Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 1 Apr 1999 20:37:18 +0200 (MET DST) | From | Gerard Roudier <> | Subject | Re: Symbios 53c141 |
| |
On Thu, 1 Apr 1999, Cody Pisto wrote:
> Does anyone know if the Symbios(NCR) 53c141 chipset is supported?
This chip is a LVD from/to SE converter and normally it should not require any software support from the kernel drivers.
I donnot have the specs of this chip. I read that it is used on some expensive Tekram board and allows to use both LVD and SE devices on a single SCSI BUS.
I donnot encourage such a solution at all for performances. Better to use 2 separate BUSes (1 LVD + 1 SE) that, based on current Tekram pricing, should not be more expensive than the dual signalling LVD / SE Tekram board, for example.
On the other hand, the SCSI protocol has been modified for LVD signalling in order to avoid release glitches and this protocol changes were intended to be implemented by devices. As a result, this chip probably just snoops the SCSI protocol from the SE part and fixes the behaviour of pre-SPI2 devices when passing signals to the LVD part (just a guess from me).
An expected end-to-end protocol change simulated by some complex chip does not look good to me. For this second reason I am still not convinced that this chip is really interesting against a 2 separate controllers solution, even if it may work perfectly on paper.
Regards, Gérard.
- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
| |