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PDF Digital Design V12 N07 198507

A MORGAN-GRAMPIAN PUBLICATION

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VOL. 12 NO. 7

The new SILENTf'sc:FllBE'" Quietly going
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ANADEX, INC. · 9825 De Soto Avenue · Chatsworth , California 91311 , U.S.A. · Telephone: (213) 998-8010 · TWX 910-494-2761 U.S. SALES OFFICES: San Jose, CA (408) 248-3933 · Irvine, CA (714) 557 0457 ·Wakefield , MA (617) 245-9160 ·Austin , TX (512) 327·5250 ANADEX, LTD.· Weaver House, Station Road · Hook, Basingstoke, Hants RG27 9JY, England · Tel : Hook (025672) 3401 · Telex : 858762 ANADEX G

printers from Anadex:. ) about your business.

Now and then the clamor associated with

To select a Silent/Scribe printer for your

today's business can shake even the most specific needs and wallet is easy. They come

unshakable of office routines.

with a variety of printing speeds, fonts and

Enter Silent/Scribe. The quiet, almost

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and enhanced quality copy; so you can print

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from Anadex - designed to raise your printer expectations while lowering the office

out your engineering reports, complete with charts and graphs.

noise level.

Regardless of which Silent/Scribe model

How quiet is "silent"? We've designed the Silent/Scribe series to operate at less than 55dBA at a distance of three feet. This means that from across the room in the average office you may have to look at it to tell whether it's printing.

you select, certain underlying features and a value-engineering point of view extend throughout the entire product line. The results? Standard dot-addressable graphics; sophisticated communications controls and protocols; flexible and easy-to-use operator controls; quick-change continuous loop

SILENT/SCRIBE MODELS

ribbon cartridge; and universal interfaces that

Standard Features

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work with virtually any minicomputer or system.
For full details on how Silent/Scribe can

Printing Speed 10 (Char. per Sec.) 12

150 150 120 120 200

180 180

120

fit your application - quietly - contact Anadex today. You'll find the units attrac-

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tively packaged, quality engineered, modestly priced, and available now.

16.4

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Enhanced 10

100

Expanded Print

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

(Double Width)

Dot Addressable Graphics (Dot/In. , HIV) 60172 60172 75172 75172 72172

Max. Line Width (In .) 8.0 13.2 8.0 13.2 13.2

Audible Alarm

Opt. Opt. Opt. Opt. Yes

Out-of-Paper Sense

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Ribbon, Continuous Loop Cartridge (Yds) 30 30 30 30 30

Interfacing: Parallel Cent. Comp. RS-232-C Serial

I Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

FOR THE WORLD

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JULY 1982 VOL. 12, NO. 7

Digital Design

COMPUTERS /SYSTEMS
CP/M-86 Versus MS-DOS ..................................................... 52
The tradeoffs bet wee n two po pular operating systems are analyzed .
SIGGRAPH '82 Highlights .................................................... 62
This year's progra m offe rs something for everyone interested in co mput er graphics .
Graphic Based Applications-Tools To Fill The Software Gap ................................................................. 66
Creating graphics a pplicati o n programs is eas ier than eve r with new softwa re tools.
Market Trends ........................................................................ 17
New Directions in US Teleco m Po wer Market· Intellige nt Videodi sk Sys tems Fuel Growth In CAI Markets · Small Systems Pac kaged Softwa re Market to Hit $6.3 Billion by 1986.
Compat Design ..................................................................... 82
Array Processo r For PDP- I I · RA M Board for STD Bu s · I Mby te RAM fo r Prime Computers.
PERIPHERALS
Showcase: Color Raster Display Terminals ...................... 28
100mm 5-Mbyte Winchester Solves Back Up Problems..... 56
T his 3.9" removable Winchester di sk dri ve is the first in a new ge neratio n of sub-micro Winchester drives.
Innovative Design ................................................................. 80
Voice Res ponse Unit Speaks IEEE 488 Bus Data · 3D Measure ment Terminal.

COMPONENTS

Single Board Computers: Time and Money Savers For Some Unusual Applications ......................................... 42
In thousands of a pplicatio ns SBC's provide quick turnaro und time fo r less mo ney .

Page 42

Systems Approach To Off-The-Shelf Hardware Cuts Design Costs ................................................................ 78

Cover

The choice between custom o r catalog is di sc ussed .

Signifyi ng a new round in the ballle for mass storage supremacy, SyQuest's new 3.9" removable Winchester is aimed square-

Technology Trends ................................................................ 16
First Lithium Pa per Batteries Feature High Ca pacit y.

ly at the burgeoning desk-top computer

market (story on page 56; cover courtesy of Applications Notebook ......................................................... 23

Sy Quest Technology).

A Sim ple Programmer For The 8748.

Published monthly and copyrigh t© 1982 by Morgan-Grampian Publishing Company, 1050 Commonwealt h Avenu e, Boston, MA 022 15. Second class postage paid at Boston , MA and addit ional mailing offices. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Morgan-Grampian Publishing Company , 1050 Commonwealth Avenu e, Boston, MA 022 15

Letters .................................10 Calendar .............................1O News Update ......................12 Product lndex.....................88

New Products.....................84 New Literature ...................99 Advertisers' Index ...........100

ninit"I nP.,::inn · . l11lv HIA::>

THE SIMPLE SOLUTION FROM RETICON
No matter how you look at it. you need an interface board if your Reticon camera and Multibus® or 0-Bus®based computer are to work together. You can design your own board, but that's going to cost much more than ifyou bought it from Reticon. And it's going to tie up your engineers for months. Is the solution worth that much to you7
The fact is, you don't have to design it yourself. Reticon has the boards you need at a price that won't break your
budget. Our RSB6020 board is designed for the Multi-
bus~ Our RSB6320 board works with the LSl-ll@l One of
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to complex problems. We use standard, proven hardware to make products that do the job right. And that makes the job easier for you.
You tQ/e two choices. Why not choose Reticon 7
Contact m onJDllf' needs: Chicago (3121 640-7713;
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Write 28 on Reader Inquiry Card 6

Digital Design

Publisher

Jeffrey C. Hoopes

Editor

Paul Snigier

Managing Editor

Bob Hirshon

Senior Technical Editor

Dave Wilson

West Coast Technical Editor

Bill Groves
(408) 371 -9620

East Coast Technical Editor

Nicolas Mokhoff
(212) 340-9700

New Products & Directory Editor

Martha Hawkins

Editorial Assistant Mary Rose Hanrahan

International Electronics Editor

Ron Neale

International Computers Editor

Eric Wignall

Publication Services Manager

Charlotte King

Production Managers Jon Buchbinder Erik W. Slickman

Art Director

Richard D. Sarno

Assistant Art Director

Tilly Berenson

Production/Graphics Mary-Jo Borkoski Judy Bielicki , Joan Scheffler, Vete Saulenas, Don Schaff

Promotion Manager

Elaine Bull

Research

Helen Obermayer

Classified Manager

William Pryor

Circulation Elizabeth Mahon-Laidlaw, Mgr Sarah Binder, Regina Harrington , Lynda Neue

General Administration Karen Melanson . Mal Rankin , Linda Davis,
Cassandra Ewing , Susan Joy Sager

Group Publishing Director Albert J_Forman

Advertising Sales

Northeast: John Moon (617) 232-5470, 1050 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Middle Atlantic/Southeast: Ben Rowe (212) 340-9700, Morgan-Grampian Publishing, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Midwest: Hank Bean (312) 346-4611, Morgan-Grampian Publishing , 2 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606
South Central: Jerry Ambroze (713) 7803326, Ambroze and Associates, 2186 Augusta, Houston , TX 77057
Northwest: Dwight L. Schwab, Jr. (408) 371-9620, 1901 S. Bascom , Suite 1005, Campbell, CA 95008
Southwest: Lindy Dolan (213) 981-3300, 15910 Ventura Boulevard , Suite 1215, Encino, CA 91436

Japan: K. Yanagihara (03) 350-0272, 10-10

Shinjuka 3-chome, Shinjuku-ku , Tokyo 160,

Japan Cable Address : Yanacour Tokyo.

ISSN 0147-9245

Morgan-Grampian Publishing Company,

1050 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA

02215. Second class postage paid at Bos-

ton , MA and additional mailing offices.

Digital Design · July 1982

Smart GraphicsTM G-100
We Have OnlyJust Begun.

The G-100 Graphics Terminal is only

GRAPHICS

OTHER FEATURES

the beginning of a family of Computer/ Graphics products from Modgraph. The Modgraph G-100 is a dual purpose expandable computer terminal. High resolution graphics, 8085 processor 144K RAM, independent high speed alphanumeric overlay, and a wide range of performance characteristics unmatched in the graphics industry.
We call it Smart GraphicsTM. And with good reason. It gives you powerful graphics, multi-page alphanumerics, and more for under $3,000.

As a graphics tool the G-100 is a smart choice; two full pages of 768 x 585 viewable resolution, circle, rectangle, vectors, pattern draw, and of course Plot-10® compatibility.
ALPHANUMERICS
The independent alphanumeric plane allows alphanumeric overlay without overwriting graphics. Length and number of lines are programmable from 41 to 96 characters per line and from 1 to 46 lines per page. Scrollable page memory, split screen, ANSI X3.64

· CP/M Capability · 15" P-39 Green Phosphor Screen · Optional Disk Drive · Special Function Keys
To fully appreciate the Modgraph G-100 you have to see it in action. Drop us a line, or give us a call. We'll arrange for a demonstration and show you how powerful graphics can be yours. With Smart GraphicsTM.
® Plot-10 Trademark Tekt ronix Vf· lOO Trademark Digital Equip. Corp.

and VT-100® compatibility. All

designed to help you work smarter,

not harder.

1393 Main Street Waltham, MA 02154 (617) 890-5764 Write 19 on Reader Inquiry Card

DaVinci would havetraded -allhis notebooks
for this newAED767graphics terniinal.

Today, Leonardo da Vinci's note-

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books are priceless objets d'art. They Milan, used the casting bronze for

memory. Plus a refresh rate, adjustable

also contain many unique engineering canons in a war against France.

from tv standard to flicker-free 45 Hz.

AED 767's unique concepts, like the

But what took Leonardo many

antl·allaslng feature one shown above of years to devise could have been

The AED767 gives you smoother drawings than any CAD station on

the iron framework achieved in mere hours with the help the market-and at lower cost. So be

he designed to rein- of AED's new 767 color graphics and a latter-day 'da Vinci' and use the

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Cavallo', the horse. this new CAD machine has the kind of Advanced Electronics Design, Inc.,

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worked periodically from AED. Features like built-in anti- CA 94086. Phone 408-733-3555 on 'Il Cavallo' for aliasing (which virtually eliminates jag- Telex 357-498. Outside California,

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ged lines common to raster-generated Hawaii .and Alaska call 800-538-1730.

vectors). lK xlK x 8 virtual address

All images shown taken from screen of AED767.

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Up-to-256 simultaneous colors from a

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DESIGN, INC.

Visit Us at SIGGRAPH, Booth 2508 Write 5 on Reader Inquiry Card Sponsors of the U.S. Pavilion, 1982 Worlds Fair

Sales Offices: LA 213-907·8811/Detroit 313·352·4290/New Jersey 201-238-6322/Boston 617-256-1700/Washington, D.C. 301-760-4310

Digital Design
EDITORIAL, SALES, AND CIRCULATION OFFICES Digital Design 1050 Commonwealth Avenue
..,...,. Boston,MA 02215
Telephone: (617) 232-5470
MORGAN-GRAMPIAN
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS Morgan-Grampian Publishing Company, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. (212) 340-9700. Domenic A . Mucchett i, President.

The Hecon with the Hopper.
lfl~co_N__], ·... ..._ll,..____

EXPOSITIONS GROUP
W Morgan-Grampian Expositions Group, 2 Park
Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (212) 340-9700.
Robert Poggi, Director.

Morgan-Grampian publishes the following

in the United States: American City &

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County · Circuits Manufacturing · Contractor· Design Engineering · Electronics Test · Industrial Distribution · Industrial

Product Bulletin· Mart· Municipal Index.

New Publication Development H.G. Buchbinder, Director

Morgan-Grampian also publishes the following i n the United K i n gdom : Electronic Engin eering · Cont rol & In strumen tation · Electronic Times ·What's N ew in Elect ronics · What's N ew in Computer s.
~ADP WBPA

SUBSCRIPTION POLICY

The Hecon A0542 impact dot matrix ticket printer with hopper feed . Load up to 75 tickets in the easily accessible hopper. When you are ready to print, the A0542 automatically feeds, prints and transports the ticket for removal. You can even reinsert a ticket for additional printing thru the unique reprint feed slot.
The highly visible Time and Date feature is standard and can be printed with a single command.
The A0542 can print the 96 character ASCII set bidirectionally at 120 characters per second . The standard print head is rated at 200 Million characters minimum for long, dependable service.

DIGITAL DESIGN is circulated only to qualified research ,development and design engineers and engineering managers primarily responsible for computer products and systems in OEM plants. To obtain a complimentary subscription, request (on company letterhead) a qualification card from Circulation Director. For change of address, attach old address label from recent issue to new company letterhead or note. Send this plus request for new qualification card to:

H I N®j It's got to be good. It's a Hecon.

HE CO

Hecon Corporation. 31 Park Road, Tinton Falls. NJ 07724 · (201) 542-9200

Write 30 on Reader Inquiry Card

Circulation Department DIGITAL DESIGN
1050 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215

Ten us your thoughts Digital Design is your forum - your inputs

Subscription rates : non-qu alified subscribers (US

help keep the magazine

and Canada ) - $35/yr; qualified/non-qualified foreign - surface mail - $45; air mail - $70. Single copies - $4.

interesting and vital to the design community . So let us know how we 're doing and how we can serve you better in the future. We want to know what you like or dislike about Digital

DIGITAL DESIGN solicits editorial material and artic les from engineers and scient ists. Contributors should submit duplicate manuscripts

Design, the subjects you 'd like to see us address, how you feel about the problems you face every day as design professionals.

typed with two spaces between lines. All illustra-

If you have thoughts your peers should know about, put them in a letter in

tions should be clear ; components on al l schematics and line drawings should be labled. The editors assume no responsibility fort he safe-

Digital Design. Have your say in your magazine! Send letters and comments to : Editor, Digital Design; 1050 Commonwealth Ave ., Boston, MA 02215.

ty or return of any unsol icited manuscripts.

Digital Design· Ju ly 1982

Letters

Calendar

Conditioning Devices

August 2-4

August 21-27

Dear Editor: John Waterman, Jr. made some good points in his April article on selection of power conditioning devices for computers. I particula rly concur with his advice to use instrume nta tion to find out what type of power problems exist before making a selection.
Perhaps shortness of hi s a rticle prevented mentioning the importance of determining whether disturbances come from the line or are load-induced . Interaction between load current and power source impedance can be a significant source of unwanted line voltage changes, wave distortion,

Cryptography and Data Security. Pal o Alto , CA . A lso in Los Angeles. CA November 3-5. Co nt act: Hellman Assoc .. 299 Ca liforni a Ave. Palo Alto. CA 94306; 415328-409 1.
August 9-13
AOS System Programming. cw York . NY . Co nt act : Kath y Hamso n. Data Genera l. 4400 Compute r Dr. Westboro. MA 01580: 617-485-7270.
August 9-13
Spread Spectrum Communications System. Washingto n. DC. Provid es participants with a better understanding of the co ncept s and app licat ions of spread spectru m syste ms. Cont act: Co ntinuing E ngineering Ed uca tion Program. Geo rge Washington Uni versity. Washingto n. DC 20052 : 202-676-6 106.

15th International Congress on High Speed Photography and Photonics. San Di ego, CA. Cont act : SP IE. PO Box 10 , Bellin gham , WA 98227: 206-676-3290.
August 22-24
Advances in Impactless Printing. Ca rm e l, CA. Co nt act: Inst itut e for Graphi cs Communication , 375 Co mmo nwea lth Ave , Boston. MA 02215; 6 17-267-9425.
August 23-25
Mobile Communications Engineering. Washington , DC. Provides a better understanding of th e co nce pt s, appli catio ns a nd techniques of mobi le co mmuni ca tions. Co nt act : Co ntinuin g E ngin ee rin g Educati o n Progra m , George Washin gto n Unive rsit y, Washington . DC 20052: 202-6766 106.
August 23-25

transient disturbances and noise.

Solid State Electronics for Non Electrical

Some powe r conditioning de-

August 15-17

Engineers. San Fra ncisco. CA . Con tact:

vices have a re latively high internal impeda nce compared with a typical utility power so urce . When computer loads have high

Interactive Integration of Text and Pictures. Andover. MA . Co nt act: In st itut e fo r Graphic Co mmunicat io n. 375 Commo nwea lth Ave, Boston. MA 022 15: 6 17267-9425.

The Ce nter fo r Professio nal Advancement, Dept. N R. PO Box H , E. Brunswick. NJ 088 16: 20 1-249- 1400.
August 23-25

...

harmonic current content or large

Computer Vision: Representation and

peak values, the additiona l source impedance increases rather than

August 15-19
ASME Second International Computer

Control. Rindge, NH . Contact: R. Haralick. YPI & SU , Dept. of E lectrica l E ngr., Blacksburg. VA 24601: 703-96 1-6819 .

decreases th e magnitude of loadinduced line voltage di stortion s and di sturbances.
I have seen marginally operating syste ms becom e much worse

E ngineeri ng Conference and Show. San Diego. CA. Co nt act: Irwin Berman . Foster Wheeler Developmen t Corp.. 12 Peac h Tree Hill Rd.. Livingston. NJ 07039.

August 23-26
Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineering. NJ. Co nt act: T he Ce nte r for Professio na l Advancement. Dept. NR, PO Box H . E. Brunswick. NJ 08816; 20 1-249- 1400.

or completely inopera tive afte r insta ll ation of a poor cho ice of power conditioner. There was nothing wrong with the conditioner. It was merely the wrong type or the wrong KVA size for the application.
Source impedance and load-in-

August 16-18
Encapsulation of Electronic Devices & Components; Interconnection Wiring and Cabling; a nd Modern Industrial Transformer Practice. All three co urses he ld in NJ. Co nt act: The Ce nte r fo r Professio na l Advancement, Dep t. NR. PO Box H . E. Brunswick . J 088 16; 20 1-249- 1400.

August 24-25
lndycon '82. Indi anapo li s. IN . A mi croco mput e r and e lectro ni c co mpo ne nt s co nference with technical papers a nd ex hibit s. Co nt act: F . Schec hte r . Show Manager, 8326 T race C ircl e. Indi anapo lis, I 46260; 3 17-875-77 11.
August 24-27

duced disturbance magnitude can often be reduced by selecting a conditioner with a larger KVA capacity. Howeve r, this increases cost of the conditioner and e ne rgy losses durin g its use ful life .

August 16-20
INFOS II Data Structures Under AOS. New Yo rk. NY . Co ntact : Kath y Ha mso n . Data General. 4400 Computer Dr. Westboro , MA 01580; 617-485-7270 .

1982 International Conference on Parallel Processing. Bell aire. Ml. Co nt act: Dr. Tsc-yun Feng. De pt. of Co mput e r a nd Info rm ati o n Scie nce. T he Ohio State Universit y. 2036 ci l Ave . Mall , Co lumbus. O H 432!0: 6 14-422- 1408.

Choosing the type and capacity of

August 17-19

August 30-Sept 1

a power conditioner often requires ex perie nced judge ment

Computerized Pictorial Typesetting. Andover. MA. Co nt act: In stitut e for G rap hi c

Robotics. NJ. Co nt act : The Ce nt er for Prufi;,~iom1I Advancement . Dept. NR ,

and compromise when choosing between technical and economic

Co mmuni cat io n . 375 Co mm o nwea lth Ave . Boston. MA 02215: 6 17-267-9425.

PO Box H . E. Brunswick. J 088 16; 20 1249- 1400 .

considerations .

August 19-21

August 30-Sept 3

John F. Kalbach

Internepcon/Scmiconductor International

I Ith International Symposium on Math-

920 A lta Pine Drive Altadena, CA 91001

Exposition. Singapore. E lectro ni c packagin g a nd production eq uipm e nt. tools. ha rdware materi als and test instrum e nt s.

ematical Foundations of Computer Science-MFCS '82. G dansk. Po la nd . Co ntact: Witold Lipski. Jr .. MFCS '82.

Co nt act : Ca hnc rs. Expositi on Group. 222

Institut e of Co mput er Science , Po li sh

W. Adams St. Chicago. IL 60606: 3 12-

Acade my of Sciences , PO Box 22 . 00-901

263-4866 .

Warsaw . PKiN. Po land .

Digital Design· July 1982

HP1000 DG Nova 4X, Eclipse, MV 8000 DEC VAX, PDP11 UNIVAC HARRIS

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News Update

Vocabulary Development Software

zon can support up to 8 terminals, each run-

Signal Technology, Santa Barbara, CA now

ning at full processor speed (4 MHz) . With

offers a speech processing software package

bank switched memory support added to

designed specifically to support the new GI

TurboDOS, the same configuration will sup-

Orator speech synthesizer chip.

port 16 users. The NET/82 slave processor

According to Dr. Larry Pfeifer, Signal

gives each user his own Z80A , 64K bytes of

Technology's vice president , the new soft-

RAM and 1/0 facilities.

ware package permits users to perform vocabulary generation in -house.
The package is composed of a subset of Signal Technology's ILS signal processing package . It contains tools for speech labeling , waveform editing and display , speech analysis and synthesis, formant tracking, digital filtering and spectral analysis.
Intel And Burroughs Enter Into IC Agreement

Computer Memories Signs $4M Pact For 5114" Drives
Computer Memories has signed an agreement with Dynabyte Corporation which will represe nt more than $4M over a 2-year period. The contract calls for shipment of Computer Memories' 12 and 19 Mbyte SY.+'' Winchester disk drives. Dynabyte will incorporate the drives into their Series 5505 , 5605, and 5710 business computers which are

Intel Corp and Burroughs Corp have entered

marketed by a worldwide network of distrib-

into an agreement under which Intel's silicon

utors and dealers.

foundry will become Burroughs' high-volume manufacturing source for proprietary

Seagate Technology 105% Guarantee

MOS ICs. Under the agreement, Burroughs

Seagate Technology has guaranteed that ev-

will design , prototype, assemble and test the proprietary circuits; Intel will sell silicon wa-

ery Seagate disk drive will pass incoming inspection or the customer will receive a 5%

fers to Burroughs through its silicon foundry.

rebate on the failed disk drive. Seagate is

The agreement is a result of a previous Bur-

providing to qualified customers, a compre-

roughs decision to discontinue high-volume

hensive incoming test program that includes

wafer manufacturing and concentrate on de-

a disk test system, on-site training for cus-

sign and prototype fabrication. Intel will be-

tomer QA personnel , system certification ev-

gin supplying wafers to Burroughs durin g

ery ninety days, and a " gold standard" refer-

1982 for circuits already designed by Bur-

ence drive. The guarantee is availab le , under

roughs. Also under the agreement, Intel will

written contract, to volume purchasers of

provide technical information to allow Bur-

Seagate disk drives. To qualify , the customer

roughs to design circuits compatible with ln-

must purchase a minimum of 500 drives per

te l's advanced HMOS and CHMOS

year for US delivery , and install Seagate's in-

processes.

coming test program.

North Star Computers Can Convert to

California Devices And Telmos Form

Multi-processor, Multi-terminal Systems

Cross-Licensing Pact

MuSYS Corporation, Tustin , CA, has announced the availability of a new CP/M compatible operating system and slave processors that convert single-user North Star Horizon computers to multi-processo r, multi-terminal systems. The new operating system is enhanced TurboDOS , a CP/M compatible system being distributed by MuSYS Corporation under license from Software 2000. Most application software written for CP/M2.x can be run on TurboDOS. With TurboDOS and MuSYS NET/82 S-100 slave processo rs, the North Star Hori-

California Devices, San Jose, CA , and Telmos , Santa Clara, CA , have announced completion of a cross-licensing agreement under which Telmos receives manufacturing rights to CD I's HC Series silicon gate CMOS gate arrays and COi acquires similar rights to the Telmos TM6000 Series of linear/digital silicon CMOS arrays. Also second-sourced by American Microsystems and LSI Logic, the HC Series digital arrays range in size from 300 to 1780 gates. The devices can replace from 20 to more than 50 individual TTL or CMOS circuits. The Telrnos TM6000

Modgraph GMD
DispJ.aYGenerators ...
High Performance Graphics at an Unbeatable Price!

A tough statement backed by a unique modular approach. Buy only the capability you need.

Modular in design, configurations

are available ranging from single

board B/W graphics

to full color

image display

systems at resolu-

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512X512to
1024 x 1024.

o Interlace or Repeat Field o 128 ACll Character

x Generator
1-15 Character

a o

Magnification on Board or

Bit

Interface RS-232 Interface

Graphics memory is switchable from 30HZ interlace to 60HZ repeat field for flicker free display
at no additional cost.

To fully appreciate the Modgraph GMD Display Generator, you have to see it in action. We'll arrange for a demonstration and show you the latest in high perform-
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o compact Modular Design
D 512 X 512 to 1024 X 1024 resolution

IH1ffiiHtift 1. Modgraph, Inc., 1393 Ma;n St<eet. Waltham. MA 02154 (617) 890·5764 Write 23 on Reader Inquiry Card

News Update

Series extends the digital gate array concept

Taurus Software Launches CP +

by integrating general purpose linear CMOS

Taurus Software Corp., San Francisco. CA,

e lements on the same circuit as the digital

will sell CP +, a product that enhances Digi-

gates , permitting integration of entire analog/digital functions on the same circuit.

tal Research's popular CP/M operating sys-
tem for 8-bit µCs. CP + was conceived by

Corvus Continues Dramatic Growth

.John Simpson. President of Taurus. after he had worked in marketing and sales positions

The sa les of Corvus Systems have tripled and

for Digital Equipment Corp. and Burroughs

net income has quadrupled for the first nine

Corp. " I saw a lot of frustrated, first-time

months of the current fiscal year when com-

CP/M users confused by complex commands.

pared to the same period of the previous fis-

and addressed that frustration by creating

cal year. Sales for the nine months ending

CP+," said Simpson. "CP + eliminates the

February 27, were $17.9 M from the year-

need to learn complex commands by using

earlier $5.9 M , and net income was $1.45 M

English language commands. The result is a

from the year-earlier $347,000. During this

friendlier system that features benefits such

period , net income per share increased from

as timesharing of computer resources and in-

$0.10 to $0.19, adjusted to reflect an in-

creased productivity ,.. added Simpso n. CP +

crease in the number of outstanding shares

is available through distributors , computer

as a result of the company's public offering

store dealers and directly from Taurus for

of October, 1981.

$150.

...
SERIAL RS232-C INPUT MAP-20SAC
14

The Choice +
is Yours! Map-20 Series Miniature 20 Column APhanumericThermal Printers
All Models Feature:
· Programmable controls · Built-in self test program · Weighs only 4.2 lbs. · Quiet inkless thermal printing · Simple OEM interface · Full 96 character print set
· Complete Microprocessor compatible interface electronics with power supply

Write 33 on Reader Inquiry Card

~memodyne ~ CORPORATION
Subsidiary of Computer Products Inc. 220 Reservoir Street Needham Hgts., MA 02194 Tel. (617) 444-7000 Telex 92-2537
Digital Design· July 1982

FROm THE LEADER
Look to the leader Dataram for your DEC-compatible semiconductor add-in memory. Offering not only the broadest. most complete line of semi add-ins. but the most capable... no matter what your yardstick. Compatibility, throughput. cost. power efficiency. size.. .no matter how you measure capability. Dataram DEC-compatible semi add-ins are the clear leader.
A leadership position earned by improving on DEC's price and delivery... and then adding features available from no one else in the industry.
The chart provides a glimpse at the industry-pacesetting family of DEC-compatible semi add-ins. Circle the reader service number below or. better yet. call us today at 609-799-0071. and we'll give you a close-up look at the products that have made us the leader.
laW!fH-~I

I DEC Mini
LSI-I I® LSI-I I LSI-I I LSI-I I PDP®-11 PDP-I I PDP-I I PDP-I I PDP-I I VAX ®- I I / 750 PDP-11 /70 YAX-11 /780 DECSYSTEM 2020® PDP-8 / A

Dataram Add-In DR-I 15S DR-215S DR-113S DR-213S DR-I 14S DR-I 14SP DR-214SP DR-144S DR-244S DR-175S
DR-178S DR-120S DR-I 18S

Board Silt' dual dual quad quad hex hex hex hex hex hex

Maximum
('apacit~
64 KB 256 KB 256 KB 1.0 MB 256 KB 256 KB 1.0 MB 256 KB 4.0 MB 256 KB

extended hex extended hex quint

512 KB 512 KB 128 K x 12

D I C 1>1 CSYS I F M 2020. Pn1· a nd VI\ \ are rcg1\lcred tradem;.1r~ .. ol l> 1g.1tal I 4u1 p me nt Cnrpora110n

Dataram also provides core add-ins. core and semiconductor add-ons, memory system units, memory management, and a wide range of memory-related accessories for DEC users.

Princeton Road Cranbury. New Jersey 08512 Tel: 609-799-0071 TWX : 510-685-2542

Write 45 on Reader Inquiry Card

Technology Trends

First Lithium "Paper" Batteries Feature High Capacity

A family of flat , super-thin, " pa- Corporation that were placed on teries can be made in a variety of

per" lithium batteries available test in 1971 are still going strong shapes and sizes. The three most

from the Battery Sales Div. of today.

popular sizes are half post card,

Panasonic Industrial Corp., offi- 2. High energy density-in volu- sm<lll business card, and chewing-

cially designated as " Lithium Pa- metric efficiency, a lithium cell gum stick size, which are respec-

per Batte ries," represent a signifi- outstrips the conventional carbon- tively: 70 x 94 x 1.8 mm, 43 x

cant breakthrough in manu- zinc (Leclanche) cell five to ten 70 x l.8mm, and 20 x 70 x

.....

facturing technology of lithium times. With portable devices of all 1.8mm. Nominal shelf life for

cells. They can be made as thin as kinds growing in popularity , this each is three years at 20°C. Nomi-

0.8 mm (about 0.031") in any is important.

nal voltage is the same for all

shape that might be desired- 3. The ability to store and operate three , 3.0 Vdc. Capacity differs ,

square, rectangular , triangular , at low temperatures-since the and is , respectively: 1500, 350 and

semicircular-for portable elec- electrolyte in a lithium cell con- 80 mAh. Short circuit current is 3,

tronic equipment, and stand-by tains no water, conductivity re- 1.3 and 0.2 A. Internal resistance

memory back-up systems.

mains high even at very low is: 2, 4 and 11 ohms. Capacity was

Unlike previous "paper" batteries, these lithium units offer con-

temperatures. As for size, lithium paper bat-

measured by discharge to 2.0 Vdc
into a soon load.

siderable capacities. Thus a unit

measuring just 70 mm (2. 76") by

94 mm (3.7") by 1.8 mm (0.071")

has a capacity of 1.5 amperehour. Even a tiny "chewing gum stick" lithium paper battery mea-

suring only 20 mm (0.79") by 70

mm by 1.8 mm offers a capacity

of 80 mAh. Since these capacities

are at a nominal " lithium" voltage

of 3Vdc, the new units boast the

world 's highest energy densities.

Lithium Offers Safety
The cells are inherently safe. As the battery discharges, the original battery materials-lithium-polycarbon-monofluoride-are converted to two harmless and stable compounds: carbon and lithium fluoride . The formation of carbon within a cell lowers the internal cell resistance. Thus, voltage remains at a constant level longer.
During long-term storage, no gas generation occurs, which minimizes self-discharge and the associated loss of capacity . Capacity deterioration occurs at 0.5 % per year. Such a cell will retain about 95 % of its original capacity after ten years of storage.
Other Advantages
L. Long operating and shelf lifeno other battery systems can compete with lithium when it comes to life . In fact, at this time there is no actual test data on how long a lithium cell might " live." Certain early cells at Matsushita Electric

Figure I: Lithium batteries, manufactured in thin "sheets '" lik e this fit into small and portable units as a primary power source or for battery backup.

