ISA Card PD-001 VER.3.1

[Matthieu Benoit]

Hello All,
I am looking for any info about this card I have.
All information I have about it is available on
my page http://matthieu.benoit.free.fr/133.htm
it contains two bipolar proms and an "inside" 26 pin connector

is there any way with a software or Windows to detect this card
or get some information when it is plugged in? It doesn't seem to be
a parallel port.
thank you for any hint
Matthieu

 

[Robert Baer]

Hello All,
I am looking for any info about this card I have.
All information I have about it is available on
my page http://matthieu.benoit.free.fr/133.htm
it contains two bipolar proms and an "inside" 26 pin connector

is there any way with a software or Windows to detect this card
or get some information when it is plugged in? It doesn't seem to be
a parallel port.
thank you for any hint
Matthieu

To help discover possible use of the card, use true DOS (from ver 3.3
to 7.1).
Write a small BASIC program that searches IO space; use it before and
after plugging the board in.
VTW, unplug the parallel I/O board first - as it will likely interfere
(your board looks like a parallel port board, and the jumpers for
selecting LPT1/LPT2 and addressing).
That means you will need an old 486 or earlier vintage to be able to
unplug I/O boards.

 

[Robert Baer]

Hello All,
I am looking for any info about this card I have.
All information I have about it is available on
my page http://matthieu.benoit.free.fr/133.htm
it contains two bipolar proms and an "inside" 26 pin connector

is there any way with a software or Windows to detect this card
or get some information when it is plugged in? It doesn't seem to be
a parallel port.
thank you for any hint
Matthieu

The code in those ROMs do not help without a schematic; they may be
part of the addressing logic.

 

[Matthieu Benoit]

Thanks for your reply,
I have done the test on a PC 486 without parallel port and
CheckIt diagnostics program under MS-DOS 6.2 but it doesn't seem
to detect any LPT port , I can't see any change (interrupt , dma)
when the card is plugged or not.
I don't know how to make a test routine with Quickbasic.
Matthieu

 

[Gavin Jacobs]

(your board looks like a parallel port board, and the jumpers for
selecting LPT1/LPT2 and addressing).

I think it is a serial port. The only clues are the connectors. JP1
looks like an IRQ setting, and 3/4 are the common choices for COMx.
Also, the 26 pin connector is probably pinned out to a DB25.
Check this:
if there are traces to pins 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, and not much else,
then it is almost certainly a serial port connector.

Other remote possibilities include a combo COMx & joystick, or a CD
interface.

HTH
Gavin

 

[Matthieu Benoit]

Thanks for your help,
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a serial interface.
I've just tested without any serial port on a pc and no COM
ports are detected with CheckIt Diagnostics tool.
most pins of the J1 are connected to the two proms
I will look if there are any cd-rom interface with 26 pin
connector but the card has been manufactured in 1987.
the JP1 connector in fact is numbered
1 - 4
2 - 3
Matthieu

 

[Steve]

Hello All,
I am looking for any info about this card I have.
All information I have about it is available on
my page http://matthieu.benoit.free.fr/133.htm
it contains two bipolar proms and an "inside" 26 pin connector

is there any way with a software or Windows to detect this card
or get some information when it is plugged in? It doesn't seem to be
a parallel port.
thank you for any hint
Matthieu

Matthieu,
Since the LS244 appears to be connected to the header, it's some s
ort of parallel or bus interface. Not necessarily a printer port, which is
simply (or can be) a type of parallel interface. No way is it a serial inte
rface, since the board has no output chips needed for driving RS232 lines,
which are +/- 6 Volts, or so.

My guess is it is an interface for an ancient tape backup unit.

In other words, throw it in the garbage!! However, I do love a puzzle
, so I can still understand if you just want to know what it is. :^)

One other possibility is if there are an FCC identifier numbers on th
e back side we cannot see. I realize you are in France, but with the
global economy, there may be US numbers on it any way. Perhaps the equi
valent French or European numbers exist on the back. Anyway, put those
other numbers into a search engine and you may get some more clues. I'
ve had some luck ID'ing boards with government "certification" numbers and
a web search.

Failing all else, you can examine the board and carefully draw a sch
ematic for us to look at. Between a schematic and the prom readouts you a
lready have, we'll have maybe a 50/50 chance of figuring out what it is.

Good Luck!,
Steve

I

 

[Gavin Jacobs]

Matthieu,
The numbering of JP1 strongly reinforces my hypothesis, because the
standard IRQ for COM1 is 4 and for COM2 it is 3. It could be a BROKEN
serial card, which would explain why it is not detected by your
software.

But why bother? If you need an ISA card of any flavor, I'm sure there
are millions of surplus units floating around.

Gavin

 

[Matthieu Benoit]

Do you think it could be a serial card if there is no MC1488 / MC1489?
as I sayed the JP1 is marked 1,2,3,4 which I think is just the numbering
of the pins (as JP2 is marked 1,4,5,8).
This card comes from a surplus and I am curious to know what it is for.
I have ISA cards of different flavor in my cave!
You are right to say that this card is probably broken.
Best regards,
Matthieu

 

[Gavin Jacobs]

You and Steve are probably right; it won't be a serial card without
voltages beyond 5Vdc.