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8 Bit ISA recommendations

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bettablue

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While I'm waiting for the Xebec controller I bought from Chuck, I thought I would get ready for the final assembly of my IBM 5150 PC and IBM 5161 Expansion unit. Currently everything in the PC is working as it's intended. However, my expansion unit is void of any upgrades other than a replacement hard disk.

Once the expansion unit is outfitted, I'll be installing the extender card to connect the expansion. What I would like to do is install a few more expansion cards to add functionality to the system. What I would like are some recommendations on which cards to look for, or other recommendations for things I may have forgotten. In the past, someone recommended additional memory expansions, but if my computer is already at the full 640 K, I don't see how additional memory will help me. I've read another thread here regarding adding UMB to the 5150/5160, but again, I really don't see a big need for additional RAM. (I'll leave that for another discussion, but I wanted to mention it here because of my current configuration.



And now my wish list:

1. 8 bit modem (I don't know what baud rate would be supported)
2. Dual serial port adapter (for serial port mouse etc.)
3. Network adapter
4. Your additional suggestions

Thanks everyone.
 
8 bit modems usually went up to 33,600 baud (I have a few) although 300,1200 or 2400 is probably more authentic. Every 56K I've seen has been 16bit or PCI.
I try not to add too much to 8 bit machines, because there are only so many IRQ's to go around, but an 8 bit sound card might not go amiss.
 
bettablue said:
2. Dual serial port adapter (for serial port mouse etc.)
4. Your additional suggestions

Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...

I live right by Wierd Stuff in Sunnyvale and go there often; they have piles of isa cards for a few dollars each. I have a 8-bit dual serial card you can have for the price of shipping. Will check for 8 bit network cards next saturday.

I also saw there yesterday an 8-bit full-length combo card, a "Modular Circuit Technology" MCT-MHMIO; I think MCT was the house brand for JDR Microdevices. It has a clock (watch-type battery on the card), game port, serial port (or two), parallel port, and disk controller (not sure if it's a floppy controller or mfm disk). I can pick that up in it's box for $3-5, and send it also.

Jeff
 
I would look for one of the classic 8-bit sound cards: Adlib, Creative Game Blaster, or a Sound Blaster CT1350B (more common and cheaper than the other two)

If you're into Midi music on your games, you could also try and track down a Roland MPU-IPC-T, MPU-401, MPU-401/AT, etc. Though again, expect to pay for these...

The rest are pretty easy to find, IMO - it's just narrowing down whether or not you want to stay with Big Blue and use only true IBM expansions, or if you want to go the third-party router. Personally, I'd go third-party :)
 
Not a lot of responses on this thread, just yet, but what is here is all good. There's plenty here to get started with any way. Thanks Mav for the part numbers. I'm not really looking at Midi, but it may be a good thing to have. Don't most sound cards have midi playback options though, or is MIDI for gaming something I need to add separately??

Any way, today I was given a bunch of old ISA cards. There are a few network adapters, modems, IO boards, (but no dual 9 pin serial so I'll be taking Soupwizard up on his offer) The sad part, at least for me is that most of the cards/adapters are 16 bit and usless to the system. Out of everything I got, only 2 are of any interest. 1 is a Practical Peripherals modem with a manufacture date of 1994. It just happens to be an 8 bit 33.5 modem. The other card of interest is an Intel LAN adapter that is capable of running under either 8 or 16 bit architecture. This card was manufactured in 1993 with what look like part number E139761. From what I see, it's supposed to be compatible with the 5150, so I installed these two cards.

So, only 2 cards out of over 30 were useful!

I'll add others as they arrive.
 
<...>The sad part, at least for me is that most of the cards/adapters are 16 bit and usless to the system.<...>

Hmmm, now you have everything you need to start collecting a 286,386, or 486 system! This is how collections tend to grow - "oh, I have all these cards, now I just need get a motherboard, case, power supply, floppy, hard drive, keyboard, and monitor!".

You can make a list of the 16 bit cards that you don't want, maybe you can trade them for 8 bit ones?
 
bettablue said:
While I'm waiting for the Xebec controller I bought from Chuck, I thought I would get ready for the final assembly of my IBM 5150 PC and IBM 5161 Expansion unit. Currently everything in the PC is working as it's intended. However, my expansion unit is void of any upgrades other than a replacement hard disk.

Once the expansion unit is outfitted, I'll be installing the extender card to connect the expansion. What I would like to do is install a few more expansion cards to add functionality to the system. What I would like are some recommendations on which cards to look for, or other recommendations for things I may have forgotten. In the past, someone recommended additional memory expansions, but if my computer is already at the full 640 K, I don't see how additional memory will help me. I've read another thread here regarding adding UMB to the 5150/5160, but again, I really don't see a big need for additional RAM. (I'll leave that for another discussion, but I wanted to mention it here because of my current configuration.



