7 Apr
2007
7 Apr
'07
4:38 p.m.
On 7 Apr 2007 at 0:33, Jim Leonard wrote:
The Option Board was, IIRC, completely software-driven
and extremely
susceptible to machine speed (and sometimes even interrupt noise, which
is why they made TCS.EXE which doesn't use EMS and might disable some
hardware interrupts as well). The fastest machine I could get it to
work in reliably was an AMD 386-40, with the ISA bus speed at either
clock/5 (8MHz) or locked at a timer clock integral divider (ie.
7.16MHz). If memory serves, I had the best results at 7.16MHz.
It should also be noted (if it hasn't already) that the Deluxe Dption
board and the Option board are not the same animal. But neither will
run in anything much faster than a slow 386. I've still got one in
original shrink wrap as well as one installed in a 5160.
I seem to remember something the DOB having a tie-in with a group of
Hong Kong investors, and for the life of me, can't seem to recall the
story. It may have been that the DOB was killed off when the HK
people came in because the business of copying protected software was
a little too much of a legal gray area for them.
Be advised that the number of formats that a DOB can process is
fairly limited. A Catweasel is far more flexible--and programming
information is freely available, as well as being able to run on the
fastest x86 PCI-equipped boxes. At one time, I began accumulating a
pile of notes on DOB operation, but dropped it when the CW came out.
There was no point in continuing the mental abuse.
Cheers,
Chuck