I had only HEARD about this...and now I found one.

FLimits I realy want to hear from you on this one, I can't possibly scrap one of these.

Check this out.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...412_190447.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...412_190458.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...412_190513.jpg

It's called a Intel Wildcard 88. It's was a response to the x86 structure coming to be on older instruction set cpus of the motorola era (Read 8088, 8086, 68000) The cpu is under the black hermetic seal. The other side is an expansion socket which probably was intended for a turbo boost feature that was axed as the 286/386 cpus were fielded.

I also have the original "Leading Edge" DC-2011E motherboard. IMHO this cpu is about as rare as they come, I've found everything except P Pros (most of my customers keep them...) Anyone else ever come across one of these?

Nope nope nope, you can't scrap that, nope. I know a few collectors who have one or two of those squirreled away, but they are very unusual. Did that card definitely come from a Leading Edge mobo?

The Wildcard is pretty amazing -- it's essentially a miniaturized PC XT motherboard. The processor is an 80C88. They managed to put the logic of a PC onto a 2" x 4" card which goes into a slot like a SIMM. Intel developed it so that DOS and the functionality of a PC could be embedded in other devices, like industrial or medical equipment that otherwise would have a big clunky PC hooked up to it so that people could monitor and control it. I don't know if it ever made it into any of those commercial implementations, though. I know it was used in some science applications to enable the researchers to monitor the data their instruments were collecting. It's basically a very early version of the System on a Chip (SOC) -- they just couldn't miniaturize the circuitry down to a single chip yet, so they made a System on a Little Board. Your board is revision E, I think. Here's a photo of a revision B board:

http://ummr.altervista.org/images/DSCN6445.JPG

I'll have to do some research to find out more about the system that used this thing. I seem to remember something about a card like this being in a Daewoo laptop. I'm also not quite sure what that 40-pin DIP socket is for. I thought it was to accommodate an 8087 coprocessor, which was a 40-pin DIP, but on the rev. B board, the empty socket has only 28 pins...

Yes and I have the board and power supply and hard drive, no connectors, the guy I got it from junked it before I got to it. Still I have EVERYTHING else.

Came from an actual Leading Edge (Daewoo) Motherboard, Thatd be a 2011E I believe...don't quote me except for the E.

Wow. I didn't know this thing had ever even been used in a "normal" computer. What a shame that the guy tore it apart.

Edit: More info! This is pretty fascinating -- and heartbreaking. What you have came from a Model D, which was the first model sold by Leading Edge (whose manufacturer was Daewoo). Now here's there interesting thing: I don't think it's generally known that there ever was a Model D that used the Wildcard 88. Even people who have the same card that you have don't seem to know where it actually came from. Here's Wikipedia talking about the model you have:

Quote:

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The Model D initially featured an Intel 8088 microprocessor at 4.77 MHz, although later models had a switch in the back to run at 4.77 MHz (normal) or 7.16 MHz (high). Earlier models had no turbo switch and ran only at 4.77 MHz, while a few of the later ones (seemingly very rare) were 7.16 MHz only. Three models are known: DC-2011, DC-2010E, and DC-2011E. The "E" seems to correlate with the capability of running at 7.16 MHz.

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That 7.16 (actually 7.15) MHz is the native clock speed of the Wildcard 88, and it was software-switchable to 4.77 MHz, the XT standard clock speed!

Can't wait to find out if anybody actually knew what was in these Leading Edge models.

The obvious question, what's the value?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armygreywolf

The obvious question, what's the value?

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Not sure there's an obvious answer... I haven't found any previous sales.

When you have a minute, could you take some good photos of that mobo? I'd like to see the overall layout plus any identifiers (part no., model no., whatever).

Thanx for posting this, I would have thrown it in with high grade boards. Now I know to keep a look out for this board, I know it is rare but even a rare coin shows up every once in a while.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...412_190414.jpg

Hey Army, any more pix??

I only thought "Wildcard" was in sports! Thanks for information and pictures.

Not yet, I will take better pictures when I get home tomorrow.

Anyone still interested in this?

I've got a whole model DC-2011E computer, connectors and all. Stopped in here trying to figure out if it was worth taking with me, and it looked like there was interest, or at least there was 5 years ago.

No keyboard, monitor, or manual, but I'm hoping those are less important bits :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cheesehead

Anyone still interested in this?

I've got a whole model DC-2011E computer, connectors and all. Stopped in here trying to figure out if it was worth taking with me, and it looked like there was interest, or at least there was 5 years ago.

