Smallest MS-DOS computer?

[Tangier]

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
--

[Gene S. Berkowitz]

In article <2009022018215616807-t@mmxorgcom>, t...@mmxorg.com says...

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

--Gene

[David Wilson]

On Feb 21, 10:21 am, Tangier <t...@mmxorg.com> wrote:
> 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

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

http://www.norhtec.com/products/mcjrdx/index.html
and
http://www.norhtec.com/products/mcsr/index.html

I have the JrSX model running Linux.

[James Harris]

On 20 Feb, 23:21, Tangier <t...@mmxorg.com> wrote:

...

> 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

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

James

[Mike Harrison]

http://www.fit-pc.com/new/
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?

[7]

Tangier wrote:

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

http://www.freedos.org

[JeffM]

Mike Harrison wrote:
>Has anyone ever put USB support in DOS?

http://www.freedos.org/freedos/news/technote/203.html

[Hans-Bernhard Bröker]

Mike Harrison wrote:

>> On 20 Feb, 23:21, Tangier <t...@mmxorg.com> wrote:

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

> Has anyone ever put USB support in DOS?

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.

[FreeRTOS.org]

"Tangier" <t...@mmxorg.com> wrote in message
news:2009022018215616807-t@mmxorgcom...

http://www.jkmicro.com/products/products.html

--
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.

[srl100]

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).

[Jack]

Try boards from PCEngines

www.pcengines.ch

Bye Jack

[cs_po...@hotmail.com]

On Feb 21, 8:16 am, James Harris <james.harri...@googlemail.com>
wrote:

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...

[Rene Tschaggelar]

There is Beck at http://www.beck-ipc.com
and they have a whole PC in a single BGA chip.
Look for their SC1x3 Family

Rene

[Stephen Pelc]

>Tangier wrote:

>> 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

We use the eBox2300SX from DMP in Taiwan. See
http://www.mpeforth.com/ebox.htm

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, steph...@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

[-jg]

On Apr 30, 1:03 am, stephen...@mpeforth.com (Stephen Pelc) wrote:
> We use the eBox2300SX from DMP in Taiwan. See
>  http://www.mpeforth.com/ebox.htm
>
> The current version has no FPU, but there's a new version with FPU
> and much higher speed in the offing.

Any numbers/links on the newer model ?

-jg

[-jg]

On Apr 29, 9:14 pm, Rene Tschaggelar <n...@none.net> wrote:
> There is Beck athttp://www.beck-ipc.com

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

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

-jg

[David Wilson]

On Apr 30, 6:43 am, -jg <Jim.Granvi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Any numbers/links on the newer model ?

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.

http://www.norhtec.com/products/mcjrdx/index.html

The SoC is made by DMP http://www.dmp.com.tw/