LOAD: 1 Mn
Temp: 20°c

(CF)n/li Mn02/li

~ 3.0
Q)
g.Qs) 2.0
1.0

--------

Discharge Voltage

/ / /
./

r-
/

Impedance

100 2

(.)
r:::

60 aQ).

40 (ij

.r.:.:.:

$ .£

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Duration (Days)

Figure 2: Graph compares characteristics of a Lil(CF) 11 cell with those of another solid-cathode cell using Mn02. One reason for a /fat characteristic of th e mono-
ftuoride cell is that its internal resistance remains constant.

Diaital Desian · Julv 1982

Market Trends

New Directions In US Telecom Power Market

Evolving market conditions are changing the once staid telecom power equipment market, with shifting user requirements and technological advances in power designs as the driving forces of change. These changes mean opportunities for some suppliers, and trouble for others. Traditional telecom power equipment suppliers must either adjust to a changing market or risk losing business, warns a new study from Northern Business Information.
New technologies-digital switching and transmission, fiber optics, satellite communicationshave been instrumental in changing end user power needs, as has the trend to large PBXs with integrated voice/data capabilities. At the same time, the incorporation of semiconductor technology in power supply design, combined with increased use of µPs for remote monitoring and control, are changing the nature of telecom power products.
By 1985, the market is expected to reach $387 million, in constant

dollars , up from $278 million in 1980. While the Bell System now dominates the market, the fastest growing segments in the future will be independent telcos and other users , including specialized common carriers, interconnects and OEMs.
The real action in the market by 1985 will be in two areas: low end DC power equipment and AC systems. The best prospects will be for small power plants, single phase rectifiers and power supplies. Strong demand for power equipment will result from a corresponding increase in demand for small digital COs and remote switching systems, lightwave (fiber optic) repeaters, digital carrier microwave systems and satellite earth stations. Demand for voice/data PBXs, key telephone systems and intelligent terminals will also buoy the market for power equipment.
The study predicts that high frequency or switchmode designs will form a substantial portion of shipments of single phase rectifi-

ers and power supplies up to 5,000 W by 1985; in addition to reduced size and weight, and higher efficiencies, switchmode designs can be produced at 2530% lower cost than low frequency equivalents. Controlled ferroresonant regulators, on the other hand, will meet high power, single and three phase specifications over the long term.
The outlook is good for DC to AC inverters and uninterruptible power systems (UPS); single and three phase units of all sizes will power an increasing number of processor-based systems and peripherals which must operate from noise-free, continuous electrical power. While telecom AC power demand will remain steady, the big money is in data processing (DP) applications. Here the best news, according to Northern, is that the market for AC systems will escalate as telecom and information processing functions merge and voice/data networks become homogeneous.
Further information on this report may be obtained from Northern Business Information at 66 West Broadway, New York , NY 10007; telephone (212) 732-0775.

Intelligent Videodisk Systems To Fuel Growth In CAI Markets

After less than spectacular growth fectively, and cost efficiently. In market.

over the past few years, the com- the personal/professional segment

The new intelligent videodisk

puter-aided instruction (CA I) of the market , special-interest po- will substantially increase the edu-

market will expand rapidly, at a tential for CAI is virtually limit- cational power of the µC based

compound annual rate of 40 % to less. Each occupation category is CAI machine, and is a promising

reach $13 billion by 1987. This in- a market ; each interest group is a catalyst for the computerized edu-

cludes the aggregate hardware

cational boom that failed to mate-

systems, software, courseware, and related services. Intelligent videodisk systems-an important

Despite the educational market's

rialize earlier. By linking µCs and videodisks, forming a system whose high-quality sound and im-

new vehicle for CAI that interfaces µCs with videodisks for interactive random-access video routines-will be a vital key to

ri.negputaatiohnardfor

besell,

ages are controlled by an interactive software routine running through the µC, engineers have developed the ideal hardware for

competition this growth, according to a new
market analysis just released by

computer learning. Unlike previous CAI systems,

keen. µC vendors Creative Strategies International
(CSI).

which are inflexible, unable to vary speed or approach to needs

According to CS!, the private are already doing
industry sector will grow the most

of the individual learner, intelligent videodisks can store effective

million. $460 rapidly. spurred by the critical

sound and color video packages

need to train workers quickly. ef-

and play them back in sequences

Digital Design· July 1982

Market Trends ·

determined by the user's responses. While the interaction has been available for years, interactive video has not.
Courseware will be the key to success in this dynamic marketplace. Although the intelligent videodisk system has removed the obstacles of system inflexibility, prohibitive pricing, and other problems that have plagued the industry , the CAI market still suffers a lack of innovative courseware that has the power to break some of the remaining acceptance barriers. The need for exciting courseware leaves open a wide market window, and imaginative courseware that combines the best of education with the best of interactive computer and video technology could turn the market upside down.
The report points to µCs as a key growth area; unit shipments of µCs will grow at a compound annual rate of 45%. Special CAI units will grow even more rapidly. Courseware revenues are expected to grow at a compound annual

rate double that of hardware systems' revenues. Throughout the forecast period , software/courseware will take an increasingly larger market share, and will attain over half of the total market in 1987 for CAI hardware , software/courseware , and services.
Despite the educational market's reputation for being a hard sell, competition is keen . µC vendors are already doing $460 million in CAI markets , some large computer makers have well-protected niches, and many more entrants-from publishing houses to video giants-are ready to move into the market. New entrants attracted to the field of CAI range from billion-dollar conglomerates such as Sony and Panasonic, to technology leaders such as Honeywell, to new start-up companies such as Wicat, Allen Communications , and Video.
Creative Strategies· report , Microcomputers And Videodisks In Educational Markets, focuses on the development, marketing, and impact of the new intelligent vi-

deodisk system, as well as other major elements of the CAI market. The study assesses the potential for CAI in four major segments, (formal education, private industry , government, and personal/professional). Forecasts through 1987 are presented for hardware (µCs minicomputers mainframes, large mainframes, special CAI units, video cassette recorders, videodisk players, and videodisk player/recorders), software, courseware, and services.
Microcomputers And Videodisks In Educational Markets, · which is available for $1450, also discusses pricing and distribution , and evaluates the competitive environment, including mark e t share analyses and profiles of key competitors.
For further information , contact Creative Strategies International, 4340 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 275, San Jose , California 95129, (408) 249-7550; or CSI/ London at Banda House, Cambridge Grove, London, W6 OLN , (01) 741-4767.

Small Systems Packaged Software Market To Hit $6.3 Billion By 1986

A dramatic compound growtn rate of 35.6% per year for the next 4 years is projected for the

Hardware Vendora (7%) $45M

,.
Independents

small systems packaged software

mark et in a report published by

International Data Corporation.

Today there are over 14 million small businesses, about 2.5 million self-employed professionals. and over 15 million managers in large corporations who arc current or potential users of small

1980 $635M

(93%) $5::,JM
[f Mini SBC [J Desktop

1980 $380M

(58··) $ 220M

systems.

Analysts have predicted that

about one-fourth of the industry's sales in 1981 in this marketplace

(46%) $1 ,160M

were attributable to software; but

by 1990 the percentage of soft-

ware to hardware sales will increase to almost three-fourths. There are presently 8,000 to 9.000 software products in existence. over 400 producers of identifiable

Figure I : Compariso11 of Soft ware Revenu es- Hardw are vendors & independems: 1980 & 1986.

1986 $3,770M

(87%) $3 ,265 M

1986 S2,530M

(54%) $1 .370M

Digital Design· July 1982

BuyaLexidata 8000

and get halfaVAX.free.

0 r half a DG MV/6000. Or

map memory. The ODS is a

Incorporating System 8000

half a Perkin-Elmer 3230. high-level mathematical

hardware into your graphics

Only one graphics proces- description of the graphics data- environment ensures a strong

sor is designed to free your host base maintained in a World

processor balance, where no one

ofa substantial portion ofthe

Coordinate space. Like a display element is consistently the bot-

processing load

list, the ODS is kept in vector tleneck. System 8000 software

imposed by

format; however, the assures that all elements are

CAD/CAM

equally efficient, leading to high

applications .

performance

The System

and cost

8000fea-

effective use

tures dual

of all the

processor

hardware in

architec-

the interactive

ture, corn-

computer

bining

graphics system.

the 16/32

For more

bit

details, call

Motorola

(617) 663-8550

MC68000,

or write to us at

theindus-

755 Middlesex

try's leading rnicropro-

Turnpike,

cessor, with a Lexidata-designed

Billerica, MA 01865.

ultra high-speed display proces-

TWX 710-347-1574.

sor. The System 8000's unique local World Coordinate

architecture, graphics software description allows multi-

(modeled after the ACM

ple viewing operations of the

SIGGRAPH CORE), and data- database or sections of the data-

base structure allow you to dis- base without requiring the host

tribute the computer's workload to redefine the objects. In addi-

to the most appropriate proces- tion, all graphics transforma-

sor: the display controller, the

tions are performed locally.

)' graphics system controller, or

Therefore, you can redraw the

the host CPU.

display quickly, without host

Our software package,

processing or data retransrnis-

LX/GPl, supports a 31-bit pre- sion. Unlike conventional dis-

cision Object Data StructureTM play lists, ODS processing is

(ODS) consisting of graphics

proportional to the number of

primitives and functions for defining and changing the bit-

vectors being viewed, not the length of the display list.

~LEXIDATA

VAX is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation

The clear choice in raster graphics.

Write 21 on Reader Inquiry Card

Market Trends

lndopendentl

1880 S1,835M

[II Mainframe ill Mini/SBC 0 Desktop

1880 S1,210M

6% $505M

products and more of each on the horizon.
IDC's report , identifies the companies which are offering small systems packages (always an elusive figure because of the huge number of small OEMs and independents), and presents market shares, with projections, by processor type.
In the race for the expanding software dollar, the independent software vendors are coming on strong in small systems, even though hardware manufacturer revenues from total software$1,835 million in 1980-still overshadow the $1,210 million revenues of the independents.
The report pinpoints market growth by breaking down the 1980 small systems software revenues by processor (mainframe, mini , SBC) and by vendor (108 companies in total)-and includes projections for each through 1986. Listed are revenues of: · The major hardware vendors
(top 21 companies). · The top 23 independent com-
panies (revenues of $10 million or more). · The 21 new companies IDC identifies as ones to watch in mini and desktop markets (revenues of $8 to $10 million) .

1916 15,275111

Figure 2: Compari523 son of Hardware $2,74SM Manufacturers & In-
dependents Packaged Software Revenues: 1980 & 1986.

One hundred and eight companies in total are broken out by processor type , some broken out even further by product use (system /utility/application).
With reason , hardware manufacturers are beginning to take even more aggressive steps to increase the percentage of their revenues derived from packaged software.
The report includes a detailed exploration of the major hardware manufacturers' software policies-summaries of their strategies for increasing percentage of revenue from software sales. Some of the methods being employed: · Increase internal development,
which means allocating larger percentages of R&D budgets for software (50 % is not uncommon). · Acquire software packages from an external developer in a desired market area or application. · Act as software publishers, that is request submissions from third party sources, edit, reproduce and distribute the software, making royalty arrangements with the developer, who will also provide support and maintenance for the package.

(IBM, Data General, DEC, Texas Instruments, and Apple have all recently made announcements about third party ties.) · Set up joint marketing agreements with independents already marketing a successful product, taking a cut from the sale usually completed by the independent. (IBM, Data General, Hewlett-Packard, and Texas Instruments have already announced joint marketing arrangements with independent software houses.) · Request that third party sources develop packages specifically for their machines and aid in the marketing of these packages. (This recently happened between IBM and Peachtree Software for IBM's new personal computer.) · Engage in joint development projects with independents. (IBM and Microsoft jointly developed the disk operating system for IBM ' s personal computer.) · Actually acquire software companies. The report also identifies and analyzes some of the major issues propelling the growth of the desktop software industry today including: · The availability of user-friendly software like VisiCalc. · The availability to use packages on a variety of machines, made possible by the introduction of portable operating systems like CP/M and Unix. · The development of software publishing which centralizes package distribution (report gives profiles of the 2 leading publishing companies, Personal Software and Lifeboat Assoc.). The 151-page report, Small Systems Packages Software: An Overview, is available from International Data Corporation's Software and Services Information Program for $2,500. Separate versions of the report on Desktop only and Mini/SBC only are available for $1,500 each. For further information call (617) 872-8200.

Digital Design ·July 1982

Introducing the first
50nsec
12x12·bit multiplier.

TRW's OMICRON-BTM* makes the MPV 112K the fastest (20 MHz video rate) 12x12-bit multiplier available.
The 48 pin DIP VLSI multiplier gives you a combination of more usable board space and higher speed multiplication than you've ever had before.
You can multiply in two's com plement or unsigned magnitude format. and you get a 16-bit product, perfect for video systems where real time digital signal processing is required at very high data rates.
All inputs/outputs are registered and TIL compatible, of course. (After all ,TRW invented TIL.) Three-
state output drivers, single + 5V
supply, and the price is right: just $105 in 100s.

r---------------, TRW LSI Products P.O. Box 2472 007 La Jolla, California 92038
Please send data sheet on the new MPV 112K.

Name

Company

Div/Dept

Mail Code

Address

City

Now in stock at Arrow Electronics and Hamilton/ Avnet. For immediate information about the new MPY112K 12x12-bit parallel multiplier, call us at (714) 457-1000 or return the coupon .

State

Zip

L---------------~

* OMICRON-BTM is TRW's advanced

1 micron VLSI bipolar process,

and is the first 1 micron process

commercially available.

TRWLSIPRODUCTS
An Electronic Components Division of TRW Inc.
Write 16 on Reader Inquiry Card

THE LEGEND LI\7E5~

he most ancient of all legends, the appearance of the Phoenix is said to herald great events. On only five occasions in history has the bird

appeared . The legend lives again , this time to an-

nounce the coming of a new age in computer

graphics ... The Phoenix I 024 high resolution color

graphics system .

The legendary bird is considered a favorable sign

and The Phoenix I 024 continues that tradition by

rewarding the user with its own state of the art

technology , through high performance , high resolution

(true I 02 4 X I 02 4 viewable) , local intelligence and

anti-aliasing.

While this mysterious bird derived its beautiful

plumage from a blending of five colors , The Phoenix

I 024 provides 2 56 simultaneously displayable colors

to create over 16 million color combinations.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY GREG GUIRARD
Like the bird of fable , The Phoenix 1024's appearance is also a sign of prosperity . The price/performance features of The Phoenix I 024 coupled with its competitive pricing provide the user with capabilities generally more costly , which means critical cost savings without sacrificing performance or resolution . So prosperity comes to the user from The Phoenix 1024 by bottom line reduction , increased productivity and creativity.
The bird of legend , with a five-colored plume, a call of five sweet harmonious notes and the ability to raise its beautiful tail to a height of six feet would be quite proud of its namesake. The Phoenix I 024 offers keyboard . trackball , digitizers. plotters, hard and soft disk drives , high level command sets for graphic manipulation and high speed host interfaces.
For details , call or write to where that legend lives.

Write 47 on Reader Inquiry Card BOOTH 1724 SIGGRAPH '82

~ ~ 1

Phoenix computer
119 Board Road

Graphics
·

me.

Lafa yette, Loui siana 70 508

318-234-0063

. '

Applications Notebook

A Simple Programmer For The 8748

The Intel MCS-48 family of µCs are single-chip processors especially designed to be efficient, low-cost controllers. These devices contain all of the features needed for a complete, if simple, computing system-CPU, ROM, RAM, clock-timer and 110. One member of this family, the 8748, is of special interest for small quantity applications. The 8748 contains all of the features of the 8048 family, but with the 8048's ROM replaced by EPROM. The low price of the 8748 makes it economical for jobs which formerly required a card full of integrated circuits.
However, the cost of a dedicated development system often is a barrier to the use of these microcontrollers. For simple applications, a simple programming system for the EPROM may suffice. This article describes such a programmer which enables an S100 based computer to program and verify an 8748's memory. The hardware and the Basic software used to program the 8748 are briefly described below.
Hardware
The hardware is functionally divided into three sections: 1/0 buffering, port decoding, and programming interface circuitry. The schematic of the programmer circuitry is given in Figure 1.
The first section of the circuitry provides S-100 IIO buffering . The three octal buffers, U 1, U2, and U3 provide buffering for the lower 8 address lines and the two data busses (note that the S-100 data busses are unidirectional). Chip U4 buffers and inverts the port input and output strobe signals SINP and SOUT.
The next section of the hardware, consisting of US through U8, decodes the port address and produces the four strobe signals used to latch the three input registers and the output buffer. During a port read or write instruction,

10 REM

B74B-PRO.BAS

VERSION OF 10 NOV Bl

20 REM BASE ADDRESS IS SET TO 40

30 REM ***** SET THE INITIAL CONDITIONS *****

40 OUT 43,3 : REM SET Vpp TO FLOAT {5 volts }

50 REM SET THE OTHER CONDITIONS

60 REM TO=l,BUS CONTROL=!, EA=l (5 VOLTS),RESET=O,Vdd=l (5 VOLTS)

70 X=232 : OUT 42,X

BO INPUT "INSERT THE B74B IN ITS SOCKET",!$

90 INPUT "APPLY +25 VOLT SUPPLY",!$

100 INPUT "DO YOU WANT TO CHECK FOR PROPER ERASURE, YORN? ",1$

110 IF 1$ = "N" THEN GOTO 440

120 REM ***** VERIFY THAT THE EPROM IS ERASED ****

130 FOR PAGE = 0 TO 3

140 FOR ADR = 0 TO 255

150 X=(X AND 247) : REM SET TO =O {SELECT PROGRAM MODE }

160 OUT 42 ,X

170 X = (X AND 191) :REM SET EA=O (23 VOLTS) {ACTIVATE PROGRAM MODE)

lBO OUT 42,X

190 X=(X OR PAGE) REM APPLY THE TWO MS ADR BITS TO P20 & P21

200 OUT 42,X

210 X=(X AND 127) REM ENABLE THE BUS TO B74B--PORT 42 BIT 7 = 0

220 OUT 42,X

23 0 OUT 41 ,ADR : REM SEND THE ADDRESS

240 X=(X OR 16) : REM LATCH THE ADDRESS (RESET=l)

250 OUT 42 ,X

260 X=(X OR 12B) : REM DISABLE THE BUS DRIVER BY SETTING PORT 42 D7=0

270 OUT 42,X

2BO X=(X OR Bl : REM SET TO=l (5 VOLTS) {VERIFY MODE )

290 OUT 42,X

300 Z = INP(40) : REM READ THE BUS OF THE B74B {BYTE = 0 IF ERASED)
310 IF Z <> 0 THEN GOTO 410

320 X=(X AND 247) REM SET TO=O

330 OUT 42,X

340 X=(X AND 239) : REM RESET= 0

350 OUT 42,X

360 PRINT "ADDRESS ",(256*PAGE + ADR)," CONTENTS ",Z

370 NEXT ADR

3BO NEXT PAGE

390 PRINT "EPROM PROPERLY ERASED"

400 GOTO 430

410 PRINT "EPROM NOT ERASED AT ADDRESS ";(256 *PAGE+ ADR)

420 GOTO 10

430 INPUT "PRESS <CR> TO CONTINUE",!$

440 REM ***** BEGIN THE PROGRAMMING WJDE *********

450 INPUT "MANUAL (M) OR AUTOMATIC (A) OP CODE FILE ENTRY?",J$

460 IF J$ = "M" THEN GOTO 5BO

470 IF J$ <> "A" THEN GOTO 450
4BO INPUT "NAME OF FILE FROM WHICH PROGRAM IS TO BE TAKEN ·,rs

490 OPEN " I",l,1$+".DTA"

500 DIM ADDRESS(l024), CODE(l024)

510 FOR X = l TO 1024

520 CODE(X) = 0 : REM FILL THE CODE ARRAY WITH 'NOP' CODE OF 00

530 NEXT X

540 FOR COUNT = l TO 1024 : REM GET THE DATA FROM FILE

550 IF EOF(l) THEN 5BO

560 INPUTtl, ADDRESS(COUNT), CODE(COUNT)

570 NEXT COUNT

5BO REM ***** BEGIN THE ACTUAL PROGRAMMING OF THE EPROM *****

590 FOR PAGE = 0 TO 3

600 FOR ADR = 0 TO 255

610 IF J$ <> "M" THEN GOTO 650

620 PRINT "ENTER DATA BYTE IN DECIMAL FOR ADDRESS ";(256*PAGE +ADR);

630 INPUT PDATA

640 GOTO 660

650 PDATA = CODE(256*PAGE + ADR)

660 X = 12B : REM SET TO = O,BUS CONTROL=l{SELECT PROGRAM MODE }

670 OUT 42,X

6BO X = (X AND 191) : REM SET EA=O {ACTIVATE PROGRAM MODE )

690 OUT 42,X

700 REM PAGE IS MOST SIGNIFICANT 2 BITS, 0-3 (APPLY P20, P21 }

710 X= (X OR PAGE)

720 OUT 42 ,X

730 OUT 41,ADR : REM ADR IS LEAST SIGNIFICANT B ADDRESS BITS

Table I co11ti1111ed on page 2.J.

Digital Design· July 1982

Applications Notebook
REF DES
U1-3 U4 U5 U6 U7 U8 U9-11 U12 U13 U14 S1 AP1

IC TYPE
74LS244 74LS04 74LS138 74LS86 74LS32 74LS20 74LS374 7406 8748 LM317T DIP switch 899-1-A2.2K

#PINS

{T0-220}

GNDS
10 7 8 7 7 7 10 7 20
5-8

SIG. NAME
SOUT SINP

PIN #

-{>o- U4

SOUT

~4'----_;;;S~IN~P'------------------T5,--,9 12

=F§=e,

U ~ !L>--~ 1157

U1
-t>-

18
16 M
,_~~2-----+------<!

'----=;2 U7

US Yyo, ,,__~4_~5-_-_ --_--_4-_<__1_,

y 13

y
3

rL--

Ls ~
U6 1-~--+---------<~ US

=r- ~I>- r.7;...------1------=-19
r.5:-------1-----'=i2

18-'~'-+--------=4;5

=ho...J

2 5 10 13

,.----

'--------"

rt- f----+---:-1~ $1 ~
l-+---+---3"-l ---0"':'

l-+-+-+----4---i4

~ 0 -

1 2 3 4 14

'---

RPI

NOTES: 01-04 2N3904 D1-D5 1N4002
See table 2 for Vcc. Gnd connections.

3.579 MHz 330F
tD_Tf-f

~
~
DI?

18 U2 ,_~~-------------~------------------; D80
16
-<J- 6
11
13 15
,_1~7 --------------+-+-t-+-+--1--+.....--------------1D87

~~-- ----------------- -='221=21i

P20 P21

DOO ~>----47"2 U3 18

16 14

-t>- 12

~ DO? [][:5,

15 17

U9 ~
13 -D D O ~ ~ ~

~--------· -_.!_TO .
~----------<4 F!ES"ET

+ 25

~ 1 1 0 1

26 v··

270 f-D-2--+---<

U13
40 Pin Z1F
Socket

+a vdc

r---

~;-tllN U14 OUT

LiL>-

T so,.F +

16 ,

'---r;i"DJ ,

%t--R---s1o'o

GROUND
1fl

P. U10

+ 5.7

r--t--+

t--t-+-f -D f-+-f-11--+---.;'3"1

~2K D3

1-+-+-+-+-+--t-l--'i~:__-,-D_Q ~ f,._0_2_1_1~--+---<7 "°., _ _1 ,Fl\3, "" '

2 -~-_, I ~ ~ ....

~ U1!

-t>-

0.C . iJL-,

f2i<+J57-

VL
""Os

!'",, . ~

'-----'

'-------'j"-lj j% " " _,

~~·0a-3s4_6_..+~..-s2-o-":"-l5. _v_._·______,

i-1

Power Supply Outputs

Figure 1: A schematic of the S-100 8748 programmer circuitry.

Digital Design ·July 1982

Applications Notebook

cont'd. from page 22.
740 X=(X AND 127) : REM ENABLE THE BUS TO THE 8748 750 OUT 42 ,X 760 REM LATCH ADDRESS IN 8748 BY SETTING RESET = 1 (5 VOLTS) 770 X=(X OR 16) 780 OUT 42,X 790 OUT 41,PDATA : REM {DATA TO BE ENTERED AT ADDRESS JUST LATCHED} 800 X = (X AND 223) : REM SET VDD TO 0 ( 25 VOLTS ) 810 OUT 42 ,X 820 OUT 43,1 : REM SET VPP TO ZERO VOLTS 830 OUT 43,2 : REM SET VPP TO 23 VOLTS FOR 50 TO 60 MS 840 REM PULSE LOOP REGULATES THE Vpp TIME 850 FOR PULSE = 1 TO 42 : REM 51 MS PULSE {4 MHZ Z-80} 5 NOV 81 860 NEXT PULSE 870 OUT 43,1 : REM SET VPP=O VOLTS 880 OUT 43,3 : REM LET VPP FLOAT 890 X = (X OR 128) : REM DISABLE THE BUS OUTPUT 900 X=(X OR 40 ) : REM SET VDD = 5 VOLTS & TO = 5 VOLTS {VERIFY MODE} 910 OUT 42,X 920 REM READ THE DATA ON THE 8748 BUS 930 Z=INP(40)
940 IF Z <> PDATA THEN GOTO 970
950 PRINT "PROGRAMMING SUCCESSFUL AT ADDRESS ";(256*PAGE + ADR) 960 GOTO 1000 970 PRINT "PROGRAMMING NOT CORRECT AT ADDRESS "; ( 256*PAGE + ADR) 980 STOP 990 GOTO 10 1000 X = (X AND 247) REM SET TO = 0 1010 OUT 42,X 1020 X = (X AND 239) REM SET RESET = 0 1030 OUT 42,X 1040 NEXT ADR 1050 NEXT PAGE 1060 GOTO 10 1070 END
Table I: Th e control program , written in Basic, closely follows th e flow diagram in Figure 2.

speed is not the object here, successful EPROM programming is the goal.
Conclusions
This programmer is a useful, lowcost tool for the development of simple controllers which use the 8748. It can be used in conjunction with an 8048 cross-assembler or with hand-assembled instructions.
This programmer has other potential applications as well. It can be used to read the ROM contents of a mask-programmed 8048 if the external supply is reduced to 12V, and with some modifications it could program the 8755 peripheral device , which is a 2Kbyte EPROM with 16 I/O lines and control interfaces.
Reference
1. "MCS-48 Family of Single Chip Microcomputers User's Manual. " Intel Corporation , 1979. Terry Hinshaw, 4558 Margery Dr, Fremont, CA 94538.

the port address appears on the lower 8 address lines, AO through A7. If this address corresponds to a port selected for this programmer by switch Sl , one of the four outputs of decoder US will go low. U7 , an OR gate , provides a final masking of the four strobe outputs. One of the lines from U7 , OUT+ 0, strobes the output buffer to send data from the 8748 to the main computer's CPU. The other three strobe lines are direct control inputs to the 8748 socket.
The last section of the hardware consists of ·latches to hold data sent to the programmer board and driver circuitry to switch the high-level programming voltages needed to write data to the 8748's EPROM. Register U9 stores data to be sent to the 8748's bidirectional data bus. UlO and Ull drive other inputs on the 8748. The inverting buffer, U 12, has high-voltage ope n collector outputs used to control the transistors which switch the 23V and 25Y required at the Vdd. EA

and Ypp inputs to the 8748. The on-board power supply
uses an adjustable voltage regulator, U14, to provide 5.7V from the SY power supplied by the S100 mainframe. The 5.0V supply to drive the TTL integrated circuits is produced from the 5. 7V supply by passing it through a series diode . The 25Y required to program the EPROM must be supplied by an external power supply.
Thus, the hardware is designed to decode and store data sent from the CPU so that the sequence of steps to program the 8748 may be performed .
Software
The overall software flow chart is shown in Figure 2. The control program , Table 1, was written in Basic and closely follows this flow diagram . In the interest of clarity no truncating of the program was attempted ; each control step is performed and executed with its own OUT instruction. Execution

Digital Design· July 1982

Print ~001 erased

Yes No

Print ~prog wronq,

Ne11:1 data
'~·

Figure 2: The overall software flow chart. 25

· If you don't feel this good about your ·
terminal su'-pl1er, call TeleViileo.

"They set the standard for the industry

in service and quality!'

"A very honest company

to deal with ...

I can't think of a

negative thing to say!'

,..

Steve Olla, Purchasing Manager Millennium Systems Inc.

"We're quite pleased. We wanted a good reliable
unit, and we're quite happy!'
Tom Peters, Engineer Gould Inc.

"We've been using

TeleVideo terminars

since 1979.

They're very reliable, reasonably priced

and high in quality!'

Hollis Arban, President Nabra Enterprises

.~...

....-..--

-
'.:a.Ji

"TeleVideo is very responsive to our customizing needs.
They're high quality, reliable units:'
John Spaulding, Project Manager Gould Inc.

We don't satisfy our OEM customers by making the best promises. Instead, we make the best terminals for the money, and deliver them the way they want them -when they want them. A concept so simple, you'd think everyone would have caught on.
But apparently not. Our value, performance and service were so exceptional that when we entered the end-user market in 1979, we were able to become the No. 1 independent manufacturer of smart terminals in just two years. An accomplishment that prompted Computer Systems News to say '. ..TeleVideo is one of the most amazing success stories in the computer industry'.'
It doesn't amaze us, however. Once we found a way to beat the leaders on price and quality, finding customers was easy
In fact, it was OEMs who first contacted us after our success in the general-purpose market, with the idea of modifying terminals. And now we're totally committed to the OEM market.

Here's what we can offer. Uniqueness: We'll work closely with you all the way down the line to insure the right color, keyboard design, logo; and a code structure to interface with your software. Fast delivery: We always have inventory ready for modification, so our turn-around on key operations begins the day you place your order Price/ Performance: Nothing outperforms our terminals on the job, and no one beats our price for value. Our rigid testing and use of high quality components have made our record of customer service and satisfaction the best in the industry None of this efficiency is surprising when you know that your terminals, from the smart 910 PLUS to the Intelligent One, are the only ones to use the same compatible, high quality components throughout the entire line. (Another simple concept that has given us a big advantage in assembling, customizing and servicing our units.) All this means that our customers are very happy If you're not, contact TeleVideo for more information.
Write 9 on Reader Inquiry Card

We want your business, and we can prove it.
For more information call 800-538-8725 (in California call (408) 745-7760) or your local TeleVideo sales office.
OTeleVided
r----------------, TeleVideo Systems, Inc. Dept. 220A 1170 Morse Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Please send additional information on the TeleVideo OEM Program.
TITLE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
COMPANY _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __
ADDRESS, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
CITY _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __
STATE, _ _ _ _ _ ZIP· _ __ __
PHONE# (_ _ )_ _ _ _ _ _ __
L----------------J
CALIFORNIA Santa Ana 7I 4/ 557-6095. Sunnyvale 408/745-7760 GEORGIA Atlanta 404/ 255-9338 TEXAS Dallas 214/ 980-9978 ILLINOIS Chicago Area 312 / 351 ·9350 MASSACHUSETTS Boston 617/ 668·6891 NEW YORK/ NEW JERSEY 201 / 267-8805 UNITED KINGDOM West End Surrey 44-9905-6464

Showcase . PERIPHERALS
Color Raster
Display
Terminals
Greater creative freedom is a primary advantage of raster scan. Of the graphics display technologies-direct view storage, vector refresh, plasma panel and raster-scan-only the raster-scan can be used in both imaging and line-drawing applications. Other advantages include fast interactivity, unlimited-hue palette and variable-intensity screen.
The use of color will play an increasingly important role in the computer-graphics industry. In an article by Lawrence Elliott [Color Penetrates Computer-Graphics Industry, Digital Design, November I 98 J, pp. 34-50), he states that: "As a result of display and design improvements, the products whose technologies provide color will dominate DTS [displays, termi- 4 nals and systems) revenue shares by 1984. Color raster-scan
,..

