[Ham-Computers] Re ISA and PCI Slots

[Dale Miller]

KD7JYK DM09 wrote:
> I am measuring slots now.
>
> I have a motherboard with two types of ISA plugs.  One is about three and a
> quarter inches long, the other about five and a half inches long.
>
> A PCI plug is also about three and a quarter inches long, the same as one
> type of ISA plug.
>
> A PCI card has a much higher electrical contact density, about three times
> that of an ISA.  If you have two to compare, you will be able to feel the
> difference.
>
> Trying to determine a type of card by bay length is near impossible as an
> ISA card can occupy space in the computer from about three inches up to
> eighteen inches for a full size card.  I do not know the physical
> limitations of PCI type cards.  As to which is which in what kind of
> computer as determined by age or operating system, I have a relatively new
> motherboard with several of each type of slot.  What you get is more
> determined by what the manufacturer put on it than anything else.
>
> Kurt
>
>   

Motherboards today don't have ISA slots, and if you have one that does 
it cost considerably more than without.

Older boards had ISA which is about the same length as a PCI slot but 
ISA has fewer pins than PCI.
There was a slot that looked similar at one time that was called an MCA 
slot.
Now if your ISA card has two sets of plugs on it separated by a notch 
that would be 16bit or EISA and if it has one plug on it, it is 8 bit.
MCA was a short lived architecture.


More information here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_Standard_Architecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Channel_architecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Industry_Standard_Architecture




-- 
All the Best & 73's
Dale Miller, KC2CBD
Tennessee
Ham Operator since 1997
Member of YahooPipesmokers and ASP since February 2005

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