Smallest MS-DOS computer?

Feb 20, 2009 17 Replies

Hi there,



I am looking for the smallest possible MS-DOS computer with these features:


- Reasonably good SVGA (VESA-compatible) output



- SB-compatible audio



- Ethernet (would need to be compatible with a DOS packet driver)



- USB would be optional, but nice



Processor speed is rather irrelevant, but obviously should be 100% x86 compatible.



I've seen a lot of embedded systems without audio or SVGA, but none with all of the above.



Can anyone point me in the right direction? Would ideally like something no larger than a mac mini, but also no more than $200.



Thanks!



-T


The VIA Artigo Pico-ITX kit has all of those features, but typically sells for about $300.

--Gene

s:

Have a look at the Norhtec MicroClient family (also sold as eBox-3300/4300) have analog video, audio (not sure if it is SB compatible), ethernet and 3xUSB2.0. Prices start at US$140 + shipping. You need to add either a CF card or laptop IDE disk to install the OS to (or you could use a USB drive).

Dimensions and Weight 115 x 115 x 35 mm, 505g

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and
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I have the JrSX model running Linux.

...

Beware. While there are some highly desirable small PCs out there there may NOT be DOS drivers available for the hardware.

James

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But the above caveat is probably very important & something you may not get a sensible answer from the manufacturer on so would need testing. Has anyone ever put USB support in DOS?

There is freedos with GPL'd source code so you can customise and recompile to whatever the minimum feature set you require.

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Do a web search on [ PC104 ]

Do a web saerch on [ "Pico ITX" ] (with the quotes).

Try using FreeDOS instead of MS-DOS.

Guy Macon

Well, "anyone" has, but Microsoft hasn't. So the validity of any answer depends on how strictly the OP expected us to treat the label "MS-DOS".

There is no such things as USB support in actual MS-DOS, but there are extensions and reimplementations of the DOS API that have USB support.

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Regards, Richard. + http://www.FreeRTOS.org Designed for microcontrollers. More than 7000 downloads per month. + http://www.SafeRTOS.com Certified by TÜV as meeting the requirements for safety related systems.

features:

I don't know if it runs MS-DOS, but you might want to have a look at the Viglen MPC-L - the hardware looks like a good fit (though I don't know for

sure).

Try boards from PCEngines

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Bye Jack

True, however we may be getting to the point where a practical solution would consist of arbitrary hardware running linux (with supporting drivers) and a dox-box-emulator on top of that. My EeePC seems to run dos games pretty well that way, for example. And it could potential mean freedom to use a non x86 chip, too...

There is Beck at

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and they have a whole PC in a single BGA chip. Look for their SC1x3 Family

Rene

Tangier wrote:

Interesting - Do they make their own CPU chips, or do they come from elsewhere ?

-jg

We use the eBox2300SX from DMP in Taiwan. See

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The current version has no FPU, but there's a new version with FPU and much higher speed in the offing. Since you want USB and Ethernet, Linux may be a better option. DMP offer XLinux for free.

Stephen

Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX@mpeforth.com MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time 133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691 web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads

Any numbers/links on the newer model ?

-jg

The ebox-3300 is the FPU enabled version of the ebox-2300sx (also it is faster (1GHz vs 366MHz) and has more RAM (256MB vs 128MB) and SD card support).

This is the same box Norhtec sells as the MicroClient JrDX.

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The SoC is made by DMP

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