The above four photos are courtesy of Raster Technologies Inc.
28

Digital Design · July 1982

Raster Displays

Built-In Anti-Aliasing
T he AED 767 is a graphics/imaging termi nal including keyboard, color monitor, service and parallel data interface. Uses include business graphics, CAD/CAM, Command and Control, graphic arts, imaging, si mulation and TV applications. Specs incl ude: 256 displayab le co lors from a palette of 16.8 mi llion, 1024 x 1024 x 8 planes with a 768 x 575 display which can be panned over the memory, and flicker free refresh at 90 fra mes/sec 2: l inter-

laced which can be stepped down to 60 frames/sec 2: 1 interlaced for TV compatibility. Anti-aliased capability solves the problem of jagged lines for higher resolution and more life like drawings. Other features include blue-line grid 8 memory planes with R/W masks; pan; up to 42 Kbytes of RAM/ROM; support of two serial RS-232 ports and one parallel interface; Tektronix emulation; and user definable symbols. Options include tablet, hard copy, LSI-11123 with

devices, already representing one-third of DTS's $285-million sales in 1979, will total three-quarters of DTS's Sl .4-billion in 1984."
"Equipment offering color raster technology shall overwhelm DTS unit-shipment shares in 1984. Color raster product shipments will increase to 87% of J984s 250,000 DTS units, from 47% of J979s 32,300."
This showcase includes a representative product from the major color raster display terminal manufacturers who responded to our questionnaire by publication date. Beyond the particular products listed here, most of the companies offer an entire line of systems. Further information may be obtained by using the Write Numbers and Reader Inquiry Card.

Amtron Corp.

AppIicon Digital Design · July 1982

Winchester and floppy disks, and

20 CORE software interface.

$22,000; $17,600 in quantity.

Advanced Electronics Design Inc,

440 Potrero Ave, Sunnyva le, CA

94086.

Write 210

Variety of Screen Sizes

The UCD-19 is one of a fami ly of ultra high resolution, precision inline RGB color monitors designed for the most exacting datagraphics applications. They are avai lab le in cabinet, rack mount and chassis only versions. In addition to the 19" diagonal screen size, 9", 13" and 25" versions are available. Specs include: 50 MHz signal bandwidth (8 ns rise/fall time); 5 ms horizonta l retrace; 550 ms vertical retrace time ; 15.750-40 KHz scan rate (programmable). Interfaces are Analog R , G, B, sync. Other features include linear signal processing, digital sync processing and built-in test generator. $3500. Amtron Corp, 5624 Freedom Blvd, PO Box 1150, Aptos, CA 95003.
Write 211
Upgradable CAD/CAM Systems

The Series 4000 workstations fea-

ture state-of-the-art electronics and

ergonomic design. The 4640 offers

a 19" B&W display and the 4650

offers a 19", 8-color disp lay . Bot h

provide high-resolution raster

graphics with inking, tracking, scal-

ing and rotation. Each supports up

to 1/2 Mbyte of µP memory for gen-

eration and manipulation of graph-

ics , and both support selective

erase. Other features include an

optional PERL (Perception-En-

hanced Resolution Logic) which

minimizes the stairstepping effect

through an anti-aliasing capabi lity;

support of 256 co lor-shaded grap h-

ics; and ergonomic design. A vari-

ety of hardware and software pack-

ages are available including three

Graphics Processing Facilities

based on DEC 16 and 32 bit sys-

tems. Over I00 specialized applica-

tions software packages are also

available . The 4650 color worksta-

tion is approximately $70,000.

Appl icon, 32 Second Ave, Burling-

ton, MA 01803 .

Write 212

Raster Displays

Aydin Controls

20 and 30 Graphics
The AYCON 16/Series Display Computer, based on the Aydin 5216, has applications in SCADA, process monitoring and control, CAD /C AM /CAE, 2D or 3D graphics and simulation, business presentation graphics, TV broadcast graphics, etc. It features separate processor bus (AYBUS) and refresh memory bus (MEMBUS); low and high speed serial 110 , including HDLC compatibility; versatile graphics firmware including zoom, pan , scroll and fill functions. Specs are: viewable display resolution up to 1024 x 1024 pixe ls; addressable displ ay data base up to 64K x 64K pixels; variety of video modules , with or without lookup tables; up to 65,536 simulta neously displayable colors from a palette of up to 16 million ; 80 x 48 character A/N overlay option; multipl e 16 bit µPs-up to 14 per controller; and high speed parallel DMA interface to DEC, HP, SEL minis and others. Options include : vector ge nerator; interactive devices; cartridge, floppy and Winchester disk; plus multiple workstations, up to 4 per controller. From $15,000.
Aydin Controls, 414 Commerce Dr , Ft. Washington , PA 19034.
Write 213
30

Choice of Resolution
The Vistagraphic 4000 line of monochrome and color raster displays offer hardware and software compatibility to assure continued product dependability and productivity as graphics needs grow. Suitable for applications such as process control, CAD/CAM, mappi ng, e ngi nee ring analysis, simulation and training , and command and control. Specs include: resolutions of 640 x 512, l024 x 768, a nd 1024 x 1024; up to 256 colors from a palette of 4096; keyboard, seria l J/F and 128K RAM standard ; 19" display; vector, character, circles, ellipses, and area fill sta ndard; direct pixel data 1/0; overlay/underlay: and dual MC68000 processors. Options include photopen, tablet, joystick, trackball, memory to l Mbyte , floppies, hard disk, Pa ~ cal and Fortran . From $9950; from $6965 in quantity. California Computer Products, (CA LCOMP) , 2411 W. La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92803 .
Write 214
16 Million Color Palette
The CGC 7900 is a color graphic computer with MC68000 16-bit Motorola processor and the abi lity to display 256 colors simultaneous-

ly from a color palette of over 16 million colors. Designed for standalone operation or may be connected via serial or parallel ports to a host computer. An 8 color overlay utilizes character cell grap hics to overlay an image on a bit map graphics picture, unaffected by the grap hics roll, pan or zoom of the underlying image. Specs include 19" display, 1024 x 768 viewable resolution with a graphics memory of 1024 x 1024, 96 standard ASCII characters , 151-key keyboard, 128 Kbytes of user RAM, and 8 bezel keys. Options include Idris. C , Pascal , Fortran , joystick , and lOMbyte or 40Mbyte fixed disk drive. $25 ,000. Chromatics Inc, 2558 Mountain Industrial Blvd, Tucker, GA 30084.
Write 215
Software Compatibility
The MVI 100 is human engineered wit h detached keyboard and a rotating/tilting display. A series of monochrome CRT terminal emulators allow for immediate hook-up to existing configurations . The display features 8 foreground/backgro und colors , 13" pre-converged CRT, 80 col umn s by 24 lin es, status line plus fau lt indicators , 128 ASCII standard characters, and vertical and horizontal scrolling.
Digital Design · July 1982

Raster Displays

Computervision Corp.

The keyboard is an 87-key detachable unit with 24 programmable function keys and auto repeat. Functions include insert and delete character and line , erase line and page , cursor addressing, 4 split screens horizontal and vertical, and self-test and diagnostics. Communications specs are: RS-232C , full or half duplex, 110 to 19,200 baud , and auxiliary port. From $2200 to $2750 depending on quantity. Colorgraphic Communications Corp, 2379 John Glenn Dr , PO Box 80448, Atlanta, GA 30366.
Write 216
Distributive Processing Terminal
The 427 minimizes mainframe operations by performing front end processi ng at th e point of data collection. Up to 4 CRT stations and 4 1/0 devices may by operated from one 427 terminal. It can be either desk mounted or on a tel escoping stand for various viewing heights. The unit contains: 19" color monitor ; two cursors (one under characters and one on the video display); one color for characters and another for th e pictures; 64 characters by 20 lines standard, up to 80 char./line x 20 lines ; user specified color for the drawing ; 512 x 512 pixels; detached keyboard will full ASCII and 11 key numer-
Digital Design ·July 1982

ics, 5 key cursor controls and 5 key

functions; 2K buffer for text infor-

mation; and 32 lines with roll and

picture. It uses Tektronix 4014 pro-

tocol with RS-232C or IEEE 488

interface. Options include up to 8

colors avai lable and video expand-

able to 1024 x 512 pixels. $9650.

Computer Talk Inc, 2800 S.

Rooney Rd, PO Box 148, Morri-

son, CO 80465.

Write 21 7

Full Screen Graphics
The Instaview C interactive workstation is an intelligent graphics terminal which uses a high resolution color raster CRT display . With CADDS4 software, it provides advanced graphic manipulation capabilities including instantaneous dynamic zooming, panning and 3D rotation. The addition of the DCU (Display Control Unit) image processor allows high-resolution full screen graphics capabilities. It provides a choice of three basic modes of operation: high lin ear resolution of 1280 x 1024 addressable points of image memory with a choice of 64 colors; high color resolution with 1024 colors displayed out of 250,000 shades and standard linear resolution ; and the capability to superimpose a high linear resolution line drawing on a shaded picture. Additional features of the DCU in-

elude multiple bit maps for support of dynamic motion (the color terminal has 6 maps) , and mixed mode which allows operators to use both line drawings and shaded images simultaneously. The monochromatic DCU is $5000, the color version in $10,000. Computervision Corp, 201 Burlington Rd , Bedford , MA 01730.
Write 218
16-Color Raster Graphics
The Vision One/20-M8 equipped with the Graph-S option, can generate sophisticated raster graphics in 16 colors , with alphanumeric labeling capability. It is also a fullscale, real-time digital image processor. The system includes memory control logic, pipeline processors, DIA converters, chassis power supplies , vertical mount and system computer (LSI-11/23). Features include an image data base of 4096 x 4096 x 24 bits in real time ; pseudocolor processing of 16 million colors; control by keyboard, data tablet, trackball or joystick; self-contained, firmware operating system; and real-time (1 /30 sec.) roam, zoom and function memory processing. A variety of option!> are available. From $41,500. Comtal Corp, 505 W . Woodbury Rd, Altadena , CA 91001.
Write 219
31

Raster Displays

Datamedia Corp.
+

Data General Corp.

Computer Data/Graphic Applications
The 7200 series of raster-scan color monitors feature high resolution display of computer-based data. Precision In-Line (PIL) gun with 0.31 mm delta shadow mask gives high resolution display of 1280 horizontal x 960 vertical pixels at 1225 line scan rate on 19" CRT (1024 x 768 for 13" CRT). "Selfconverging" PIL gun eliminates usual color convergence circuitry and simplifies maintenance for OEM and end user. Variable scan frequency feature allows one monitor to perform as four , at the cost of one. Specs include: RGB color image display accepts composite or non-composite video input; horizontal scanning frequency from 15.75 KHz through 36.75 KHz (interlaced or non-interlaced) may be selected by jumper plug location (any of four pre-set frequencies): and 40 MHz bandwidth accepts standard or high resolution EIA formats. Options include various CRT phosphors; differential video inputs ; external vertical and horizontal drive ; naked, rack slide or cabinet configuration. $4900; qty . pricing available. Conrac Corp/Conrac Div, 600 N. Rimsdale Ave , Covina , CA 91722.
Write 220
32

Color Alphanumeric Display

The Dasher D280C is a low-cost, 8color alphanumeric display terminal for interactive applications. Two sets of user-definable characters provide 128 symbols in addition to the terminal's 128 U/L case ASCII characters. The host computer can define the shape of the characters in a variety of patterns. The user-definable characters can

also be used to construct line and bar charts. The display measures 13" diagonally , and has a screen format of 80 columns by 24 rows. For international use, 7 alphanu-

meric character sets reside inside

the termin al. The keyboard is con-

figured in the language ordered by

the user. This detachable keyboard

contains a main keypad , 14-key nu-

meric keypad , 12-key screen man-

agement keypad, 15 program func-

tion keys , and 5 operator function

keys . $3750 ($3500 for the video

display and $250 for the keyboard) .

Data General Corp, Rte . 9, West-

boro, MA 01581.

Write 221

VTl 00 Compatible

The ColorScan 10 is an 80/132-column, 8 color display terminal which is compatible with the VTlOO. With its built-in line ruling set and 8 colors for both foreground and background informa-

tion, it is particularly appropriate for the emerging color business graphics market. The 8 displayable colors include red , blue, green, cyan, magenta , yellow, black and white. These colors are displayed on a non-glare 12" raster scan display in either an 80- or 132-column by 24-line format. As with all Datamedia terminals, the ColorScan IO's det ac hable typewriter-style keyboard with separate numeric pad provides greater operator convenience. Features include split screen, regional scrolling, smooth scrolling and double high/wide characters. $3195; OEM discounts available. Datamedia Corp, 7401 Centra l Hwy, Pennsauken, NJ 08109.
Write 222
Continuous Operation
The Barco CDCT series are high performance RGB color displays designed for continuous operation. The sturdy mechanical construction and extensive component cooling, along with all gold plated contacts and moisture and dust protected switches a nd potentiometers suit it for medium severe environments. The all plug-in concept guarantees and short MTTR. A wide choice of 3 scanning families, 3 picture tube sizes and 3 phosphor combinations allow meeting requirements in ras-
Digital Design· July 1982

Elector

Raster Displays

Florida Computer Graphics

ter-scan computer graphics and re-

lated applicat ions . Features include

plug-in modules, calibrated posi-

tion on contrast and brightness

controls, fast and slow horizontal

sync time constant, and automatic Jj-; and m anua l degaussing. The

CDCT 4 features a newly designed

video amplifier which boosts up the

bandwidth to SO MHz, +/- 3 dB ;

improvements on convergence cir-

cuitry resulting in a typical max

convergence error of 0.4 to O.Smm

anywhere on the scanned area; and

typical power consumption with

calibrated settings of 180W (max

210W).

Elector, 5128 Calle Del Sol , Santa

Clara , CA 95050.

Write 223

Ergonomic Design
The BEACON raster-scan color graphics system offers WP, DP and data communications capabilities that are easi ly integrated with graphics capabilities. The basic system includes electronics, detached keyboard and 13" color display (also available with 19" color, and 15" or 19" monochrome display). Features include: 16-bit bit-slice graphics processor with 48-bit microcode and 200 ns cycle time , 160 Kbytes memory expandable to 640 Kbytes; hardware vector, arc, circle and rectangle generation, and
Digital Design· July 1982

other graphics functions and float-

ing point arithmetic functions ; an

administrative processor aided by

intelligent disk controllers, OMA

channel access and other distribut-

ed processors for a high through-

put; 7 communications interfaces;

and ergonomic design. The BEA-

CON offers 16 graphics and 16 a l-

phanumeric co lor choices out of

256 available colors, or 32 gray

shades on monochrome displays,

with 640 x 480 pixel resolution.

Memory organization includes 4

graphics planes, one cursor and

one alphanumeric plane. From

$12,950; OEM discounts availab le.

Florida Computer Graphics, 1000

Sand Pond Rd, Lake Mary, FL

32746.

Write 224

Displays 16 Simultaneous Hues
The G-6100 interactive graphics terminal utilizes a standard RS232C serial interface or optional high-speed parallel OMA interface (available for most popular minicomputers). Specs include: resolutions of 768 x S12 , 1392 x 1024, or 1536 x 1024 with 768 x 512 window; 60Hz refresh rate; color or monochrome; integer zoom ( l to 16 times) ; pixel scrolling; 19" CRT; high-speed Advanced Display Computer with 16 Kbytes PROM and up to 112 Kbytes RAM; and

packaged in a standalone co nso le .

Options include 2 graphic overl ays,

graph tablet, hard copy compatib il-

ity, Fortran cross assemb ler, a nd

Tektronix 4014 emu lato r . Bit

mapped refresh memory stores

high-resolution graphics with pro-

grammab le color or monochrome

lookup tables permitting a selec-

tion of 16 displayable colors or

shades o ut of 64. $23,250 to

$32,250; OEM discounts ava il ab le .

Genisco Computers Corp, 3545

Cadi ll ac Ave, Costa Mesa, CA

92626.

Write 225

Variety of Configurations
The GMR 27 series hi gh-speed graphic display system provides high speed graphics a nd imaging in a variety of resolutions, video refresh formats, and output video configurations . Modular design, wide range of options and semicustom configurations provide for systems that meet customers' specific system requirements. They interface to a variety of computers; compatib le with RS-232/RS-170/ RS-343. Specs include: resolutions from 256 x 512 (60Hz), 512 x 512 (30 or 60Hz), 512 x 1024 (60H z), and 1024 x 1024 (30Hz); pre-packaged systems include monochrome, greysca le, or RGB co lor with ha lfintensity blink. Options include

II
t·NID·1 vi
+
ID Systems

special computer interface logic, DEC VT-100 Emulation

(200 ns cycle); 2 million pixels/sec .

character sets, zoom and pan, vid- Available in either a 512 x 256 (240 vector rate , 64 million pixels/sec.

eo digitizer (6-bit or 8-bit). video visible) resolution or 608 x 480 with max .; hardw are tran sfor mat ion

lookup table , image function vid- eit her short or long persistence unit ; and 68000 peripheral contro l-

eo , quad cursor, joystick, track- units , the ID-1 00 terminals emu late ler. Other features include soft-

ball , keyboard , pre-wiring expan- the DEC VT-100 in the alph a nu- ware selectable display resolution,

sion, software package and merics mode , but offer both co lor micro programmable display pro-

monitors. $9950 to $21,000; OEM and graphics as well. They are cessor and matrix transform unit.

and qty . discounts avai lab le.

compatible with ISSCO and Tek- Options available are a real-time

Grinnell Systems Corp, 2159 Be- tronix graphics software, and con- video digitizer , voice crossbar

ring Dr, San Jose, CA 95131.

tain high level language graphic switch, color monitors , trackball,

Write 226 com mands in firmware. Displays joystick , switches, and image me m-

Industrial Quality

can be windowed with scissoring, ory to 2048 x 2048 x 24. $53,500, sca led, and origin se lected. Specs quantity pricing ava ilable .

Model 9701 is a color terminal in- include: 65-key detachable key- lkonas Graphics Systems Inc , 531

tended for demanding industrial board with 18-key numeric keypad ; Pylon Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606.

and commercial applications. It 12" diagonal display , 60 or 30Hz;

Write 229

features all metal construction, high resolution permanently con-

and 8 foreground/background co lors plus blink , multi-cursor fo rm at,

Multiprocessor Architecture

verged CRT monitor , totally inde- and full addressab l e cursor The IDT 2000 and 2200 color

pendent monitor and display gen- operations.

graphics terminal consists of a vid-

erator power supplies , and a ID Systems, 4093 Leap Rd , Hil- eo generator, high capability color

detachable so lid state keyboard . liard , OH 43026 .

Write 228 monitor and a multifunction key-

Specs include: 80 characters by 48 lines: 64 special characters for diagram, plot and forms generation; 8

30 Shaded Graphics & Image Processing

board . Specs include: graphics image size of 262,144 pixels, 512 x 512; character capability is 51 lines

foreground/background colors; se- The RDS-3050 is a color raster dis- of 85 characters, 5 x 7 matrix in 6 x

lective blink ; character protect and play system and graph ics proces- 10 dot field ; 8 standard colors may

size select; dual cursors; erase line sor. It performs real-time 2D and be expanded to 64. The terminal's

and page ; roll and scroll ; and trans- 3D vector and polygon transforma- intelligence allows simplified pro-

mit full or partial pages . Communi- tion and display , CAD/CAM, sim- gramming using high level ASCII

cation is ASCII RS-232C or 20 mA ulation, animation, image process- co mm ands over a sta ndard RS-232 f

compatible at 110 to 9.6K baud full ing and research applications. serial interface req uiring no special

or half duplex. $3995.

Specs include : 512 x 512 x 24 (full handlers or drivers. The syste m

HMW Enterprises, 604 Salem Rd , color) or 1024 x 1024 x 6 (64 color) e mploys a pipelining hierarchical

Etters, PA 17319.

Write 227 display ; 32 bit graphics processor multiprocesso r architecture which

Diaital Desian · Julv 1982

THE IMAGE MAKERS

Your system's monitor is a window on its capabilities.
That's why it's so important to choose a monitor that's equally capable. One that won't compromise your quality image each time your system is turned on.
Mitsubishi makes it. In fact, we make a complete range of quality analog and digital monitors from 13" to 25" with features like automatic self convergence and ultrahigh resolution exceeding 2,000 lines.

One look, and you'll know there's no better way in sight to protect your investment in hardware and software.
So for CAD/CAM, Process Control Graphics, Data Display, Imaging, or any other application, choose from the monitor line our image is on.
Call or write for complete information today.
Write 46 on Reader Inquiry Card

Raster Displays
Intergraph Corp.

LogE/Spatial Data Systems

e nab les hi gh speed dot writing and

macroprogramming manipulation.

This "building block" approach

utilizes multiple proces ors with

flexible and expandable memory

and permits the user to select from

many firmware and hardware op-

tions to meet specific application

needs. From $10,600.

Industrial Data Terminals, 173

Heatherdown Dr, Westerville, OH

43081.

Write 230

Dual Raster Screens
T he OSP037 is a high-reso lution, flicker-free color graphics system. This fully compatible display system includes a 16-bit microcomputer, and dua l 19" raster screens, one color and one monochromatic, which have a resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels. Each screen can display full 20 and 30 graphics, plus operator prompts and messages, with independent hardware pan, zoom and drag for both screens . From a palette of 4096 colors, the user can select 128 act ive colors for simultaneous display. Additional memory planes allow the number of active colors to be increased as desired. A keyboard and a choice of digitizing tables, menus and cursors are available. Workstations can be directly lin ked at distances up to 6000' from the central site or

operated at remote locations over

telecommunications lines. From

$60,000.

Intergraph Corp, One Madison In-

dustrial Park, Huntsville , AL

35807.

Write 231

Display Processor

The System 3400 is an intelligent peripheral device attached to a host minicomputer that reduces computer time required to perform display and image manipulation functions. Its separate programmable high-speed memory controller and µP provide 2 µsec random updating and 60Hz memory refresh (non-interlaced). E leven picture memories range from 256 x 256 pixels to 1280 x 1024 pixels, which displays flicker-free images. Users can choose from a scale of 4096 black-to-white tones to display 256 at once, or from a palette of 16.7 million colors to display 4096 simultaneously. Other features include lookup tables, a pan/zoom controller, blink contro ll er, flexible overlay capabi liti es, 8 monitor options , alphanumeric keyboard, trackball or joystick, data tablet and modular design (over three dozen hardware and software options are available that allow tailoring the system to specific requirements.

Lexldata Corp 755 Middl esex
Tpke, Billerica, MA 01865. Write 232

Image Data Exchange

Model 330 EyeCom III is a real time

image processing system with pro-

grammable architecture via the IDEX

data exchange and pipeline processing

of images at video frame rates . Fea-

tures include spatial filtering , recur-

sive fi lters, pseudocolor and true col-

or with grap hi c overlays a nd

programmable cursor, real time pro-

cessing of video images, hardware ar-

chitecture which is under software

control, reconfigurable memories for

different storage resolutions, very low

noise analog signal conditioning per-

mitting 10 bit digitizi ng. Specs are:

640 x 512 resolution, 8 or I0 bit gray

scale , analog signal conditioning with

60dB SIN ratio , logarithmic or linear

amplification and offset and range ad-

just under computer control, multiple

image formats with panning , full A/N

keyboard , 1911 co lor display, and joy-

stick cursor. DEC PDP- I I and LSI- I I

compatib le. Contai ns Unibus/Q-Bus

interfaces wi th optional RS -232 and

DMA interfaces to most other com-

puters with operating system indepen-

dence . From $45,000.

LogE/Spatial Data Systems, 508 S.

Fairview Ave. , PO Box 978, Goleta,

CA 93 11 6.

Write 233

Digital Design· July 1982

AYCON 16/SERIES

brings high performance color graphics down to earth.

Only AYDIN CONTROLS' 15 years of experience in raster scan color graphics could bring you a display computer with the total capability of the AYCON 16/SERIES...and now at such an affordable price!
The overwhelming acceptance of the AYDIN original Model 5216 allows us to offer an enhanced version of this field-proven unit. Check this unmatched combination of systems/hardware features available with the AYCON 16/SERIES:
· Up to 1024 x 1024 pixel x 16 bit (Z-axis) color display.
· Refresh at up to 60Hz.
· A variety of video modules.
· Characters in three sizes.
· Vectors at 800 ns per pixel.
· 80 x 48 character A/N overlay. · Multiple 16-bit micro's. AYDIN
software or you program them... even up to 14!

· Single or multiple WORKSTATIONS... up to four!
· High-resolution RGB monitors - delta or in-line gun.
And when it comes to Software/ Firmware: · Graphics Firmware with fill and
zoom standard! · AYGRAF/CORE 2-dimensional
Firmware/Software with Worldto-Screen translation, rotation, and scaling...world coordinates of 64K x 64K! · Plus AYGRAF/3D, AYGRAF/ LIST, and support Software.
But if all this is not enough to excite you, how about more economy with standard PACKAGED

SYSTEMS, single or multiple WORKSTATION pre-engineered for the most common color display applications?
If you're ready to fly with your color graphics display application, we can help you "get off the ground" with a system to meet your industrial, business, scientific or commerical requirements.

Aydin Controls
Command Performance in Color Graphics
414CommerceDrive. FortWashingtol\ PA 19034 (215)542-7800, 1WX:51(}661-0518 Telex:6851057

Write 18 on Reader Inquiry Card

Visit Us at SIGGRAPH '82, Booth 1522

Raster Displays
-

.;;········
II

·····I·l··l·

Matrox Electronic Systems

Modular Design

The GF-18 is a modular color graph-

ics terminal based on a building block

technique for both hardware and soft-

ware. Depending upon the configura-

tion , specs include: modular color

graphics, off-the-shelf components,

software building blocks , emulates

Tektronix 4010/4114 terminals , cus-

tom software, interfaces for a wide

range of peripherals, 5 12 x 512 x 8

resolution, color overlay alphanumer-

ics , 700 ns/pixel vector generator, 16

million color look-up table , 512 x 512

x 8 real time frame grabber, 12", 14"

or 19" color CRTs , Multibus hardware

standard, 8 bit (Z-80A) or 16 bit

(8086) CPUs , 8 foreground/back-

ground colors, color alphanumeric

overlay, 16 million color look-up ta-

ble, and a 2 Mbyte disk storage op-

tion. From $10,000 to $20,000.

Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd,

5800 Andover Ave, Montreal H4T

1H4 .

Write 234

Dynamic, Interactive System

The Wizzard 7250 is a line drawing color raster display system standard with 12 bit (4K x 4K) virtual addressing. It supports up to 16 co lors from a 4096 color palette, with separate color-lookup table for each 512 x 512 pixel resolution monitor. Standard feat ures include hardware pan. true

binary zoom, full screen clipping, dynamics , distributed processing , software support, 60Hz non-interlaced output, 160 ns/pixel average pixel update rate, and tri-state dual bus architecture. Options include 3D transformations, surface processor, hard copy pick module with digital comparator, data tablet , keyboard and joystick. A basic system with 512 x 5 12 resolution, 8 color, single output, 19" display and grap hi cs proce sso r is $30,500. Megatek Corp, United Telecom Computer Group , 3985 Sorrento Valley Blvd, San Diego , CA 92121.
Write 235
Full Featured Desk-Top Unit
The RM -6211 colorgraphics terminal offers high-resolution raster scan color graphics. It is suited for business , process control, scientific data analysis and government and military applications. It communicates with any host computer via an RS-232C interface, and has a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels operating at 30Hz (interlace), with an option for 640 x 512 pixels at 60 Hz (repeat field). Other features include 13" monitor; four refresh memory planes controlled by a user-programmable video look-up table which permits si multaneou s display of up to 16 colors from a palette of 64, or 8 colors plus either an alpha-

numeric overlay or a blink function; a variety of software packages; and more powerful graphics capabi lities. Options include additional 16 Kbytes of RAM , interactive devices, color hardcopy (printer, camera), and formatted data VO. Ramtek Corp, 2211 Lawson Lane , Santa Clara, CA 95050. Write 236
Dual-Mode Image Array
Model One is a high-performance raster-scan graphics display system that offers software-selectable point addressability and 64K RAM-based image memory. The graphics controller installs between an existing host computer and color display monitor. It features advanced architecture, extensive graphics commands and comprehensive user-friendly operating aids. Also, it offers dual mode image-array selection-either 512 x 512 pixels or IK x I K addressable points-so users can perform both imaging and fullscreen line-drawing tasks on the same display monitor. It gives a window or an entire fu ll-screen IK display on a standard video monitor so that users can switch, via software commands, from imaging to line drawing applications without having to change systems or display monitors . Other features include a 16 bit Z8000 processor; optional Direct Pixel Memory Access (DPMA) port with band-
Digital Design· July 1982

Raster Displays

Sigma Design West

Tektronix Inc.

width up to 3.75 Mbytes/sec; an op-

tional overlay plane for alphanumeric

data; and hardware pan and zoom

functions. The Model One color

graphics controller with 24 image

memory planes that permit an unlim-

ited number of simultaneously dis-

played colors is $17 ,500.

Raster Technologies Inc, 9 Exec-

utive Park Dr, N. Billerica, MA

0 1862.

Write 237

Automated Design Workstation

The Sigmagraphics workstation is a turnkey computer automated design workstation which includes a processor with two floppy disks and a micro Winchester, a 512 x 640 19" co lor raster tube, a keyboard with joystick, a touch sensitive menu with 256 positions for selecting commands and user programs, and a plasma display of 6 lines of 40 characters each which is used for operator communication. Multiple Sigmagraphics workstations can be attached to a Masterplex which allows them to communicate with and to share data and output devices. Workstation and Masterplex have a telecommunications capability to allow transfer of data over phone lines. Available as 1/0 are the following: three types of pen plotters, a printer plotter, two types of line printers . and three different sizes of digitizing tab-

Digital Design ·July 1982

lets. Included in the system price is a complete graphics software package for general drafting in 2D and 3D wire frame. Complete workstation prices from $87 ,000 to $ 120,000 depending upon configuration and software. B&W models are also availab le. Sigma Design West, 7306 S. Alton Way, Englewood, CO 80 11 2.
Write 238
Programmable Resolution
The CD-2 is a color raster display that attaches to the PGM via a CH- I highspeed channel and affords the user with a programmable resolution RS l 70/RS343 RGB color video output capabi lity. Its video output can be used to drive many different video devices such as video to 35 mm fi lm units like the Dunn or Matrix cameras on large screen displays , in addition to the standard 19" monitor provided by Superset. The CD-2 consists of a channel interface board, a 393 Kbyte memory board, a video display board and a standard 48 bit Fortran processor. This provides the user, in effect, an auxiliary PGM available for Fortran processing when the video display is not actuall y in use. Other features are software operated cursor, software operated color palette (for selection of within 8 or 16 of 262, 144 colors), blink any color and interface

to allow synchronization with exte rnal

video for overlaying video on PGM

generated graphics . The CD-2 and

CH- I are $ 16,500; available 3rd quar-

ter 1982.

Superset Inc, 11035 Rose lle St , San

Diego, CA 92121.

Write 239

High Data Communications Speed

The 4113 is an inte lligent co lor termi-

nal with a 19" 60Hz non-interlaced

raster display. Features include true

zoom and pan, a 4096 color palette

(with 8 .or 16 colors simultaneously

viewable), multiple viewports , local

picture segments, 2D transforms,

4096 x 4096 addressability viewable

in 640 x 480 blocks, 32K me mory,

and is available in desktop config ura-

tion . With host communications up to

9600 baud , 19.2K baud wi th flag-

ging, the 4 11 3 provides display speed

su itable for a broad cross-section of

CAD and mapping applications. Pic-

tures and picture elements can be de-

fined by MOYE and DRAW com-

mands, then locall y stored, recalled

and manipulated with transmi ssion of

a simple segment identifier from the

host. Optional 3-port RS-232C pe-

ripheral interface enables loca l control

of plotters , printers and graphic tab-

lets. Base price is $ 16,500.

Tektronix Inc, PO Box 500, Beaver-

ton. OR 97077 .

Write 240

You will!

