8-bit ISA modems and a hard drive at goodwill

[im_an_alien]

Goodwill recently started getting in a lot of old ISA cards. Most are 16-bit, but there are 2 8-bit modems that look brand new, with no dust or anything on them. There's also an "AT-compatible" 255.9MB hard drive, which is the shape and size of a modern 3.5" hard drive. All the computer parts are $3.03 each. Are any of these worth getting (is there any use for having a modem in my new XT?)? I don't have an AT, but maybe someone else here would like the hard drive I'm probably gonna go today and see if they have anything new, and I could get more info on the hard drive (manufacture date, model #, etc) if anyone's interested. It's a Western digital caviar.

 

[chuckcmagee]

The WD sounds like a IDE drive, think most are looking for MFM drives.

 

[im_an_alien]

Well the hard drive is gone anyway. I took a closer look at the modems and found copyright dates of '94 and '95 on some of the chips. So now I wonder, why, in 1995, was a company still manufacturing 8-bit ISA cards, when 16-bit cards had been in use for at least 11 years? I boought one anyway, for $2.02, so I'm gonna get some more info on it.

 

[ScrappyLaptop]

So now I wonder, why, in 1995, was a company still manufacturing 8-bit ISA cards, when 16-bit cards had been in use for at least 11 years?

My guess is that it is probably because card manufacturers are always pressed to use as little material as possible and there was no reason to make 16-bit ISA modems apart from marketing and later, PnP. The standard IRQ's for serial ports, and therefore modems, are 3 and 4. The IRQ lines in the ISA bus are actual wires in the connector; IRQ's 1-9 are on the 8-bit connector of the ISA bus. So, unless your modem is going to use IRQ's 10-14, there is no need for the extra connector. As far as speed is concerned, even assuming a 56kb/s modem and further assuming 1-2 MB/s for the 8-bit ISA bus, the short slot is adequate. Finally, if the extra connector is not needed, that particular modem can be sold to consumers with either slot available, thus increasing the possible market share.