Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!dftsrv!mimsy!steelmill.cs.umd.edu!rusty From: rusty@steelmill.cs.umd.edu (Rusty Haddock) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Subject: Re: The Amazing Computing PD I/O Board Message-ID: <29989@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 7 Feb 91 16:18:01 GMT References: <20945@know.pws.bull.com> Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu Reply-To: rusty@steelmill.cs.umd.edu (Rusty Haddock) Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742 Lines: 63 Thomas Hill (ai065@cleveland.Freenet.Edu) writes: > > I'm surprised that nobody has talked about that new hardware hack in >the lastest Amazing Computing. For roughly $70 in parts you get two serial >ports and two parallel ports, and it can be used with all Amigas. It takes [slight nit] ---------------------------------------------^^^ Not quite. It doesn't work on the A3000's. There was a short description of the project a while back in this or one of the the other amiga subgroups. Since then I've been anxiously awaiting the February issue of AC. I think the folks at the various book stores around town are glad it finally arrived and I'm out of their hair. :-} Yes, it looks like an interesting little project. Compared to other multi-port boards this one has a couple of very distinct advantages. 1) It's INEXPENSIVE!!! $70 for 2-serial ports AND 2 PARALLEL ports. I doubt Perry could make one for that little cost but then there are other considerations as well (overhead, profit, support, etc) 2) This is one of the few, if not the only, board/box that adds parallel ports to the Amiga. For the Amiga, even with an expansion box (admittedly, Zorro I), a number of devices want to be connected to the parallel port like framegrabbers, audio digitizers, and printers. If you have several of these devices it's either unplug-and-plug or switch box time. The first is not very good especially if you don't kill the power before disconnecting and reconnecting the new equipment. The second, while somewhat better than the first, has been known to be frowned upon by various manufactures. Having everything available at once without having to switch cables/connectors around is much better. 3) For us A1000 owners, who else makes such an I/O expansion board/box? Even for those of us who thought they were doing "the right thing" by purchasing an expansion box (instead of a series of SOTS boxes) for our brand new Amiga 1000, there are (and have been) VERY FEW Zorro I boards on the market. Whilest some Zorro II boards will work in my expansion chassis because they're half-boards the majority won't and Zorro II I/O expansion boards are few and far between. Alas, this PD project won't fit in my expansion box but it certainly should fill my desire for additional serial/parallel ports. About the only disadvantage that I see is how and were to put some "sturdily" mounted connectors to the outside world. I'd really rather not cut up my back panel on the ol' A1000. There's a small matter of the metal RF shield too. Admittedly, I'd love to have this PD I/O board in my expansion box. At least it has plenty of ventilation slits that I could slip the ribbon cables through to, maybe, a box holding the various DB-25 or DB-9 connectors. In the worst case I could cut some holes in ye ol' expansion box and mount the connectors there. There's room to do that as opposed to an already crowded A1000 backside. Enough of my diatribe. I'll repeat the request for further discussion on this subject (especially on how to get connectors connected :-). -Rusty- -- Rusty Haddock / CompSci Dept DOMAIN: rusty@mimsy.cs.umd.edu University of Maryland PATH: {uunet,rutgers}!mimsy!rusty If someone points a quad-vectored, hyper-thermic, cosmic blaster at you it's a safe bet that you're about to become toast.