Re-Introducing Zendex. (You may call us "The Little Giant:'J
Until 1979, there was only one company in our field. We will call it "The Giant:'
It seemed unfair that OEMs and Systems Houses should be entirely dependent on a single source for certain board products. Even un-American!
(Not to mention the wasted opportunity for a new company like Zendex to make a profit!)
So Zendex was founded to establish the alternative. Multibus compatible boards and development systems for the professional and industrial markets ... but with some differences: · 10 to 20% higher performance,speed or expandability. · 10 to 20% lower price; · Reliability up to 5 times higher than industry standards. It has paid off. Now there are two giants in the field: The original Giant,98 times our size. And us, Zendex. (We respect Intel and hope their growth is proportionate to ours.) Zendex may not be very big,but we are an authentic Little Giant nevertheless.For 15 or 20 other companies have seen a good thing in our market. And we are as big as all of them combined.
You haven't heard much about Zendex? You will. Here are our new products:
· A number of new proprietary board level products and sub-systems, based on all three major 16-bit processors, the Intel 8086; the Motorola 68000; and the Zilog 28000.You see, we think each of these competitive items

has something the others lack. So,at Zendex, you can get the equivalent of all three.Zendex will be the only multibus manufacturer offering three major 16-bit processors ...from one source and with a common operating system. · Expanded development systems with hard disk ...
and both ISIS- and UNIX-compatible operating systems.
· And, very exciting, the Quota~ Modular OEM Configurable Computer. Our answer to the Intel 86/ 330. Let's sound competitive! The Intel box holds two disk drives; ours has room for three.Intel's card cage has six slots; our Quota has nine slots.
The new Quota Computer.
Who will win the battle of the Multibus Giants? You will. Because competition works to your benefit. You can start by being one of the first to get our new catalog. Fresh off the press.
Intel,Isis and Multibus are trademarks ol Intel Corp. UNIX is a trademark of Bell Laboratories.
Please send me your new catalog, hot off the press.

ZX-86. 8086 single board computer.

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Title _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Firm Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Phone _ _ _ _ __ City_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State_ Zip _ _ __
Write 26 on Reader Inquiry Card

ZENdEX
The other giant in the Multibus market
6680 Sierra Lane,Dublin,CA94566.Phone ( 415) 828-3000. 1WX 9103894009.

Single Board Computers: Trme And Money Savers For Some Unusual Applications

by Bill Groves
Single board computers (SBCs) are not for everyone, yet they fill thousands of applications for a lot less money than any component µP design could touch. They also offer very quick turnaround, since the basic engineering is already completed. More time and effort can then be spent in tailoring the SBC to the specific tasks it will be required to perform . In some cases, even this step can be simplified if commercial software packages already exist.
Defining the application is the initial chore. Once this has been thoroughly developed , then the hardware can be defined . If the number of systems to be produced is low , then single board products
42

may be the only practical answer. If the reader is considering pro-
ducing a µP-based system in quantity , the trade-offs between a components design versus purchasing a board level product can get much more difficult. Some of the major
SBCs fill thousands of applications for less money than
component µP designs and offer quick turnaround time.

considerations should include not only volume of product to be produced , but facilities and capabilities , engineering manpower availability, turnaround time , and real cost.
If you plan to build a lot of product , then you must know your own physical limitations. Do you have the man years of engineering talent available to design a system from the bottom up, debug it, and produce the operating system? Even if you have all of these capabilities, can you produce the board level products , either in-house or by subcontracting? Do you have to add production capability, space, new equipment, etc.? What are your real costs? In many companies , real costs are difficult to determine until you actually try to pro-
Digital Design ·July 1982

duce something. If you are

confident that you can do it in-

house at an acceptable cost, you

should check some of the SBC sup-

pliers (see list at end of article).

They might be able to offer better

prices, especially in the current

market.

Consider also buying boards now

and building in-house later when

your volume gets larger. Many of

the semiconductor companies rec-

ognize this problem and are willing

to license companies to produce

their board level products using

their components.

You should also be very aware

of other costs of development.

Software can be a major time con-

sumer. If you use · your resources

here, will you also have time for

product development, production,

and testing? The SBC suppliers of-

fer development tools and docu-

mentation for their products. This

is an added time saver. Commer-

cial software packages already exist

for many board level computers,

and frequently these can be used as

is or modified for an application.

Testing is another area that re-

quires careful cost evaluation. A

SBC product will have been tested

by the manufacturer. Usually, the

user only needs to test the com-

plete system performance. This can

save time and, more importantly,

the cost of adding test gear.

If you have made all of these

trade-offs and are considering a

SBC, what is the next step? The

application is the key. Only after

the application is well defined

should you begin to consider hard-

ware. At this point, you will know

if you need 2-4-8-16- or 32-bit ca-

..,.

pability. Then you can begin to narrow your choices based on

physical environment, power con-

sumption, bus structure, 1/0 capa-

bility and all of the other applica-

tion-driven requirements.

... Some Real Applications
Everyone's application of a SBC is unique. If this were not true , then the board level market would not exist. A few companies have agreed to share some of their experiences in using single board
computers, and to pass along their

Digital Design ·July 1982

knowledge. · Thermco. A leading manufacturer of diffusion furnaces for the semiconductor industry, Thermco is a company using TI SBCs in a unique way. Dick Dunn, the marketing director at Thermco, plans to use close to 2000 boards per year. His reasons for buying a SBC were turnaround time on design coupled with the fact that they cost less than what Thermco could build the boards for from scratch. Design time was a definite factor, but the real deciding factor, in addition to the board cost , was software. Thermco did not have enough inhouse capability to generate all of the software it needed. TI and Thermco were able to work together to develop the software to match the application very quickly.
Earlier models of the diffusion furnaces relied on a minicomputer to control the four diffusion tubes

Thermco chose boards to solve the problem even though they have extensive in-house engineering and PC board manufacturing capability because the SBCs were just less costly than an in-house approach.
Thermco does modify the boards it receives from TI to protect some proprietary features of the furnace. This is a relatively easy modification that they have developed in conjunction with Tl. Dick Dunn hopes to modify more than 50,000 older diffusion furnaces to this type of computer control in the future.
Thermco is a good example of a company that has selected a board level product to save time and money. They have also opened a new market in modifying older furnaces. ·Highland Labs. Paint tint dispensers for retail paint stores have been manually operated and prone to operator error for many years.

Figure 1: National Semiconductor recently announced a line of CMOS SBCs based
on their NSCBOO chip set. These low power SBCs have a - 40°C to + 85°C operating
temperature range, making it possible to operate the µ.C in a sealed enclosure. This
permits application in electrically noisy, explosive, and extreme temperature areas for
many industrial process control applications. National also provides a full line of
110, memory, and analog support boards.

in each furnace. When the mm1 went down , so did four tubes loaded with expensive wafers. Thermco decided that each tube had to be controlled separately. The solution was obvious-separate µP control.

Highland Laboratories in Ashland , MA is a leading manufacturer of colorant dispensers , and Highland's president, Jim Poitras, has directed his company's product toward computer control.
43

A most recent application was developed with S. Dyrup and Company, one of Denmark's leading paint manufacturers. Dyrup was concerned about adding color to its large variety of latex, vinyl, acrylic, and oil-base paints. Retail clerks made numerous errors copying tint

formulas from large color code books. Ability to make exact color duplicates of paint colors was very difficult because of operator variations on manual tinting equipment.
Highland reviewed the cost of computerizing its dispensers and

High Performance Digital Delay Lines As Standard Parts
10 Precision Timing Edge
· Tight Tolerances
· 5 Taps · Low Profile
14 or 16 Pin
Package · TTL / DTL
Compatible

Designed for leading and trailing edge precision-total delays from 25NS to SOONS

Prototype quantities available from stock. For more information, ask for Catalog 812.

@
varian

Pulse Engineering
P.O. Box 12235, San Diego, CA 92112 (714) 279-5900

Write 34 on Reader Inquiry Card 44

Figure 2: Phoenix Digital Corp. offers a very broad line of SBCs and support boards. The PCU-6809 series boards are designed for either single or multiprocessor environments for a wide range of industrial control applications. It has a 4-year real-time clock/calendar with thousandths, hundredths, and tenths of a second, seconds, minutes, day of the week, month, year, and alarm outputs. It is software set, software controllable with its 16 registers, and is interruptable. It is available with lmHz or 2mHz speeds. The PCU-6809 board, based on the 8-bit MC6809 µ.P chip and its special multiphase clock generation circuitry, allows multiprocessor applications through the concept of shared memory. Operating simultaneously with an NCM-6809 Network Subsystem on the same bus, two processors can run at full speed but 180" out of phase with each other to double the throughput rate. Phoenix Digital offers a 0°-70° commercial version of the PCU-6809 and, for harsh industrial en-
vironments, a - 40"C to + 75°C ver-
sion. Prices are under $1000.
found cost was a major obstacle. Competitors were selling computer-controlled dispensers for about $10,000 each-much too costly for most retail outlets, especially those that must tint paint rather than inventory a variety of colors.
Poitras found a solution in the AIM 65 SBC from Rockwell. He was able to interface the AIM 65 with a proven dispenser system. The processor, complete with keyboard and memory , retails for under $500, and this enabled High1and to produce a computercontrolled dispenser for a price competitive with other electromechanical dispensers.
Digital Design · July 1982

QJ· :VeS

s-100 the best

innetworks. ..

w i t h TurboDOS*

With CP/M* compatible TurboDOS and MuSYS

network slave boards you can turn any Z80-based,

S-100 system into a superior multi-processor, multi-

user network.

TurboDOS is faster than CP/M for system func-

tions. TurboDOS supports larger files (134 MB) and

disks (1048 MB) and, unlike CP/NET*, it's compatible

with nearly all 2.2 applications software. Many fea-

tures which are optional , extra cost or not available at

all in CP/M are standard with TurboDOS. Add a

MuSYS NET/82* and you've gof a complete, hard-

ware isolated network slave including Z80A CPU,

two serial ports and many other advanced features.

For special applications an additional bank of 64K

memory is available.

Expand your S-100 system economically with MuSYS

now! Ask for all the facts on TurboDOS and our ex-:.

panding line of network slave boards.

(Generous quantity/dealer discounts available.)

"TUltloDOS is a -

II< of Software 2000, Inc. CP/M and CP/NET.,., .-arks

of Otgitel - . c t \, Inc. NET/82 is a -

of MuSYS Corp.

r~ ::::l :=J!:{r:] ::::~ =J

1451 Irvine Blvd., Suite 11
Tustin, CA 92680

CORP. (714) 730-5692

Specie1iats in MJti-user~ TWX: 910-595-1967

CABLE: MUSYSTSTN

Write 31 on Reader Inquiry Card

Can't Decide on a CPU?-Here's One With Interchangeable Processors
General Micro Systems of Ontario, Canada, has developed a unique family of SBC modules offering interchangeable 6502, 6809, and Z80 µPs. Directly pin compatible with Motorola's EXORciser micromodule and Rockwell's System 65/AIM 65 buses, the modules offer up to 4K bytes of static RAM , 16K bytes of EPROM/ROM plus ACIA, IEEE-488, and printer ports. Each module also includes eight 1/0 lines, two 16-bit timers and two 8-bit shift registers with VUA/VXA and bootstrapping.
This single board module, when combined with a RAM memory expansion module and a floppy disk controller module, can produce a full 6502, 6809 or Z80 operating system. Other features include power-on reset , reset, base address, and enable/disable switches. All modules have fully buffered data, address and control lines, plus over voltage and polarity protection .
Using the basic General Micro Systems module, the changes needed to interchange processor chips are simple. Chip translators on the board let the different µP chips be plugged in at any time . Crystal oscillators to match the 6502, 6809, and Z80 µPs are also available from General Micro.
Operating systems for the 6502 {basically the System 65 operating system) , 6809, and Z80 families are available. Individual software packages for IEEE-488, ACIA and printer are also available. All of the General Micro modules are burned-in for 72 hours. Each carries a full year's warranty. The 6" by 9.75" boards sell for about $500 each with quantity discounts available.
General Micro Systems' approach to interchangeable µPs could certainly be of value to users needing several different types of SBCs. Basic boards could be held in inventory until used, and at that point the choice of processor can be made.
Digital Design · Ju ly 1982

The Multibus just * crystal controlled baud rate genera- currently available from Hemenway

tor with 16 standard rates

Corporation (Boston, MAI and high

got A LOT more

level languages are reported to be

available from several major software

)

powerful

MULTI-PROCESSOR CAPABILITY houses by early fall.

Th~ OB68K1 is a powerful, highly versatile single board computer capable of functioning as a stand-alone system,
or. as the central processor in a large microcomputer system. It features:

The OB68K1 is designed to function in either a single or a multi-processor environment. All onboard memory is protected from access by other processors and devices, permitting multiple boards to run concurrently. Since the OB68K1 will address up to 16 mega-

For more Information about the OB68K1, ask for our free summary sheet or send $10 for a detailed technical manual. Contact Randy Cochran, Marketing Manager.

* Motorola's MC68000 CPU * MULTIBUS/IEEE P796 compatability * sockets for up to 64K bytes of ROM * 32K or 128K bytes of RAM * BMHz processor speed * (7) prioritized-vectored interrupts * (2) RS232C serial ports * (2) 16-BIT parallel ports * triple 16-BIT timer/counter * user programmable memory

bytes of total memory, it is possible for several boards to access a common pool of memory and 1/0 devices within a shared bus system.
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
Because the board is configured with the same 1/0 arrangement as Motorola's MEX68KDM design module, any software developed for the KDM module including the MACSBUG® monitori debugger, will operate on the OB68K1.

DI OMNIBYTE
OMNIBYTE CORPORATION 245 W. Roosevelt Rd. West Chicago, IL 60185 (312) 231 -6880
OB68K19 is a trademark of Omnibyte Corporation MACSBUG9 is a trademark of Motorola Inc

mapping PROMs

An off-the-shelf operating system is MULTIBUS- is a trademark of Intel Cori>oration

Write 22 on Reader Inquiry Card

Figure 3: Rockwell's Antonetics Marine Systems Division uses an AIM 65 SBC to clean precision ball bearings for submarine gyros. The AIM 65 controls a robot moving on five axes in a pressurized nitrogen atmosphere. The robot cleans the bearings, round to within 4 mils, with filtered pressurized freon and dried nitrogen in about 14 minutes. The cleaning procedure cannot be accomplished by human operator without contamination. The Rockwell division designed this special purpose robot and then selected the lowest cost system capable of control. It turned out that the AIM 65 produced by another Rockwell division performed the control function for under $/000.

Using firmware in the AIM 65, the retail clerk is prompted through the tinting process with an LED display. The only mechanical settings required by the clerk are the "dip-stick" like settings on up to 16 colorant dispensers, and he is told how to make the settings. The AIM 65 controls the dispensing and mixing operations. Exact color duplicates can be produced over and over again.
For Highland it meant putting a computer-controlled tint dispenser on the market at a price most paint retailers could afford . Highland was also able to get their product to market faster because they used an existing tint dispenser and added a SBC that even prints labels for the paint cans. Cost for the complete system went up by about 20% compared to the mechanical system , yet it stayed well below competitive computer-controlled systems. For the S. Dyrup Co., it means error-free tinting in its 175
48

retail outlets in Denmark.
Trends In SBCs
SBC products are serving two major markets. One is the general purpose computer applications where a small computer is imbedded into a system for control or data collection. This type of processor is also the most common one produced. Usually it operates on a proven bus structure, has 1/0 and communications interface, and
Figure 4: This 16-bit SBC from Motorola has been designed for the industrial and laboratory-automation markets. Based on the 68000, it offers Versabus interface, local bus extenders, two multiprotocol serial 110 ports, and 128K bytes of dual-port RAM with DMA. It also has a full line of support boards for peripheral interface, color graphics, and up to 512K bytes of dynamic RAM. With 128K bytes of RAM, it sells for under $4000. It may be an attractive replacement for a minicomputer.

-
is readily adapted to a dedicated

control function.

The second, and most rapidly

growing market for SBCs is the

truly dedicated function processor.

RCA and National Semiconductor

both produce tough single board

processors for industrial control ap-

plications. National's new CMOS

line is packaged in environmentally

immune form that lends it to se-

vere real world operating environ-

ments such as machine shops , oil

refineries, steel mills , etc.

This more dedicated processor

approach is more specifically tai-

lored to industrial applications. En-

viron mental considerations and

packaging make these easier to

use, but they do add to the cost.

Both the general purpose and

dedicated SBC markets are grow-

ing because many users simply find

it easier to buy a unit than to un-

dertake development. Develop-

ment dollars are often better spent

on software and getting the product to market faster.

...

Many of the companies now us-

ing SBCs are fully capable of de-

veloping their own system, but be-

cause of cost and time they are

electing to buy board products.

The trend for the SBC makers is

for larger markets. The users are

not as easy to define. More sophis-

ticated users are now taking the

single board approach; however, at

the same time, the number of first

time computer users is increasing

rapidly. Serving both ends and the

middle of tnis market is a challenge

to the SBC manufacturers. It will

Digital Design ·July 1982

, SBC

Figure 5: A utomated Paint Mixing: Computerized paint colorant dispenser manufa ctured by Highland Lab oratories auto matically dispenses the correct amount of colorant and prints an identify ing label. Th e co mpu te rize d dispenser is successf ully being used in over 175 retail stores in Denmark.
be interesting to watch them defin e their markets . Almost certainly, the first time SBC user will require the most hand holding support , and that may do so me inte resting things to prices. Product support may well be the key to success for the board manufacturers.
SBC Sources
Table 1 shows some of the sources

of SBCs . It is not intended to be a complete product directory , however , it is a guide to some of the products available . Since the processor chip type and the bus structure are key to any system, we have tried to show what chips and bus types are available. We apologize to the companies not listed and to the companies with new products not included .

Choices abound in the 8-bit SBC

offerings. Something for everyone

seems to be the way the 8-bit mar-

ket has evolved.

For the 16-bit µC boards , the

choices are fewer and easier.

Multibus is the dominant bus struc-

ture , but it is under great pressure

from the Versabus . With the agree-

ment of Motorola, Mostek, and

Signetics/Phillips to standardize on

the new VME Bus and the Euro-

card format , Multibus may feel even more pressure.

The 16-bit µP chip offerings are

dominated by the 8086 and the

68000. The number of boards avail-

able based on these two chips is ex-

pected to grow rapidly. VME and Versabus do offer the 68000, a

definite advantage over the other

buses because they started out as

16-bit structures .

CMOS board level products will

quickly find their way onto 16-bit

boards, because the CMOS chips

have extremely low power con-

sumption. National , AMI , Tl , Sig-

netics , Harris and others should all

be introducing 16-bit CMOS de-

vices very soon .

Table I : Some of the currently available

16-bit and 8-bit SBCs currently available.

...

16-BIT µCOMPUTER BOARDS

BUS

COMPANY

PROCESSOR

COMMENTS

MUL:.TIBU$ X-BUS PROPRIETARY PROPRIETARY PROPRIETARY & LSI -II MULTIBUS PROPRIETARY, MULTIBUS PROPRIETARY MULTIBUS MULTIBUS MULTIBUS VERSABUS, VME VERSABUS , EXORBUS, & VME BUS MULTIBUS MULTIBUS MULTIBUS VERSABUS PROPRIETARY PROPRIETARY PROPRIETARY MULTIBUS, PROPRIETARY FLEXBUS Ill MULTIBUS PROPRIETARY

AMO Data Applications lnt's Data General Digital Acoustics Digital Equipment Distributed Computer Systems Forward Technology Hewlett-Packard Intel Microbar Systems Matrox Electronic Systems Mizar Designs Motorola National Semiconductor NEC Electronics Omni byte RC I/ Data Stynetic Systems Tau Zero Texas Instruments Western Digital Xycom Zendex Zilog

AmZ8002 8086 mN601 68000 LSI-II, F-11 , T-11
8086 68000, 8086 2901 8086, 8086-2
68000 8086 68000 68000 8086, NS 16032 8086 68000 68000 CP 1600 TMS 9900 TMS 9900, 74S481 8086, WD-9000
z 8001
8086
z z 8002, 8001

Eurocard
Large Selection Full Line of Board Products IEEE-796 Bus Compatible Board

Digital Design· July 1982

8-BIT µCOMPUTER BOARDS

BUS

COMPANY

PROCESSOR

COMMENTS

MULTIBUS

Advanced Micro Devices

8085A

STD

Applied Micro Technology

z00, z00A

STD or EXORBUS1

Applied Systems

6800

STD or PROPRIETARY

8085 or Z80

MULTIBUS2

Co mark

8085

EXORCISER1

Creative Micro Systems

6802, 6809

< Compatible with Motorola Exorciser Boards

EXOR BUS

6809

AIM-653

Cubit

6502

CYBERBUS

Cybersystems

5502, z00, 8085

DCE

Data Applications lnt'I

8080, 8088, 6808 and Z80 All Eurocard Format

STD

Datricon

6809, 6800, 6804 and 6512

STD PROPRIETARY & MULTIBUS

Desert Microsystems Digital Microsystems

8088 Z80A

< Interface to Hi-Net Local Network

EXORCISER

Digitek

6800

Basic Compiler

MULTIBUS

Distributed Computer Systems

8080A, 8086, 8088

MULTIBUS

Diversified Technology

NSC 800

CMOS - Low Power

MULTIBUS

ETI Micro

8085, 8088

PROPRIETARY

Fairchild

3850

Communications Interface

MULTIBUS

Heurikon

Z80, Z80A

Some with IEEE 488 Interface

AIM-65

Industrial Micro-Systems

6502

Low Cost

MULTIBUS

Intel

8080A, 8085, 8085A, 8088 Large Selection

PROPRIETARY

lntersil

80C35, 6100

Key Pad and Display Included

S-100

Intercontinental Microsystems

Z80A

CA MAC

Kinetic Systems

8085

< Built to IEEE-583 CAMAC Standards

S-100 STD

Logical Devices Inc. Matrix

6809 6809, 6803

S-100

Measurement Systems & Controls

Z80A

PROPRIETARY

Matrox Electronic Systems

Z80A

Can Be Customized

STD

Miller Technology

Z80A

MULTIBUS

Monolithic Systems

z0oz

STD-Z80 & SOE EXORBUS

Mostek Motorola

< 200, z00A
6800. 6802, 6809

Large Selection and Many Support Boards

S-100

MUSYS Corp.

Z80A

EXORCISER MULTIBUS, CIMBUS4

MAC Systems National Semiconductor

6801

< 8080, 8085, Z80A

Interfaces with Exorciser and Micromodule Buses Some Alternate Source to Intel Boards

LSI-II & STD

Nortek

Z80A, 8088

< High Speed Peripheral Controllers for LSI-II

PROPRIETARY & STD

Octagon Systems

INS 8073, INS 8070 High Speed

PROPRIETARY & MULTIBUS

Omnibyte

6808, 6809

SS-50 STD

Percom Data Pro-Log

6809 8085A, 6800, Z80, Z80A, 680~Large Selection - High Speed

EXORCISER, RM65, EXORBUS Phoenix Digital

6800, 6809

PROPRIETARY

RCA

1802

CMOS - Low Power

PROPRIETARY

RC1 /Data

6800, 6802,6502, 6809

RM-65 & PROPRIETARY

Rockwell International

6502

Low Cost

PROPRIETARY, MULTIBUS, SMP Siemens

8085A

Eurocard Format

PROPRIETARY, SS-50

Smoke Signal Broadcasting

6809

C-44 PROPRIETARY

Synapse

NSC-800, 6805 E2

Extremely Low Power

PROPRIETARY, KIM, EXORCISER Synertek System

6502, 6800

AIM-65

Systems Innovations

6502

PROPRIETARY

Texas Instruments

TMS 9980

MULTIBUS & PROPRIETARY

Western Digital

8085A, 8088

Alternate Source to Siemens

PROPRIETARY FLEXIBUS II & Ill

Wintek Xycom

6800, 6801 8080A, Z80A

MULTIBUS

Zendex

8085-2, 8088

PROPRIETARY

Zilog

z00, za-o2

STD

Ziatech

8085A

Hi_g_h S_Qeed

1 EXORBUS, EXORCISER, VERSABUS - Motorola Trademarks 2 MULTIBUS - Intel Trademark 3 AIM 65 - Rockwell International Trademark 4 CIMBUS - National Semiconductor Trademark

Digital Design· July 1982

COMPUTERS /SYSTEMS

CP/M-86 vs. MS-DOS

by Neil Colvin

Comparisons are made on recently

Not allowing for program reloca- able memory resources). Specific

released versions of both operating tion makes CP/M-86 inefficient be- size memory segments may be re-

systems in the following nine areas: cause the 8086 architecture restricts quested, or a request may be made

program management and program a single segment to 64 Kbytes. for the maximum memory segment

control , memory management , Since one of the advantages of the that is available. As a conse-

serial 1/0, disk 1/0, file management, command processing, stan-

8086 is its large address space, programs that are larger than 64K are

quence , the available memory un- ·
der CP/M-86 need not be contig-

dard support utilities , CP/M-80 well suited to run in the system. uous, so that systems can handle

conversion effort, and reliability. While both operating systems allow memory-mapped devices and

Both Digital Research and Micro- multiple segments of code to be in- ROMs that may intrude upon the

soft have announced future prod- cluded in the program , only MS- memory space.

uct upgrades which may address a DOS automatically relocates the

In both operating systems, pro-

number of these areas.

inter-segment linkages (in the form grams may be "stacked" in mem-

Program Management

of in-line FAR JUMPS and FAR CALLS and double word pointers)

ory. This means that a program may request the operating system

Both CP/M-86 and MS-DOS sup- at the time of program loading. to load another program " above"

port multiple program models for Under CP/M-86, in its third pro- it in merriory, transfer control to

flexible control of the 8086's pro- gram model , the segment bases of that program, and be given control

gram/memory architecture. CP/M- these add itional program segments back when that program termi-

86 supports three models: 8080, SMALL, and COMPACT . MS-

are available in the memory image , but must be explicitly managed by

nates. This process can be repeated

by the new program.

...

DOS supports two models: 8080 the program code to produce FAR

MS-DOS also features a number

(COM) and 8086 (EXE) . These CALL and FAR JUMP pointers .

of program controls during pro-

models generate different initial mappings of the program code on

Memory Management

gram execution that are not available in CP/M-86. These include:

disk to the 8086 memory, and dif-

· Programmable trap for CTL-C

ferent initial settings of the 8086 Memory management refers to the

handling without program

segment registers.

facilities within the operating sys-

termination.

Both operating systems use an tem which can be used to obtain · Programmable trap to inhibit re-

8080 program model that is derived additional memory resources dur-

turn of program to the operating

in part from the CP/M-80 program ing the execution. The two operat-

system for any reason. This trap

model. In these models , the 8086 ing systems differ greatly in their

is stacked when a new program is

code, data and stack segments are one and the same, and code and

approaches to this problem . MS-DOS uses an approach simi-

.. loaded so that the termination of
the program will always return to

data are intermixed in the segment. lar to CP/M-80 for its memory

the original calling program,

The code starts at lOOH relative to management. After a program is

even if the new program has set

the start of the segment , and low loaded , certain locations in its low

memory in the segment (0-FFH) is data area contain the addresses of Serial 110 differences

predefined in a manner similar to CP/M-80.
Both operating systems also have

the top of the current data segment, and the top of all available memory. The program has access

MS-DOS · Expanded Console 1/0 System Calls · Interrupt Driven Keyboard Support

a program model that supports sep- to all memory from the base of its · No List Status Call

arate code and data/stack segments. Thus, additional memory can be automatically allocated for these segments and code segments

code segment through the top of memory, and may manage it as it desires. One consequence of this technique is that MS-DOS only

· No 1/0 Byte Type Support · Sophisticated "Buffered Console Input" · "File 1/0 " to Serial Devices "Device Inde-
pendent" 1/0

can be shared in multi-tasking environments. MS-DOS , however , allows program relocation which cannot be done under CP/M-86 .

supports machines that have contiguous RAM memories.
CP/M-86 , on the other hand, allows memory to be allocated out of the free memory pool , or at abso-

CP/M-86 · Direct "BIOS" Calls for Serial 1/0 · List Status Call · 1/0 Byte Support-Dynamic Device
Assignment · Simple "Buffered" Console Input

Adapted from a seminar by Neil lute memory locations (providing · Serial and File 1/0 Totally Separate

Colvin , President of Phoenix Soft- control over access to memory-

ware Associates Inc.

mapped devices or other non-shar- Table 1: Serial 110 differences .

