Sphere478 wrote on 2021-01-27, 20:55:
Deksor wrote on 2021-01-27, 19:03:
if speed isn't a problem (since you want this for ISA) why not using a USB hub to multiply the USB ports ?
I was waiting for someone to say this. 🤣 very valid point they are usb 1.x ports back in the day when using them they were great for keyboard and mouse but windows complained about them a lot with other things and I do believe they are slower than isa. like, a lot slower. so isa would allow for a lot faster with usb 2.0. also this thread isn't just about me, lots of people would like to have one who aren't lucky enough to have a tx or hx chipset or 5 pci slots
USB 2.0 over ISA would not be much faster than USB 1.1 , as far as I understand it, if the effective throughput of ISA disk controllers is any indication .
As for usage scenarios :
a) storage : an IDE CF card reader will be as fast or faster and much cheaper
b) keyboard and mouse : on a computer whose USB ports are not supported by the BIOS for legacy compatibility, you would not even be able to access CMOS setup on a USB keyboard and would require Conventiinal memory consuming TSRs for DOS support . PS/2 keyboards are common, cheap and more compatible
c) WIFI or Ethernet: would likely be unusable under DOS without extensive driver writing . USB WIFI cards available with Windows 9x support do not have support for modern security protocols and ISA Ethernet cards are easy to find . A modern Ethernet to WIFI bridge can allow vintage PCs to connect to modern wireless networks safely.
I don't think you will find many people wanting to connect their phone to that old a PC . Additionally, that would likely require MTP support, which is not available inder Windows 9x, AFAIK (might work under XP, not sure).
IMHO, an ISA USB adapter is a "solution" in search of a problem, for the most part. There are usually cheaper and faster/better to do things on a retro PC and if you run out of PCI or ISA slots, there are expansion chassis that can add some without requiring extensive driver writing . In fact, I would go as far to say that affordable community made PCI or ISA expansion chassis would be much more useful than ISA USB cards .
That is not to say that developping an ISA USB interface could not be a fun project for a qualified person. It's just that I don'believe it would be very practical for most people.
Just my 2 cents worth of an opinion.