On 16.09.2008 08:53, Corey Osgood wrote: > On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 8:14 PM, Joseph Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> >> On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:28:40 +0200, Carl-Daniel Hailfinger >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> since the market share of machines with a serial port is shrinking >>> rapidly and USB debug cables are not affordable at all for hobbyists, we >>> may need to support console on parallel port. >>> I do realize that not all machines lacking a serial port will have a >>> parallel port, but as long as it improves our console coverage, I'm >>> inclined to suggest parallel console support as a viable option. >>> >>> Parallel port console support has the advantage of being faster than >>> serial port console, at the same time keeping the cost for a cable in >>> the single digit dollar range. >>> >>> What do you think? >>> >>> Do we have any other devices on board which don't require interrupts to >>> run? Floppy connector? POST cards? PC speaker (with 1-wire protocol)? Is >>> it possible to use any of them with cheap home-built adaptors? >>> >> I like this idea. I would also be nice to be able to use a parallel port >> post (say that five times fast) card for embedded boards without a PCI >> slot. The one I have does both, PCI and/or Parallel. >> > > The question I have is, are there really systems out there that have > parallel and not serial?
I believe so, but they are on the way out as well. > I've seen/owned a few systems with serial and > no parallel port (all OEM systems, HP and Gateway and the like), but > none vice versa. If they exist, and there's a need for it, I'm all for > it! As far as other options, I don't see any that aren't on their way > out on your list, aside from PC speakers, which are being integrated > onto the mainboard more and more often. > I just checked 101 AM2+ boards and 99 of them have a floppy connector, but only 90 have a serial port. Those 2 without floppy connector have a serial port. Joe, I remember you were interested in crazy hardware hacks. Would designing a floppy->parallel port interface (or floppy->serial) fit your bill? Regards, Carl-Daniel -- http://www.hailfinger.org/ -- coreboot mailing list: [email protected] http://www.coreboot.org/mailman/listinfo/coreboot