Digital Design· July 1982

CP/M-86 vs. MS-DOS

its own termination trap. · Programmable trap for critical
error handling. The program directly handles disk 110 errors and other errors which would normally cause program termination. Detailed error codes and error recovery options are provided for use by the error routines. · Memory lock option leaves a program resident in memory after termination. A program can link into the interrupt vectors or device driver area, without vacat-
Disk 110 differences
MS-DOS · Blocking/Deblocking in OS * Multiple Sector Reads * Arbitrary Physical Sector Size
CP/M-86 * Driver Does Blocking/Deblocking * 128 Byte Reads/Writes Only * Single Logical Sector at a Time * CP/M-80 Methodology
Table 2: Disk 110 differences.
ing the memory area until the next cold system start. · Time and date support, with calls for reading and setting the system time, and internal support for a real-time clock.
Serial 1/0 Comparison
Many small serial-110 differences exist between the two systems (Table 1). CP/M-86 provides direct access to the BIOS functions for serial 110 through a system call, whereas MS-DOS does not provide any direct access to the BIOS level 110. MS-DOS does offer an expanded set of system calls for dealing with console 1/0 , including direct and indirect read without echo and flush keyboard buffer (for interrupt driven keyboards). MSDOS does not provide any equivalent to the CP/M-86 List Status call to determine if the list device is ready to receive a character (a feature used by many programs with background print capability).
A second minor difference is in the 110 byte handling. Although both operating systems support four logical devices (console, list , reader, punch), CP/M-86 uses an II 0 byte to assign up to 4 physical
Digital Design ·July 1982

devices per logical device. It also makes use of the STAT utility to change those assignments. MSD OS provides no equivalent facility.
The third minor difference is in the "buffered console input" function. Both systems have editing capability while inputting data , but MS-DOS lets a user edit lines similar to the way Microsoft 's BASIC interpreter's editor performs.
The major serial 1/0 difference between the two operating systems is support of a "device independent" 1/0 facility for serial devices which allows the standard file 110 calls (i.e. read and write) to be assigned to special file names (CON, PRN, NULL, and AUX) in order to access the serial devices. Thus, programs can be written in the fashion of a Unix operating system where serial 1/0 files and disk files cannot be distinguished from actual serial devices.
Disk 110
CP/M-86 disk 110 is very similar to that of CP/M-80. A logical sector size is 128 bytes , and the blocking and deblocking is left to the system implementor. One logical sector at a time is assumed for all 1/0 operations, with the user having to interleave sectors.
MS-DOS takes a different approach. Hardware-dependent disk drivers need only concern themselves with reading and writing sequential physical sectors. No arbitrary restrictions are placed on physical sector size , and MS-DOS does all the necessary blocking and deblocking necessary internally. In addition , MS-DOS requests multiple physical sector reads and writes from the driver whenever possible, thereby making use of non-interlaced disk structures for maximum speed .
These differences in approach to basic disk 110 (Table 2) are reflected in the file management strategies of the two operating systems .
File Management
A list of some basic quantitative comparisons is in order :

CP/M-S6 MS-DOS

Maximum Alloca-

tion Block Size

1K/16K 32/204SK

Minimum Alloca-

tion Block Size

I sector

Maximum Physical

Sector Size

16K

Maximum Alloca-

tion Blocks/Volume SK

Maximum Storage/

Volume

1024M

Maximum File Size SM

1024M

Maximum Direc-

tory Entries

Sl92 *

40SO

( *CP/M-S6-Max Alloc. Blk Size: 12)

Maximum Memory

Table Size/Volume lK

File management differences
* Incompatible with CP/M-80 File Structures · Byte Stream Files * Arbitrary Logical Record Size * Byte End-of-File Pointer * Random Access to Byte Level * Multiple Record Read/Write * Time/Date Stamping of Files * 7 Byte Logical Record Allows File ( = )
Serial Drive 1/0 Independence * In-Memory File Allocation Table
CP/M-86 * Identical with CP/M-80 File Management · 128 Byte Logical Records * Record Level End-of-File * Single Record At-a-Time 1/0 * Partitioned Directory (User Areas)

Table 3: File management differences.
These figures show two significant features . First, MS-DOS supports much larger volume and file sizes than CP/M-86. Second, MS-DOS uses more memory per volume than CP/M-86. This latter point is somewhat deceptive because MSDOS makes a substantial speed vs. space tradeoff by using the additional memory.
As Table 3 shows , the most important difference between MSDOS and CP/M-86 file management is that they are based on entirely different file structures . MS-DOS media are not compatible with CP/M-86 media , and vice versa . CP/M-86 16-bit media are 100% compatible with CP/M-80 (8bit) media however, and there lies the crux of the matter. Since CPI M-86 is constrained to the same file structures and file management as CP/M-80 , there has been no improvement or enhancement of the access or management facilities. Under CP/M-86, a file consists of
53

CP/M-86 vs. MS-DOS

128 byte records, with 128 records/ logical extent. All file access is based on these records, and endof-file detection is also done on a record boundary. All other management of the data within a file must be done by the program itself.
MS-DOS, by using a different file structure from the 8-bit operating system predecessor, has added many new file management facilities to the system. MS-DOS files are stored as one long string of bytes, with an exact 32-bit byte count end-of-file pointer maintained for each file. Files may be accessed in a way as if consisting of a set of records of some program determined size. But that size may be anywhere from 1 byte to 64 Kbytes. This logical record size may be changed from access to access (it is not stored internally in the file structure or between accesses), and all accesses to the file are based upon it , including read , write , and random I/O. Note that this allows random access to a specific byte in a disk file by using a 32-bit random key and a 1 byte logical record size. In addition , there are systems which allow the reading or writing of multiple records at one time. This allows entire files to be read or written with one system call, and is used internally by MS-DOS to provide highspeed program loading.
In addition, MS-DOS marks all files as to their time and date of modification. This provides a much needed capability to perform incremental backup of large capacity storage media (such as Winchester disks) based upon the actual usage of the files on that media.
Two performance notes concerning MS-DOS need attention. First , MS-DOS keeps the file allocations memory resident for ALL files on a given volume. This uses substantial amounts of memory (6K maximum/volume, as mentioned earlier, compared to the IBM personal computer's 0.5K), but provides very fast file access. CP/M-86 keeps its indexes on disk, and may require a directory search during a file access , especially a random one. This difference of file access
54

methodology can, in many cases, provide an order of magnitude or greater better performance for MSD OS-based programs utilizing many common data access techniques, including ISAM and B trees. Both systems require directory searches during file opens and closes.
The second major difference in file management is that MS-DOS allows removable media to be changed at any time during program execution , as long as there are no currently opened output files on that media. CP/M-86 requires an explicit "reset" be issued to the drive after a media change has occurred if output is to be done to the new media, otherwise output is inhibited.
One of the major difficulties with the current MS-DOS is the lack of any form of directory partitioning. CP/M-86 provides for the partitioning of a single volume's directory into 32 different "user" areas. On volumes with large directories (greater than 128 entries) , the lack of directory partitioning makes the use of large numbers of files difficult.
As a final note on the area of file management, both MS-DOS and CP/M-86 provide for "file-attributes. " CP/M-86 provides two attributes: "read only ," and " system," which inhibit directory listing of the file. MS-DOS also provides two: "hidden" and " system, " which also inhibit directory listing of the file.
Command Processing
The command processors for both operating systems have been designed to retain the flavor of CPI M-80 . CP/M-86's is almost an exact copy of the CP/M-80 CCP, with no additional features. MS-DOS has provided all of the CP/M-80 capabilities , plus some new ones: ·The COPY function (the PIP
program in CP/M-86) is built into the MS-DOS command processor, allowing file transfers to be made at any time without having to load a transfer program first. ·The BATCH function (the SUBMIT program m CP/M-86) is built into the MS-DOS command

processor. Files with an extension (type) of .BAT are automatically submitted to the batch job stream when their file name is given as a command , in the same manner as a .COM or .EXE file would be. No explicit "submit" command is required. ·The batch file AUTOEXEC.BAT is automatically submitted to the batch job stream on a MSDOS cold start. It may in turn execute whatever configuration or startup programs that are required, or start the execution of a turnkey application system. · The entire command processor may be replaced simply by plac-
. ing a new COMMAND.COM
file on the system disk. Users can therefore easily install new interfaces to MS-DOS when required. The DIR command lists not only the file name but also the file size and file modification date and time.
Standard Support Utilities
The system support utilities which are provided as part of the operating system releases are as follows:

CP/M-86

(*indicates provided in both 8080

and 8086 versions)

ASM86

* absolute assembler

GENCMD * executable pro-

gram builder

STAT

disk/file/device

utility

PIP

file transfer utility

DDT86

machine language

debugger

character oriented

text editor

SUBMIT

batch processing

utility

LDCOPY

boot loader copy

utility

misc

* system configura-

tion and build

utilities

MS-DOS M86
DEBUG
CHKDSK SYS

relocatable macro assembler
machine language debugger
disk utility operating system
copy utility

Digital Design· July 1982

CP/M-Hli vs. MS-UOS

RDCPM
EDLIN LINK FILCOM TRANS EXE2BIN
.. C86
LIB

file transfer from CP/M-80 to MS-DOS
line oriented text editor
linkage editor file comparison
utility 8080/Z80 to 8086
translator EXE to COM
converter cross reference
utility library manager

The CP/M-86 assembler uses mnemonics that are close to the Intel standard, with some minor vari. ations, and generates only absolute (non-linkable) output. The MSDOS assembler is 100% Intel-compatible, with a full macro capability , and generates relocatable and linkable output.
The debuggers provided with each system are similar, with some minor differences . CPM-86 's DDT86 has the ability to do in-line assembly while debugging, while MS-DOS's DEBUG does not. DEBUG has a memory search option, and a direct disk 1/0 (by specific sector), while DDT86 does not.
Both systems' basic text editors are normally sparsely used, since many screen-oriented editors of much greater sophistication are available for both systems . MSDOS provides a linkage editor for use with M86 as well as the many other Microsoft supported languages.
MS-DOS also has an 8080/Z80 to 8086 assembly language translator which accepts M80 compatible source files and produces M86 compatible ones. Digital Research markets a similar product , but it is only available at an additional cost.
One final utility that is unique to the MS-DOS system is FILCOM, a sophisticated file comparison utility that can locate the changes (additions, deletions and modifications) between two ASCII files, and report them. It can also do binary file comparisons.
CP/M-80 Conversion Effort
Probably the most intriguing com-

Digital Design· July 1982

parison between the two operating systems concerns their respective " upward compatibility" from CP/ M-80. The major issues in this area are disk compatibility, system call compatibility, memory image compatibility and performance.
MS-DOS disk structures are incompatible with CP/M-80's, while CP/M-86 's are identical. This means that a conversion of all data files to the new format is necessary to convert to MS-DOS. A utility program, RDCPM , is provided to do this, but this conversion can be time consuming and difficult (especially with large data files).
The issues of system call and memory image compatibility are really only the concern of assembly language programmers. These issues are masked by the run time environment provided by high level languages. If, however, a company's software is written in assembler, this factor could be of great concern. Both systems maintain a high degree of system call compatibility. CP/M-86 does require that all CALLs and JUMPs to address SH and OH be changed to INT instruction. MS-DOS also uses the INT instruction as the preferred way of making a system call , but it does support a CP/M-80 compatible mode of system calls at locations SH and OH. The use of registers during system calls is similar on both systems, and does allow for easy mechanical translation from 8080 to 8086 code. It should be realized , however, that system calls constitute only a small portion of the total code in any given program.
CP/M-80 emulation calls are not perfect under either system, with slight inconsistencies present which could cause specific programs that worked perfectly under CP/M-80 to fail once translated, even though logically identical. This has been a minor problem to conversions done by Phoenix Software Associates programmers since the number of differences has been small, and the affected programs easy to identify.
Another incompatibility at the system call level is the abscence of a compatible direct BIOS call capability by the use of locations l H

and 2H in the memory image. CPI M-86 does provide a means by which its BIOS can be accessed directly , but the code to do so must be re-written. MS-DOS provides no direct BIOS access.
Both MS-DOS and CP/M-86 do emulate the memory image of a CP/M-80 system remarkably well. The reserved memory locations between OH and FFH are used in the same manner as CP/M-80, including the command buffer at 80H, the default FCBs at SCH and 6CH, and the top memory value at 6H7H. Programs which rely on these locations can be converted with virtually no change.
The performance issues of conversion are interesting. Since CPI M-86 uses the same disk format and access techniques as CP/M-80, a converted CP/M-80 program should exhibit approximately the same 1/0 performance as was experienced under CP/M-80. MSDOS, however , uses an entirely different disk access and blocking/ deblocking technique. This results in directly converted programs that . use CP/M-80 compatible 1/0 (128 byte logical records, one record at a time) to run 2 to 3 times slower than the equivalent CP/M-86 program. As the physical sector size of the disks was increased, the performance of the two systems became very similar. This performance differential is probably due to the fact that most MS-DOS implementations do not interleave the disk and instead optimize for the multi-sector reads. Larger physical sectors reduce the impact of the lack of interleaving, hence the noted result. The MS-DOS program will run 3 to 4 times faster than the CP/M-86 program if the converted programs are modified to use large disk buffers internally. This modification entails the CP/M-86 program doing multiple sequential 128-byte reads to fill the buffer and the MS-DOS program doing a single 110 call to fill the buffer. This performance increase due to multiple record 1/0 is automatically available to users of higher level languages because the run-time support for these languages under MS-DOS have been designed to use these features. 0
55

PERIPHERALS

The first 1OOmm removable \t\1nchester
offers high speed,
low media cost, and low drive cost in an
easy-to-integrate design.

100mm 5-Mbyte Winchester Solves Back-Up Problems

by Larry Sarisky
Winchester disc drives continue to be plagued by the persistent problem of media back-up in the under50-Mbyte class of product. How does the user remove critical information from the sealed media to prevent a disc failure or a catastrophe from completely destroying his data base? Moreover, how can the user achieve this back-up at a reasonable cost?
Larry Sarisky is with SyQuest Technology, 44160 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538.
56

SyQuest Technology, in introducing a lOOmm 5-Mbyte removable Winchester disc cartridge, offers a fast back-up alternative (5 Mbytes can be offloaded in under 4 minutes) , low cost (the cartridge will cost under $30 each, while the basic disc drive will cost slightly more than a floppy drive), and a back-up solution that will fit right into existing designs without any changes in the controller or the basic system physical package (the removable cartridge form factor is half that of a minifloppy drive ; SyQuest provides mounting hardware to compensate for mechanical differences) .

Alternative Backup
To illustrate the significance of this solution requires first a description of the alternative solutions offered thus far: floppy discs, streaming, and start-stop tape . These will then be compared with the lOOmm cartridge disc solution in terms of cost, operation, and impact on existing system design .
Floppy disc drives are the lowest cost means of back-up for hard discs. However, at present , the most one minifloppy can hold is 1 Mbyte . There are rumors of a 2Mbyte minifloppy, but both media and drive costs should be consider-
Digital Design· July 1982

1OOmm Winchester

ably higher than that for the 1-

Mbyte unit. To dump a 5-Mbyte

data base onto floppies with the

current capacity requires 5 discs

and about 2 hours of processing

time. If the system's data base is (; changing a great deal daily , then

back-up should occur frequently.

The alternative to backing-up

the entire disc is to copy off onto

floppy only the information that

has changed since the last back-up

operation. This can be accom-

plished at either the system level

by adding back-up capability to the

disc operating system software or

by adding the functionality at the

disc controller level. At the con-

,..,

troller level , the design of the controller must incorporate a back-up

command.

As shown in Figure 2, the typical

hard disc track layout uses sectors

with 512 or 256 bytes of data. To

effect back-up of only the data that

has changed requires the addition

somewhere in the sector header or

data , a byte that indicates whether

or not the sector has had a transac-

tion since the last back-up oper-

ation. Overhead bytes like address

mark (AM), control field (FEH),

etc. already contain specific infor-

mation that cannot be altered. Re-

ducing the number of bytes of ze-

ros on either side of the sector

header means reducing the control-

ler's tolerance to disc drive spindle

motor variations. The last option is

to reduce the number of bytes in

the data field from 256 or 512 to

255 or 511, respectively . In the

process , however , the system's disc

operating system software is affect-

ed, since it must now accommodate

a smaller data block on disc.

Assuming that one byte in the

format can be used to indicate cur-

rent activity within a sector, then a

controller common for both hard

disc and floppy can perform se lec-

tive back-up. This would require

additional functionality added to

the controller, since now a back-up

operation must be able to scan each sector on disc looking for an activity byte that shows some current transaction. Finding a byte showing recent activity in the sector, the controller would then offload the sector to floppy storage. The process would continue until each sector had been checked and offloaded, if necessary.
A more efficient way of doing selective back-up is at the disc operating system level. In a system using CP/M, one of the bytes in the file control block (Figure 3) could be configured to contain one bit that is set if the file has had activity since the last back-up operation. The differences in doing back-up at this level , rather than at the controller level , is that the file in a DOS system can contain many sectors on the disc . Thus, setting one bit in the file control block eliminates the need to write a bit in each sector on the disc level.
When it comes time to back-up the disc , an applications program written by the system's integrator is initiated. The program examines each file control block in the sys-

tern 's file directory , looking for a set bit in the byte designated to contain the bit showing a current transaction . After the file has been copied from hard disc to floppy , the bit is reset for the next period of operation.
An alternative to setting a bit in the file control block is to create a file in main memory to contain the names of those files that have changed since the last back-up. Then , as before , an applications program developed by the system integrator can be called to store on floppy the contents of files whose names are contained in this backup file.
Advantages to using either of these applications routines include faster back-up using a floppy. Also less information is stored away. The DOS, on the hard disc, for example, is already stored on floppy and is not copied each time a backup occurs. The process of removing data from the hard disc to floppy is also a simple operation for the operator as well. Typically, he would need only to generate a single command, e.g. , "BACK-UP", as the

Figure I : Winchester disk back-up technologies include a variety of disk media, including SyQuest"s new microdisk, Shugarts minifloppy, and Data Peripherals' 8" Winchester cartridge.

Digital Design· July 1982

100mm Winchester

Using a start/stop tape drive , the

13 bytes OO's

a E c h s e o0
mE y d e c 0 0
1 cc

13 bytes OO's

a F m 8

512 bytes data

e OO c 0 0 c

14 bytes 4E's

integrator gets a device that can be accessed directly by the CPU. Data stored on a start/stop drive is clustered in blocks typically 4 Kbytes

am , FE, cyl , hd, sec, oo, FB = 1 byte ecc = 3 bytes
a.) 512 Bytes/Sector Format

Track Capacity = 10416

in size. Hence, a disc with 512 Kbyte sectors would store eight sectors to a block. While the attraction of this type of tape storage is

13 bytes

a F c H s e o o 13
m E y d e c 0 0 bytes

a F 256 m 8 bytes

e 0 o 10 c 0 0 bytes

that the system can access any of these larger blocks, the disadvan-

OO 's

1 cc

OO's

am, FE , cyl, hd, sec, 00, FB = 1 byte ecc = 3 bytes b.) Winchester Disk Drive Sector Format

data

4E's

.. tage is the added interrecord gaps
between blocks which cut storage capacity and access speed considerably. Also, this type of device sig-

Figure 2: The typical Izard disc track layout uses sectors with 512 bytes/sector and 18 sectors/track (a), or 256 bytes/sector and 33 sectors/track (b). Source: Data Technology Corp.

nificantly increases system cost. A tape cartridge, when used on a streaming tape drive , can hold 17 Mbytes, but the capacity gets cut to

10 Mbytes when operated in start/

starting location and number of tridge) and its fast back-up time stop mode. Also, there is a signifi-

sectors to be copied.

(about 5 minutes for up to 10 cant difference in speed between

Disadvantages to this approach, Mbytes). Moreover, the back-up the two types of tape drives.

however , include cost. The system can be an entire disc dump of on ly Streaming tape runs at 90 inches

integrator must add additional soft- selected files. Even in these storage per second (ips) while start/stop

ware in the form of the applica- capacities where tape is cost effec- tape moves at a slower 30 ips. As a

tions program to do back-up . tive and practical , there are some result , the 10 Mbytes stored away

Moreover, the system overhead in- drawbacks. First the system inte- on streaming tape in 5 minutes

creases, too. In one instance, the grator is faced with deciding be- ta kes around 20 minutes with a

fi le control block for each file in tween using tape exclusively for start/stop drive.

the system 's directory is changed, back-up or as a form of off-line

As with the floppy disc alterna-

and in the second case an addition- storage as well. Choosing the for- tives previously described , the

al file is being created and main- mer, he would probably opt to de- back-up function for a tape drive

tained. Another disadvantage is sign in a streaming tape which re- can occur at the controller or in the

that the back-up information is dis- cords disc data as a first-in-first-out operating system software. The

persed among a number of floppy buffer. The data on tape cannot be task of incorporating a streamer or

disc drives and must be recon- directly accessed by the system start/stop tape doing a dump from

structed so as to recreate the intact computer. Rather , it must first be the disc , is simpler than that for a

data base.

returned to disc and from there ac- floppy or stop/stop tape drive do-

Cost in the form of extra pro- cessed . The appeal to streaming ing selective back-up because there

gramming and additions to the sys- tape is the speed with which data is no need to keep track of files

tem 's overhead plagues the selec- can be offloaded-10 Mbytes in 5 that have been accessed since the

tive back-up approach, while minutes.

previous back-up operation.

added time is the extra cost of non-

selective back-up. However, de-

TAPE

100mm

5.25"

spite thi s cost disadvantage , the

FLOPPY STOP/START STREAMER CARTRIDGE CARTRIDGE

low price tag of the floppy disc itself makes it a very attractive solu-

DRIVE CONTROLLER

$300 $425.

$600 $925.

$1200 $100·

$400 $300..

$995 $300..

tion when compared with tape back-up. which is much costlier.

CABLES POWER SUPPLY

$40

$70

$125

$70

$100

Table 1 shows the system cost for

both floppy and tape back-up

SUBTOTAL

$835

$1690

$2065

$810

$1345

implementations.

PRIMARY 5-1 /4" HD

$800

Tape Advantages

MEDIA

COSTS

$2/ea

$26

$30

$60

Tape offers strong advantages

(5MB)

$10 = 5MB

where storage capacities exceed the

ability of floppy discs (over 20 Mbytes). Here the attraction of

· shared cost in dual function controller ·· cost of single function controller with both drives daisy-chained

tape is its relatively low media cost Table 1: Price comparison of floppy, stop/start tap e, streaming tape, /OOmm car-

($26/each for a 10 Mbyte tape car- tridge and 5.25" cartridge back-up alternatives.

Digital Design ·July 1982

EyeCom Ill

<·

The wisest

buy, the

most

flexible

Image

Processing

System

g1· v s you:

FEATURES:

Full ASCII alphanumeric keyboard

and character generator;

640 x 512 x 8 bit roaming window display ;

640 x 480 x 8 bit or 10 bit frame grabber;

analog circuits signal to noise , greater than

60 DB ;

1Ox 12 bit mapping tables ;

10 x 19 bit statistical tables ;

hardware zoom (2:1 to 8:1) and scroll ;

hardware and software cursors ;

...

1280x1024 x 16 bit memory ;

rack mount configuration ;

FORTRAN programmable ;

host operating system independent.

· complete hardware flexibility under software control with "IDEX" (Image-Data-Exchange);
· real time arithmetic processing(+,-, x, +);
· preprocessing of incoming video for range, offset and log/lin amplification;
· real time spatial filtering; · real time histograms; · multi-image mono,pseudo ortruecolordisplay; · image operation performance of 30 times/second.
Only Spatial Data offers the wise buyer full system flexibility, expandability and control-at a very competitive price. Thinking about image processing? Think Spatial Data.

508 So. Fairview Ave ., P.O. Box 978 , Goleta. CA 93116 · TEL: (805) 967-2383 TWX 910-334-3462

Write 6 on Reader Inquiry Card

See Us at SIGGRAPH, Booth 1416

1OOrnrn Winchester

Low Cost Drive
Table 1 shows the relative cost of SyQuest's new .drive when compared with tape and floppy discs. This savings comes from the low cost of the drive itself, as well as the media. Low drive cost results from a small parts count. Also, having a smaller diameter disc means a smaller, less expensive spindle drive motor and lower power consumption-thus less expensive power supplies. A general purpose µC eliminates a great deal of electronic circuitry while at the same time adding functionality. It implements such features as highspeed buffered seek, a very inexpensive but very accurate servo scheme that easily accommodates track spacing of 435 tracks per inch (tpi).
Media cost is kept low by using a very simple but accurate servo mechanism in the removable cartridge. Larger disc cartridges use more expensive servo schemes in which servo information is stored between sectors of each track. This requires a more expensive servo writing process when manufacturing the disc cartridge, resulting in higher media cost. A typical 8" removable disc cartridge uses a scheme that requires 24 bytes of servo information and overhead between each sector in a track. In a track with 32 sectors, that is nearly 800 bytes of servo data on top of the general data format information for each sector. Not only is this added cost in manufacturing the disc cartridge, but there must be additional control electronics in the disc drive to process this servo information as well, adding to the drive's cost.
By contrast, for the lOOmm cartridge , servo information is stored in a 64 byte wedge at index mark on each track of the drive. Not only is the servo information recorded in only one spot on a track , but it is recorded in an area already being used; the address mark , however, still functions to indicate the start of a track. This allows greater user flexibility as to different sector sizes.
The servo mechanism works as
60

dr fl 12 I I 18 11 12 13 ex s1 s2 re dO I I dn er rO r1 r2

00 01 02 ... 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 . . . 31 32 33 34 35

where dr

drive code (0· 16) O= use default drive for file 1 = auto disc select drive A, 2 = auto disc select drive B,
16 = auto disc select drive P

reserved for internal system use, set

to zero on call to OPEN, MAKE,

record count for extent "ex,"

takes on values from 0·128

fl ... f8 contain the file name in ASCII upper case, with high bit = 0

dO ... dn filled-in by CP M, reserved for system use

t1 , 12, t3 contain the file type in ASCII

current record to read or write in

upper case, with high bit = 0

a sequential file operation, normally

t1 ' = 1 = Read Only file,

set to zero by user

12' = 1 = SYS file, no DIR list

rO, r1 , r2 optional random record number in the

contains the current extent number,

range 0·65535, with overflow to r2,

normally set to 00 by the user, but

rO, r1 , constitute a 16-bit value with

in range 0·31 during file I 0

low byte rO, and high byte rl

(All Information Contained Herein is Proprietary to Digital Research)

Figure 3: In CPIM systems, a file control block byte can be configured to contain one bit that is set if th e file has had activity since the last back-up operation.

follows: when the drive seeks to a track and its destination has been reached , it waits until the track's index mark is read before writing or reading in the track. If during the seek operation the drive heads come to rest 100 µin off track from dead center , for example, during the time the index mark is read , this misalignment is detected and the corrected signal is generated. At the same time the index mark is read , the servo data in the wedge is simultaneously sampled by a sa mple and hold servo. The drive's onboard µC determines the amount of misalignment , if any, and generates the appropriate correction signal to the drive 's microste pping stepper motor , which moves the actuator one way or the other to correct ly position the head over the track 's center. The drive will not generate seek complete until it has correctly positioned the head . Once corrected, operation in the track occurs just as if the head had been positioned correctly all along.
Thin-Metal-Film Media
Another cost savings results from the use of thin-metal-film media , which provides much greater durability than that afforded by oxide media . As a result the user will

consume a great number of flop-

pies before having to replace one

cartridge.

The ruggedness of the media

also gets rid of a minor inconve-

nience that users of other car-

tridges might suffer: waiting for the

cartridge drive to purge the car-

tridge. Any of the other cartridge

drives currently being used require

the operator to insert the cartridge

and wait for the drive to perform a

purge cycle before heads are land-

ed on the disc surface. Thereafter,

the drive is brought up to speed

and operation can begin. The

purge cycle ensures that any parti-

cles that might have gotten into the

cartridge are removed before load-

ing the heads onto the media . The

purge cycle means a wait of around

1Y2 to 2 minutes before the disc can

be used from the time the drive is

turned on.

With SyQuest's thin-metal-film

media , there is no purge cycle re-

quired. The drive spins up to speed

with heads on the disc surface as

soon as the cartridge is inserted

into the drive. The purge cycle

occurs ~s the drive comes up to

speed initially. Thus, the operator

waits no more than he would for

a fixed Winchester drive . Once up

to speed, the drive is ready for

operation.

Digital Design· July 1982

MEMORIES.
·/

Plessey makes memories you'll never forget.

O.K. So a scrapbook may point. But the fact is your Pies memories ~re mad~ so well, the only thing you'll forget 1s downtime.
~lessey memories are quality designed,100% inspected, and fully burned in to insure dependable operation. And we exercise each memory with every diagnostic program in the book-using a computer just like yours.
You get complete documentation, lasting performance, and access times up to 40% faster than DEC~ In either MOS or core.
Plus, every Plessey memory is covered by an extensive 12-month warranty. Thars 4 times longer than DEC.
'DEC 1s a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.

W~ve led the DEC-compatible memory market for more than a decade. And now we're really looking ahead.
With increased computer-controlled production. Our new warranty program. Tough competitive pricing. Even local availability'. Worldwide.
So if you need memories, focus on us. Forget about downtime.
When it comes to memories, Plessey's the one to watch.
'W' ~ Plessey Peripheral Systems TOLL FREE: 800-854-3581 '714-557-9811

Writ" 17 nn Rll"sattll"r lnn11irv ~sartt

SIGGRAPH '82 Highlights

This year's diverse program offers some- · thing for everyone, including designers of computer graphics systems, those involved 1n image synthesis, users of computer graphics, and even those who just like looking at them.

Figure I : These mathematical functions were produced by the Nuclear Applications Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory using the CAMERA program (courtesy M. Preuitt, LANL).
62

by Bob Hirshon
A variety of people attend SIGGRAPH for a variety of different reasons: engineers designing graphic systems attend the design seminars and technical sessions to keep abreast of the current technology; those involved in graphics generation home in on the sessions covering image synthesis techniques ; use rs planning on purchasing a graphics system may find the vendor exhibition the most useful part of the show; and for the large nontechnical contingent, the film , videotape and art shows are undoubtedly the highlights of SIGGRAPH.
New Intros
For those interested in keeping up with the latest graphics products developed by vendors, SIGGRAPH always has much to offer. Computer graphics companies, whose latest product might get lost in an NCC introduction , find SIGGRAPH an ideal forum to show their wares. In fact, some graphics companies have abandoned NCC altogether in favor of smaller shows, like SIGGRAPH and NCGA, that specialize in computer graphics.
" Now at the NCC a new company is lucky to be noticed at all," say Terry Hugley, chairman and

founder of Chromatics (Tucker, GA) , a company manufacturing color graphics computers and displays. "We have been able to get much better results from smaller trade shows. Therefore , Chromatics will be concentrating this year on NCGA and SIGGRAPH and several regional shows which do a much better job in reaching the high-resolution color graphic customer. " This trend lends more emphasis and importance to SIGGRAPH's vendor exhibition-and makes it far more interesting and exciting.
Drum Scanner/Recorder
Optronics International (Chelmsford, MA) will show their 40 x 40 large format drum system (Figure 2) which is a high resolution scanner/recorder with an intelligent microcontroller-processor. The system is designed for cartographic, LANDSTAT and aerial photography , computer graphics, and CAD/ CAM applications. It operates at 1300 lines per minute (lpm) with a data rate of 960,000 pixels/second , and can do a full-frame 1:250,000 scale 30 x 30 satellite image in about two minutes.
The new unit performs as both an input scanner and an output plotter. As a scanner, it scans con-
Digital Design· July 1982

·;
Figure 2: Optronics lnternationa/'s 40 x 40 large format drum system is a high resolution scanner/recorder with an intelligent microcontroller-processor.

· tinuous tone and line art at resolutions up to 1000 lines per inch (lpi). In line art mode, the unit features automatic data compression, which allows easy insertion of large quantities of data associated with circuit art work, line art, engineering drawings and maps. The scanner also has color separation capability. As a plotter, the drum system uses an argon laser to expose continuous tone, line and lithographic film. Line art can be plotted from compressed data or a bit stream.

Graphics Computers

The most noticeable trend regard-

ing new product introductions is

the sudden emergence of a variety

of graphics computers and termi-

nals offering greatly improved

price/performance. The Beacon

(Figure 3) from Florida Computer

Graphics (Lake Mary, FL), uses a

unique multi-processor architecture

to create a color graphics system

that is faster, brighter and more powerful than other systems in the

under-$20K price category. The

Beacon uses an AMO 2901 16-bit

bit-slice processor with 48-bit mi-

crocode and a 200 nsec cycle time

to handle graphics generation and

floating- and fixed-point arithme-

tic, and also incorporates three Z-

80s: one which acts as the adminis-

trative processor and two others to

manage commands from the key-

board and bezel keys . The multi-

tasking these processors allow re-

sults in nearly instantaneous color

graphics display generation.

Florida Computer Graphics

claims to have eliminated flicker

and substantially increased bright-

ness by means of a proprietary

monitor they've developed and

which they manufacture them-

Digital Design ·July 1982

selves. Although the total screen image is refreshed at 60 Hz, FCG claims that it is "augmented with advanced techniques that raise the apparent refresh rate far above the. 80-85 Hz threshold at which flicker is noticeable. " FCG claims that Beacon's bright image eliminates the need for hoods or dim room lighting .
Beacon features a graphics memory of 160 Kbytes (expandable to 640 Kbytes) , shareable by the administrative processor, for a total of 890 Kbytes of main memory for large programs. It has hardware vector, arc, circle and rectangle generation, other graphics functions, floating point arithmetic and mathematics functions, programmable audio tones, resident selfdiagnostics , anti-glare screen, full "zoom" and "roam" capabilities, and smooth vertical/horizontal scrolling and reverse-video callout for character graphics. Quantity prices for the Beacon start at $12,950.
In this same price range, Cadlinc
Figure 3: This unreto11ched photo of the Beacon color graphics system demonstrates the display·s brightness, made possible by a custom monitor and proprietary refresh technology.
(Chicago, IL) will be introducing a desk top graphic computer family of its own (Figure 4). The 68000based system combines high-level performance with high-resolution bit-mapped graphics and features a building block system approach based on advanced industry standards. The system uses a UNIX operating system, C and Fortran software tools, the IEEE P-796 Multibus standard and Ethernet networking capability. As a result, Cadlinc claims to support both tra-

ditional stand-alone and host computer environments, as well as true distriouted processing configurations.
Members of the new Cadlinc family feature a 1024 by 792 pixel landscape mode raster graphics display, an ASCII detachable YT- IOOstyle keyboard , mouse pointing device and bit-mapped graphics control !er.
The processor board features 250 Kbytes of zero wait state RAM with parity error checking, an 8 MHz 68000 processor, a two level segment page multiprocess memory management scheme that allows 16 concurrent processes, two serial 110 communications channels, a user programmable timer and an EPROM-based monitor.
One of the major reasons for computer graphics' tremendous growth recently is lower equipment prices. One price breakthrough evident at SIGGRAPH will be Colorgraphic Communications' MYlIOO color terminal (Figure 5), priced at about $2000. The termi-
nal features 13" CRT, selectable
page sizes of 80 x 192 or 160 x
96, vertical and horizontal scroll, baud rate range of I IO to 19,200, 87-key detached keyboard, doubleh.igh/double-wide characters, line and bar drawing character set, 4 independent screens, 6 menu selectable non-volatile monochrome emulations, insert and delete character and lin e, RS 232C plus auxiliary printer port , serial printer driver, and lowe r case characters with descenders.
63

SIGGRAPH Highlights

Figure 4: This 68000-based graphic compwer system from Cad/in c offers a building-block approach based 011 industry standards.

