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- Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
- Path: sparky!uunet!psinntp!ficc!korenek
- From: korenek@ferranti.com (gary korenek)
- Subject: Summary of replies to 'what is local bus'
- Message-ID: <id.XUCS.EN8@ferranti.com>
- Reply-To: korenek@ficc (Gary Korenek)
- Organization: Ferranti International Controls
- Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 20:28:24 GMT
- Lines: 51
-
- As I promised, here is a summary of the replies I received
- to my 'what is local bus' question. Additionally, there is
- a good writeup (about local bus) in the August 'PC Sources'
- magazine.
-
- My thanks to all those who took time to reply! -- G.K.
-
- ----------- Summary begin ----------------------------------------
-
- ****** From: abs0@coos.dartmouth.edu (Kelvin Leung):
- I don't know much about it. However, I have been told that it is
- attached directly to the cpu, just like Mac SE/30's 030 direct slot
- and Amiga 2000's co-processor slot. Since it is directly connected
- to the cpu, you can get the best performance out of it. Nonetheless,
- I have been told you can only use 1 local bus device/interrupt at any
- given time though... Good for graphics speed enhancement.
-
-
- ****** From: Arto J Hoikkala <ahoi@vipunen.hut.fi>
- Local bus is a 32-bit fast (33 MHz) 'replacement' for ISA, MCA
- and EISA buses. It has superb throughput of 132 MB/s when compared
- to 33 MB/s of EISA, 20 MB/s of MCA and 5 MB/s of ISA.
-
- Local bus has two standards, Intel and VESA. Hovewer, Intel's
- standard hasn't standardized the connector type and VESA's standard
- isn't ready yet (well, it might be). VESA's physical connector is
- based on a standard MCA slot.
-
- Local bus has been used mostly as a video slot, but it's a good
- solution for fast hard disks too.
-
- There are many Local Bus products but they are mostly proprietary
- versions, not either of mentioned standards.
-
- ****** From: REE700A@MAINE.maine.edu
- Local bus refers to the practice of adding one to three bus connectors
- directly onto the address, control & data lines of the CPU bus (hence
- local bus) rather than on a substantially slower I/O bus.
-
- This is a great Idea if everyone could agree. Up to recently, there
- was no standard as to how this interface would be accomplished (timing
- & pinout). Finally VESA (Video Electronics Standards Assoc.), of which
- Intel is a member, agreed on a standard for local bus. At the same time,
- Intel proposed their own standard. Still no standard.....
-
- ----------- Summary end ------------------------------------------
-
- --
- Gary Korenek (korenek@ficc.ferranti.com)
- Ferranti International Controls Corp.
- Sugar Land, Texas (713)274-5357
-