Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wuarchive!psuvax1!psuvm!dxb132
From: DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: second serial port
Message-ID: <90334.151404DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 30 Nov 90 20:14:04 GMT
References: <14383@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 22

In article <14383@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>, perley@galaxy (Donald P Perley) says:

>Of coursr I ignored all this stuff when I didn't need it, but now...

>I want/need a second serial port for my 2000.  The local dealer

As mentioned in some recent postings, there is a public domain I/O board
coming early next year that lets you add 8 ports (4 serial/4 parallel) to
a 500/1000/2000. 'Public domain' means it's sold at-cost. Expect a typical
4 port (2 serial/2 parallel) board fully populated to cost roughly $60.
Add another 4 ports by plugging in a couple chips.
Or you could spend  $200 on a commercial board that doesn't do half as
much, if you like. Unless you have a 500 or 1000, in which case there is
no commercial alternative.

To answer your question: Commodore's board is fancier than most, having its
own CPU and so forth, but $350 is a bit much, considering that the components
on the board are so darn cheap. FCC approval is expensive, but that shouldn't
bother big companies like Commodore. Maybe they're trying to make a profit
:-)

-- Dan Babcock