Compaq Floppy/Printer board?

[Fred Cisin]

On Fri, 29 Nov 2019, Anders Nelson via cctalk wrote:
> Also what appears to be a quad serial board:
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/21EvJcc7KwwDuS4t9

NOT a "quad serial board", unless we equate brand name.

It is 384K RAM (what was needed to bring 256K up to the 640K maximum), 
SINGLE serial port, parallel port, joystick, and clock.  It was made by 
Quadram, launching their "Quadboard" product line.

Used to have a few, but it was easier to GOOGLE the info: 
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/26768/Quadram-Quadboard/

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/userdata/files/quadboard_operation_manual.pdf
has switch and jumper settings.  Download a copy and nail it to the board.
Software to set the clock should be somewhere on the web.  I don't think 
that ASTCLOCK is compatible.

Serial, parallel, joystick, and RAM are compatible with the IBM ones.

Quadram competed directly with AST in making multi-function boards for 
PC/XT.

After a while, they started including a disk with a RAMDISK program (like 
VDISK.SYS) and a print spooler.  They counted those as "functions" of the 
board, so that they could call a 5 function board "7 function", etc.
I think that AST did likewise.
"9 of the most-needed IBM PC functions"   count 'em


Quadram also eventually made the QUADLINK board.  It was a complete 
Apple2 on an ISA board, letting you have an Apple in your PC.  The 
Quadlink had some serious QC problems.  The college bought a LOT of them, 
because some non-computer departments insisted that Apple2 was the only 
kind of computer that they could use.  At least a third of them were DOA. 
Some had connectors wired backwards, so that thekeyed cables could not 
have been used, and had NOT been tested before shipment.  When the DOA 
boards were sent back for replacement, half the replacements (which "have 
each been individually tested") were also DOA, including some with 
connectors wrong, so that they could NOT have been "individually tested".
"Diamond Trakstar 128" was a competing product that was briefly sold 
through Radio Shack.
Other than the Quadlink, the other Quadram boards tended to be decent 
quality.


And, NO, thank you, I don't have any use for one.

--
Grumpy Ol' Fred     		cisin at xenosoft.com