Technical Sessions
For engineers involved in computer graphics research and development , SIGGRAPH's technical ses>ions are its main attraction. These ;essions include panel discussions , dS well as presentations of technical papers. Discussions will cover graphics standards, solid modelling, CAD/CAM, Yideotex , business graphics, and other general topics upon which panelists from industry and academia will expound.
While the 37 technical papers being presented represent , in toto, a wide range of computer graphics applications, each is highly specialized , discussing whatever the author/authors have been working on for the past year or so. The sessions are designed primarily to help engineers specializing in graphics to catch up on their colleagues' work. Papers will include "Color Image Quantization for Frame Buffe r Display ," by Paul S. Hechbert of the New York Institute of Technology, " A Generalization of Algebraic Surface Drawing ," by James F. Blinn , of the Jet Propulsion Lab , "A Contour Display Generation Algorithm for VLSI Implementation, " by Michael Zyda of
64

Washington University, and "A Morphological Study of Nature's Form," by Yoichiro Kawaguchi of Nippon Electronics Co llege.
Frame Buffer
Because of computer graphics' wide appeal outside the technical arena, and because even the most earnest engineers do not live on breadboards alone, SIGGRAPH also features events largely of artis-
Figure 5: This $2K color CRT terminal from Colographic Communications Corp. exemplifies the current trend toward low-cost color data terminals.

tic interest. An art show of computer-generated works will be on display the entire week of the conference. The show will include a room of hard copy works, and another for film and video. A third room will be dedicated to a "frame buffer" show, which can best be explained by James Blinn , who started the idea last year:
" All of these pictures get made on computer displays: the people
Digital Design· July 1982

SIGGRAPH Highlights

who make them tune the numbers , Film And Video Shows

all probability, " Tron" (Disney

and the pictures look really nice on The film and video shows are Studio's computer fantasy) and

the tube. But when you show them where technical and non-technical "Star Trek 11. "

to someone ,else , you have to take attendees get together to "ooh"

In all, SIGGRAPH is a highly

a photograph of them , or record and " ahh." Lou Katz, from the technical, specialized conference

them on videotape, which goes University of California at Berke- that attracts a highly diverse , not-

through NTSC, and the quality of ley , is running the shows. He says necessarily-technical computer

the image always looks terrible the films and videotapes will be ar- graphics audience, by virtue of

compared to what you know it ranged and presented for maxi- computer graphics ' e normous pop-

looks like for real. And so what I mum entertainment value, rather ular appeal. SIGGRAPH combines

did last year, and what we' re doing than being grouped into technical the best and worst of scientific con-

in a little bit more official-fashion or chronological categories.

ferences-the open, exciting de-

· this year, is to have a picture show

There will be two shows : an semmination of ideas with the

on frame buffers.

"oldies-but-goodies" show featur- guarded suppression of propriety

We got some manufacturers to ing the best of computer graphics information-with the best and

donate a frame buffer and some from throughout the history of the worst of artistic exhibits-the ap-

computer equipment , and I'm go- technology, including some works preciation of artistic achievement

ing to go around and scrounge up that have been seen at previous with the high-brow criticism of any-

the actual digital data from various SIGGRAPH conferences; and a thing new and different-to create

people who are making images of " latest-and-greatest" show focusing a conference about which every at-

this sort. They' ll be in a nice , exclusively on works generated tendee has a strong opinion. But

pleasant room where you go in and within the last year. In addition to while SIGGRAPH can no longer

sit down , and they'll be played the works produced by indepen- be everything to all of its atten-

back on a T.V. monitor, and you'll dent artists, the latter show will dees , it does offer something for

see (each image) in the same con- also feature excerpts from the ma- everyone-and with the diversity

text in which it was made-it looks jor film studio's latest computer-as- of today's computer graphics audi-

a lot better than photographs .. " sisted extravaganzas. including , in ence, that' s no small achievement.

Moving?

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Mail to: Circulation Manager

Digital Design

I050 Commonwealth Ave

Boston. MA02215

Diaital Desiqn ·July 1982

PLUG-IN CONVERSION BOARDS

FOR THE HIGHLY RELIABLE Tl* -810 RO PRINTER

D MODEL 200 D MODEL 190T
o MODEL 190

~~
Vector-to-Raster Converter
Low-Cost Tetronix"' Push-Button Hardcopy
3 Raster Graphic Models, 11,700 DotsPer-Second (fastest matrix impact graphics available)

Boards also offer 95-character software fonts, barcode and block graphic characters, programmable expansion, 9,500-character print buffer.
'TEXAS INSTRUMENTS
See Us at SIGGRAPH, Booth 2410

-:·: ANALOG TECHNOLOGY CORP.
~. J ~l!J. 15859 EAST EDNA PLACE ~ IRWINDALE, CA 91706 1213) 960-4004

Write 38 on Reader Inquiry Card 65

COMPUTERS /SYSTEMS
Graphic Based ApplicationsTools To Fill The Software Gap

by A. Rubel
Senior engineers may only be interested in using the computer as a tool. In graphics applications, they may realize their needs in engi-

· ten the on-line help files and printWith new software ed documentation.

tools, graphics applications programs

Software Gap
One might expect applications like this to be in common use . Certain-

will become easier neering terms, but be unsure of
how these relate to computer soft-

ware terms. A typical problem is one where
the engineer may need to select and position symbols on a screen to represent a design, using a data tablet and pen as an input device to define connections and supply input signals .

to create.

s:
~ SUM I> r''n" '"'

~:.=::.
PENAT{.,y)
WORKING AREA klfAPf>LICATION
""'"""'

P1ogram
~~ Ara11
~
HELP
SAVE DIAGRAM
RESTORE O!AGRAM
DELETE OPTIONS

It may be necessary to change

OtSM.>.Y OPTIONS

the scale of the drawing and to execute some time and frequency domain analyses on it. On-line help also may be needed for training of new personnel.
The software engineer's solution comes in the form of two diagrams, the screen diagram and the menu diagram.
The screen diagram (Figure la) has a sketch of a display screen di-

ANALYSIS OPTIONS
HAROCOPY PLOT
f>r~PlabelB!Uppe<I~
dyouneedast.i5tanee

--"'~

MAIN MENU
HELP SAVE DIAGRAM

RESTORE DIAGRAM

DELETE OPTIONS ---------~:... DELETE OPTIONS

DISPLAY OPTIONS ANALYSIS OPTIONS------~

CONNECTIONS

HARDCOPY PLOT

DIAGRAM

vided up into a working diagram area, menus of engineering sym-

DISPLAY OPTIONS MENU

bols and program options, and a

CHANGE SCALE

· message area. The data tablet pen can be used to create and edit diagrams by selecting symbols and

,, GRID ON/OFF SET GRID SIZE GRID GRAVITY ON/OFF

placing and connecting them in the working area. The "menu diagram"

TIME SIMULATION

ANALYSIS OPTIONS MENU

(Figure lb) has several lists, each

MENU .....1... 1-----TIME SIMULATION

one a menu of program options. Various options are available at

SET START TIME SET STOP TIME

EIGENVALUES/EIGENVECTORS BODE PLOT

different times while using the

SET DELTA TIME

NICHOLS PLOT

program.

NYQUIST PLOT

The software engineer will have

gathered the necessary engineering

analysis programs and created the

graphics front end, as well as writ-

Figure I: (a) Screen diagram. (b) The menu diagram is several lists of the program

Andrew Rubel is with Rubel Software, 1 Soldiers Field Park 605,

options. These are displayed along the right of the screen. A separate diagram specifies the symbol menu at the left. The lists are tree structured. When the la bel DELETE OPTIONS(*) is interactively selected, then the "Delete options" menu is

Boston , MA 02163.

displayed.

Digital Design· July 1982

Any Hardware/Software System that produces interactive
graphics like these shouldn't cost as little as $27,000.
SUPERSET'S PGM DOES

The layout, graphics and typesetting for this entire ad were generated with our 48 bit Virtual Memory PGM computer. Software used: INTERACT (Interactive program incorporating full DISSPLA*), MOVIE.BYU, and SUPERCIRCUIT. All of these software options are available on the PGM. The PGM can easily compile, link and run multimegabyte arbitrary FORTRAN programs.

$27,000 includes: 29 Megabyte disk, full 48 bit TTL processor, 300 Kilobyte expandable error correcting memory, plus basic operating system software.

Call 714-452-8665 for more information.
·suP· EDSn

·SUPERSET has rights to OISSPLA which is a trademark of ISSCO Graphics .
Write 10 on Reader Inquiry Card See Us at SIGGRAPH, Booth 1628

Softwan~ 'fools

ly the required hardware is available off the shelf as advertisements in this magazine will attest to. But the software to support this kind of application is another story. A number of software components are required , some of which are:
· menu display and control; · retrieval and display of help text ; · common graphics and data base
functions , such as display grids, scaling, saving/ retrieving diagrams ; · graphics support library; · input and editing of application data display; · maintenance of application data base; · hardcopy output of application data; · application analysis computation; · analysis output display.
The time needed to develop these software components and integrate them into an application is usually expressed in years rather than weeks or months. Such large costs preclude development unless the projected savings are even greater.
There are two major options for acquiring a graphics application: program it in-house or buy it. The " program-it-yourselfers" start with either bare hardware or a "graphics package ," and create what is usually many thousands of lines of code for their custom application. The " buy-it-allers" pay a large sum of money for a packaged software application (and perhaps bundled hardware as well) which may not do exactly what is required or in the desired manner , but at least works and is available. Other " buy-it-allers" hire someone else to do the job, resulting in a more tailored, but expensive application.
Here lies the gap (Figure 2). On one side is the major custom effort of the " program-it-yourse lfers" or custom contracts. On the other side is the expensive and not so custom job of the prepackaged software or bundled software/hardware. Packaged software is certainly an important commodity today, but only if a package approaching your needs is available and you can afford the price.
68

This gap points out the need for better ways to develop graphics applications. We can't close the gap completely yet, but we can make custom applications radically easier to produce , as in the earlier example.
Filling The Gap-BLOX Graphics Builder
What kind of software comes ii:i between the graphics package and the full blown graphics application program? One approach is to try to make a subroutine library that is higher level or an application that is more general purpose . However, using that library will still require writing a lot of code and it is hard to imagine prepackaged applications so general that no more need be written.
Some possibilities for other kinds of tools are: (1) graphics programming languages ; (2) incorporating graphics instructions into existing languages ; or (3) graphics development tools separate from the programming language. With the idea that we have too many dialects of too many programming languages already, 1 and 2 are ignored here. BLOX Graphics Builder uses software tools to narrow the gap from both sides, but remains separate from any programming language. Software tools are gaining rapid acceptance today, typified by text oriented tools associated with UNIX or graphics tools inherent in the Xerox Star.
Basis Of The Tools
Many of the functions of the applications program example at the sta rt of the article are completely

independent of the application itself. These can be specified and implemented independently of the application: Function List:
(1) different areas of the display for working, menus , and messages;
(2) interactive menus to select symbols or options;
(3) on-line help; (4) common graphics and data base functions like grid, scale change, save/retrieve, etc.; (5) low level graphics input and display (as a "graphics package"). Other features are more dependent on the application: (6) input and editing of applications data display; (7) maintaining application data base; (8) hardcopy output of applications data.
It is possible for functions 1-5 to be provided in advance of the applications development. A standardized data base representation of a line drawing, graphing, imaging, or network application, or a full DBMS will often provide the needed function for 6-8.
Other features of an application are completely dependent on the application itself and can't be done in advance:
(9) analysis programs , (10) display of analysis output. Fortunately, the application analysis programs (9 above) can be devoid of any graphics input/output as this is covered in the other categories. This makes them clearer and considerably easier to write. Display of analysis output (10 above) is aided by the availability of a good graphics package, but generally these must still be coded

prepackaged

device

subroutine

~ THE GAP ----7 application

firmwa re - - - libraries - - - - - - - - - - - programs

~--- lower level

higher level ---->~

more general

more specific

more work to use

less work to use

"program yourself"

"buy it all"

Figure 2: The gap. A spectrum of graphics sofiivare. Device firmware and subroutine libraries are low level development tools . Packaged applications are ready to r1111. /11 between is a gap , indicating the need for additional software development tools.
Digital Design · July 1982

New WINC05 controller achieves 51/·" Winchester and floppy control with a single board.
The new WINCOS system from AED provides complete RLOl/02 and RXOZ emulation with one dual-wide board. So now you can combine SIA" Winchesters with SIA'' floppy backup for the exact disk system package you need. It's like getting a floppy controller for FREE!
The WINCOS board plugs right into your DEC cpu to provide disk system capacities ranging from one 5-MB Winchester and a .5-MB floppy to two JO-MB Winchesters and two .5-MB floppies.
AED offers you a complete system: cables, controller, drives, and documentation. Or buy just the WINCOS board and add your own Winchester or floppy drives. It's easy, because AED supports any industrystandard drive interface. Q-Bus®and UNIBUS®
compatibility.
The WINCOS board is fully transparent to DEC operating software and diagnostics, and Q-Bus® compatible. Aquad-wide UNIBUS® version will soon be available.
WINCOS offers you the highest data throughput of any Winchester/floppy disk system around-259 Kilobytes per second over the entire diskand much, much more!
Domestic Sales Dflices: Los Angeles 213 -907-8811 Houston 713 -688 -0700 Detroit 313-352 -4290 New Jersey 201 -238 -6322 New England 617-256 -1700 Washington, D.C. 301 -760·4310 Chicago 312 -565 -1718.

For instance: complete accom· modation of all DEC's future SIA" media through microcode changes only; an on-board bootstrap; DC
drive motors for worldwide use without hardware changes; support of DEC's 22-bit addressing for later
memory expansion; plus integral diagnostics and format routine. Call or write AED today for more information on WINCOS.
OEM quantity discounts available.
<ll Reg. trademark of Digital Equipment Corp. © 1982, Advanced Electronics Design , Inc.
ADVANCED LECTRONICS DESIGN, INC.
440 Potrero Avenue , Sunnyvale , CA 94086. Phone 408 ·733 ·3555 Tulex 357·498. Outside California, Hawaii and Alaska call 800·538·1730.
Sponsors of the U.S. Pavilion. 1982 Worlds Fair
Visit Us at SIGGRAPH, Booth 2508
Write 20 on Reader Inquiry Card

Softwan! 'fools

DATA BASE

APPLICATION PROGRAM

A PP LIC AT ION PROG RAM

DATA BASE SUPPORT
APPLICATION PROGRAM

r~:-1--,
: DATA DICTIONARY :
L - - - - - - -'

GRAPHICS SUPPORT

D
GRAPHICS

GRAPHICS

DISPLAY

INPUT DEVICE

GRAPHI CS

GRAPHIC S

DISPLAY

INPUT DEVICE
a

GRAPHICS DISPLAY

GRAPHICS INPUT DEVICE

Figure 3: Progressive segregation of ap-

plication f rom its application indepen-

dent portions.

(a ) Simplest model of a graphics based

application. Th e developer is completely

responsible for organizing and creating

all aspects of th e application, f unctions

,.. - -- - ----..

1-10 in th e abo ve fun ction list. Often because of time or oth er constraints, th ese

: DATA DICTIONARY :- L-------.J

BLO X (Q A YOUR ) DATA BASE SUPPORT

portions are heavily intert wined. Th e dangers of this approach are costly de-

BLOX STANDARD DB ACTION ROUTINES

velopm ent and large complex codes which are difficult to document, m aintain and enhance. (b) Separate graphics package supplies

BLOX TABLE GENERATOR

BLOX TABLE DRIVEN CONTROL:
- SCREEN -MENU - FINITE STATE

APPLICATION DEPENDENT
ACTION ROUTINES

fun ction 5 from function list independently of application code. This ap-

HELP FILE

Blox Standard Graphics Action Rou1ines

proach is widely used today. Th e graph-

ics package may be supplied by the

BLOX GRAPHICS SUPPORT

hardware vendor, a soft ware vendor, or

developed in house. The A CM Siggraph

GSPC "Core Graphics" proposal now

being considered by ANS/ is already providing som e standards fo r th ese packages. Even with a sophisticated

graphics package, however, the devel-

oper is f aced with a large am ount of

GRA PHICS DI S P LAY

GRAPH ICS INPUT

fun ction to organize and code, as listed in fun ction list 1-10 (excluding 5). (c) Data base support also separated

tion list). Control programs are driven

DEV ICE
d
specify th e m odularity of th e application

f rom application code, supplying # 7 in by developer supplied "interaction ta- routines, simplifyi ng the creation of

fun ction list. The data base may be writ- bles", consisting of screen, m enu , and th ose routines which slill must be coded.

ten specifically fo r the application or fin ite state tables. This segregates alm ost A lth ough 1he developer no longer writes

may be m ore general and dri ven by a all graphics programming fro m th e ap- th e highest level "calling p rogram , .. he

data dictionary.

plication dependent "action routines. ·· or she does specify th e interaction tables

(d) BLOX Graphics Builder separates Interaction tables m ay be created wilh which drive !his program . These tables

inleraction control and support f rom any text editor or with anoth er tool, th e are easy to m odify , hence so is th e ap-

application dependent code (1 -8 in June- B LOX table generator. The tables also plication interaction .

Digital Design · July 1982

MultiMode Printer Offers Flexibility The" Beautiful"Font
Write 27 on Reader Inquiry Card

. . . At a Sensible Price-$1,995 (Qty. 1)
"Flexibility " means instantaneous call up of any of this trendsetting machine's many features whether for word processing, data processing, graphics or forms generation . Using either of the two built in interfaces , an external keyboard or downloading from your computer , you can program the Qantex Model 7030 to do more .
Compare the " Beauty " of our printed letters for the word processing fonts which include Cubic, Trend , Spokesman , Courier, Italics, Script, OCR-A, APL, Scientific plus downloaded fonts from your computer. Draft copy modes include 8 resident fonts - U.S., U.K., German , French , Spanish , Swedish , Finnish , Norweg ian and Danish .
Other features include high resolution graphics - 144 x 144, single pass and double pass word processing , and 180 cps data processing modes and user defined formats .
Operator initiated , the MultiMode printer provides a complete printed status report of operating parameters and diagnostics .
For more information , or a demo, call us about the new Qantex Model 7030 MultiMode Printer.
QanteX *Division of North Atlantic
60 Plant Avenue , Hauppauge, NY 11788 (516)582-6060 (800)645-5292 *Registered Trademark of North Atlantic Industries

Softwan~ 'fools

SCREEN 1: WORLD BOUNDS = 0,100,0,100 !

Area#

Area Type

Area Bounds xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax

Grid On /Off

Grid Gravity

Grid Size

WORK

MESSAGE

PEN AT

10,85, 10,100 0,100,0,10 0,10,10,100 85,100,1 0,1 00 40,80,90, 100

OFF

0.5

Figure 4: Example screen table used for th e application. The software engineer used the BLOX table generator with his sketch (Figure la) to create this table. World bounds describes th e application coordinates of !he boundaries of rh e screen. Lines starling with an exclamation mark (!) are comments. Area types in this example are work, m essage, menu, and pen at (fo r pen location odometer display). Grid on/off, gravity, and size are meaningful only for work areas. and can be m odified by th e . operator at run time.

MENU AREA 4:

Level

Item Label Item Type

"HELP"

TEXT

"SAVE DIAGRAM"

TEXT

"RESTORE DIAGRAM" TEXT

Action Routine
HELP SAVE RESTORE

Prompt/Other Params

1 "DELETE OPTIONS" 2 "CONNECTIONS" 2 "DIAGRAM" 3 "ABORT" 3 "CONFIRM"

TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT

"Delete options :" DELETE CONNECT
"Please confirm "
DELETE_DIAGRAM

·1 "DISPLAY OPTIONS" TEXT

2 "CHANGE SCALE" TEXT

1D POT SCALE

3 "DONE" 2 "GRID ON/OFF" 2 "GRID GRAVITY" 2 "SET GRID SIZE"

TEXT TOGGLE TOGGLE TEXT

GRID GRID GRAV GRID SET

"Display options:" "Choose scale" MIN = 0 .1, MAX = 10 , INIT = 1

"HARDCOPY PLOT" TEXT HARDCOPY

1 "ANALYSIS OPTIONS" TEXT

2 "TIME SIMULATION" TEXT

3 "SET START TIME " TEXT

3 "SET STOP TIME"

TEXT

3 "SET DELTA TIME " TEXT

3 "GO"

TEXT

2 "EIGENVALSNECTS" TEXT

2 "BODE PLOT"

TEXT

2 "NICHOLS PLOT"

TEXT

2 "NYQUIST PLOT"

TEXT

SET_START SET STOP SET_DELTA...T STARTSIM EIGEN BODE NICHOLS NYQUIST

"Analysis options :" "Press GO to start"

Figure 5: Example tree stru ctured menu table. Each line represents one menu "item " in a list. The column m ark ed " level" specifies which list th e item belongs to. A ll items at level I are on the main m enu . The label appears on th e display screen for each item . The action routine is the code to be invoked ll'he11 thm menu item is selected. Action routines may be B LOX or developer supplied. Parameters specifr orher fea/l/res of each menu item.

for each application . The key to BLOX Graphics
Builder tools is segregation of applica tion functions (9- 10) from the graphics interaction and control ( 18). Just as a data dictionary is used in a DBMS to segrega te an applica-
72

tion from its data base, interaction tables may be used to segrega te the application from its interactive dialog. The progression of this segrega tion is shown in Figure 3a through Figure 3d. In Figure 3d, interaction tab les are used to segre-

gate the application from its graphic interaction .
The Tools Themselves
The following are BLOX Graphics Builder tools: screen generator; menu generator; finite state interaction handler; table generator for creating needed tables; help and documentation generators; and common ly needed graphics and data base functions.
Because BLOX tools make a number of assumptions, they are limited to a specific conceptual world. This world contains a dynamic display , graphics input device, one or more push buttons (often tip of data tablet pen) , a graphic cursor, and display areas for working, menu , and message purposes.
Screen Generator
The BLOX screen generator was the tool the software engineer had in mind in our example when he drew a sketch of the display screen divided up into different interactive areas for working, menus, and messages. That sketch was his concept of input to the screen generator for th e engineer's application. The screen generator creates any layo ut or combination of: message areas for graphics/text output; menu areas for menu input ; and working areas for display and editing of application data. The actua l input the software engineer used for the screen generator appears in Figure 4. It consists of a tabular list of each area needed to be defined .
Menu Generator
The software engineer was thinking of the menu generator when he drew his menu diagram (Figure lb). He used that diagram with the BLOX table generator to create the menu table of Figure 5.
When the use r starts his app lication , the menu which he will see is the " main me nu ," consisting of all ite ms at leve l 1. Should he select a menu option such as DlSPLA Y OPTIONS (marked with an asterisk), anothe r me nu will appear consisting of the level 2 items which appear under the DISPLAY
Digital Design· July 1982

IT'S TIME YOU PUT YOUR NAME ONTHELINE.
Introducing the new GE 3000 fami!Y of printers.
When you put your name on this line of printers, you'll find the GE 3000 family is the best idea you ever had.
At GE, we've developed a very basic philosophy .. . when an OEM speaks, we listen. It sounds simple, but just try talking to other suppliers.
The new GE 3000 family of serial printers is the perfect example. Compact, lightweight, and functionally styled, these tabletop matrix printers are specifically engineered for the OEM supplier.
Our new line of six printer models offers cost effective solutions to virtually all your printing requirements. Standard print quality from 180 to more than 500 cps. Near letter quality from 100 to almost 200 cps. 80 and 136 column models.
A full range of standard features such as 72 x 72 dot/in. graphics with precision paper movement, self-threading paper load mechanism, close tear-off, six part forms capability, popular parallel and serial interfaces, and local and downline configuration selection with non-volatile storage. Plus a range of options and paper handling accessories for office and factory applications. And everything backed up by worldwide GE service.
Now You CAN SOLVE YOUR CUSTOMER'S NEEDS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY
The GE 3000 family is designed to offer OEM's the advantage of singledesign simplicity ... without the application limitations of a single model product line.
The GE 3000 gives you configuration flexibility. Application flexibility. Design commonality and price/ performance leadership.
OF COURSE, INNOVATIVE IDEAS ARE NOTHING NEW TO GE.
Our roots go back to Thomas Edison. It was in his tradition that in 1969 we introduced the first electronic data printer with modem LSI circuitry. Since then, we've continued in that inventive spirit, supplying OEM's with the finest in advanced printer solutions ... longer than any other printer supplier.
General Electric. We're the industry leader in electronic printing. After all, we pioneered the industry in the first place.
First In Electronic Printing. Write 25 on Reader Inquiry Card
For the solution to your printing needs, call TOLL FREE 1-800-368-3182, General Electric Company, Data Communication Products Department IN3Pl,
Waynesboro, VA 22980. In Virginia, call 1-703-949-1170.
fl GENERAL ELECTRIC

Software 'fools

OPTIONS item. A number of menu item types may be used . Illustrated here are TEXT, lD_POT

and TOGGLE . A TEXT item is simply a text string which may be selected by the operator. The 10

SCREEN MENU
FINITE STATE

DOCUMENTATION KEYWORD TABLE GENERATOR

KEYWORD TABLE

~ wwaz:

C!l

BLOX SUPPLIED TEXT

fzw-'
::!':

DEVELOPER

(.)

SUPPLIED TEXT

0
Cl

HELP FILE
USER DOC

_POT is a slide potentiometer used to change the scale of the diagram. A TOGGLE menu item is a simple toggle, or on/off switch .
The menu generator takes care of display and input using the specified menus. To create his application , the software engineer had to supply all the action routines specified in the menu table. Some of these, like HELP , SA VE , RESTORE , and the DISPLAY OPTIONS are provided in advance with a standard library. He had to code the application-specific routines (or find someone else's code) such as STARTSIM for start simulation. Of course he is free to recode the library action routines as well if he wants them to function differently .

Figure 6: Documentation tools.

Finite State Interaction Handler
This tool co ntro ls the graphics interaction and action routines in the working area, used to input or edit

Extra functions are fine, but why pa for those your system won't use? With our ModulasOne®micromodule family, you can specify only what you need - and skip the costly frills. That's because ModulasOne gives you a choice of twenty-eight 41h"x 61/2" cards-all One-Bus compatible, all off-the-shelf. So you can simplify your system design, cut hardware costs, and get on-line much sooner.
The result? Increased productivity!
74

o boost your software provity, for instance, our 6809 onerd computer has the powerful instruction set of a 16-bit µP, but for the same cost as an 8-bit µP. The 6809's internal 16-bit architecture lets you produce very compact code - so your program works sooner with less memory overhead. And, our 44-pin One-Bus structure optimizes the performance of the 6809 for still greater productivity! Then, too, all ModulasOne cards are fully-tested and burned-in for 200 hours to ensure
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maximum reliability .. .even in harsh industrial environments.
Start increasing your productivity now. Call or write us today for our free Microcomputer System Planner.
~\J)(lS~rrom
Adaptive Science Corporation
P.O. Box 8473, Emeryville, CA 94662-0473. Phone 415/652-1805.
Digital Design · July 1982

System Shrinker.

Unique on-bOard controller makes parity controller boards obsolete.

Greater system protection. Extra card cage space. And faster performance. Tl's compact LSI-11 * memory board with exclusive on-board parity controller gives you this and more.
Protects and saves
The new TMM10010 memory board performs all parity functions. Its unique on-board parity controller signals when a parity error occurs, enabling the CPU interrupt to prevent operation with incorrect data.
Besides protecting the system, the TMM10010 eliminates the need for a separate parity controller board, which frees a slot for increased mem-
ory or extra 110.
The TMM10010 can save you even

more money. It lets you add the parity feature to a backplane that's already full.
Maximum speed
Compatible with the DEC QBUS · system, the TMM10010 runs at maximum QBUS speed, making it faster than the conventional memory board without on-board parity controller.
It also provides 22-bit addressing

Tl MEMORY BOARDS

BYTES/BOARD

System Tl Series
LSl-11' TMM10010' PDP-11· TMM20000' VAX· TMM30000 Multibust TMM40010A'

64K 128K 256K 512K 1M

x xx x x

x x x

'Parity optional

'EDAC standard

capability. High-density 128 KB and 256 KB capacity on a single "dual" b0ard. And address space DIP selectable from 256 KB to 4 MB.
Custom boards, too
You can select from Tl's standard boards. Or, we'll custom design boards for your specific applications.
TI boards offer you the latest in 64K DRAM technology. Highest packing densities. And lowest power consumptions.
For more facts call your authorized TI distributor or local TI field sales office. Or wnte to Texas Instruments, P.O. Box 202129, Dallas, Texas 75220.

Texas Instruments invented the integrated circuit, microprocessor and microcomputer. Being first is our tradition.

'TraJ ema rk 0 1g1ca l E...iu1pmenc Corp. t TraJ emark Ime l Corp.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS
INCORPORATED Write 8 on Reader Inquiry Card

1982 Tex as Instrume nts
87421

Soltwan~ 'fools

the application data. The finite state concept for describing interactive graphics has been with us for quite a while, but has not been used very extensively . The idea is that the application is always in some state . When an operator action is taken , such as pressing the pen down or moving it to a new area , then a specified action is taken and a new state entered. A state table consists simply of a list of states and state transitions, with an action routine and new state for each transition . Separate state tables for input and editing of specific applications data bases such as network , line drawing, graphing , and imaging , can be written in advance. Sophisticated application developers can modify these state tables or write their own.
Creating Tables
The three " interaction tables" th at describe the graphics human interface are the screen, menu , and finite state tables, as described in th e

previous three sections. Each of these tables has a simple format and can be created with any text editor. But the application developer need not know so much about the screen, menu , and finite state tab les. A separate design tool , the BLOX table generator, can be used to interactively create the required tables. All that is needed in advance is a sketch of the application screen and menus , as was created with the two design sheets. The software engineer referred to these sheets when using the table generator, which created the three tables for him . He asked the table generator to use a BLOX supplied finite state table for his network oriented application , rather than suppl y his own.
Documentation And Help
Quality documentation and on-line help are essential for complex application programs. Creating these is a big job. Tools for documentation provide a framework as well as

ready documentation for standard portions . To create his docum e ntation , the software engineer used completed screen, menu , and finite state tables as input to a documentation generator. This tool created a keyword list from these tables. He still had the job of writing descriptive text for each keyword , but the BLOX supplied keywords had text already supplied. The help generator and manual generator were then used to create an on-line help file and formatted docume nt pages. When the application is modified, he can generate a new keyword list (if necessary) , edit his text , and generate a new help file and formatted documentation : This way he is saved the trouble of parallel development of text in help files and printed documentation . Since documentation is created from the same tables that drive the application , the correspondence between program and user documentation is also easy to maintain. This process is outlined in Figure 6.

The Little Printer That Didn't.
A technician anxiously approaches the test rack early on a Monday morning. Sipping his first cup of coffee, he looks expectantly at the tape for the results of the test run over the weekend. Blank. Eyes widening, he presses the "print" button. Silence. Frantically, he searches for a reason. Then he spots it. The printer .. . is not a Hecon. Hecon has built quality printers that you can depend on for over a decade. We can supply Impact Dot Matrix, Thermal, Electrosensitive, and Modular Impact units. From one column to eighty columns. You can specify complete printers or OEM mechanisms. We also design and build custom units.
H IH E C O N®I So the choice is yours-a printer that won't or a Hecon that will.
It's got to be good. It's a Hecon.
Hecon Corporation. 31 Park Road , Tinton Falls. NJ 07724 · (201) 542-9200
Write 40 on Reader Inquiry Card 76

Moving?
1. For FASTEST service attach old mailing label in space below. If mailing label is not available print your old Company name and address in this box
Please allow 6 weeks for change to take effect
2. Print your NEW business address here NAME TITLE - - - - - - - - · - - - - - COMPANY _ _ _ __ ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY _ _ _ _ _ _STATE ___ ZIP _
3. Mail to : Circulation Manager Digital Design 1050 Commonwealth Ave. Boston, MA 02215
Digital Design · July 1982

..
Softwan~ 'fools

BLOX Supplied Graphic And Data Base Functions
The support routines for all these tools consist not only of the usual "graphics package" for performing graphics input and display , but also of many high level action routines. These action routines provide online help , commonly needed display options like grids , and editing of display and data, using specific application data structures such as networks, line drawings, graphs , and raster images. BLOX supplied action routines are specified as an entry in a menu or finite state table, the same way that developer supplied action routines are specified.
Implementation
Most of the BLOX Graphics Builder tools described here have been implemented on a DEC VAX/ VMS computer system, and are also being moved to a DEC PDP11 computer using the RSX-llM

operating system . They currently use a refresh vector display; a raster version is being developed. The tables have the simple format indicated here and can be created with any text editor. A prototype table generator means that even learning their simple format is unnecessary.
Most of the graphics
programm1ng 1s done in advance.
Summary
The development tools described here provide for screen areas, menu control , graphic input/editing, on-line help , and printed documentation. Many standard functions are provided by the tools. A simple method of specification al lows the developer to combine custom coded application routines with presupplied functions. The

tabular specification of graphics interaction and action routines also makes the resulting application easy to modify. Most of the graphics programming is done in advance by the tools. The applications developer still must supply the application computation routines and possibly the data base support as well. The predefined conceptual world simplifies this job by specifying it as manageable, well defined action routines.
The image of a model in the mind of program designers and implementors serves as a framework upon which an application can be built. This encourages an organized building block approach and the reuse of previously defined portions. Even better than just a model is the inclusion of software tools based on the model. These types of tools have been found to make the creation of applications and their documentation easier, faster , more
consistent, and more enjoyable. D

EXATRON'S RS·232C STRINGY/FLOPPY MASS STORAGE SYSTEM.

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Mini-disk speed, capacity and reliability for only $399.50.
· Standard RS-232C communications link · Built-in operating system · Two file management structures: ASCII and binary · Three baud rates available: 300, 1200 and 9600 · Busy/ready handshaking supported

Call our HOTLINE . .. eexatron

(800)-538-8559 In California,

Exatron, inc.
181 Commercial Street

Call (408)-737-7111

Sunnyvale, California 94086 (408)-737-7111

Write 39 on Reader Inquiry Card

Diaital Desian ·July 1982

The bo-sherrel M-3 Asynchronous Line Driver provides full duplex data transmission over regular 4-wire lines. It is end-to-end compatible with bo-sherrel's M-1 Short Haul Modem. but requires power from the attached terminal.

bo-sherrel co.
6101 Jarvis Avenue Newark, CA 94560 41 5 + 792-0354

Quantity: 10 - 99 100-999 1000 - UP

Price: $83.00 $67.00 $51.00

Write 41 on Reader Inquiry Card 77

COMPONENTS
Systems Approach to
Off-The-Shelf Hardware Cuts Design Costs

Using standard offthe-shelf hardware may cost more per unit, but it can quickly make up for that increase with shortened proto-
typ e-t o-m a rke t
cycles and by eliminating tooling and design costs.
by Russell Petit
Early in the design cycle on selecting hardware for electronic equipment a decision has to be made whether to go to custom or standard hardware. The heart of most systems is the card rack , connector backplane, interconnect technique (i.e ., wire wrap , multilayers , multiwire , stitchweld , etc.) plus cabling.
One of the advantages of off-theshe lf hardware is the elimination of any tooling and design cost; products are available in small quanti ties and delivery is quick. Also , prototype to market cycle is shortened by several months. The decision to buy a standard rather than custom product is made easier by asking the manufacturer to demon-
Russell Petit is with Mupac Corp, 10 Mupac Dr, Brockton, MA 02401
78

strate its product. That will quickly tell you if their packaging system meets your requirements. The disadvantage to the standard product is a higher unit cost, and the choice is limited to catalog items. However, review of these catalogs will surprise you with the large variety of packaging systems currently available.
Companies offering wire wrap panels have the largest variety of standard product because they have been around longer than companies involved with other interconnect techniques. Wire wrap packaging companies also offer system packaging that is compatible with a variety of interconnect techniques. It is common practice for example to mix wire wrap packaging panels and multilayer PCBs or wire wrap and multiwire boards in the same card rack. Normally wire wrap is used in the connector backplane.
There are many electronic and mechanical factors involved in selecting or designing IC packaging systems . Some of these are system speed , type of device (i.e. , TTL, Schottky, ECL, etc.) noise suppression , voltage requirements, power requirements, 1/0 and IC density, cooling, type of connectors (i .e., card edge or two-piece post and box) , Interconnect technique (i .e. , wire wrap , multi-wire, multilayer, etc.) . ls the system packaged in a desk top enclosure or 19" cabinet? ls this a one shot system , low or high volume production? Reliability and serv iceability are major factors. ls it a bus-oriented system?

L
r--
.093 I__
.015

Vee Vee
Vtt Vee

Figure I: For systems requmng high speed ECL logic, four-layer multilayer wire wrap panels and connector backplanes are available.

All of these systems packaging problems are solved by the large variety of standard products currently available .
Speed is a major factor in system packaging. The layout of the interconnect panel and the connector backplane it plugs into goes a long way to improve on system speed. Four-layer multilayer wire wrap panels and connector backplanes (Figure 1) are available for systems requiring high speed ECL logic. These packaging systems handle the multiple voltage requirements and improve system speed, eliminate system noise through increased distributed capacitance between power layers, equa lize current flow throughout the system via hundreds of plated through holes an·d offer both decoupling at each IC and power entry points and locations for plugging in · SIP terminating resistors. Copper foil around each pin on both packaging panels and backplanes provide ground shi eld for signal wires. There are also a large variety of
Dioital Desion · Julv 1982

Off-The-Shelf Hardware

Figure 2: Using a single continuous backplane on double high and triple high card racks solves connector backplane power problems.
packaging systems ava il ab le designed specifically fo r Schottky logic. These mostl y in vo lve three layer packaging panels, but more recently syste ms with four layer wire wrap panels h ave become avai lable.
Co nnector backplane problems are solved by using a si ngl e continuous backplane (Figure 2) on double high a nd triple high card racks. This eliminates the need for a power bus between backplanes, plus the copper foil between the wire wrap pins eq ualizes current flow throughout the power bus system to help elimin ate hot spots a nd voltage shifts. Slotted so lder terminals on both e nds of the backplane allow the use of heavy ga uge bus bars and, therefore, remove some heat ge nerated in the backplane. A large variety of backplanes are available to handle systems requiring multiple vo ltages .
Densi ty is an important factor in the system approach to packaging.
Figure 3: This pan el, with its card rack, can be us ed for packag ing larg e systems.
Digital Design· July 1982

There are numerous standard packaging systems available to satisfy most any density requirement. The panel shown in Figure 3 in combination with its card rack can be used for packaging very la rge systems. It is a high density universal wire wrap pane l for up to 469 sixteen pin !Cs, plus it will package DIPS with any pin layout and 64 pin VLSI adapters. The ICs are closely spaced on a .100 inch pitch which keeps wire runs short and decreases crosstalk, ringing and propagational delay. The five 108 pin two-piece connectors will satisfy most high density 1/0 requireme nts. A variety of pa nels will satisfy multiple voltage requirements.
Bus oriented systems are very common today , but until recently
Figure 4: This backplane eliminates the need to wire wrap comm on bus signals between connectors.

Figure 5: Multibus compatible packaging systems are available offthe-shelf, complete with terminators and Multibus connector backplanes.
manufacturer can add card guides and connectors on .600" spacing for plugging in PCBs. This is a n idea l set up for the designer who prototypes and goes into small volume production with wire wrap, but wants to go to multil aye r , multiwire or some other interconnect technique for high volume production . He can go straight from wire wrap into multilayer and use the sa me card rack, connector backplane card extenders , cabling , etc., or if any pa rt of the design requires updating , the designer can mix wire wrap and multil ayer in the same card rack , Figure 6 . H aving part of the design on wire wrap gives him the flexibilit y of change.
Off-the-shelf packaging systems

have not been addressed by most standard packaging systems. The backplane show in Figure 4 eliminates the need to wire wrap common bus signals betwee n connectors. The 1/0 connector at the end of the bus makes it easy to ta ke flat cable away from the backplane to other equipme nt. These bus orie nted backplanes come in a variety of lengths and can be added to.single , double and triple hi gh card racks. There are also standard off-theshelf packaging syste ms compatible with Intel's Multibus comple te with terminators and Multibus co nnector backplanes (Figure 5).
Most of these off-the-shelf packaging systems have sta nda rdized o n a co nnector spacing of 1. 200" fo r plug-in wire wraps. Howeve r, the

Figure 6: This packaging system allows designers to mix wire wrap and multilayer in the same card rack.

will handle ITL, Schottky, and

ECL logic plus many µ C req uire-

ments i.e., Multibus, DEC, STD

bus , Versabus , etc . Many of the

packaging syste ms are offered in

single , double a nd triple high card

racks, full a nd half sizes, and may

be mounted vertica ll y or horizo n-

tally into desk top e nclosures or 19"

cabi nets.

Innovative Design

Voice-Response Unit Speaks IEEE 488 Bus Data

ICS Electronics Corporation has expanded its line of 488 interface products with the introduction of the Model 4800 IEEE 488 Speech Synthesizer. The 4800 converts ASCII-coded data and other information flowing on the IEEE 488 Bus into letters, numbers, and words. Audio output (adjustable to SW into 8 !1) is via the

4800's built-in speaker or an external speaker or headphones.
In its listen-only mode, the 4800 operates on a one-to-one basis with any talk-only, 488 Buscon nected instrument; in this mode, there is no need for a bus controller, and the user operates the 4800 manually through its front-panel controls. In the auto-

Bus Controller

Model 4800 IEEE Speech Synthesizer

Figure I: !CS Model 4800 in Auto-Programmed mode: speaks exactly according to program loaded into bus controller.

Probe Sensor Etc.

Talk-Only Instrument

488 Bus

Model 4800 IEEE Speech Synthesizer

Front- RearPanel Panel Controls Controls
Figure 2: !CS Model 4800 in Listen-Only mode: speaks output, 011 a one-to-one basis without need for a bus controller, of any 488 B US-co11nected instrument.
Figure 3: Model 4800 IEEE 488 Speech Synthesizer converts ASCII-coded information and data flowing on the IEEE 488 BUS into spoken numbers, letters, and words.

addressed mode , the 4800 may be remotely programmed over the 488 Bus by the bus controller, and will speak bus data according to the program loaded into the controller.
The 4800 operates primarily as a listener, accepting 488 Bus data in three formats: as ASCII characters and/or abbreviations; as user-selectable words; or as bus data bytes. For the first two formats, the 4800 accepts the data, interprets it, and speaks the corresponding words, letters, and numbers. The standard vocabulary (words , letters , and numbers), along with several tones and special sounds, totals almost 300 entries.
When accepting bus data bytes, the 4800 speaks all characters as they are received ; it partitions each data byte into two nibbles and speaks their hexadecimal values without attributing any meaning to the data. Such operation al1ow s verification of the performance of the 4800 itself, and also permits the unit to be used as a 488 Bus troubleshooting tool in exactly the same way as a bus fault analyzer would be used.
The availability of custom PROMs also allows tailoring the 4800 to many different applications areas.
When operating in its words format, the 4800 recognizes four consecutive hexadecimal numbers as the address for words stored in its word look-up table; the 4800 interprets such codes to speak the appropriate words. In this words format, however, it speaks words only in the sequence commanded by the bus controller.
The Model 4800 IEEE 488 Speech Synthesizer is priced at $1495 . OEM discounts apply, and delivery is 45 days ARO. Ask the factory for the cost of custom PROM look-up tables. !CS Electronics Corporation, 1620 Zanker Rd., San Jose, CA 95112. Tel: (408) 298-4844. Write 201

Di!=Jilal Desi!=ln · July 1982

Innovative Design

3D Measurement Terminal

A new terminal for taking threedimensional measurements from a pair of stereo photographs has been introduced by Matra Technology. A 3D image is projected from a pair of film carriages onto a screen. The 3D effect is achieved by using polarizing filters in the projection path, and viewing the resulting image through polarized glasses. An accuracy of 2-3 microns is obtained by using linear optical encoders to position the film carriages.

Lett
0Photo
'_--MEn--,cootod../e--rr---' _ _ _

Projection System

Servo Electronics
a:
w
Iii
<(
a...:.

from Servo Electronics
Digitizer
Table Display Stereo Photo Display CRT

Intel Multibus

Figure 1: The Traster SST terminal.
The terminal, called the Traster SST (Stereo Satellite Terminal) is controlled by Intel 8086/8087 µPs which handle all the terminal's real-time functions. All applications-related code is written in Fortran and runs on a remote host computer. The biggest benefit of this approach, according to Reece Jensen , Matra's president, is that it saves the cost of a dedicated computer and its· attendant software, maintenance and personnel costs. By using timesharing services, small companies can avoid getting into the computer business entirely, Jensen added.
Freeing the terminal from the need for a local computer has a number of other benefits, Jensen pointed out. The terminal does not need to be in the same room as the computer, so it can be located wherever it is most convenient to the user. If the user already has a computer, the termi-

Mass Storage

~
E

Hard Copy

u 0

Offline Programs

· Data Acqu1s1tion

Magnetic

·Data Edit

Tape

· Image Processing

Figure 2: The Traster SST system is controlled by Intel 808618087 µ.Ps which handle all the terminal's real-time functions .

nal will automatically have access to all the other peripherals on the system , such as plotters, and to existing data bases. Matra can perform diagnostics over a modem link. to the user's facility, and software updates can be downline-loaded. Data can be loaded directly into a CAD system without using intermediate tapes or disks.
Applications for the new terminal include any operation where 3D data is compiled . The most

common applications are expected to be in aerial surveying and mapping, civil engineering, utility mapping and as-built analysis of complex structures such as power plants.
The Traster SST costs $150,000, with an optional plotting table available for an additional $25 ,000. Delivery is on a 90-day schedule. Matra Technology is located at 120 Albright Way, Los Gatos, CA 95030; telephone (408) 866-6606. Write 198

Digital Design ·July 1982

Compat Design

4 Card Array Processor Fits In PDP-11 Backplane

The latest entry from CSPI into the world of array processors has come in the form of a 4-card set that plugs directly into the backplane of a PDP-11. Called the Mini-MAP, the 32-bit array processor features a shared memory interface to the PDP-11 Unibus. The memory is directly accessible by the PDP-11 and data transfers between the host and Mini-MAP are unnecessary.
The four cards consist of the 64 Kbyte memory, the Integer Processing Unit (IPU) that incorporates 4K words of program memory, the multiplier and the adder.
The memory is non-interleaved 16K static RAM with an access time of 250ns. Memory can be expanded in increments of l Mbyte per additional board up to 16 Mbytes.
Geoffrey Cohler of CSPI, outlined the operation of the MiniMAP fur Digital Design as follows:
There are two phases of operation, one from the user level and the other from the internal operation level. From the user level , a Mini-MAP program is written in MCL (Fortran Subset) that performs the user's application. This program would typically involve several calls to library functions along with some control statements. A PDP-11 FORTRAN Program would then

-(Disk)
u
N -(Tape)

I B

-(Memory)

Figure 1: PDP/11 minimum system configuration and the 4-boards that comprise Mini-MAP.
be written which loads the MiniMAP and controls its execution.
From the internal operation viewpoint, once the Mini-MAP has been started the IPU controls internal operation. The IPU starts the APU which performs the floating-point arithmetic. The Multiplier and Adder operate as pieces of the APU, however, they may be running simultaneously allowing overlap.
The data for the APU comes from and goes to queues. The IPU is responsible for filling the input queue and emptying the output queue. lt does so by generating the memory transfer re-

Mini-MAP 4-Ported Memory (Up to 16MB)

_....

MM-111 Arithmetic
Unit

_.... OMA ..._Ports

quests in the order that data is

consumed and produced by the

APU.

Thus, the memory transfers and

address calculations are done in

parallel with the floating-point

calculations. This functional par-

allelism is what allows the high

speed to be achieved.

CSP! quotes a figure of 4.2 ms

for the Mini-MAP to execute a

1024-point Real FFT.

ln addition to the board set,

Mini-MAP can be supplied with a

wired PDP-11 backplane or a self-

contained development system in

a DEC compatible enclosure

complete with power supply and

Unibus cables. The 4 board sets

are priced at $16,200 in minimum

quantities of 50.

CSP!, 40 Linnell Circle, Billerica,

MA 01821.

Write 197

Nonvolatile RAM Memory Board For The STD Bus

The advancements in EEPROMs have led to a number of board level designs incorporating this technology. The latest introduction in the field, from Acquis Data, of Irvine, CA, provides up to 4 Kbytes of nonvolatile RAM using Xicors NOVRAM devices. The NOVRAM-1 board performs read and write operations at a 4MHz rate, and storage into the permanent "area" of the entire 4K block takes only lOms to

Figure I : The NOVRAM-1 board from Acquis Data, provides 4 Kbytes of nonvolatile RAM using Xicors NOVRAM devices.

complete. This storage speed is accom-
plished by using Xicor's "NOVRAM" technology which incorporates conventional static RAM overlaid bit-for-bit with EEPROM on the same device. Once data is stored into the nonvolatile area, power can be removed and the data is retained. A simple recall instruction loads the data into the RAM area providing instantaneous nonvolatile RAM that is

Digital Design· July 1982

Compal Design

transparent to system operation. NOVRAM does not require any high voltage pulses or supplies; a single SY supply is the only power source necessary. The high speed storage operation makes this

board suited for retention of data during power failures or brownouts. Operating system boot information can be stored and changed at any time and will always be ready at power up. The

Addressing Mode is selectable on

any 4K boundary by changing a

single hex switch on the board.

Acquis Data, 18952 MacArthur

Blvd., Suite JOO, Irvine, CA

92715.

Write 199

1 Mbyte Memory Compatible With All Prime Computer Systems

A new line of Prime Computercompa ti ble memories, ranging from 256 Kbytes to 1 Mbyte , all on a single board, have been introduced by the EMC Corporation.
The new add-in memory line includes the ES memory which provides 1 Mbyte of memory on a single board, the E7 memory with a capacity of 512 Kbytes, and the E6 memory with a capacity of 256 Kbytes. All three memories incorporate 64K RAMs.
They also include automatic error detection and correction circuitry, which detects and corrects

all single-bit errors and detects all

multiple-bit errors. They support

interleaving, and have a refresh

and wide-word capability .

The 1 Mbyte ES memory car-

ries a single-unit price of $1S,OOO.

EMC claims that Prime Computer

charges $36 ,000 for a comparable

unit, and $40,000 for four mem-

ory boards, each with 256 Kbytes

of capacity.

EMCs 512 Kbyte memory is

priced at $11,250, and the 256

Kbyte memory is $6,750.

EMC Corporation, 385 Elliot

Street, Newton, MA 02164; Tel:

(617) 244-4740.

Write 200

Figure I : The EB m emory from EMC Corporation is one of three new addin memories for Prime Computer.

o Compact o Ught weight o Highly reliable o Write Inhibit
o Random access o Index signal
o Similar. to standard 5"' 11 floppy interface

The compact high performance CMD 500
measures only 4Y2 x 6 x 2Y2 inches yet

gives you a capacity of SOK bytes per side

(double density) or 40K bytes per side

(single density) unformatted on a 3.8"

diameter double sided disk. Disks are

packaged in a rigid plastic shell that

protects them and permits rapid and safe

C a. . . o~ disk changes. ~I I

' I I canon u.s.A.. inc. Electronic Components Division

One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 Tel: (516) 488-6700 Telex 96-1333

Write 32 on Reader Inquiry Card

Digital Design· July 1982

New Products · COMPUTERS /SYSTEMS

IMAGE PROCESSING
UNIX-Based Workstations
The GRIDS systems give users a choice of Grinnell image processing hardware configurations and one of four, stand-alone DEC computer systems. Also included are a terminal. disk storage, and software for both image processing and the operating system. They are fully independent

workstations which reduce depen-

dence on existing mainframe re-

sources. A typical configuration is the

GRIDS 23/ 1. It combines a Grinnell

GMR 274 Image Processing and Dis-

play System with the UNIXCISOR

computer system from IDS. The

GMR274 has three 8-bit image mem-

ory banks, 512 x 512 resolution, four

graphics overlays, two zoom and pan

controls, a real time pipeline proces-

sor with 16-bit ALU , a 6-bit video di-

gitizer and an image histogram gener-

ator . The UNIXCISOR system

includes a DEC LSI 11 /23 . 256

Kbytes of RAM, parallel and serial

interfaces, YTlOO terminal, 30

Mbytes of Winchester disk storage.

1Mbyte of floppy storage and a bina-

ry license for the new SYSTEM II I

UNIX operating system from West-

ern Electric. Grinnell Systems Corp.,

2159 Bering Dr.. San Jose , CA

95 131.

Write 152

"C" CROSS COMPILERS
For Developing µP Software On Timesharing Minicomputers
The first product in the family, CPort 8086, lets programmers write and compile Intel 8086 programs in C on multi-user hosts, initially DEC minicomputers. With C-Port , users can take advantage of the host's full capabilities such as processing speed. large disks, tapes and printers. The compiled C programs can be downloaded to the target µP, initially the Intel 8086, for execution as pure machine code. It supports all of the Intel 8086's lMbyte of memory space using

long (32-bit) pointers for code and

data addresses. The code generated is

optimized and intended for use in em-

bedded ROM-based µP applications.

$4500 including ·maintenance and sup-

port contract. Intermetrics Inc., 733

Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA

02138.

Write 153

CROSS ASSEMBLERS

Generate Programs For Intel's 80481 49141135 µP Family

Combined with a Millennium 9520

Development System, the cross as-

sembler programs configure the sys-

tem to facilitate hardware/software

development for 8048/49/41/21 /35

µPs . They can also be used with Sys-

tems' Analyzer (µSA), MicroSystem

Emulator (µSE) or 9508 MicroSystem

Emulator for program execution and

debug. Programs with the cross as-

semblers include a MACRO assem-

bler, a linking loader, a formatter/

downloader, and equivalent Intel in-

struction mnemonics and MACROS.

$751. Millennium Systems Inc, 19050

Pruneridge Ave , Cupertino CA

95014.

Write 196

S100 BUS COMPUTER
With Memory Management
The Z80A Based Model CPZ-48000 features: 64 Kbytes of onboard dynamic RAM. two sync or async 1/0 channels , two parallel 1/0 channels , memory management of 16 Mbytes of system memory, a floppy disk controller for single/double density- one/ two sided- 5/8" disk drives, 8 vectored priority interrupts with Z80

mode 2 interrupts chained in, and capacity for either 2 Kbyte or 4 Kbyte onboard EPROM. It can be used as a stand alone computer. network master, multiuser host and multiprocessor host. MP/M and CP/ M operating systems are now available and TurboDisk is included in the purchase package. $1095. Intercontinental Micro Systems, 1733 S. Douglass Rd., Suite E, Anaheim , CA 92806. Write 154

DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
Provides Multi-User Support
The STEP-10/CDS provides multiuser support for real-time development of µPs , microprogrammed bits! ice computers, controllers and digital signal processors. The two unit system is composed of the FDC-480 Firmware Development Center, and the STEP-4/FITS Firmware Integration and Test Station . Software development proceeds on one or more terminals ports, while one or more STEP-4 instruments support real-time emulation on the remaining ports. A minimum 4 user STEP-10/CDS configuration including the FDC-480 with

208 Kbytes of RAM, 1 Mbyte of double density floppy disk storage, complete software support and a single STEP-4 FITS instrument is $18,600. STEP Engineering , 757 N. Pastoria Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086.
Write 157

COMPUTATIONAL NODES

Double Performance Of Domain Networked System

The DN400 and DN 420 computa-

tional nodes include floating point

hardware with single and double pre-

cision and a high speed cache mem-

ory, a new horizontally oriented , 19"

" landscape" display with touch pad

control, and new operating system

enhancements that include support

for IBM 3270 communications proto-

col. The Domain Processing environ-

ment provides a 12 Mbit/sec token

passing network that lets users share

all their resources while simulta-

neously running their applications, all

without affecting one another. Each

user can run up to 15 concurrent pro-

cesses on each Domain node. The

Domain network can support hun-

dreds of nodes each up to \/2 miles

apart. A typical DN 400 node, includ-

ing a 32-bit central processor. 1

Mbyte of error checking and correct-

ing main memory, and 15" B& W bit-

mapped display is $34 ,500. Apollo

Computer Inc., 19 Alpha Rd., Chelms-

ford , MA 01824.

Write 147

Digital Design ·July 1982

CALL YOUR LOCAL ALPHA COM
REPRESENTATIVE

NEW ENGLAND

Kitchen & Kutchin

Burlington, MA

(617) 229-2660

North Haven, CT

(203) 239-0212

NEW YORK

Marlin Data Corp. Perth Amboy , NJ

(201) 442-3400

MID-ATLANTIC

Naudain Associates Inc.

Marlton, NJ

(609) 235-1801

Robert Electronic Sales

Catonsville, MD

(301 ) 788-2380

Richmond, VA

(804) 276-3979

SOUTHEAST

Pen-Tech Assoc. , Inc.

High Point, NC

(919) 883-9125

Casselberry , FL

(305) 645-3444

Deerfield Beach , FL (305) 421-4989

Huntsville, AL

(205) 881-9298

Marietta, GA

(404) 424-1931

MIDWEST

Micro Electronic Bus.

Chicago, IL

(312) 539-2994

AID Minneapolis, MN

(612) 561-1645

Carter. Mccormic & Peirce

Farmington Hills, Ml (313) 477-7700

Fairview Park, OH

(216) 779-5100

Englewood, OH

(513) 836-0951

Monroeville, PA

(412) 372-4415

Carmel, IN

(317) 844-4175

Ensco-Rep, Inc.

Maryland Hts., MO

(314) 423-3935

Overland Park , KS

(913) 381-7557

Wichita, KS

(316) 683-1070

Davenport, IA

(319) 386-6600

TEXAS

The Thorson Co. Southwest

Dallas, TX

(214) 233-5744

Houston, TX

(713) 771-3504

Austin , TX

(512) 451-7527

SOUTHWEST

Thor Engineering Phoenix, AZ

(602) 243-3203

ROCKY MOUNTAIN

The Thorson Co. Rocky Mtn.

Englewood, CO

(303) 779-0666

West Valley City , UT (801) 973-7969

CALIFORNIA

1/ 0 Sales . Inc . Mountain View, CA

(415) 968-1080

The Thorson Co. Southern CA
Signal Hill , CA

(213) 595-0361

NORTHWEST

Caruso & Northcutt

Bellevue, WA

(206) 454-9699

Aloha , OR

(503) 642-1606

CANADA

Pa ragon Coquitlam, BC

(604) 939-6461

or call ALPHACOM (800) 538-7047 (408) 559-8000
(Inside Calif.)

Check Out Our Printers [B'

(You Have Nothing To Lose But Opportunity)

Alphacom's high-quality thermal and impact printers are the answer to the OEMs need for reliable high-speed components with exceptional print quality.
Alphacom printers employ the unique Olivetti dot-matrix print mechanisms proven world-wide with millions in use.
Check it out yourself! Order an Evaluation Kit containing a mechanism, controller board, instructions and spare parts.

Take A Good Hard Look.

~Graphics Capabilities

IY' Fast - Up to 240 lines per

~minute

M_, Ouiet Operation

~MP~rLionwt

Cost widths

20,

28,

40,

and 80 columns

Available NOW

fL!~l.~·l: _·_r ~-1-
-RIDfiacom

Worth Looking At.
Alphacom, Inc., 2323 South Bascom Ave., Campbell, CA 95008
Write 48 on Reader Inquiry Card

New Products . COMPUTERS /SYSTEMS

COMPUTER SYSTEM
Single, 4, Band 16 User Systems
The single user and 4 user computers are 8 bit CP/M compatible systems . Models of these systems include dual floppy disk; 10 Mbyte hard disk with floppy backup ; and a 10 Mbyte hard disk with a 20 Mbyte cartridge tape backup. The 4 user systems have 256K RAM. The larger 8 and 16 user systems are configured with a 20 Mbyte or 40 Mbyte hard disk and 20 Mbyte cartridge tape backup. A 16 bit, 68000 µ.P is incorporated with an 8 bit processor to provide a unique system software compatibility with

CP/M and UNIX. Access Matrix, 1708

Stierlin Rd ., Mountain View, CA

94043.

Write 148

SYSTEM GENERATION PROGRAM

For Generating Customized M/OS80 Software

MOSGE gives the user an automat-

ed method of generating customized

M/OS-80 software for different 1/0

devices and different RAM configura-

tions . M/OS-80 is a CP/M compatible

operating system for STD Z80 Bus-

based computer systems. The console

interface for the MOSGEN system

generation program is either a UART

or SIO STD-Bus card , and the list de-

vice control is a PIO or SIO interface .

Drivers are supplied for single- and

dual-sided floppy disks for both sin-

gle- and double-density formats in

SY·" or 8" formats. The user may in-

stall his own customized handlers via

the system generation program to

adapt M/OS-80 software to a wide va-

riety of other devices. $1650 (1-9) .

Mostek Corp., 1215 W. Crosby Rd. ,

Carrollton, TX 75006.

Write 155

SOFTWARE PACKAGE
For Data Acquisition Applications
DTBASIC combines the easy-to-use BASIC (RT-11 version) with powerful, real-time subroutines for controlling a wide range of sophisticated

data acquisition and control hardware. The real-time subroutines are written in MACR0-11 to achieve the

highest possible execution speed, yet are called with BASIC commands for ease of programming. [t supports data acquisition hardware compatible with the LSI-11 Bus. Analog input interfaces allow digitizing up to 64 channels of analog data to 12, 14 or 16 bits of resolution at sampling rates up to 135kHz. Output interfaces provide up to 16 channels of analog data resolved to 12 bits. The language also supports up to 64 lines each of digital input and digital output. DTBASIC is $1595. Data Translation, 100 Locke Dr, Marlboro , MA 01752. Write 150
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Meet Office Automation Needs Of Multi-Site Corporations
A personal computer option , touchsensitive screen, voice store and forward , broadband local area networking , and significant architectural enhancements highlight the new family of computer systems . The Series 5000 processors offer up to 6 Mbytes of memory, 2.2 Gbytes of disk storage , and support for up to 128 multifunction FASTRAK intelligent workstations with printers . The Series 5000 is comprised of three processors-the Systems 500, 700 and 800. A sample configuration of a System 700 consisting of a CPU , 3 Mbytes of RAM, 200 Mbytes of disk storage, a line printer, 16 character printers, 64 workstations and communications is $475 ,800; can

be leased for $18 ,000/month. Avail-

able first quarter 1983. Four-Phase

Systems, 10700 N. DeAnza Blvd, Cu-

pertino, CA 95014 .

Write 151

BOARD-LEVEL ECLIPSE
Based On microECLIPSE Chip Implementation Of The ECLIPSE Computer
Both models offer full I/O handling , floating point processing, extended memory addressing and full 16-bit real-time processing. Yet , the ECLIPSE S/20 and S/120 systems attain the advantages of DGs highspeed ECLIPSE computers, but at a price comparable with the smaller NOVA line. The S/20 offers OEMs and industrial/scientific end users components and systems capable of delivering full computer power to real-time , multiprocessing, multitasking applications. Beginning with a basic two-board , 128 kB CPU configuration , it may be expanded to include 512 kB of memory and floating point processor board. The S/120 offers similar features and processing power as the S/20 , but in a single 15" board that is I/O compatible with the full line of ECLIPSE and NOVA peripherals . Data General, 4400 Computer Dr , Westboro, MA 01580.
Write 205
PORTABLE µ.C
Self Contained General Purpose Computer
Kaycomp II is packaged in a rugged low profile metal traveling case with

carrying handle . It includes a 9" dis-

play , two 5Y4' floppy disk drives , and

a typewriter keyboard with a 13 key

numeric pad . It features a Z-80 cen-

tral processor and CP/M operating

system. The diagonal display has the

standard 80 column by 24 row format ,

green phosphor screen , and high res-

olution characters. Interface accomo-

dations include a printer output for 80

or 120 column printers, and an RS-

232C interface for a modem or other

peripheral equipment. $1795. Non-

linear Systems Inc., P. 0 . Box , Del

Mar , CA 92014.

