AR-B1474 User¡¦s Guide

2.3.5 ISA Bus Signal Description

Name

Description

BUSCLK [Output]

The BUSCLK signal of the I/O channel is asynchronous to

 

the CPU clock.

 

 

RSTDRV [Output]

This signal goes high during power-up, low line-voltage or

 

hardware reset

 

 

SA0 - SA19

The System Address lines run from bit 0 to 19. They are

[Input / Output]

latched onto the falling edge of "BALE"

LA17 - LA23

The Unlatched Address line run from bit 17 to 23

[Input/Output]

 

SD0 - SD15

System Data bit 0 to 15

[Input/Output]

 

BALE [Output]

The Buffered Address Latch Enable is used to latch SA0 -

 

SA19 onto the falling edge. This signal is forced high

 

during DMA cycles

-IOCHCK [Input]

The I/O Channel Check is an active low signal which

 

indicates that a parity error exist on the I/O board

IOCHRDY

This signal lengthens the I/O, or memory read/write cycle,

[Input, Open

and should be held low with a valid address

collector]

 

IRQ 3-7, 9-12, 14, 15

The Interrupt Request signal indicates I/O service request

[Input]

attention. They are prioritized in the following sequence :

 

(Highest) IRQ 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Lowest)

-IOR

The I/O Read signal is an active low signal which instructs

[Input/Output]

the I/O device to drive its data onto the data bus

-IOW[Input/Output]

The I/O write signal is an active low signal which instructs

 

the I/O device to read data from the data bus

-SMEMW[Output]

The System Memory Read is low while any of the low 1

 

mega bytes of memory are being used

-MEMR

The Memory Read signal is low while any memory

[Input/Output]

location is being read

-SMEMW[Output]

The System Memory Write is low while any of the low 1

 

mega bytes of memory is being written

-MEMW

The Memory Write signal is low while any memory

[Input/Output]

location is being written

DRQ 0-3, 5-7

DMA Request channels 0 to 3 are for 8-bit data transfers.

[Input]

DMA Request channels 5 to 7 are for 16-bit data

 

transfers. DMA request should be held high until the

 

corresponding DMA has been completed. DMA request

 

priority is in the following sequence:(Highest) DRQ 0, 1, 2,

 

3, 5, 6, 7 (Lowest)

-DACK 0-3, 5-7

The DMA Acknowledges 0 to 3, 5 to 7 are the

[Output]

corresponding acknowledge signals for DRQ 0 to 3 and 5

 

to 7

AEN [output]

The DMA Address Enable is high when the DMA

 

controller is driving the address bus. It is low when the

 

CPU is driving the address bus

-REFRESH

This signal is used to indicate a memory refresh cycle and

[Input/Output]

can be driven by the microprocessor on the I/O channel

TC [Output]

Terminal Count provides a pulse when the terminal count

 

for any DMA channel is reached

SBHE

The System Bus High Enable indicates the high byte SD8

[Input/Output]

- SD15 on the data bus

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Sony AR-B1474, DX4, 486DX manual ISA Bus Signal Description, Name Description

DX4, AR-B1474, 486DX specifications

The Sony 486DX, AR-B1474, and DX4 are notable examples of advanced computing technologies from the early to mid-1990s, a time when personal computers were rapidly evolving to meet increasing user demands. These systems played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of modern computing.

The Sony 486DX is built around the popular Intel 80486 microprocessor, which was a significant step up from its predecessor, the 386. The 486DX featured a 32-bit architecture and introduced integrated cache memory, which greatly enhanced data processing speeds and overall system performance. Operating at clock speeds typically ranging from 25 to 100 MHz, the 486DX models provided a solid foundation for running more sophisticated software applications and advanced games of the era.

Accompanying the 486DX was the AR-B1474 motherboard, designed to maximize the potential of the 486 architecture. This motherboard featured support for up to 512 KB of level 2 cache memory, further boosting performance for data-heavy tasks. The AR-B1474 also included extensive connectivity options, with ISA slots for legacy devices, as well as support for EISA, making it compatible with a wide range of hardware peripherals. This versatility made the AR-B1474 a popular choice among builders of custom desktop PCs during its time.

The DX4, another significant milestone, built upon the 486 architecture by introducing a clock-doubling technique. By effectively allowing the processor to perform operations at up to three times its base clock speed (typically 75 or 100 MHz), the DX4 could handle even more demanding applications, thereby providing users with significant performance improvements without requiring a complete overhaul of their systems.

Both the 486DX and DX4 processors facilitated advancements in multimedia capabilities, with improved graphics rendering and audio performance that supported CD-ROMs and early gaming technologies. This made them particularly appealing to consumers looking for a versatile machine for both work and entertainment.

Overall, the combination of the Sony 486DX, AR-B1474 motherboard, and DX4 processor exemplifies a significant chapter in computing history, showcasing how hardware advancements seamlessly integrated with user needs for performance and flexibility. As these technologies laid the groundwork for future innovations, they remain noteworthy for their contributions to the evolution of personal computing.