| Author |
Message |
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:52 pm Post subject:
ISA card with only PCI slots |
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I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed |
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Paul
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:00 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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In article <1130435543.678826.72290@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
|
There are still companies making motherboards with ISA slots.
I don't know anything about this company, so caveat emptor.
You never know what kind of BIOS comes with a board like this.
http://www.ibase-i.com.tw/MB865_700.jpg
It looks like the trick there, is a Winbond bridge chip of
some sort, that converts from PCI to ISA.
It could be the W83628F on this page that does the conversion.
http://www.winbond.com/e-winbondhtm/partner/b_2_d_3.htm
Using W83628 as a search term, may unearth other products
that use the Winbond chip, to support ISA cards.
The general problem with conversion, is mechanical. I have
seen a couple of concept products, to convert a slot on
a computer from one standard to another. The problem is,
that only leaves room for a low profile card to plug into
the top of the adapter card. Since most cards that people would
want to reuse, would be expensive full function, full size
cards, that kind of converter is useless.
Another form factor, is to have a piece of flex cable coming out
of the adapter device. Then, the user has to figure out a way to
gain access to the faceplate of the target card, and also a
way to mechanically secure the card, as it flops around on the
end of a flex cable.
If you can think of a mechanical concept that leaves the faceplate
accessable, securely mounts the card, and leaves room for a
conversion IC, you'll be a rich inventor!
Paul |
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philo
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:56 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
|
I did see an adaptor once but it was expensive.
I'd just get a mobo with an ISA slot...
You can still get them and it would be easier that trying to
locate that adaptor |
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MCheu
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 3:29 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:56:17 -0500, philo <philo@privacy.net> wrote:
| Quote: | exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
I did see an adaptor once but it was expensive.
I'd just get a mobo with an ISA slot...
You can still get them and it would be easier that trying to
locate that adaptor
|
Modern ISA motherboards (ie. one that accepts the latest CPUs and has
at least one ISA slot) tend to be quite expensive too. With so few
companies doing them, and so few people buying them, the whole
"economy of scale" thing just doesn't come into it anymore, and jacks
up the price quite a bit -- that's if you can find someplace that even
sells them.
That said, it'd probably be easier to locate such a motherboard than
the adapter.
Of course, if you don't need to upgrade too far up the food chain, you
might be able to get hold of an old PII or PIII machine by hunting
used computer shops or perhaps even doing a bit of checking around
various other departments of your organization. Obviously, that'd be
considerably cheaper.
---------------------------------------------
Thanks.
MCheu |
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VWWall
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 3:30 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
|
There are still many MB's made with ISA slots. Most of these are
expensive, but I used an Abit BX6 which has 2 ISA slots. It can only
use a processor with 100MHz FSB, so is limited to a Pent III 500. Most
lab control applications don't require much CPU speed, so an oldie but
goodie machine may be cheaper than trying to find an adapter.
Finding old systems like that can be a problam--you either find it for
free or pay an arm-and-leg for it. :-( PC100 memory is an example.
--
Virg Wall |
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Spajky
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 3:33 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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On 27 Oct 2005 10:52:23 -0700, exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
|
http://www.costronic.com/
--
Regards , SPAJKY ®
mail addr. @ my site @ http://www.spajky.vze.com
"Tualatin OC-ed / BX-Slot1 / inaudible setup!" |
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kony
Guest
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Newbury
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:18 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
|
Hey Ed what are your doing anyway? I am curious. What are you upgrading
from? I have several old systems here and ISA cards too, like sound cards,
scanner cards. CPUs, RAM, all kinds of old stuff. I even have an ATARI
130XE. etc.... If you need a board I can send you one no problem.
Newbury |
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listener
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:25 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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<exg001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1130435543.678826.72290@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
You might want to look at the following motherboard. I don't have one |
myself but it sounds like it might not be too bad an upgrade and still work
with the slower lab machine.
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/P4/E7210/P4SCA.cfm |
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Ken Maltby
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:25 am Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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<exg001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1130435543.678826.72290@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
Ed
|
It is most likely that there is a PCI card that would provide
the same communication with the piece of lab equipment. Have
you contacted the maker of the equipment? Even if it were
something made "in-house" it would use a standard interface,
RS-(something) most probably, but some standard that would
work with the chips in use at that time.
Luck;
Ken |
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Mike Walsh
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject:
Re: ISA card with only PCI slots |
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Look here: http://www.soyousa.com/products/proddesc.php?id=335
A couple of years ago I bought a Soyo board because it had ISA and ECC memory slots. I have had no problems with it.
VWWall wrote:
| Quote: |
exg001@yahoo.com wrote:
I need to upgrade one of our computers, but it uses an old ISA card
(communicating with a piece of lab equipment).
Obviously I can't easily buy a new machine with ISA slots, only PCI
slots. Is there some kind of adapter that I can get to convert a PCI
slot to an ISA slot?
Any help would be great as I search around. Thanks.
There are still many MB's made with ISA slots. Most of these are
expensive, but I used an Abit BX6 which has 2 ISA slots. It can only
use a processor with 100MHz FSB, so is limited to a Pent III 500. Most
lab control applications don't require much CPU speed, so an oldie but
goodie machine may be cheaper than trying to find an adapter.
Finding old systems like that can be a problam--you either find it for
free or pay an arm-and-leg for it. :-( PC100 memory is an example.
--
Virg Wall
|
--
Mike Walsh
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. |
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