Unknown 16-Bit Memory and Multi I/O Card ... need some help identifying it \ VOGONS

Unknown 16-Bit Memory and Multi I/O Card ... need some help identifying it

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First post, by Peter z80.eu

Posted on 2021-09-27, 18:55

Peter z80.eu Offline

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I need some advice/help... does anybody know the manufacturer/vendor of this 16-Bit Memory and Multi I/O Card ?
It looks similar (but far from being identical) to an AST Memory Card, but I fear it's a 1985 Taiwan less known production.
There is no FCC ID (even not on the back side). Inserted are a lot of 41256 DRAMs, I guess the card will (if correctly configured) offer 2MByte RAM.
Any suggestions about it? Thank you in advance for any hint...

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Reply 1 of 4, by Peter z80.eu

Posted on 2021-09-28, 08:48

Peter z80.eu Offline

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Bump ... additional info: A printed company logo from "Twinhead" can be found also, but a Google search will not bring up any useful result...

Reply 2 of 4, by Jo22

Posted on 2021-09-28, 09:10

Jo22 Offline

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Hi! Strange card, yes.
Seems to be also a multi purpose card.

The AS16450 chip is a serial port UART, I think.

One block dip switches might be for memory size, the other one for the i/0 space (port address or memory segment) used to blend in RAM.
If you're lucky, the card might work as ordinary Extended Memory. But that's just a wild guess.

Maybe you can also compare the chips with the Intel Aboveboard series or the AST Rampage 286 or Rampage AT.
Trying their drivers shouldn't hurt, either, I assume.

Good luck! 😀

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In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

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Reply 3 of 4, by mR_Slug

Posted on 2021-09-28, 21:13

mR_Slug Offline

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I assume you've checked th99. Failing that all i can suggest is flipping the jumpers to see what they do. At least 2 of them set the I/O of the serial and parallel.

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