Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2026 4:16 pm 

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:04 pm
Posts: 10
I have a few old boards that I am believe would
easily be in the High Grade Telecom category.
But they, all 3 in attached pictures, have
connection pins labeled with hard drive related
names:

1. … SCSI
2. Winchester
3. … HDD

The names all appear on the 3 cards in the
pictures. Do any make it to NON SATA Hrd. Brds?


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2026 5:54 pm 

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:04 pm
Posts: 10
I just wanted to add a clearer picture of
the 3 Hard Drive related names on the
3 cards. To learn if they are NON SATA Hd.
category. It is attached.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2026 8:43 pm 

Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 9:44 pm
Posts: 1754
Location: I'm right here :D
Not sure the proper terminology on these, they were likely part of how older computers accessed hard drives but were not part of the hard drives themselves (I could be completely wrong). It's possible they have added value because of that but I'd go high telco for now. If nobody else weighs in you can always shoot Chris (boardsort, email on homepage) an email.

_________________
Here to learn more so I can recycle more
My grades are my own opinion and not an official grade from Boardsort


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2026 8:57 pm 

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:04 pm
Posts: 10
Thanks for your input and advice. I
imagine something like this has been
asked before, so I will search the forums
some before I ask Chris.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2026 10:18 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2023 9:55 am
Posts: 47
Marked I am fairly certain you are right. The very old motherboards did not have the chipsets to access hard-drives, at least not all hard drives. Think original IBM AT clone era. Also, there were other peripheral devices used in science and engineering that were SCSI, one of the cards resembles ones that I have seen used to run scientific equipment.
Very nice high telco for sure. Don't see any reason that they would go as a special class.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2026 1:14 am 
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2024 9:38 pm
Posts: 324
I will try to keep it short. You got 3 "scuzzy" boards. Nicknamed for the SCSI [Small Computer System Interface] bus standard they used. At that time. They are just plain peripheral controller boards. At that time. One could interface a small computer to a floppy disk. A hard drive. A tape drive. A printer. A scanner. And if you could program and burn EPROMS. Just about anything. As was mentioned. Scientific equipment. Even home projects. Those boards allowed a small computer owner to interface his computer to the outside world. Creatively. SCSI was before SATA. As small computers evolved. Everything now has become standardized. Smaller. Cheaper. Just take a good look at the gold pins on the 1988 Winchester board versus the 1991 Bus Tek board. It is so obvious the warm rich gold color of the Winchester versus the Bus Tek board. Having said that. I would email Chris. That Winchester is better than any hard drive NonSata board you could get.
I personally think all 3 should be accepted at the NonSata hard drive rate. But. Contact Chris
Here to learn like everybody else.
My evaluation advice is my own opinion.
I didn't want to mention this. But. Do some serious Googling of the S-100 Bus. Then one can further understand some early PCB'S you might have. How the upcoming PC market quenched it. Things went from business computers to home computers. So far as market value.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2026 2:29 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:48 pm
Posts: 48
Location: Upper Marlboro, MD
I would personally assess this in my catalog as high grade telecom all day long. Those are old tech, which everyone in the recovery business knows has a good chance at a better yield. Looks like from other insight you have something not seen anymore. Those boards I might keep for myself because sometimes a board just looks too good to sell ;p

_________________
---
**Please keep in mind that my assessments on board quality are personal in nature

Abbreviations
HGT - High Grade Telecom
LGT - Low Grade Telecom
HGP - High Grade Peripherial
LGP - Low Grade Peripherial
MGB - Mid-Grade Board
LGB - Low-Grade Board


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2026 8:58 pm 

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:04 pm
Posts: 10
Thanks Catwhisker, Renaissanceperson, Kandroid,
and everyone for your help.

I do appreciate the historical explanation too. Yes,
looking at some of those older fine boards can be
a nice historical experience. I remember the first
years of inexpensive home or desktop computers
fondly.

But practically speaking concerning scrap value now.
An AI search told me that hard drive controller boards
were not commonly attached to hard drives until the
late 1980s. And it gave a related helpful and concise
overview. Impressive tool.

Thanks again.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2026 9:29 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2024 9:38 pm
Posts: 324
Ah yes. Achisell. The days Seagate reigned in Fixed Disk. Bringing the hard drive to the consumer market. The problem from my recollection. Which they overcame. They had the high success rate of installing the hard disk inside the case without one speck of dust. And keeping it that way. You might want to look on Ebay. Bus Tek boards like yours are selling better than scrap value. I would look up your other boards. Retro/Antique Electronics has interest. And another comment. That Winchester board had more capability to handle peripheral devices than the personal computers they were being installed in. Just a clue. In my estimation. Of the transistion happening at that time. IBM had to recognize the consumer market. Etc. Ok. Enough of that.
Here to learn like everybody else.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to: