csual@warwick.ac.uk (Jas) (11/30/90)
I recently posted an article regarding a proposed transputer add-on for the ST, and asked if anyone wanted further details. Enough people have replied for me to post the rest, so here it is. Before I start though, I want to stress that this add-on DOES NOT yet exist, and may never do, it could just be vapourware but I'm going to pass it on anyway as it sounds pretty interesting. All this info comes from the Dec.1990 issue of ST Format. Atari are supposedly working on an ST-based transputer workstation "at a price observers believe is simply astonishing". Full tech.spec. is a long way off, but it is likely to attach by the DMA socket and enable the ST to run at 15-20 MIPS, compared to the ST's 1 MIPS. The price is supposed to be about 300-400 pounds, making it an incredibly attractive sounding graphics workstation. It is NOT just a rehashed ATW, it is a completely separate project. Andy Leaning of Silica (major U.K. ST dealers) is quoted as saying that the unit is "bobbing around on the horizon", but "nothing official". That's about the face of it - if you want to read it with a pinch of salt, that's probably a good idea, but it does sound VERY interesting. And they are talking about a summer 1991 release...
rehrauer@apollo.HP.COM (Steve Rehrauer) (12/01/90)
In article <1990Nov30.120037.24132@warwick.ac.uk> csual@warwick.ac.uk (Jas) writes: [...] > Before I start though, I want to stress that this add-on DOES NOT yet exist, >and may never do, it could just be vapourware but I'm going to pass it on >anyway as it sounds pretty interesting. All this info comes from the Dec.1990 >issue of ST Format. > > Atari are supposedly working on an ST-based transputer workstation "at a >price observers believe is simply astonishing". Full tech.spec. is a long way >off, but it is likely to attach by the DMA socket and enable the ST to run at >15-20 MIPS, compared to the ST's 1 MIPS. > The price is supposed to be about 300-400 pounds, making it an incredibly >attractive sounding graphics workstation. > It is NOT just a rehashed ATW, it is a completely separate project. > Andy Leaning of Silica (major U.K. ST dealers) is quoted as saying that the >unit is "bobbing around on the horizon", but "nothing official". > > That's about the face of it - if you want to read it with a pinch of >salt, that's probably a good idea, but it does sound VERY interesting. And >they are talking about a summer 1991 release... This isn't intended as a flame, but I'd swear I heard of a rumorware ST transputer hang-on as long ago as 1987. I'm sure it can be done, and perhaps someone in an Atari lab's even built them by the dozen, but I take entire BLOCKS of salt when anyone suggests something from Atari is "on the horizon". (The "event horizon" of a black hole, perhaps... :) The TT has been "on the horizon" since '87, at least. -- "The goons are riding motorcycles, but WE'VE | (Steve) rehrauer@apollo.hp.com got a whole big metal car! This will be like | The Apollo Systems Division of stepping on ants..." -- Freelance Police | Hewlett-Packard
buggs@cup.portal.com (William Edward JuneJr) (12/01/90)
Didn' Kuma have several versions of tranputer cards MANY years ago? Ed June
gl8f@astsun.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) (12/02/90)
In article <4e5299e0.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> rehrauer@apollo.HP.COM (Steve Rehrauer) writes: >This isn't intended as a flame, but I'd swear I heard of a rumorware >ST transputer hang-on as long ago as 1987. Kuma brought out such a gadget, and there were various magazine reviews about it and netters who discussed it. That's a bit more than a rumor. Probably didn't sell that many, though, as the Transputer isn't that impressive, IMHO.
Roger.Sheppard@bbs.actrix.gen.nz (12/02/90)
In article <1990Nov30.120037.24132@warwick.ac.uk> csual@warwick.ac.uk (Jas) writes: > > I recently posted an article regarding a proposed transputer add-on for the > ST, and asked if anyone wanted further details. Enough people have replied for > me to post the rest, so here it is. > Before I start though, I want to stress that this add-on DOES NOT yet exist, > and may never do, it could just be vapourware but I'm going to pass it on > anyway as it sounds pretty interesting. All this info comes from the Dec.1990 > issue of ST Format. > > Atari are supposedly working on an ST-based transputer workstation "at a > price observers believe is simply astonishing". Full tech.spec. is a long way > off, but it is likely to attach by the DMA socket and enable the ST to run at > 15-20 MIPS, compared to the ST's 1 MIPS. > The price is supposed to be about 300-400 pounds, making it an incredibly > attractive sounding graphics workstation. > It is NOT just a rehashed ATW, it is a completely separate project. > Andy Leaning of Silica (major U.K. ST dealers) is quoted as saying that the > unit is "bobbing around on the horizon", but "nothing official". > > That's about the face of it - if you want to read it with a pinch of > salt, that's probably a good idea, but it does sound VERY interesting. And > they are talking about a summer 1991 release... This was done some time back by a company called Triangle if i remember, and you could add extra Inmos T800, to get more mips but you still get the limmited ST's screen resolutions, if it was worth while the othere add on would still be here, i do have a Magazine with the Triangle unit in, plus i think a review, will post if wanted.. -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand...