The PC once was a viable platform for general development, both hardware and software. Goodness knows, I've used 'em plenty of times. Today, however, the PC is, at most, a platform for development of Windows software. PC's I've recently purchased have had, in one case, only two PCI connectors. Not even LINUX can figure out what the display adapter is.

Please show me where I can find a USART that supports high data rates and is capable of supporting synchronous bit-oriented protocols, e.g. HDLC, with bit stuffing, CRC generation and checking, and sync character insertion, similar to but faster than the i8251. I've not even seen a USRT that's speed-capable. Now, what do you consider to be a UART? Surely not the ones that were once used in PC's? Philips once made a pretty nice 24-pin skinny-dip part that was a UART with built-in baud rate generator. I miss it!

The weak-kneed things built into 805x's cover many slow app's, and, in some cases, are even capable of considerable speed in isochronous mode, but can't manage synchronous protocol. The ones, e.g. the SiLabs parts, capable of considerable async rates, are capable of quasi-synchronous transmission/reception, but not in the standard way. After all, the Mode0 "UART" isn't a USRT.

I believe your view is too narrow.

Please show us where we can get printers that will work with 805x's and at what price they're available. I don't care what the PC's do. I want to know what can be done to make it, once again, into a useful tool for development.

RE