sergey
Veteran Member
Hi,
I need some advice regarding future directions for my PC-compatible computer project.
First of all some background information:
- The first revision is a processor card that goes into an ISA backplane, together with other adapters/controllers (see http://www.malinov.com/Home/sergeys-projects/sergey-s-xt)
- It seems that people like the "motherboard" approach more than processor card + backplane. But at the same time it doesn't make much sense to build XT / Baby AT form factor motherboard, as there is no new cases for this form factor. Instead I was thinking about doing a MicroATX board, that will fit in modern MicroATX and ATX cases.
- The problem with MicroATX form factor is that it have space for only four ISA extension slots. But this form factor has enough real estate to integrate some controllers that builders will want to have anyway. For example an XT-IDE, a floppy disk controller and a 16550 UART (or a couple of them) could be integrated.
- Controllers' intergation can be taken to an extreme - it is possible to integrate a Sound Blaster compatible audio (say AD1815 or ESS1868 ), and an Ethernet controller (RTL8019AS). These chips come in 100-pin PQFP packages, so they can be a little bit tricky to deal with (but still it should be doable with a regular soldering iron).
- If using PQFP packages, it is possible to use a multi I/O controller chip with keyboard, mouse, floppy, RTC, serial, and parallel controllers, thus saving more space on the board, and possibly having a cheaper solution (I guess a multi I/O chip will cost about the same as FDC+keyboard controller+RTC it replaces)
What of the following options do you prefer:
1. Continue the current "processor card" form factor. Possibly developing some additional ISA adapters, for example XT-IDE + floppy, a MicroATX compatible backplane.
2. Design a basic MicroATX system putting whatever I have on the processor board in a MicroATX form factor board. Hopefully 4 slots will be enough (graphics, multi I/O card [floppy, serial, and parallel ports], XT-IDE, audio or network, but not at the same time?!)
3. Design a MicroATX system with a few additions - an XT-IDE controller, floppy controller (based on Intel 82077 chip), and a 16550 UART. In this case only through-hole components will be used.
4. Design an advanced MicroATX system using an integrated Multi-IO chip, optional audio and Ethernet controllers (optional in sense that builders can omit them when building the system).
5. Some another option (please describe).
6. Why in the world somebody will want to have an 8088 computer in ATX form factor!?
Thanks,
Sergey
I need some advice regarding future directions for my PC-compatible computer project.
First of all some background information:
- The first revision is a processor card that goes into an ISA backplane, together with other adapters/controllers (see http://www.malinov.com/Home/sergeys-projects/sergey-s-xt)
- It seems that people like the "motherboard" approach more than processor card + backplane. But at the same time it doesn't make much sense to build XT / Baby AT form factor motherboard, as there is no new cases for this form factor. Instead I was thinking about doing a MicroATX board, that will fit in modern MicroATX and ATX cases.
- The problem with MicroATX form factor is that it have space for only four ISA extension slots. But this form factor has enough real estate to integrate some controllers that builders will want to have anyway. For example an XT-IDE, a floppy disk controller and a 16550 UART (or a couple of them) could be integrated.
- Controllers' intergation can be taken to an extreme - it is possible to integrate a Sound Blaster compatible audio (say AD1815 or ESS1868 ), and an Ethernet controller (RTL8019AS). These chips come in 100-pin PQFP packages, so they can be a little bit tricky to deal with (but still it should be doable with a regular soldering iron).
- If using PQFP packages, it is possible to use a multi I/O controller chip with keyboard, mouse, floppy, RTC, serial, and parallel controllers, thus saving more space on the board, and possibly having a cheaper solution (I guess a multi I/O chip will cost about the same as FDC+keyboard controller+RTC it replaces)
What of the following options do you prefer:
1. Continue the current "processor card" form factor. Possibly developing some additional ISA adapters, for example XT-IDE + floppy, a MicroATX compatible backplane.
2. Design a basic MicroATX system putting whatever I have on the processor board in a MicroATX form factor board. Hopefully 4 slots will be enough (graphics, multi I/O card [floppy, serial, and parallel ports], XT-IDE, audio or network, but not at the same time?!)
3. Design a MicroATX system with a few additions - an XT-IDE controller, floppy controller (based on Intel 82077 chip), and a 16550 UART. In this case only through-hole components will be used.
4. Design an advanced MicroATX system using an integrated Multi-IO chip, optional audio and Ethernet controllers (optional in sense that builders can omit them when building the system).
5. Some another option (please describe).
6. Why in the world somebody will want to have an 8088 computer in ATX form factor!?
Thanks,
Sergey