ISA Card PD-001 VER.3.1

To help discover possible use of the card, use true DOS (from ver 3.3 to 7.1). Write a small BASIC program that searches IO space; use it before and after plugging the board in. VTW, unplug the parallel I/O board first - as it will likely interfere (your board looks like a parallel port board, and the jumpers for selecting LPT1/LPT2 and addressing). That means you will need an old 486 or earlier vintage to be able to unplug I/O boards.

The code in those ROMs do not help without a schematic; they may be part of the addressing logic.

I think it is a serial port. The only clues are the connectors. JP1 looks like an IRQ setting, and 3/4 are the common choices for COMx. Also, the 26 pin connector is probably pinned out to a DB25. Check this: if there are traces to pins 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, and not much else, then it is almost certainly a serial port connector.

Other remote possibilities include a combo COMx & joystick, or a CD interface.

HTH Gavin

Thanks for your help, Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a serial interface. I've just tested without any serial port on a pc and no COM ports are detected with CheckIt Diagnostics tool. most pins of the J1 are connected to the two proms I will look if there are any cd-rom interface with 26 pin connector but the card has been manufactured in 1987. the JP1 connector in fact is numbered

Gav>

Matthieu, Since the LS244 appears to be connected to the header, it's some s ort of parallel or bus interface. Not necessarily a printer port, which is simply (or can be) a type of parallel interface. No way is it a serial inte rface, since the board has no output chips needed for driving RS232 lines, which are +/- 6 Volts, or so.

My guess is it is an interface for an ancient tape backup unit.

In other words, throw it in the garbage!! However, I do love a puzzle , so I can still understand if you just want to know what it is. :^)

One other possibility is if there are an FCC identifier numbers on th e back side we cannot see. I realize you are in France, but with the global economy, there may be US numbers on it any way. Perhaps the equi valent French or European numbers exist on the back. Anyway, put those other numbers into a search engine and you may get some more clues. I' ve had some luck ID'ing boards with government "certification" numbers and a web search.

Failing all else, you can examine the board and carefully draw a sch ematic for us to look at. Between a schematic and the prom readouts you a lready have, we'll have maybe a 50/50 chance of figuring out what it is.

Good Luck!, Steve

Matthieu, The numbering of JP1 strongly reinforces my hypothesis, because the standard IRQ for COM1 is 4 and for COM2 it is 3. It could be a BROKEN serial card, which would explain why it is not detected by your software.

But why bother? If you need an ISA card of any flavor, I'm sure there are millions of surplus units floating around.

Gavin