The ACS8600 familyThe new 16-bit micro system.

Another first from Altos...Minicomputer performance at a

microcomputer price.

Why you should considerthe ACS8600 family.

More power.The ACS8600 familyis designed to perform larger. morecomplex tasks for more users. Largerword size allows the use of moreoowerful instructions and directddressing of more memory. This

means the system requires fewerinstructions and fewer computercycles to accomplish the same job. Italso means that it can handle complex mathematical problems. largedata base searches and other demanding applications in far less time.

Serving more users. Altos haspioneered the development of microcomputer-based multi-user systems.Our 8-bit ACS8000 series systemscan perform a wide range of tasksfor up to four users. As more usersare added to the system and thetasks become more complex, a 16-bitcomputer may be required.

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More powerful processing capability.bigger memory, and special memorymanagement of the ACS8600 familyextend multi-user capabilities. Up toeight users are served without longwaits for service.

808616-bit multi-user features atan 8-bit system price.• Multiple Processors.• Direct Addressing to One Megabyte

of Memory.• Error Correction On Memory.• Proprietary Memory Management

Design.• Full Communications Support• Integrated Winchester/Floppy

Data Storage.

• Multibus Expansion Interface.• Up to 1 MByte of 64 KByte MOS

RAM Memory Chips.Powerful 16-bit processors. The

CPU is the proven 8086 16-bit HMOSmicroprocessor. The CPU operates attwice the clock speed of the Z8O—afast 8 MHz. It can directly addressone megabyte of memory. It usesassembly language compatible withthe 8080/8085. It performs 8- and16-bit signed and unsigned arithmetic in binary or decimal, includingmultiply and divide.

Multiple processors. The ACS8600family uses more than one processor.While the 8086 serves as the masterCPU, other ‘slave” processors arededicated to special tasks. Forexample, a second processor handlesdirect memory access (DMA). Anoptional math processor handlesmath functions. While each processoris optimized for specific tasks, they

8 Users

milim Networking

Software

8O864~\ RAM:cpu:

lZ8Kb-iMb

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Floppy Disks:lMb-2MbMag Tape:17Mb

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Winchester Disk:lOMb-8OMb

work together to share the workloadfor faster execution and response time.

Error correction. While even manymid-sized minicomputer memorieslack Error Correction Code (ECC), theACS8600 family improves operationalreliability with its own ECC.Thememory has full error detection forsingle and double bit errors andcorrection of single bit errors. Thisreduces system errors that can lockup a system, because memorycontents have changed.

Unique memory management. TheACS8600 family uses a proprietarymemory management system. Itsubdivides up to one megabyte ofmemory into 4 KByte blocks. Itassigns a logical-to-physical addresstranslation and various access attributes to each block so that noncontiguous physical memory canbe assigned to any given task. Thiscapability reduces the need to swapusers or tasks out to disk. The resultis that data base sorting and othertasks requiring large memory areperformed faster. The system alsoprovides write and access protectionto increase reliability andperformance.

Full communications support. TheACS8600 family supports asynchronous and synchronous protocols,provides networking facilities, and ahigh speed (800 KBits) communications port.

Integral data storage. The systemaccommodates 8-inch floppy disks(double density, single or doublesided) as well as 8-inch Winchesterhard disk drives for large capacitystorage, I/O and backup. We’veintegrated our proprietary single

board computer and disk drive controller with Winchester disks to giveyou a powerful system that canhandle big data bases and serve fouror more users. The faster speed andbigger capacity of Winchester allowsyou to take full advantage of highCPU speed.

Eight-inch Winchester hard disksystems. Our multi-user eight-inchhard disk systems give you from 128KBytes up to a full megabyte ofRAM memory and ten megabytes ofultra-reliable storage on Winchesterhard disks with a choice of floppy(single or double-sided) or magnetictape cartridge.

In addition, you can use up to two8-inch Winchester hard disks todouble your capacity.

Magnetic tape cartridge back-up.Many users like transportable magtape to provide back-up copies fromthe hard disk. It’s low-cost insurancefor important files. Altos gives youmag tape back-up with an8-inch Winchester. Oryou can add tape

Z80MP/MCP/M®OASIS

later with our MTU-1—a stand-alonemagnetic tape cartridge back-up thatcan be added to any Altos hard disksystem. All mag tape systemsinclude complete mag tape back-upsoftware.

