[ql-developers] Ethernet, RTL8019AS

[Peter Graf]

Hi,

just a hint for those who may deal with QL related ethernet hardware/software. Earlier this year I discovered a problem with some Longshine LCS-8634PTB ethernet cards. The problem was that these cards produced unwanted IRQ10/IRQ11 signals, when in jumpered mode. Other cards of exactly the same type, and apparently the same PCB layout, behaved OK.

Since the interest in Ethernet for Q40/Q60 increased recently, and I can not remember what exactly I published before, here is a short update what I found out:

The RTL8019AS chip is responsible for this problem. The chips which have the IRQ10/11 problem are labeled with different production codes, but I can not give a comprehensive specification which range of codes has the problem and which has not.

If someone intends to use the RTL8019AS for a hardware design, he may avoid to use these IRQ lines in his layout. If someone buys a new ethernet card with the RTL8019AS for Qx0, other than from D&D Systems, he should be prepared to deal with cutting these lines on the Ethernet card near the ISA connector. The corresponding pins on the ISA connector are D3 and D4.

Soldering side of the ethernet card, ISA connector:

B1....................................B31 D1 D2 D3 D4..........D18

No guarantees. Please don't cut something you don't really want to cut :-)
To be on the save side, there are tested new cards available from D&D Systems.

For use with Qx0, it is strongly recommended to use jumpered mode, IRQ5 and iobase 0x300.

All the best
Peter