[net.micro.68k] 3 68000 systems reports

mem@sii.UUCP (Mark Mallett) (01/12/84)

b
The following is a subjective review of three 68000 systems by my
brother Bruce.  I thought it would be of interest here.

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From:	BAMALLETT      11-JAN-1984 13:46  
To:	MEMALLETT
Subj:	Unix systems


I have spent some time today calling around getting specifics on various
multi-user UNIX systems.  What I found out is as follows;

PACIFIC MICRO-SYSTEMS, INC.
Area REP:  Marvin Berkowitz  EASTMARK  Needham, Mass.
Basic system;
	10mcycle 68010, Unix vs 7 or system III  (take your choice!),
	1mbyte memory, 10 serial I/O ports, 9 slot card cage  (4 used),
	20mbyte winchester, your choice of 1mb floppy or 1/4" Cartridge
	streaming tape drive, Berkeley CSH and VI editor.

Price:	$12k

Comments;
   The literature that I got on this thing looks like a nice clean design.
DMA disk controller w/ standard ST506 interface supports up to 4 devices
which may be any combination of floppy, winchester, or streaming cartridge
tape.  10mcycle 68010 runs at full speed  (no wait states!)  on a seperate
memory buss.  Has MMU of their own design  (obviously not the MOTOROLA MMU
otherwise would have 2 wait states for every fetch!).  My only possible
objection is the MULTIBUS.  I worry about upgrade capability to 32 bit
processor based systems.  The sales rep indicates that PACIFIC Micro may
go to the MULTIBUS II, which  (he claims)  will offer an upgrade path to
current MULTIBUS users.  Frankly I doubt this as MULTIBUS II uses an entirely
different connector scheme.  On the favorable side:  MULTIBUS is a proven,
mature technology with LOTS and LOTS of support in terms of the number
of different cards and manufacturers out there.  Also they have shipped
lots of these systems, mostly to OEM's who put their own name on it or who
by the PMC boards and build them into their own boxes.


FORCE COMPUTERS
Somewhere, California

Called these people today ... They offer a VME bus system w/ 10mcycle
68000.  They offer a packaged system in  'your basic ugly industrial
box' consisting of;
	CPU board.
	512kb DRAM.
	WINCHESTER controller
	9 Slot motherboard
	20mbyte Winchester.
	1mb floppy.
	System DMA controller  (moves data around anywhere to anywhere).
	Unix - like COHERENT operating system.

Price;
	Box as above : $9200
	As above less 512k ram, software (your basic useless piece of
		powerful hardware) : $5995

Comments;
   An engineer answered the phone.  Sounded like a 1 person organization,
which is exactly what I would tend to think if it were not for their multitudes
of expensive full page glossy spreads in lots of magazines.  Would you believe
a  '1 very-wealty-person organization' ?

CALLAN DATA SYSTEMS
Somewhereelse California.

2 basic models in multitudious configurations.
Your basic desktop model;
	8 slot MULTIBUS with 4 slots used.
	512kb memory.
	10mcycle 68010.
	21mb winchester.
	floppy of some sort  (I think she said 5 1/4 inch)
	UNIX SYSTEM V  (as in five).

	price:	Single user  $11450  (base configuration)
		  prices to $18650  (add memory and winchesters)

		Multiuser  (4 users)  $13950  (base)  to $21150

The other model is a floor standing tower.  Its features are;
	12 slot MULTIBUS  (4 used)
	Steaming tape drive for backup
	Floppy disk drive for frustration
	512kb memory
	43mb winchester
	UNIX SYSTEM V

	price:	$19950  to  $26450


general;
	So far I am most interested in the PACIFIC system.  Seems like
a good deal.  Marvin is going to try to get his demo system back  (he
claims that it gets shipped around a lot)  and give me a call.  You
interested in going down to take a look at it someday?


					BAM!!


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Mark Mallett
decvax!sii!mem

mush@dsd.UUCP (01/16/84)

I have an add from Pinnacle Systems Garland, Texas 214 341 8850
Multi User, P-System, 68000 12Mhz no wait states, 512K RAM,
7 serial 1 parallel ports, Selectable Printer Buffer, RealTime Clock
with Battery, SASI Omninet and Graphics Bus ( what ever that is )
Ram Disc

Looks something like the Sage but faster, smaller and cheaper.

2 floppys 1.6Mb 	$1995
Wincheser 10.5Mb	$2995

Those are full system prices folks

Are these people for real?

Dave Decker Ampex DSD Redwood City Calif	(mush)