M. Hoberg tmh@prosun.first.gmd.de GMD Berlin, Hardenbergplatz 2, 1000 Berlin 12, Germany +49-30-254 99-160
larry@nstar.uucp (Larry Snyder) (10/15/90)
bill@unixland.uucp (Bill Heiser) writes: >If one of these 4-port boards is installed in a 386, can the existing >two serial ports (on a generic i/o card) remain installed, giving a >total of 6 ports (plus retaining the parallel port on that card)? Yes. -- Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN USA {larry@nstar, uunet!sco!romed!nstar!larry, nstar!larry@ndmath.math.nd.edu} backbone usenet newsfeeds available Public Access Unix Site (219) 289-0282 (5 high speed lines)
jeff@marichal.austin.ibm.com (Jeffrey K. Johnson/65536) (10/16/90)
In <1990Oct15.005916.21858@unixland.uucp> bill@unixland.uucp (Bill Heiser) writes: >If one of these 4-port boards is installed in a 386, can the existing >two serial ports (on a generic i/o card) remain installed, giving a >total of 6 ports (plus retaining the parallel port on that card)? Yes. I have an AST-Four Port/DOS and a DFI 2s/1p/1g I/O card installed. I just set the 4port to its alternate address and left the 2 DFI serial ports at their defaults. I installed FAS for the 4port and left the two other using the ASY driver. I will eventually switch them to FAS. Everything works fine. -- Jeff Johnson 10926 Jollyville Rd #1420 Computer Consultant Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343 0675 Email -> uunet!cs.utexas.edu!ibmchs!auschs!marichal.austin.ibm.com!jeff Disclaimer: "My views and opinions do not reflect those of IBM"
nbladt@aut.UUCP (Norbert Bladt) (10/22/90)
bill@unixland.uucp (Bill Heiser) writes: >[lots of other stuff deleted] >If one of these 4-port boards is installed in a 386, can the existing >two serial ports (on a generic i/o card) remain installed, giving a >total of 6 ports (plus retaining the parallel port on that card)? Yes. We have an AST 4-port compatible card and six serial ports running. We use the FAS 2.07 driver (couldn't get the ISC driver to work reliable with our application) and it works great. A printer is connected to the second serial port, a mouse to the first one and modems to the other. Norbert Bladt. -- Please use this path as return address. DON'T USE THE RETURN PATH IN THE HEADER Norbert Bladt, Ascom Autelca AG, Worbstr. 201, CH-3073 Guemligen, Switzerland Phone: +41 31 52 92 14 EMail: ..!uunet!mcsun!chx400!hslrswi!bladt