Ardent Tool of Capitalism

Future Domain MCS-350

@5F77.ADF Future Domain SCSI Adapter
   Future Domain MCS-350, Version 1.3
@5F77.ADF Future Domain SCSI Adapter
   Different memory ranges, more options.
@5F77.ADF Priam SCSI Adapter
   Different name, different text, different choice order
@5F77.ADF Palindrome SCSI Tape Adapter
   Different name, different adapter memory choices and order, different capitalization
@5F77.ADF SCSI Host Adapter
   Storage Dimensions, different name, different text, different choice order

FDSOPT16.DSK Future Domain MCA Option Disk (MCS-350 & MCS-600/700) (720 KB) (zipped image) (from Hugh Burns)
FDCD220.DSK FDU-CD CD-ROM Device Driver Version 2.20 Disk (720 KB) (zipped image) (from Hugh Burns)
powrscsi.exe Future Domain PowerSCSI Utility Disk v1.0 - DOS/Windows (720 KB) (zipped image)
powscsi4.exe Future Domain PowerSCSI Utility Disk v4.1 - DOS/Windows/NetWare 386 (1.44 MB) (zipped image)
FD_scsidiag.exe Future Domain's SCSI Device Analyzer

FD MCS-350
Adapter BIOS
ADF Sections

FD MCS-350

801-174-5051-03, FCC ID HK9224MCS350

J1 External 25-pin D-sub female SCSI connector. Uses a non-standard pinout - more info HERE.

J2 Internal 50-pin male SCSI connector with industry standard pinout and pin 1 indicated on card.

J3 Standard 4-pin keyed Molex disk drive male connector power to internally mounted drive (L to R: +5 V, GND, GND, +12 V).

RN2,3,4 Socketed SIL resistor networks for SCSI bus termination.

U12 2Kx8 SRAM UMC UM6116-3 or compatible

There is no integrated SCSI controller. The controller functionality is implemented using PALs and 74xx logic.

Important: The adapter does not provide TERMPWR on either of the two SCSI connectors. J1 pin 25 and J2 pin 9 are tied to ground.

Adapter BIOS

BIOS Images

Uses 27C64 8Kx8 EPROM?

FD BIOS V1.0E BB - Image not available
FD BIOS V1.2 - FUTURE DOMAIN CORP. (C) 1987-1989, 11/03/89 (from Hugh Burns)

BIOS Versions

External SCSI Connector Pinout

Important: The External 25-pin D-sub female SCSI connector does not use the usual industry standard pinout (i.e. Apple standard).

Source: The pinout has been mapped by Hugh Burns.

AdapterID 5F77 Future Domain SCSI Adapter

Memory Location
   Memory location used for the BIOS ROM
     <"Segment CA00" (ca00-cbff)>, C800 (c800-c9ff), CC00 (cc00-cdff), CE00 (ce00-cfff), D000 (d000-d1ff), D200 (d200-d3ff), D400 (d400-d5ff), D600 (d600-d7ff), D800 (d800-d9ff), DA00 (da00-dbff), DC00 (dc00-ddff), DE00 (de00-dfff)

DMA Arbitration Level
   DMA channel used to transfer data.
     <"Level 6">, 7, 5, 0, 1, 3, 4

Select Interrupt Line
   Interrupt used by the SCSI controller
     <"Interrupt 5 (Reserved)">, 3 (Serial Alternate), 10 (Reserved), 11 (Reserved), 12 (Mouse), 14 (Fixed Disk), 5 (Reserved)"

Use Front Panel Disk Busy Light
   Whether the front panel light is to be used by the SCSI devices to indicate that a SCSI device is busy. The same light is also used by the internally installed hard drive. There is no conflict if the same light is used by both devices.
     <"Use Front Panel Light">, Do Not Use Panel Light

Use MC BUS Wait (IBM Model 80)
   Extended synchronous bus cycle is used as the default fastest cycle on the transfer of DMA data to the SCSI device. The Model 80 will not support full speed DMA writes via the uChannel bus, so this option is required for high speed devices on the Model 80.
     <"Use Wait State (Model 80)">, Do Not Use Wait State
Ed.: The wait-state option is almost certainly meant for the original 16 MHz Model 80 (Type 1). The issue with that machine isn't that it's too fast - it's too SLOW. In particular, its DMA controller runs at 8 MHz, which results in cycle times slower than the default MCA cycle. Most PS/2 machines, except the 16 MHz Model 80, 16 MHz Model 70, and the 55SX/65SX, have a 10 MHz DMA controller or faster. So yes - when it comes to DMA, even the 10 MHz 286 Model 50 and Model 60 are faster than these 386-based machines. - MAJ Tom