Miscellaneous bits and pieces
Due to not having enough space at home, I'm sticking a most of my earlier computers and things that are quite interesting in my loft space.
Since they won't be seen for a while, I decided I'll take some photos of some of the more obscure items in the collection:
Network computers
The Surfboard
This is one that very few people would have seen.
Specifications:
| Manufacturer: | I'm not allowed to give details out! |
| CPU: | ARM7500FE, 48 to 64MHz |
| OS: | RISC OS 3.6 |
| Browser: | Browse |
| RAM: | 4M on-board 72-pin DIMM 128K battery backed up RAM drive |
| Other features: | Single +5v supply On-board modem SCART output cable Integrated keyboard (designed for use on lap, rather than as STB) |
I believe that about 100 of these were made; I have two of them (one of them I removed all the modem chips from it to see how much current it consumed (0.3A). The modem circuitry is to the left, and the CPU to the right.
NCOS upgrade
Bit of an odd inclusion here - it's a PCMCIA card that was used to upgrade NCOS 1.03 to 1.06 in the Acorn NC
DEC Shark (I think that's what they're called)
DEC were going to make these, but when they got split into Intel and Compaq, the project was dropped, and these were given away. I ended up with 4 of them, with two going to a couple of friends of mine.
Specifications:
| Manufacturer: | DEC |
| CPU: | StrongARM 202MHz (from memory) |
| OS: | None supplied (we used NetBSD) |
| Browser: | None supplied |
| RAM: | PC100 memory |
| Other features: | Single +5v supply On-board network card PS/2 keyboard & mouse Can put hard drive in PCI slots (although not the normal standard!) PCMCIA slot |
In case you're wondering what the red and black leads are for, I had a hard drive in mine and it was prone to overheating, so I stuck a fan to cool it down.
Netstation
If you know anything about Acorn, then this is what you would normally associate with their Network Computer. I've got a few of these, but these two are a bit more special than most - they've got network cards in.
| Manufacturer: | Acorn / NetProducts |
| CPU: | ARM7500FE, 48MHz (I think) |
| OS: | NCOS |
| Browser: | NCFresco |
| RAM: | 72-pin DIMM |
| Other features: | Single +12v supply Removeable connectivity card (Modem and Ethernet options were available) Composite video and DB-15 |
Proton NC
This was architectually similar to the Acorn Netstation (used the same reference design), but the connectivity cards were different.
| Manufacturer: | Proton |
| CPU: | ARM7500FE, unknown speed |
| OS: | NCOS |
| Browser: | Either Oregano or NCFresco |
| RAM: | I cannot remember |
| Other features: | Single +12v supply Removeable connectivity card (Modem and Ethernet options were available) Composite video, S-Video and DB-15 Bad spelling on case |
Miscellaneous
NetProducts NC keyboard
This is an OEM unit that was re-badged by NetProducts. It's an infra-red keyboard and trackball. Unfortunately, I've lost the receiver.
Netstation modem card
Most Netstaions will have one of these.
ARM250 chip (and case)
This probably shouldn't be here, but it's better than nowhere!
The ARM250 was used in most A3010, A3020 and A4000 machines. It has a combined ARM2, VIDC, MEMC and IOD. Note that the release of this device was late, and Acorn was forced to create a mezzanine board with the 4 chips on for early machines.
I got two of these for a project at University (and soldered by hand). Unfortunately, one got destroyed in a "got 5v and 12v confused" accident (two weeks before the project was due to be handed in), and this one has been bashed around a bit.
Someone asked for the chip number, so I thought I'd take a photo of it. It was in the original case the GPS sent me, so I thought it would be nice to include that too.
