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Help identifying these things?

F

fxg

Experienced Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
110
Location
Bucharest, Romania
Hi guys,

I have a few things that I can't identify, but I have some pictures of them. If you have any clue, please post :)


1. 8bit ISA - apparently graphics adapter / LPT controller combo - all that I found written on the PCB is "MGP" and "Y-10" - nothing else. Well, the serial number, but that's kinda useless - it has two connectors: DB9 and DB25, both female. AMD chip is an AM9128-15PC [via Google I found that to be some kind of static RAM, but that doesn't tell me much] - the other 2 large ones are some UMC-built controllers, I guess for the DB25 port [LPT] photo

2. 16bit ISA - Some kind of "computer-on-a-card" with an Intel 486DX4 100MHz, 72pin SIMMs, etc... Nothing useful written on the card, I've searched everything and nothing conclusive. Photo

3. 16bit ISA - weird 5 port network card / switch? It has 5 RJ45 ports that are actually on the daughterboard. I've searched high and low for everything that was written on the card - no results. Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3

4. 16bit ISA - I have no idea what this could be. It has a single DB15 connector, 2 x 30pin SIMM slots and a bunch of chips that I've only seen the likes of on some video capture cards, but then what's with the DB15 connector? Maybe you have some ideea... Photo

Well, that's about it... I have some other I can't identify, but they're not that important [VLB graphics, ISA sound cards and I/O cards].

So, if you have any idea about these things... post, don't be shy :)

Cheers ;)
 
I encountered stuff like that during the salvage and breakdown of old work cell machines that came out of factories. Found a lot of 386 cards like #2, only bigger. #1 and 4 could be controllers from a work cell or something. All of that was a blind shot in the dark though.
 
Well, #1 is a MGP (MonoGraphic Printer), looks like a standard clone card.

#2 I thought at first was a multi-modem card, but, the connectors have 8 connectors, so, it's probably some sort of network controller.

#3 is, obviously, a computer on a card, as you suspected.

#4 Don't have a clue.

Look on the back of the cards and see if you can find a FFC ID number, that would make identifying them much easier
 
Ahh, you're just guessing D (or did the initials 'MGP' on the upper left corner give it away?)...

fxg,

I can't quite make out all the markings on the Zylog chip in #4. Could you type-in the markings? It appears to be a (Z80-based?) controller for something, mebbe some machine or some lab equipment or similar, mebbe even some kind of communications controller. It might not even be a stand-alone, but work in unison with another board.

#2 does appear to be an sbc for use in a backplane system.

Did all of the cards come out of the same system? Are there any FCC ID numbers on any of them?

--T
 
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Xilinx makes FPGA stuff these days, so #4 probably is some kind of programmer. About the DB15, it might have once, long ago been connected to a chip socket outside the box. Why would it have it's own ram? Only guess is to drop in the card and connect it with a 512k 8088 or similar machine that didn't have an easy ram/proc upgrade. One price, complete package, no mess.

Best guess.
 
Druid6900 said:
Well, #1 is a MGP (MonoGraphic Printer), looks like a standard clone card.

#2 I thought at first was a multi-modem card, but, the connectors have 8 connectors, so, it's probably some sort of network controller.

#3 is, obviously, a computer on a card, as you suspected.

#4 Don't have a clue.

Look on the back of the cards and see if you can find a FFC ID number, that would make identifying them much easier
Click to expand...
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Did ya mix up #2 & #3? Probably not a modem card, but could well be a custom multi-port serial card. FWIW, TIL (if it's the same TIL Systems) were big in stock quote terminal systems (I worked with some of their older stuff and still have a few pieces), so this may be parts of a remote (RS232?) terminal node controller (after my time unfortunately).

And just in case it wasn't clear, the 15pin connector on the MGP is for a mono TTL (probably Hercules-compatible) display, while the DB-25 is a printer port.

mike
 
MikeS said:
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And just in case it wasn't clear, the 15pin connector on the MGP is for a mono TTL

mike
Click to expand...

I mix up item numbers, he mixes up port size and actually means "...the 9 pin connector on the MGP..." :)

Yeah, the MGP thing was just a lucky guess, T LOL

The multiport thing (whatever the hell the number is) could well be a serial card, but, they usually came in 4 port, 8 port and 16 port, but, that doesn't mean that someone didn't build a 5 port one.

Contrary to popular opinion, even >>>I<<< don't know EVERY piece of computer hardware LMAO
 
Druid6900 said:
The multiport thing (whatever the hell the number is) could well be a serial card, but, they usually came in 4 port, 8 port and 16 port, but, that doesn't mean that someone didn't build a 5 port one.
Click to expand...
If that board is also by TIL, all bets are off; they built all sorts of custom RS-232 controllers, multi-port hubs, special keyboards etc.

m
 
Thanks for all the replies :)

To answer your questions:

- No, there are no FCC-IDs on these cards - although I found quite a few cards that had FCC-IDs and I still couldn't find them [for example most sound cards from Aztech]

- They came to me from different sources, so surely not from the same machine

- The marking on that Zilog chip is Z80C3008VSC / Z-SCC / 9705 - according to that link, it's a serial communications controller

- The 5-port thingie is not from TIL Systems [I searched through some old product lists] - I don't know what else to look for...
 
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With the FCC numbers, you have to find a site that lets you look up the OLD numbers (pre-90, IIRC) to get anywhere.

Then you will, at least, know who make it and, in some cases, what the hell it is. From there, you can go to a TH99 site and see if you can find it and what the jumpers are (if any) else goto google; try luck; toss: End
 
MikeS said:
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You're just the man I've been looking for; could I interest you in some prime real estate, or perhaps a nice bridge in Brooklyn?

m
Click to expand...

Said "kinda" which means "not very much, but slightly more than most people".

Ok, how about I trade you some nice beach-front property that I will guarantee will be above water during the next ice age for your US asset?
 
First adapter is not only MGA compatible but Hercules graphics compatible as well - It has 8 64 Kbit DRAM chips for frame buffer. It could even have loadable character generator by 2 Kbyte Am9128 SRAM.
 
Elar said:
First adapter is not only MGA compatible but Hercules graphics compatible as well - It has 8 64 Kbit DRAM chips for frame buffer. It could even have loadable character generator by 2 Kbyte Am9128 SRAM.
Click to expand...
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Aren't all MGA/MGP cards Hercules graphics compatible, with that extra 64K RAM? What other graphics standards are there for a mono TTL monitor?

But that extra 2K RAM _is_ interesting; probably indeed a RAM CG as you suggest.

mike
 
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