Re: PCMCIA to USB adapter? Hack?

"Louis Ohland" <nullnvoid@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:432039AB.3BE37572@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Me hardware guy. Crush bad computers with 10 pound sledge. Jump up
> and down screaming on cardboard boxes. Connect the dots in technical
> manuals. Eat styrofoam peanuts.
>
> How can a USB device be accessed from a microchannel based system
> (please, do not suggest hooking up a non-PS/2 to a network...)?

1) Find a 5Volt PCMCIA to/from USB v? adapter with appropriate drivers for
the OS of choice (or governed by the driver availability?). Plug adapter
into MCA-bus PCMCIA adapter (2-slot "remote" via ribbon or 2-slot
rear-entry).
2) connect an external PCMCIA (5Volt non-CardBus) to Fast Narrow (10MB/sec)
SCSI enclosure to the external port of any suitable Fast SCSI-2 adapter.
Find a 5Volt PCMCIA to USB v? adapter and slot into enclosure, plug USB
device into USB port on PCMCIA adapter. The firmware in the SCSI device
should present the USB memory device as a SCSI-2 Optical Device. Drawbacks
A) external enclosure. B) ensuring the PCMCIA adapter is a 5Volt PCMCIA one,
or the PCMCIA to SCSI box supports CardBus PC Cards. C) ensuring that it
presents as a memory device to the SCSI box. D) extra power cable required.
3) setup an 8227 to RPL from a Server and use the PCMCIA slot for the 5Volt
PCMCIA to USB v? adapter. The configuration of the RPLed files and drivers,
though complicated, should allow a DOS, LAN-attached "storage server" to be
used. Drawbacks A) external enclosure. B) extra power cable required. C) RPL
server and DOS configuration required. Advantages A) LAN-attached "server"
solution. B) flexible DOS "driver/point enabler" configuration.

> Is this chip that Arnold speaking of adaptable to the task?

Presumably, but the design, implementation and driver development
requirements would likely put its availability well into the future. Me no
hardware engineer.

> Is there an interface widely available on / for PS/2s that is simply
> accessible, so as to reduce the amount of bit twiddling required to use
> a USB interface interfaced to it? For example, let's consider an SSA to
> USB interface. SSA has higher speeds than SCSI-2 FW, uses a somewhat
> standardized conductor (mini DB9), uses a serial mode. On the downside.
> No adf and no drivers.

Who says? There are MCA-bus as well as PCI-bus SSA adapters from the
RS/6000s (hence my 7013-J50 and PCI Model 43P acquisitions, to develop the
cross-pollenation information). I've had a few spotted recently, though
haven't acquired one yet. As to SSA to some other interface, I don't know.

> Parallel port? Not what I'd prefer. Even the ExpressPrint on the
> mighty 95A tops out at 1.2MB/s, or so I dimly remember.

So bandwidth is a criterion then?
--
Regards,
Tim Clarke (a.k.a. WBST)


.

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