No keyboard, monitor, or manual, but I'm hoping those are less important bits :P

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Cheesehead, If you have the Leading edge parts - give me a shout - I would be interested in them.

armygreywolf - if you still have the wildcard88 and leading edge Mobo and stuff - I would be interested in it. If you could give me a shout - I would REALLY appreciate it. I collect Leading edge machines and would like the opportunity to add that to the collection. I can't for some reason send private messages on here. If you could email me at Nitrousconnection@yahoo - Thanks.

I still have it, I can't part with it, this one doesnt work, but working ones go for roughly the cost of a new sedan...so I am happy just to have a piece of history. I also have a embedded Model D leading edge board that is essentially a straight industrial version with only ISA slots for controller expansion. I wish you luck on finding one, its really REALLY dried up. The major reason they dont really work when you do find them is the aged hermetic seal and likelyhood of broken bonding wires.

are they really that valuable? if im not not mistaken, i had one a while ago- sold it with silver RAM sticks.

It looks familiar to me too....

The ONLY revision 2 wildcard 88 I've seen with the coprocessor sold untested on ebay in 2019 for 46k USD. I happen to know it was purchased and donated to cambridge computing museum. (I believe the Even the leading edge embedded model D units do 250+ on ebay untested or parts. The coprocessor is a Intel C8087-4 and they are quite rare to get them in a 16 bit interface the wildcard 88 uses. Its part of my mantra to check ebay and the vintage forums to find one.

BUT, in addition to this recently I also got a non working intel pentium pro OVERDRIVE socket overlay. This was a stop gap for people who spent 10-12 gand on the machines while intel fielded pentium II (300+ percent improvement). It amounts to a pentium ii on a slower bus.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by festivagt

armygreywolf - if you still have the wildcard88 and leading edge Mobo and stuff - I would be interested in it. If you could give me a shout - I would REALLY appreciate it. I collect Leading edge machines and would like the opportunity to add that to the collection. I can't for some reason send private messages on here. If you could email me at Nitrousconnection@yahoo - Thanks.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by armygreywolf

The ONLY revision 2 wildcard 88 I've seen with the coprocessor sold untested on ebay in 2019 for 46k USD. I happen to know it was purchased and donated to cambridge computing museum. (I believe the Even the leading edge embedded model D units do 250+ on ebay untested or parts. The coprocessor is a Intel C8087-4 and they are quite rare to get them in a 16 bit interface the wildcard 88 uses. Its part of my mantra to check ebay and the vintage forums to find one.

BUT, in addition to this recently I also got a non working intel pentium pro OVERDRIVE socket overlay. This was a stop gap for people who spent 10-12 gand on the machines while intel fielded pentium II (300+ percent improvement). It amounts to a pentium ii on a slower bus.

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I have one of these wildcard88 that I aquired.... where do I get my $46k lol

https://i.imgur.com/hkg8NRQ.jpeghttps://i.imgur.com/N7cc5Yn.jpeg

You are missing the coprocessor, which is specific to the wildcard. So far as I know, it is what makes the combo exceptionally rare in the revision 2 combination. Still, keep that card, put it in the safe and revisit the valuation in about ten years, I expect it to be 10 fold value for just the card by 2030.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armygreywolf

You are missing the coprocessor, which is specific to the wildcard. So far as I know, it is what makes the combo exceptionally rare in the revision 2 combination. Still, keep that card, put it in the safe and revisit the valuation in about ten years, I expect it to be 10 fold value for just the card by 2030.

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its small enough, that is probably doable.

Ill come back to this thread in 10 years and report back......

I found another PC with a Wildcard 88 in it - no coprocessor of course, but It functions pretty well. It looks to have been taken care of VERY well too. What was worth the $46K bucks? the wildcard or the coprocessor in it? By the sounds you made it seem like the 8087-4 was as unique as the wildcard Armygreywolf.

The coprocessor that was originally sold as a companion in the wildcard is specific to it. I believe its called the D8087-3 for the 4mhz revision 1 cards also known as leading edge non-E cards. I found one D8087-3 being sold in the russian federation for 2800 USD in January, but I need the D8087-4 which isnt even in the wiki or cpu world. Its for the Leading Edge E model, which was a wildcard that ran at a little over 7Mhz. Yes there are 8087 and C8087s but neither works in a wildcard 88.

I have bought two leading edge systems since March and unfortunately neither had a 7Mhz revision 2 but ONE had a coprocessor, so now I do have a D8087-3, alas it doesnt work so no sweet Kia Optima for me. Still, it has maybe 2k in value, It's hard to judge and I am wholly unwilling to see what happens to one on ebay.

Because of how the processor was made, essentially a glued on die straight to a fiberglass PCB...it is incredibly susceptible to failure simply by handling as they have aged. It's sad, as this was one of the most unique efforts Intel ever undertook in those days and paved the way for system on chip designs later on.