Difference between MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-A interface cards?

[Galahad]

Does anyone know what hardware differences there are between the MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-A interface cards -- do they both work in AT PCs?  I've got both, but I think I read somewhere that only one supports the AT architecture and the other only XT?  Any advice on the hardware specs would be deeply appreciated.

[Great Hierophant]

I'm not quite sure what you are asking about.  I can answer based on the following assumptions:

"Re: Difference between MIF-IPC and MIF-IPC-A interface cards?"

No functional differences between these two, one just more streamlined but both do the same basic thing.  They are simply glue logic and should work in any ISA-based machine.  They are useless without the MPU-401 unit, and the ROM revision contained in that unit is the only thing that may prevent it from working in an AT-class machine.  A 1.5A ROM, which most units have, will work perfectly.

Or

"Re: Difference between MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-T interface cards?"

There are two differences between these products (they always included breakout boxes.)  The first difference is that the MPU-IPC has a sync out on the breakout box and the MPU-IPC-T does not.  Otherwise the breakout boxes have identical features.  The second difference is that the MPU-IPC is hardwired to I/O port 330/331 and IRQ2, while the MPU-IPC-T has jumpers to change the settings.  Both will work in any ISA machine.

[Galahad]

Thanks very much for the info Great Hierophant -- also sorry for my initial confusion in the original message about the card names.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking about.  I can answer based on the following assumptions:

"Re: Difference between MIF-IPC and MIF-IPC-A interface cards?"

No functional differences between these two, one just more streamlined but both do the same basic thing.  They are simply glue logic and should work in any ISA-based machine.  They are useless without the MPU-401 unit, and the ROM revision contained in that unit is the only thing that may prevent it from working in an AT-class machine.  A 1.5A ROM, which most units have, will work perfectly.

Or

"Re: Difference between MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-T interface cards?"

There are two differences between these products (they always included breakout boxes.)  The first difference is that the MPU-IPC has a sync out on the breakout box and the MPU-IPC-T does not.  Otherwise the breakout boxes have identical features.  The second difference is that the MPU-IPC is hardwired to I/O port 330/331 and IRQ2, while the MPU-IPC-T has jumpers to change the settings.  Both will work in any ISA machine.

[Galahad]

Sorry, one other brief question for you Great Hierophant -- just curious is there away to determine what the ROM version is for the MIF-IPC or MIF-IPC-A interface cards by physically looking at them?

I'm not quite sure what you are asking about.  I can answer based on the following assumptions:

"Re: Difference between MIF-IPC and MIF-IPC-A interface cards?"

No functional differences between these two, one just more streamlined but both do the same basic thing.  They are simply glue logic and should work in any ISA-based machine.  They are useless without the MPU-401 unit, and the ROM revision contained in that unit is the only thing that may prevent it from working in an AT-class machine.  A 1.5A ROM, which most units have, will work perfectly.

Or

"Re: Difference between MPU-IPC and MPU-IPC-T interface cards?"

There are two differences between these products (they always included breakout boxes.)  The first difference is that the MPU-IPC has a sync out on the breakout box and the MPU-IPC-T does not.  Otherwise the breakout boxes have identical features.  The second difference is that the MPU-IPC is hardwired to I/O port 330/331 and IRQ2, while the MPU-IPC-T has jumpers to change the settings.  Both will work in any ISA machine.

[Great Hierophant]

Sorry, one other brief question for you Great Hierophant -- just curious is there away to determine what the ROM version is for the MIF-IPC or MIF-IPC-A interface cards by physically looking at them?

No, the ROM is not on the card, its inside the breakout box that attaches to the card.  If you unscrew the cover to the breakout box, you may see a socketed EPROM chip inside.  There should be a bit of tape covering the chip, it may show the ROM revision.  If there is no EPROM inside, then you will have the 1.5A revision (the finalized ROM revision was intergrated with the microcontroller.)

[Cloudschatze]

If there is no EPROM inside, then you will have the 1.5A revision (the finalized ROM revision was intergrated with the microcontroller.)

Not necessarily. The internal ROM CPU was initially produced with version 1.5. Haven't we covered this before?


Here are a couple of additional discovery means...

 - The serial number (per the MPU-401 Service Notes). An MPU-401 unit with a serial number greater than 587500* should have version 1.5A. Prior units may also have been upgraded.

 - Request the Version/Revision bytes (per the MPU-401 Technical Reference). The DEBUG utility can be used for this, although NewRisingSun's utility works quite well.



* Just an estimate, based on what I've encountered. 1.5 was introduced with SN 586750, but 1.5A is not mentioned.