The EISA Bus
EISA is an abbreviation for Extended Industry Standard Architecture. IBM announced this Standard in September 1988 AT systems. The EISA bus essentially a 32-bit version of ISA. EISA is still use older 8-bit or 16-bit ISA cards in 32-bit EISA slots, providing for full backward compatibility. EISA also allowed for automatic configuration of EISA cards via software.
EISA bus added 90 new connections (55 new signals plus grounds) without increasing the physical connector size of the 16-bit ISA. The 32-bit EISA slot looks a lot like the 16-bit ISA slots. The EISA adapter, however, has two rows of stacked contacts. The first row is the same type use in 16-bit ISA cards, while the other thinner row extends from the 16-bit connector.
EISA bus added 90 new connections (55 new signals plus grounds) without increasing the physical connector size of the 16-bit ISA. The 32-bit EISA slot looks a lot like the 16-bit ISA slots. The EISA adapter, however, has two rows of stacked contacts. The first row is the same type use in 16-bit ISA cards, while the other thinner row extends from the 16-bit connector.