Additional storage. If you needmore data storage. you can plug inone of three add-on storage modules—8-inch Winchester/mag tapecartridge, 8-inch Winchester/floppy,or mag tape cartridge/floppy. If youneed still more, you can add aMultibus compatible expansionenclosure that permits interface to aStorage Module Drive (SMD) of up to300 MBytes, or a 9-track tape forunlimited archival storage.

Multibus”' expansion interface. ThLMultibus compatible expansion portalso allows expansion beyond standard peripherals to tailor the systemto special requirements. For example,the user can add array processors,A-to-D or D-to-A converters, IEEE-488 bus interface, digitizer or digitalrelay boards.

Memory expansion. The basicACS8600 family configuration includes128 KBytes of RAM. Memory isexpandable in 128 KByte incrementsto one megabyte.

Software. Although the ACS8600family uses a 16-bit processor, it usessoftware compatible with the Z80.Most 8-bit application packages canbe recompiled to run on the 16-bitconfiguration. The popularity of the8086 processor has encouraged thedevelopment of more advanced operating systems, languages and application programs that make full use of

faster speed and longerword length.

8086MP/M-86CP/M-86OASIS- 86

XENIX” (UNIX”)

DiskDrives

DisketteDrives

Multibus CompatibleExpansion

Multi-Processor Organization

ACS8600 System

Central Processors8086, 8087, 8089

a

.

RandomAccess

Memory

ThpeDrives

‘Terminals

PrintersNetwork

Bootstrap Memory(Shadow Overlay)

— — — — — — — — — —

High SpeedLine Printer

Altos SoftwareCompatibility

CPU—Intel 808616-bit Multi-user 16-bit systemsH MOS Microprocessor

• Direct addressing capability to1 MByte of memory

• Assembly language compatiblewith 8080/8085

• 8- and 16-bit signed and unsignedarithmetic in binary or decimal,including multiply and divide

• 8 MHz clock rate

Unique Altos DesignCharacteristics

• Multiple processor strategy:—8086 CPU—8087 (Optional) Floating Point

Math Processor (5 MHz only)—8089 DMA-I/O Processor for

rapid movement of large datablocks

• Supports up to 8 terminals• ECC—Error Correction Code

—Single bit correction—Double bit detection—Accomplished via LSI circuitry—Self diagnostics capability

• Proprietary Memory ManagementDesign—Memory mapping in 4 KByte

blocks—Write protection—Access protection

• Full communications support—Asynchronous (Async)— Synchronous (Bisync)—Networking—High speed (800 KBits)

Communications Ports

Multibus CompatibleExpansion Port

• Array processors• AID, D/A• Thpe interface (9 track)• Hard disk controllers

(SMD interface included)• Bubble memory• IEEE-488 bus interface• Digitizer• Digital relay boards

Floppy Disk Hard DiskModel ACS8600-15 ACS8600-1O FamilyCPU 8086 (8 MHz) 8086 (8 MHz)RAM Memory 128 KByte-i Mbyte 128 KByte-i MByteUsers 1-8 1-8Floppy controller

density Double DoubleFloppy drive type Single/Double Sided Single/Double SidedI/O ports

Serial 2-12 2-12Parallel 24 Programmable Lines 24 Programmable Lines

Number of drivesWinchester (upgradable to up to Up to 2 hard disk drives

2 hard disk drives)Floppy 2 1-2

ibtal storageWinchester (upgradable to 10 MBytes-8O MBytes

10 MBytes-80 MBytes)Floppy 1 MByte-2 MBytes 1 MByte-2 MBytes

NOTE: Stand-alone magnetic tape cartridge back-up can be added to any hard disk basedsystem (Model MTU-1).Winchester disk capacities are specified unformatted.

MP M and MP M 86 are trademarks of DigitalResearch. Inc.

•cp M is a registered trademark of Digital Research. Inc.•OASIS and OASIS 86 are products of Phase One. Inc.

Z80 is a trademark of Zilog. Inc.8086. 8087 and 8089 are products of Intel corporation.

‘Multibus is a trademark of Intel corporation.XENIX is a trademark of Microsoft and is a microcomputerimplementation of UNIX~ a trademark of Bell Laboratories.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS2360 Bering Drive San Jose, California 95131(408) 946-6700 Telex: 171562 ALTOS SNJ

East Coast Sales Office: (201) 228-5748

1981 Altos computer Systems Printed in U.S.A. 4 81 047-1-25