Folks - my memory and knowledge is not the best about ISA slots...

There is a CCD imager I'm interested in that plugs into an ISA card (presumably situated in a PC).

Could I get a new PC with either an ISA slot or something an ISA card could plug into?

Alternatively, is there any way an ISA card can be fitted/mated with a laptop? A longshot I know but....

Cheers
Dave

Hi Dave,

I'm a bit rusty on PC architecture but I think ISA is quite old.

I'm not sure if new PCs will come with an ISA slot don't assume it.

Michael.

ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) is legacy (old news). PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is the replacement. All Pentium 2 and Pentium 3-based computers had 4 PCI and 2 ISA slots as standard, on the standard ATX motherboard design.
Most Pentium 4-based computers also carried out the same design. But, certain manufacturers started phasing out certain PC architectures that were rapidly becoming more of a nuisance than useful! Floppy drives replaced by USB keys, Parallel ports replaced by USB (2.0), and ISA eradicated in favour of a complete set of PCI slots. Virtually all motherboard manufacturers now come without ISA for the past 2 years at least.

As far as I know, there is no adapter available either. It has gone the way of the serial mouse and the old AT keyboard port... oh, and the dodo!

Seanie.

I havent heard of an ISA/PCI adapter, but its not hard to find a PC that doesnt have a ISA slot, every machine I've got have one, all the same they are old news !

Like the guys said ISA is obsolete. Don't buy anything now that needs it because even now you'll not get a new PC that has it. It's gone, dead, deceased. Things have moved on. Buying something that needs an ISA slot now is getting to be about as bad as buying software that needs a 5 1/4 floppy drive ... OK .... a slight exaduration but I just can't stress enough how much ISA is history.

Thanks folks. Try this for size - let me know if this is a go-er.

I have a HP PC which has served me well for about 5 years. I think it has an ISA slot. If it does, I could upgrade to a new box and put the old box next to the mount and operate it from the new PC (which is what I do with laptop currently). I've been considering this for a good while now.

Gosh, I remember 5.25 floppies...

Dave

Dave,

Open it up. There should be an ISA slot in a box that age. ISA slots are usually white and they are longer than the PCI slots. You usually find them on the further side from the power supply.

Failing this - I'm fairly sure that you can get PCI riser cards that have ISA slots on them. I'll see if I can find one for you online.

Thanks folks. Try this for size - let me know if this is a go-er.

I have a HP PC which has served me well for about 5 years. I think it has an ISA slot. If it does, I could upgrade to a new box and put the old box next to the mount and operate it from the new PC (which is what I do with laptop currently). I've been considering this for a good while now.

Gosh, I remember 5.25 floppies...

Dave

It would work but should that PC then die you're in a world of trouble becausae you've forked out for an obsolete piece of hardware that you'll be hard-pushed to get into another machine. Also, old machines really don't take well to damp (neither do new ones really) so if you're going to put that 5 year old machine outside expect it to fail within the next year or two at the very most.

Bart.

ISA slots were black ,not white.
The oldest 8-bit connectors were were 31 "pins" long.
The "newer"16 bit ones had two connectors,the second connector was 18 pins long.

To save you a lot of bother bring your ISA stuff to the recycle bin and say a fond farewell to a dinosaur.

Peter.

True to form Peter :roll: But at least you're consistent

I think the ISA slots I remember where white, but I could be visualising the PMCIA slots. However, I'm sure the PC I have has an ISA slot.

Now, as for leaving it outside... Are there any circimtances in which that could work? If I built a roomy box (for ventilation) and shoved in a load of silica gel packets, would that be a runner?

If its a bit dodgy, perhaps I should avoid buying the imager. No harm - I'd save a few quid but I don't want a white elephant either

Thanks for all the advice by the way!

Dave

I think the ISA slots I remember where white, but I could be visualising the PMCIA slots. However, I'm sure the PC I have has an ISA slot.

PCI is white, ISA is black.

Now, as for leaving it outside... Are there any circimtances in which that could work? If I built a roomy box (for ventilation) and shoved in a load of silica gel packets, would that be a runner?

MAYBE, but given Irish conditions I'd be very dubious. Circuit boards and moisture do not mix. Even leaving a PC out in a shed is a death penalty for it.

If its a bit dodgy, perhaps I should avoid buying the imager. No harm - I'd save a few quid but I don't want a white elephant either

If this is something you're about to buy then it really is a white elephant. 5 years ago it would have been a dodgey purchase, not it's just a plain bad idea. Were anyone to call in to me here in work and ask me for my proffesional opinion on this it would be very simple and very blunt, don't do it. This tech was already legacy 5 years ago, now it's obsolete boardering on historic.

I think the ISA slots I remember where white, but I could be visualising the PMCIA slots. However, I'm sure the PC I have has an ISA slot.

PCI is white, ISA is black.

Depends on the motherboard manufacturer, there is no de facto on that. 3 of my computers have black PCI's AND ISA.

Btw Dave, PCMCIA is laptop/notebook architecture. A far more scaled down rendition of PCI.

S.

Btw Dave, PCMCIA is laptop/notebook architecture. A far more scaled down rendition of PCI.

Told you I was a numpty :oops:

I repaired my first PC in 1983 and have done hundreds of them.

I never once came across a white ISA slot.

They may be out there somewhere though !

Peter.

ok ok ok I got it backwards

I agree with earlier advice tho - ISA really is gone past legacy at this stage and is completely obsolete.

A quick Google search for 'PCI to ISA' resulted in some adapters, no good to you Dave?

I agree with earlier advice tho - ISA really is gone past legacy at this stage and is completely obsolete.

PCI is even getting old now. New boards have a couple for legacy cards but PCIe is the way forward.

I've seen PCIe slots in various colours.

Dave,
I just remembered that you and I have very similar PCs, if so you definitely have ISA slots in the PC, antiquated as they are...