DIY Localtalk - Ethernet converter — #51

Post #51 by NJRoadfan

Source Forum	68kMLA
Category	Networking
Post Date	Mon, 9 Sep 2013 - 23:59
Original URL	https://68kmla.org/bb/threads/diy-localtalk-ethernet-converter.27008/

Post

This does make me wonder what's inside those Appletalk-Ethertalk bridges. Is it a single custom IC or are they an SCC, Ethernet chip, and MCU bought in bulk and crammed together? I guess it does look like you can get Ethernet modules for Arduino for "shockingly cheap", so maybe that's not that unreasonable. An AVR+Arduino ethernet module+SCC chip might almost be cobble-together-able for around that same $40 price point. The difference is that you have to do all your protocol translation in the MCU you cram in there, while making a USB-SCC peripheral would let some "bigger iron" handle that part.

See above, the Fastpath uses separate chips for all the listed functions, no fancy integrated stuff. They are in essence full 68000 based computers without a video output. Also realize these bridges cost $1500-2000 new back in the late 80s-early 90s.