And now my wish list:

1. 8 bit modem (I don't know what baud rate would be supported)
2. Dual serial port adapter (for serial port mouse etc.)
3. Network adapter
4. Your additional suggestions

Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...


I have some 8 bit modems here, one is NEW, you can have one for FREE, but I'm in Brazil... tell me if you want.
 
Maverick1978 said:
I would look for one of the classic 8-bit sound cards: Adlib, Creative Game Blaster, or a Sound Blaster CT1350B (more common and cheaper than the other two)

If you're into Midi music on your games, you could also try and track down a Roland MPU-IPC-T, MPU-401, MPU-401/AT, etc. Though again, expect to pay for these...

The rest are pretty easy to find, IMO - it's just narrowing down whether or not you want to stay with Big Blue and use only true IBM expansions, or if you want to go the third-party router. Personally, I'd go third-party :)
Click to expand...

I'll do that. I know there's also a 384 K Memory upgrade in here too. It was removed from my 5150 when I installed the AST Six-Pack Plus. IT's fully populated with RAM too. There is an article on using extended or UMB, but I don't know if that would really be of any value to my overall system.

Still the expansion unit should be completed in a couple of weeks. Once I'm done with it, the expansion unit will be connected to the PC for total integration. I'll have to post the results, but till then, here is my system as it sits right now... http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcfo...504#post215504. I've attached a few pics of the opened expansion unit after installing a couple of the cards I currently have. Hope you all enjoy. They are in the post at the link provided.

I guess next, I should look at building an AT machine with a mono graphics board and monitor... I wonder how much I could get one of those going for? As for the recommendation to build a 286 or 386, I've pretty much done that too. I took a freebie computer a while ago and rebuilt it. It's a Compaq 5304, P333 Pentium with a 4 Gig hard disk, and 32 Megs of RAM which I've installed Windows 98 on. The only purpose for this computer is to test different versions of games on DOS 6.0, and to write 5.25" 360Kb DSDD floppy diskettes for use in my IBM. I use it at least once or twice a month currently, but after I get the expansion unit completed, and connected to the 5150, it will definitely be used more.

To answer some questions here too, I have someone who is going to send me the dual 9 pin serial port card, and will be looking for a couple more cards, and possibly another full height drive. I don't want to mention his name because I don't want him to be inundated with requests for freebies. If he wants to let everyone know who he is, out of respect for him and his privacy, I'll let him make that decision. Still he knows who he is. So thanks much to you... and to all of you who have replied to my posts and threads so far.

I'll chat with you all later.
 
lucasdaytona said:
man, I have more than 100 ISA cards here, excluding the ones in my computers...

I will be listing forever... LOL
Click to expand...

Are you listing them for me? Because if you are, I certainly do appreciate it and await your reply.

Yeah, I'll be posting the rest up for sale after I'm done with the PC and expansion unit.
 
bettablue said:
Not a lot of responses on this thread, just yet, but what is here is all good. There's plenty here to get started with any way. Thanks Mav for the part numbers. I'm not really looking at Midi, but it may be a good thing to have. Don't most sound cards have midi playback options though, or is MIDI for gaming something I need to add separately??
Click to expand...

Most sound cards' joystick ports double as midi ports. But if you're anal-retentive like me about your old-school games... you might want Roland's intelligent-mode midi so that games like Space Quest 1 sound correct. Though of course that can be overkill for the amount of games that actually use it verses the software patches that users have written since then to allow them to work (sierrahelp.com has those patches for the Sierra games)

I was just offering the suggestion, half as tongue-in-cheek, half because you might just be as anal-retentive as me about your sounds :)
 
Maverick1978 said:
Most sound cards' joystick ports double as midi ports. But if you're anal-retentive like me about your old-school games... you might want Roland's intelligent-mode midi so that games like Space Quest 1 sound correct. Though of course that can be overkill for the amount of games that actually use it verses the software patches that users have written since then to allow them to work (sierrahelp.com has those patches for the Sierra games)

I was just offering the suggestion, half as tongue-in-cheek, half because you might just be as anal-retentive as me about your sounds :)
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, Mav. I am definitely anal when comes to obsessing over my hobbies. Post Polio suferers like my and ole juul here in the forums, are both polio survivors. Although he came out of it a lot better than I did.

For the price if the midi cards, I think I'm going to have pass for now. Although I can get one later if I want. No, what I do need (yes need) is an old Simpson 260 Multimeter that's in good shape. I have my eyes on one in E-Bay, but again, I'll have to wait, becaue my spending money is almost gone, and there still a couple of things I still need to pay for with my IBM.

I did put the Rolands Intelligent Midi on my wish list though.

Thanks again.
 
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