Intelligent Multiport I/O Boards

[Susan Haug]

        A few people have inquired about multiport boards.  In the 
   June 5, 1989, _PC Week_, they reviewed eight add-in boards.
   I will summarize the review and include vendor names and 
   addresses.  I sent a letter to each company requesting spec.'s, 
   so if you need more information about any of these, let me know, 
   I'll be happy to share.
   
   STALLION AT-16P and ONBOARD IOP-16P:  The Stallion in 16-port 
   configuration is priced at $1,745; the ONboard with 16 ports and 
   256K bytes of RAM costs $1,895.  Both models use an on-board 
   Intel Corp. 80186 processor.  Vendor provides support for 
   Microport Unix, Interactive Unix, SCO Xenix, IBM AIX for the IBM 
   RT, MS-DOS and VP/ix.  A device-driver-development kit is 
   available to allow installers to build customized support for 
   other systems.
        Anvil Design, Inc.
        4701 Patrick Henry Drive, Suite 2001
        Santa Clara, CA  95054
        (408) 988-3622
        
   SMARTPORT:  Comes with an Intel 80186 processor and 64K bytes of 
   dual-ported RAM, and connects via a 37-pin cable to an outboard 
   metal chassis sporting 16 DB25 connectors.  Software drivers 
   available only for Xenix, other drivers are in development.  
   $2,095
        Arnet Corp.
        618 Grassmere Park Drive
        Nashville, TN  37211
        (800) 366-8844
        
   INTELLIPORT AT16:  Comes with an Intel 80186 processor and 64K 
   bytes or 256K bytes of zero-wait-state memory.  Vendor provides 
   software drivers for Xenix, Unix, AIX, MS-DOS, PC/MOS, VP/ix and 
   a development kit.  $1,695 w/64K and RJ45 modular connectors 
   ($1,995 w/DB25 connectors).  Expanding RAM to 256K costs $500.
        Computone
        1100 Northmeadow Parkway, Suite 150
        Roswell, GA  30076
        (404) 475-2725
        
   POWERPORTS PWR-PAM:  Base configuration supports eight ports; 
   another eight ports can be added through a daughter card.  The 
   onboard processor is a 32-bit NS32000 from National Semiconductor 
   Corp.; memory is dual-ported, and the board comes with RJ45 
   modular jacks.  Drivers available for Xenix, Everex Enix and the 
   Unix operating systems from AT&T, Interactive and Microport.  
   Comes with software that provides up to eight screens per 
   terminal.  16-port configuration is $1,450 with 128K bytes of 
   memory and $1,995 with 512K bytes.
        Consensys Corp.
        1301 Pat Booker Road
        Universal City, TX  78148
        (800) 387-8951
        
   MCIO/16:  Comes with a NEC V20 processor, DB9 port connectors, 
   32K bytes of ROM and 32K bytes of static RAM.  The ROM contains 
   firmware that support all standard line protocols at speeds from 
   50 bps to 38.4K bps.  Software drivers for Xenix, Interactive and 
   Microport versions of Unix, QNX/386, PC-MOS and Digital 
   Research's Concurrent DOS.  Cost - $1,495
        Dastra America Inc.
        976 N. Lemon St.
        Orange, CA  92667
        (714) 633-2275
        
   DIGICHANNEL PC/16I:  Comes with an 80C186 processor, DB25-type 
   connectors and a choice of 128K bytes, 256K bytes or 512K bytes 
   of on-board zero-wait-state static RAM.  Each port can be 
   individually configured to either RS-232C or RS-422 standards.  
   Comes with software that supports MS-DOS, OS/2, Xenix, VEnix, 
   Pick, THEOS, QNX, Multi-Link, Concurrent DOS, PC-MOS, VM/386 and 
   AT&T and Interactive versions of Unix.  $1,995 with 128K bytes of 
   RAM, and $2,590 with 512K.
        DigiBoard Inc.
        6751 Oxford St.
        St. Louis Park, MN  55426
        (612) 922-0855
        
   AT16 INTELLIGENT SERIAL I/O CONTROLLER:  The AT16 has an Intel 
   80186 processor and 64K bytes of on-board RAM.  An outboard box 
   holds 16 DB25 connectors configured as DCE only.  Software drives 
   are provided for Xenix, Microport Unix and VP/ix.  $1,295
        MicroWay Inc.
        P.O. Box 79
        Kingston, MA  02364
        (508) 746-7341
        
   SI/16:  Comes with a Zilog Z280 processor, 32K bytes of on-board 
   RAM and no ROM.  All necessary software is provided on floppy 
   disk as opposed to on the ROM chip.  This is the smallest of all 
   products reviewed.  It connects to one or more outboard boxes, 
   each containing additional electronics and four or eight ports.  
   Boxes can be daisy-chained in any combination to obtain up to 16 
   ports (32 port model is also available).  Supported systems 
   include PC-MOS, Xenix, Interactive Unix, and DOS-under-Unix 
   products such as VP/ix and DOS-merge.  $1,495
        Specialix Inc.
        444 Castro St., Suite 408
        Mountain View, CA  94041
        (415) 969-8660
        
   Hope this helps out somebody, this is my very first posting.  ;-)
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