Unreleased prototypes

Riccardo Rubini

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May 2, 2002, 11:22:14 AM5/2/02

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Hello,

A simple question : are there any known scrapped IBM PS/2 prototypes or
unreleased hardware which may take advantage from MCA technology ?

Riccardo

Barbarian at the Gates?

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May 2, 2002, 11:38:12 AM5/2/02

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Riccardo Rubini wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> A simple question : are there any known scrapped IBM PS/2 prototypes or unreleased hardware which may take advantage from MCA technology ?

Yes, IBM also did things called "IBM Internals" where they built special
things for whoever would pay the $$$.

Tony Ingenoso

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May 2, 2002, 1:18:51 PM5/2/02

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Lots of stuff never saw the light of day. Somewhere I've got a 25mhz T1 complex with what appears to be a socket for a Weitek
processor on it.

"Riccardo Rubini" <riccardo....@yyytin.it> wrote in message news:GQcA8.39717$8D3.1...@news1.tin.it...

Carlyle F. Smith

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May 2, 2002, 2:42:24 PM5/2/02

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>Lots of stuff never saw the light of day. Somewhere I've got a 25mhz T1
>complex with what appears to be a socket for a Weitek
>processor on it.
>

I've always wondered if that wasn't what was supposed to occupy the Square of
Death on the complexes that just had the (15 x 15?) solder pads, and which
don't work with the speed-upgrade CPUs.
Carlyle Smith
CSEZ Enterprises (such as it may be)
Wilmington, Delaware USA
imar...@aol.com
(remove Qunspam from sig)

David L. Beem

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May 2, 2002, 5:11:55 PM5/2/02

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Hi Riccardo,

> A simple question : are there any known scrapped IBM PS/2 prototypes or
> unreleased hardware which may take advantage from MCA technology ?

Chet Heath in his "Micro Channel Handbook" refers to the "Delmarva
Machine", the 286-based MCA prototype system. It appears to be a name Chet
decided on the fly - not the one IBM used. No word if this system was placed
in a vault to save this bit of history.
I have seen system planars with slightly more engineering changes & even
have a Model 50Z with a square PCB that isn't cut out. By the datecodes on
the chips it shows to be later than others I have, so I can't explain the
difference. The MCA 4 megabit Token Ring cards are somewhat of a prototype
style that IBM used on circuit boards in systems like the DisplayWriter.
David
Da...@gilanet.com

Tony Ingenoso

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May 2, 2002, 7:44:35 PM5/2/02

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Not a PS/2, but doomed by them being on the horizon, was the "Skyrocket" variation on the AT -- 8mhz planar with the ability to have
640K on the planar (and considerably different than the XT/286 planar). A number of them were put into "Internal Use" duty for a
while.

"David L. Beem" <Da...@gilanet.com> wrote in message news:3cd1a...@oracle.zianet.com...

Peterwendt

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May 3, 2002, 3:46:59 PM5/3/02

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Hi David !

>The MCA 4 megabit Token Ring cards are somewhat of a prototype
>style that IBM used on circuit boards in systems like the DisplayWriter.

The design is very unique for several IBM parts that were developed "in the
great old times". This slightly odd-looking "copper-spot design" is patented
IIRC and had been developed for the System /370 and early AS/400 cards.
It can be found on a number of other cards in the outgoing XT/AT aera, like the
serial/parallel adapter, SDLC ISA adapter and the old, long 5250 Workstation
adapter. Basically: all PC Network Cards were available in that style - as well
as in "generic glassfiber" style. Unfortunately I haven't bothered with
collecting these particular cards. I still must have a 6157 Tape adapter /A
around in that style.
And -probably- a PC Network Baseband Adapter /A.

Very friendly greetings from Peter in Germany
http://members.aol.com/mcapage0/mcaindex.htm

Michal Necasek

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May 11, 2002, 4:04:53 PM5/11/02

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Riccardo Rubini wrote:
>
> A simple question : are there any known scrapped IBM PS/2 prototypes or
> unreleased hardware which may take advantage from MCA technology ?
>

You're into curiosities eh Riccardo<g>?