Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen
From: davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: EISA vs ISA
Keywords: EISA, ISA, AT cards, etc.
Message-ID: <3118@sixhub.UUCP>
Date: 11 Feb 91 04:18:42 GMT
References: <89696@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Reply-To: davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (bill davidsen)
Organization: *IX Public Access UNIX, Schenectady NY
Lines: 53

In article <89696@unix.cis.pitt.edu> fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) writes:

| 	1) Cyrix and ITT claim that their 387-clones are "up to 80%"
| 	   faster then the Intel 80387. Is that true of the 486 also?
| 	   (ie. is the 387 on-board of the 486 200% SLOWER than a clone)

  They are using the old 387-20 as the basis for that. The 20 and 25 has
an old mask with slow microcode. The new 387-25's, all 387-33's, and the
486 all have the fast microcode. Cyrix is a hell of a lot faster in
387SX, and cheaper, and lower power, but I don't think you will see much
difference in speed from the new 387's. Just be sure you have one of the
new ones, and not one made three months ago.

| 	2) I have heard that I can take an AT card (16-bit) and plug it
| 	   into the EISA buss. True? If so, will it slow down the other
| 	   EISA cards? (Like plugging in a MDA into a 16-bit-VGA system)

  I have seen 800KB sustained SCSI disk transfer while running a modem
on an 8 bit serial card. I think you you can believe that one.

| 	3) Are there any EISA VGA cards out there? (Like an EISA
| 	   version of the ProDesigner II, or others) If so, are they faster?

  I'm told there are, but they are not common yet, and I would rather
have one I know is compatible. Actually, I would like inexpensive, too.

| 	4) Is there an EISA IDE hard disk controller? I have some
| 	   IDE drives and I want to use them in my new system. Yes? 
| 	   Also, if I have to get a new drive, should I stick with SCSI-2
| 	   or ESDI? (I heard that SCSI-s sucks)

  Someone makes one, Ultrastor, I think. While they are fast, cheap, and
reliable controllers, the firmware has been a bit odd. Ultrastrange,
actually. If you need the power there are several companies making the
boards.

| 	5) How would I, say, add a tape backup? I realize that there are
| 	   2 types, one that hooks up to a floppy drive controller and one
| 	   that comes with its own card. (#2 applies to the second). Will
| 	   the EISA floppy/hard controller allow for this? (I want 1.2MB and
| 	   1.44MB as a base) does it have more connectors? If I get the
| 	   type with a card, will I be able to use it with my system?
| 	   (see #2)

  While you can go with a Wangtek or Archive for about $500 these days,
I think you would be better off with SCSI for it. If you get a lot of
disk you can add a DAT tape. Anyone who can afford enough disk to need
one can probably afford it ;-)
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me