Write 156

Digital Design· July 1982

This Fall, A First

It's the first pan-European computer show in which a major portion of our entire information processing industry will be represented abroad. And the first show designed specifically for marketing to European ISOs.
Europe's Ready
Right now, Europe's at about the same place the USA was a few years ago: poised to plunge into smaller computers in a big way. The potential: a multibillion dollar market for computer products. And the people about to deliver this mass market will be dealers, system integrators, distributors, retailers, office machines/ products dealers... the whole range of ISOs.
In other words, exactly the kind of audience that COMDEX shows are famous for delivering.
We'll Bring the Market
Meaning not only Europe's current ISOs, but its vast number of future re-sellers as well. Since this is the first computer show specifically designed for all of Europe, we'll be promoting it heavily in all of Europe's major publications. Satu ration advertising, PR and direct

mail in every European country. And we'll be talking their language, quite literally, in what we say and how we say it.
We'll Bring the Booths
Special arrangements with KLM will make your arrangements hassle-free. We'll either ship your booth right to the Exhibition Centre for you. Or put you in touch with one of Amsterdam's finest "shell stand" builders. So you can find your standard or custom-designed booth waiting for you.
We'll Even Bring You
And, if you like, your entire family. Through our travelcompany subsidiary, we can offer you reduced-rate fares and accommodations in Amsterdam . Special preand post-show tours, too.
We'll Make It Easy
If you've been wanting to get into the European market. ..or get into Europe in a bigger way, you've never had a better chance. It couldn 't be easier. Quicker. Or less expensive.
Need we tell you more about COMDEX/Europe? Just give us a call. (617) 879-4502 (800) 225-4620 TWX 710-380-7645 Telex 951176

Produced by
THE INTERFACE GROUP
Framingham. MA
Producers of · INTERFACE, FEDERAL DP EXPO, COMDEX/SPRING/ FALL/ EUROPE. THE COMPUTER SHOWCASE EXPOS (Nationwide)

Amsterdam, The Netherlands
November 8-11, 1982
RAI Congress and Exhibition Centre

Product Index

University Microfilms International

Please send additional information for
Name

In stitution

Street

City

State

Zip

300 North Zeeb Road Dept. PR . Ann Arbor. Mi. 48106
U.S.A.

30-32 Mortimer Street Dept. P.R. London WIN 7RA England

To help you find the products you need, we've compiled a subject index of the ads and new products that appear in this issue. Organized by general product area, the listings include the name of the manufacturer, the page on which the product appears and a write number for additional information on that product. Bold type indicates advertised products.

Page Write # #

Accessories, Supplies

Borg Warner Thermoelectrics

94 36

Qantex Centronics Data Computer Ou me

71 27 93 127 94 132

Add-In/Add-On Memory

Microsoft

97 139

Communications
Bo-Sherrel ICCI NEC Information Systems

77 41 95 160 98 175

Components, Hardware,

Packaging

Pulse Engineering Textool Products

44 34 97 144

Computer 110
Cal Comp Design Aids Tele Video ADAC lntex Micro Systems Robotrol

4 13

26,27 9

96 136

95 159

98 143

Computers/Systems
Adaptive Science Dataram Gould Memodyne Omni byte Spectra Systems Wave Mate Access Matrix Apollo Computer Data General dy-4 Systems Four-Phase Systems Intercontinental Micro
Systems Mikros Systems Non Linear Systems

74 29 15 45 45 15 14 33 47 22 1 3 96 43,44 86 148 84 147 86 205 96 138 86 151
84 154 98 141 86 156

Controllers, Interfaces

Analog Technology Mu s y s Texas Instruments ADES Andromeda Systems Western Digital

65 38 46 31 75 8 97 170 96 137 96 145

Hard Copy
Alphacom Anadex Eaton General Electric Hecon Printer Products

85 48 2,3 12 49 11 73 25 9,76 30 95 35

Mass Memory
Canon USA Exatron Kennedy Moya Plessey Alpha Systems Cynthia Peripheral Datum Mega Tape Rotating Memory
Systems Inc Racal Recorders TDX Peripherals Telex Computer Products

83 32 77 39 C2 1 96 42 61 17 94 126 94 128 95 129 93 131
94 133 95 134 93 135 95 167

Power Supplies, UPS,

Line Conditioners

Controlled Power Xentek

C3 2 97 37

Semiconductors, ICs, µ.Ps

TRW LSI Products Mitsubishi Electronics Monolithic Memories

21 16 97 140 98 142

Software
Data Translation Intermetrics Millenium Systems Mostek

86 150 84 153 84 196 86 155

Test, Instrumentation

Development

Dolch Zendex Step Engineering

C4 4,14 40,41 26
84 157

Video Display/ Image Processing
AED Aydin Datacube EG&G Reticon Lexi data Mitsubishi Electronics Modgraph Phoenix Computer
Graphics Superset LogE/Spatial Data Grinnell Systems Corp Science Accessories

8,69 5,20 37 18 93 24 6 28 19 21 35 46
7,13 19,23
22 47 67 10 59 6 84 152 95 166

This index is provided a · an additional service. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

Digital Design· July 1982

New Products. PERIPHERALS

WINCHESTER BACKUP Start/Stop And Streaming Modes
The MegaT ape 200 and 400 backup syste ms utilize \12" tape cartridges.

MAG TAPE STREAMER
Includes Auto Threading
The DAM-1000 is a full y auto matic. 45 ips start-stop and 100 ips streaming, 9 trac k \12'' ta pe dri ve. It is designed with a µP drive n e mbedded form atte r and a nove l di gita l se rvo. Automati c di ag nosti c capab ility is an

integral pa rt of the syste m . ANSI

compatibl e recordin g de nsities o f 800/

1600 bpi at 45 ips and 1600 bpi at I0

ips strea ming is sta ndard . Th e a ut o

threadin g allows an o perato r to load

all size tape reels as easil y as inse rtin g

a di sk o r ca rtrid ge . Fro m $5000 . TDX

Peripherals, 148 New Yo rk Ave.,

Halesite . NY 11 743.

Write 135

The 200 provides Winchester backup

ca pacit y o f 200 MB (unform atted ).

T ape speed in sta rt/stop mode is 50

ips, with a transfe r rate o f 40 Kbytes/

sec. In streaming mode, tape speed is

200 ips, with a data transfe r rate of

160 Kbytes/sec. The 400 provides

over 350 Mbytes of sto rage . Sta rt/stop

tape speed is 50 ips, and strea ming

speed is 200 ips, with data transfe r

ra tes o f 60 and 240 Kb ytes/sec res pec-

tively. Bo th units use a se rpe ntinetype reco rdin g technique, reco rding

on 24 trac ks. MegaTape Corp, 104 1

H a milt o n Dr , Du a rt e, C A

9 101 0.

Write 131

DOCUMENT PRINTER

Enhanced Forms Handling

Mo d e l 159 tra nsac ti o n d oc um e nt

printe r is ca pab le o f printin g up to 5-

part fo rms . Thi s rugged printe r a ll ows

tea r-o ff within o ne inch o f to p o f form , suitin g it for in vo ice printing . in ve nto ry co nt ro l. hote l manage me nt. who lesa le/retail di stributio n and any business applicati o n wh e re multi-part

Datacube boards give your CPU video 1/0 capability. .. economically.

fo rms capability is essenti al. Stand ard features fo r this 80 column printe r include co mpressed print. 150 cps bidirecti onal logic see kin g printin g, " clean

Put sight in your present system by mating your computer with our Video Graphics boards. They digitize and display information in real time from standard video cameras for MULTIBUS'" and Q-BUS '" systems ... without host computer intervention.

Datacube boards provide reliable, low cost vision for robotics, inspection, medical imaging, teleconferencing, animation, etc. Available

for both monochrome and color

monitors.

See how easy it is to make

your computer see like a hawk. Call

or write Datacube Incorporated,

4 Dearborn Road, Peabody,

MA 01960, Telephone:

(617) 535-6644.

hands"' ribbo n casse tte. a nd a va ri -

ab le fo rm s le ngth co ntrol. Centronics

Data Computer Corp, Hudso n . N H

03051.

Write 127

Digital Design ·July 1982

Datacube
Write 24 on Reader Inquiry Card 93

CO·PIC!
v.;...gu'n~n AHP-1700 is designed and bu ilt for effective , dependable cooling in applications where size limitation is a problem. It contains no compressor, refrigerant, or piping ; the highly reliable fans are its only moving parts. · For computers, machine tools, electronics, instrumentation · No load cooling to - s·c at room temperature ; 1100 BTU/HR · Closed system protects from dust, metal chips, moisture · Operates in any position·horizontal , vertica l. ~;: . · Low vibration and noise ; minimal maintl:lnance · Weighs less than 50 pounds; mounts on standard 19" rack · Requires only 110 VAC, 6amppower Borg-Warner Thermoelectrics manufactures a complete line of high quality, solid state air cond itioners, heat pumps and temperature controllers. Borg-Warner Thermoelectrics 3570 N. Avondale Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 312/588-5120.
BiiiiG'XwARNER ®
Write 36 on Reader Inquiry Card 94

New Products. PERIPHERALS

WINCHESTER UPGRADE

For Floppy-Based Systems

T his 5Yl' Wincheste r disk dri ve con-

tro lle r and subsystem is targeted at

C P/M-based micros which have no

current capacity upgrade path . The

ASlOO contro ller is a 5%'' x 11" ci r-

cui t card designed specifica lly fo r

5Yl' Wi nchesters. Essentiall y it allows

the user to "talk to" the Wincheste r

as if it we re a ve ry high capacity

ftoppy disk drive . T his ft oppy-disk-

e mul atio n method minimizes insta lla-

tio n time , prod uct cost and the re-

q uired syste m softwa re modifica tio ns.

T he AS 105 subsystem packages a n

ASlOO cont ro lle r, a 6.38 MB 5 1/J'

Wi nchester disk drive , power supply,

cables and connectors with complete

docume ntation a nd instructio ns fo r

$2495. T he AS 100 contro ller alo ne

is $595 . Alpha Systems Corp, 7 11

Chatswo rth Place, San Jose. CA

95 128.

Write 126

5 114' WINCHESTER
Four Platters and Optional Data Separator
T he "C" series of 5Yl' Wincheste r di sk drives incl udes one to fo ur platter model s with capacities of 6.38, 12.75 . 19 . 13, and 25.5 Mbytes (u nfo rma tted) . Increas ing track dens i~y from 270 to 383 tpi increases ca;:.dcity per platter by 42% ove r r -·· ::.:: r R MS mode ls. Industry <'.ct ndard transfe r rate of 5.0 ~.~h;'3/sec is un affec ted .
'/

A n optional Data Ex press-II data

separato r increases capacities by an-

ot he r 50% (9.5 , 19. 13, 28.5 and 38

Mbytes) and uses a fas te r 7.5 MHz

tra nsfer rate. A nother optional data

separator , Data Exp ress I, provides

syste m integrato rs with stand a rd

MFM coding and 5 MHz data rates.

From $935 to $ 1485 in 100 qty: Data

Express I is $197: Data Ex press II is

$250. Rotating Memory Systems Inc,

170 1 McCarthy Blvd. Mil pitas. CA

95035 .

Write 133

DAISYWHEEL PRINTERS
35 CPS Print Speed
T he Sprin t 8/35 p rov id es indu stry standard Qume paralle l inte rface fo r wo rd processing, and provides pro portio na ll y-spaced printing. The Sprint 10/35 te rmina l with an RS232C inte rface offe rs high speed, lette r-quality printing at prices compatible with microcompute r syste ms.

Both combine condensed , µP con-

t ro lle d , sin g le -boa rd e lec t ro ni cs

fo r increased re liability with Q ume's

Micro Drive mechanism fo r minimum

mechanical .ress a nd maxi mum pri nt

accur<!-'.:y. Highe r e lectrostatic dis-

cl:ci rge (ESD) immunity prov ides sig-

ni fica nt reductio ns in inte rru pti o ns

fro m enviro nme nta l conditio ns. A

complete lin e of plastic da isywhee ls

plus a full comple me nt of mo nospace

and pro po rtio na l space printwhee ls

are avail able in over 100 ty pestyles .

The Sprint 10/35 starts at unde r

$2000, qt y. discounts avail. Qume

Corp., 2350 Qume Drive, San Jose.

CA 95 13 1.

Write 132

DISK DRIVE

SASl-Compatible Intelligent Drive

The D 145 incorporates all ho use keep-

ing fun ctio ns at the dri ve leve l, totally

independent of the host. T his frees up

the C PU fo r mo re producti ve data

processing and database ma nagement

tasks , and the SAS I-compati ble fea-

ture simplifies the e ntire syste m inte-

gratio n process. The dri ve combines

12MB of hard disk data storage a nd

12MB of disk-to-di sk backu p . It pe r-

form s all e rro r handling and protocol

inte rface fun ctio ns. witho ut separa te

hardwa re inte rfac ing o r applicati ons

softw are changes. All see ks. ve rifica-

tio ns. e rror recovery and di sk-cont ro l

and data tra nsactio ns are auto matical-

ly handled in the dri ve with out C PU

or bus interactio n . Cynth ia Peripheral

Corp, 3606 W . Bays ho re Rd. Palo

A lto . CA 94303.

Write 128

Digital Design· July 1982

New Products. PERIPHERALS

SYNTHESIZER Professional Voice Quality

TAPE DRIVE Includes Integrated Controller

compatible), and is offe red in eithe r 1600 o r 3200 bpi models. $4995 in OEM qty for the 46 MB ve rsio n ,

The Intex-Talke r text-to-speech synthesizer is availa ble as a stand alone pe ripheral o r at board level. It ca n annunciate data transmitted at high speed over telepho ne lines o r serve as an unlimited vocabulary audio inte rface fo r telepho ne tra nsactio n applicatio ns, and features 64 digitally progra mm a bl e leve ls o f infl ec ti o n. Equipped with keyboard , it can fun ctio n as a typewriter for the blind o r as a communicator for the vocally impaired . The unit can recognize every ASC II cha racter includin g pun ctuation as it is typed and can echo each characte r automatically. lntex Micro Systems Corp, 4758 Braffe rto n , Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013. Write 159

Model 8020-2X ho uses two dri ves

with an internal controller fo r a space

reduction of up to 50 % over long col-

umn dri ves. Two add o n d rives can be

used with the basic l x 2 subsystem.

A n optional 1 x 8 fea ture allows fo ur

more add o n dri ves to be attached .

The 8020-2X operates wit h IB M 360/

370 and 4300 CPU's . $57,600 for two

6250 bpi drives and an integrated con-

troller. Additio nal 6250 bpi dri ve

models are $18,900. Telex Computer

Products Inc, 6422 E . 4 lst St, T ulsa,

OK 74135.

Write 167

TAPE SUBSYSTEM
92 MB of Backup for NOVA /Eclipse Minis

$5385 fo r the 92MB model. Datum

Inc, 1363 So. State Coll ege Blvd ,

A naheim , CA 92806.

Write 129

SONIC DIGITIZER
Meets OEM Requirements
The GrafB ar G P-7-0EM is available fo r use in the design of all types of electro nic data processing a nd data handling equipme nt requiring the digitizatio n of 20 graphic data . A compact, 19" x 6" x 1%'' asse mbl y, the digitizer incorporates two point micropho nes to eliminate the conve ntional fra me microphone asse mbl y, to unencum ber the work area , to allow left hand o r right hand digitizing, and

TAPE RECORDER
Portable Wideband Instrumentation Recorder

The DS12 combin es a single-board tape adapter with Ciphe r's Microstreamer dri ve fo r backu p of Winchester fixed-media disk d ri ves. Ut ilizing

to allow utilizatio n of a ny work surface rather than a prescribed digitizing tablet . Active area is the la rgest , 18" x 24" , of any low cost digitizing

Store house is designed to ha ndle the vast quantities of data gathered , stored and a nalyzed in mode rn research and developme nt. Key fea tures include Automatic Ca li bration and Equalizatio n (ACE) and self di-

Y~" magnetic tape, the OS 12 is avai lable in rack-mounted o r desktop ve rsions and offers streaming capabilities at 100 ips; tra nsactio n processi ng is provided at 25 ips. It utilizes 9-track PE data for matting (ANS I- and IB M-

system currently availa ble. Features

buil t-in µP conversio n of slant ranges

into cartesian (X-Y) coordinates. Sci-

ence Accessories Corp, 970 Kin gs

Hwy Wes t , So uthp o r t, C T

06490 .

Write 166

agnosis of pe rfo rmance. Exte nsive µ P

cont ro l results in a recorder that does

not req uire highl y quali fied staff for

setting up and maintenance. It has a

42 trac k recorde r with 15" coaxial

ree ls compatible with '/~" and l" mag-

netic tape. A n in termediate and wide-

ba nd recorde r, it can be used in any

combin atio n of the three standa rd

data reco rd/repl ay fo rm ats: DR (di -

rect reco rding), FM (frequency mod-

YOUR SOURCE FOR MlllPRllTERS
40 COLUMNS AND UNDER

ul ated) , and HDDR (high de nsity

digital recording). Set up tim e is re-

d uced fro m several hours to less than

3 minutes. Racal Recorders Inc, 3830

Bee Ridge Rd , Sarasota, FL 33583 .

Write 134

COMMUNICATIONS PROCESSOR

Emulates Both IBM BSC and SDLC (SNA) Standard Protocols

When operating unde r BSC or SDLC

protocols, the CA20 appears to t he

host as an IBM 3276 cluster cont rol-

ler. It interfaces C RTs to the host

computer by causing the te rminals to

appear as 3278-type devices. Up to 8

unsophisticated asy nc devices can be

supported . Available with more than

32K buffe r memory, the CA20 sup-

ports line speeds fro m 300 to 9600

bps. $9700 with 10 po rts. ICCI, 196

B roa d way, Ca mbrid ge, MA

02139 .

Write 160

The most complete line In the industry.

We specialize in the manufacture of intelligent (microprocessor-controlled)

plain paper dot matrix printers, dataloggers, financial transactors, slip/document

and label printers ready to interface with any application you have. Our dot

matrix heads print tens of millions of trouble-free characters for unsurpass-

ed reliability.

If by chance the printer or interface you need for your OEM equipment,

user-designed system, or retail application is not in our FREE catalog, we'll

custom design to your specifications. Send for the catalog today. Or call :

617·787·2030 and ask for the Printer Products Application Department.

unmatched Reliability

liT1 Printer Products
~ A DIVISION OF CAPITOL CIRCUITS CORPORATION

24 DENBY ROAD . ALLSTON, MA 02134

ninitril f) A!';ion · .Julv 1982

Write 35 on Reader Inquiry Card 95

.- .

. ,,:t

I ·

- .:,

II · , . -

WAVE MATE SERIES 2000

The Series 2000 is a 2MHz 6800 based single board computer currently used in the TYPEMATE (Automatic Typesetting) and WRAPMATE (Wire Wrap) systems. The software availabe includes multitasking, 2 File operating systems, UCSD Pascal, Word Processing, Phototypesetting and Wire Wrap. Business packages are also available.

WAVE MATE INC.
14009 South Crenshaw Boulevard Hawthorne, California 90250
Tel. (213) 978-8600. Telex 194369

The WAVE MATE BULLET is a 4MHz Z80A , Single-Board -Computer that runs CP / M. The hardware and software were designed together to run CP/ M as efficiently as possible.
128 KByte of RAM with bank select- Single/ Double density floppy disk controller for both 5 Y.. inch and 8 inch drives-OMA floppy disk operation with high speed RAM buffer-General purpose external DMA 1/ 0 - 2 serial ports with transmission rates to 76 .8 K baud-Centronics printer port- IM I or Corvus Winchester interface- Vectored interrupts- Real time clock -5 volts only - Full disk track buffering- Keyboard type-ahead - Disk write verification-Compact size-8 X 10. 7 in.
WAVE MATE INC.
14009 South Crenshaw Boulevard Hawthorne, California 90250
Tel. (213) 978-8600. Telex 194369.
Write 44 on Reader Inquiry Card
MICRO DRIVE

DCIOO CARTRIDGE DRIVE HAS SMART 1/ 0
MicroDrive OEl\1 no"' fearures a micro processor based I 0. This uni1 performs all con trol a nd rormalling for quick ~ystems in1egra1ion . A high len· I command se t (22 co mmands ) allows full periphera l Slalus for 1he model 1251 0 . Seria l and parallel op 1ions are a\'ai labll' prirrd as low as $400 in OEM qty.
MOYA CORPORATION 9001 Oso, Unit B
Chatsworth, Ca. 91311 Tel: (2 13) 700-1200
Write 42 on Reader Inquiry Card 96

New Products · COMPONENTS

AID CONVERTER
± 40V Common Mode MUX Protection This 20 KHz standard size Unibus compatible board fits directly into a single slot of the mainframe of any
DEC PDP-11 minicomputer. High speed sample and hold is also a standard feature. The 12 bit Model 635/ 11 AL can be populated with up to 32 fully differential inputs , or with up to 64 channels of single ended or pseudo-differe ntial MUX input. Multiple strappable input ranges are standard. Programm ab le gain ampl ifi cation, automatic zeroing, and provision for up to four channels of digital to analog conversion are optionally available. ADAC Corp, 70 Tower Office Park, Woburn, MA 01801. Write 136 DISK CONTROLLER On-Board Error Checking And Correction This board-level controller for 5Yl' and 8" Wincheste r-type disk drives , the WDIOOl , is based on the same proprietary chip set as the WD I000, expa nded to include ECC as well as CRC (cyclical redundancy checking). The ECC is based on a 32-bit polynomial optimized for 5VJ' and 8" Winchester drives, providing 5-bit burst error correction. The controller will interface up to 4 drives to a host processor, with drive signals based on the floppy look-alike SA506/STIOOO interfaces. Communications to and from the host processor are via an 8-
bit bidirectional bus. An on-board sector buffer allows data transfers to

the host independent of the actual

transfer rate of the drive . The

WD 1001 is $295 for 100-249 units.

Western Digital, 2445 McCabe Way ,

Irvine , CA 92714.

Write 145

Q-BUS EXTENDER BOARD

Is Active Participant In Debugging

In bus structured systems such as

DEC's Q-Bus, the problem of isolat-

ing faults is often complicated by a

balky board corrupting the bus. Mod-

el EB 11 switchable extender board

can isolate, through banks of minia-

ture switches, each data and control

line that makes up the Q-Bus. Pull-up

resistors are provided on the card side

of the switch to maintain a high (negated) state if the line is controlled by

the system. The EBl l makes Q-Bus

debugging more convenient and is

avai lable in quad widths (EB 11) or

dual widths (EB 11/2- includes both

halves of EB 11). $250; qty . discounts

avail. Andromeda Systems Inc, 900

Eton Ave , Canoga Park, CA

91304.

Write 137

SINGLE CARD µC

For OEM Applications

The DSTD-764 is designed to fit with-

in the envelope of a n 8" floppy drive

and contains a Z80(A) µP, 3 serial

RS-232C channels, l serial RS-422

channel, two 8-bit parallel l/O ports,

floppy disk controller with OMA,

Hard Disk Host Adaptor , 64 Kbytes

of RAM with parity , four 28 Pin

Byte-wide memory sockets, 8 status

switches and 8 status LED's, and a

parallel port to interface to a video

display controller daughter board.

For added system flexibility the

DSTD-764 a lso contains an STD BUS

edge card connector and expansion

drivers. dy-4 Systems, 888 Lady Ellen

Place , Ottawa, Ontario KIZ

SM l.

Write 138

Digital Design ·July 1982

New Products · COMPONENTS

16K STATIC CMOS RAM
Allows Easy Battery Backup
Available in three configurations to suit different applica tions , these silicon-gate CMOS devices feature low power dissipation (60 mA max. in active mode , 15 µA max. in sta ndby) a nd fast access time ( 120 ns for -12 parts, 150 ns for -15 devices a nd 200

ns for standard versions). All three

configurations operate from a si ngle

SY power suppl y and all a re fully stat-

ic . The M5M5 l l8P ve rsio n inco rpo-

rates two chip-se lect inputs to si m-

plify battery back-up. E ither input

can place the RAM in standby mode

a nd establ ish a hi gh-impeda nce state

on the c hip' s data lin es. The

M5M5 l l 7P vers ion provides o ne

chip-se lect pin and one output-e nab le

pin. The o utput-e nab le is usefu l for

bus con t ention contro l . The

M5M5 l l6P version offers faster chi p

access times by a llowing on ly one of

two chip-select inputs to switch th e

RAM to standby mode . Mitsubishi

Electronics America, Semiconductor

Div, 1230 Oakmead Pkw y, Suite 206,

Sunnyvale, CA 94086.

Write 140

MEMORY BOARD/RAMDRIVE

System For IBM Personal Computer

This expandab le plug-in me mory sys-

tem for the IBM Perso nal Computer

provides add itional memory needed

fo r large programs, plus disk e mul a-

tion capabi lit y. The RAM Card sys-

tem includes a board with up to 256

Kbytes of RAM: a diskette that enab les the compute r to use some or all of the memory as R AM Drive for disk 1/0: a nd a syste ms manual written for
Digital Design ·July 1982

the co mputer novice. The RAM Drive

feature is especially valuable for pro-

grams requiring re peated disk access,

programs aren't bottlenecked while

the disk drive is runnin g. Available in

64, 128. 192 and 256 Kb yte configura-

tions; from $495 to $1095. Up to

three RAM Cards may be in sta lled at

the same time. Microsoft Corp, 190 1

Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles.

CA 90067.

Write 139

68 LEAD CHIP CARRIER
Choice Of 3 Lid Configurations
The socke t. designed to acce pt th e JEDEC leadl ess " Type A" chip carrier package , offers the durability of a test socket while ma intaining the low cost a nd small size esse nti al to a hi gh vo lume producti o n socke t. A c ho ice of three lid configurations allows th e socke t to be tail o red to specific app licati o ns. These configurations include a solid .050" thi ck aluminum lid for heatsink requirements not demanding

substa ntial coo ling; a U-shaped lid for mounting a custo me r's heatsink : and. a lid with a n ex te rn al heatsink mounted as an integral pa rt of th e socke t. With gold pla ted leads in 1000 qty. $6.26 each. depe ndin g o n lid configuratio n . Textool Products Dept, Electroni c Products Div , 3M , 141 0 W. Pio nee r Dr . Irvin g. TX 7506 1.
Write 144

DISK/TAPE CONTROLLER

Supports All Major 114' Tape Drives

The GYPSY can back up 20MB of

disk data in less th a n four minutes,

and allows any host to interface with

a Priam Winchester disk drive. It

communicates with the host via a sim-

ple parallel 1/0 port o r through o ne

of the co mp any 's hos t interface

adapter boards. Other features in-

clude C RC erro r detection; offl ine

backup and resto re functions: the

ab ility to contro l up to four 8" and 14"

disk drives as well as four tape units;

and multiple sector access capability.

Adaptive Data & Energy Systems, 2627

Pomona Blvd. P o m o n a. CA

9 1768.

Write 170

Here are some of Xentek's 43 varieties of Disk Drive
Power Supplies
Whether you use floppy or hard disks, or a combination-or disks with tape drive backup-chances are we've already designed and built the supply that matches your requirements. There are off-the-shelf models for many popular single and multiple 5%'' and 8" floppys, and OEM supplies for 5V4", 8" and 14" Winchesters.
And designing a new one is no big deal at Xentek. You'll find the unit prices low, the turnaround time fast (3-4 weeks for prototypes!), and the quality unsurpassed .
Try us and see for yourself. Call Chuck Henry at (714) 744-3346, and find out how fast you can have a Xentek power supply tailored to your needs at a truly affordable price.
Xentek·
THE HEART OF YOUR SYSTEM
279 South Pacific St., San Marcos, CA 92069
Send
Today
for Free
Catalog
(714) 744-3346 TWX: 910-332-1155
Write 37 on Reader Inquiry Card 97

New Products · COMPONENTS

career
Opportunlies in
Diglal Design
Readership:
Over 62,000 + qualified
engineers and managers at 18,000+ important design locations.
Editorial: Look for a new column on employment trends to accompany recruitment
advertising.
Rates: $85 per column inch 3 column x 10" page - $2500 (1x B&W)
Contact: Bill Pryor, Manager, Recruitment &
Classified Advertising, Morgan-Grampian Publishing Co.,
1050CommonwealthAve. Boston, MA 02215 (617) 232-5470.

TTL µP
Executes The USAF MIL-STD-1750A Instruction Set
The MKS1750/M single-board siliconon-sapphire/TTL µP executes 250 KIPS (DAIS mix) and dissipates less than 20W. It is logically and mechanically Multibus-compatible. A Development System was previously announced and an all-SOS version of the Processor Board is in the fina l development phase . The MKSl 750/M is

suitable for 1750A applications which

require MIL-E-5400 environmental

conditions. MIL-E-5400 version is

$14 ,750; qty. 100 price is $5950 each .

Also available in a commercial pack-

age at a unit price of $10 ,400; qty.

100 price is $2300 each. Mikros Sys-

tems Corp, 3828 Quaker Bridge Rd,

Mercerville, NJ 08619.

Write 141

COMMUNICATIONS OPTIONS
For PC-8000 Personal Computer
A communications board (PC-8012ACOM1) offers two standard RS-232C ports, software selectable baud rates from 50 to 19,200 bps (up to 57,600 bps with sync software), and the option to address either Data Terminal or Data Communications equipment. Three sync communications packages include one that emulates an IBM transaction facility (BISYNC-80/ 3270), one that emulates an IBM file transfer facility (BISYNC-80/3780) , and one that emulates an IBM multilea vi ng workstation (BISYNC-80/ HASP). All use the "standard" protocol IBM Binary Sync Communications (BSC). With the 3270 package , the PC-8000 can be made to emulate IBM 3271 , 3275 , and 3277 terminals, as well; while the 3780 package also emulates IBM 2770, 2780, and 3741. The communications packages run under the industry standard CP/M operating system . The communications board is $250. The sync packages have a master license fee of $995; an

async package, IE/Modem , is $495. NEC Information Systems Inc, 5 Militia Dr , Lexington , MA 02173. Write 175
16-BIT MATH CHIP 28 Multiply And 13 Divide Functions The SN54/74S516 device is a bus organized multiplier/divider capable of performing 2's complement 16-bit calculations at high speed: 16116 or 32116 division in less than 3.5 µs and 16xl6 multiplication in less than l .5µs . The commercial version, 74S516 , has a maximum clock rate of 6 MHz; and the military version, 54S516, operates at 5 MHz. Both use a single clock. Among the 28 different multiply options the 54/74S516 can be programmed to perform are: positive and negative multiply ; positive and negative accumulation; multiplication by a constant; and both single and double length addition in conjunction with multiplication. The commercial version is $100 each in 100-lot qty. Monolithic Memories Inc, 1165 E . Arques Ave, Sunnyvale , CA 94086. Write 142
ANALOG 1/0 BOARD STD Bus Compatible
The RSD-7728 has 8 differential or 16 single-ended analog inputs and 8 analog outputs. The resolution of all inputs and outputs is 12 bits. It features: 12 programmable modes, 6 output modes and 6 input modes with programmable interval timing ; self test mode; 8 independent outputs; programmable gain amplifier with gains of 1, 2 , 4 and 8; gain is also resistor programmable to accommodate low level inputs ; Bus I/O may be memory mapped for specific 110 and
requires on ly 4 consecutive addresses; and vectored interrupt or polled program operation . The RSD-7728 operates with a Z80 or 8085 CPU up to 4 MHz and with a 6800 or 6809 CPU up to 2 MHz. $360 (qty. 100) . Robotrol Corp, 1250 Oak mead Pkwy , Suite 210, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. Write 143

Digital Design ·July 1982

New Literature

DIP And µP Chip Sockets. This broc hure descri bes Hi -Re l sockets. detailin g standard . 125 thick sockets in 8 thru 40 pins. New supe r low profile (.50) thick openfra me socke ts in 8 thru 40 pin co nfiguratio ns are also detail ed. Data o n 64 pin thru 289 pin µp chip sockets included. Advanced Interconnections Write 250

··-

Custom Airmovers. T his 286 pp. C ustom

Division Catalog includes the latest per-

for mance curves and acoustica l da ta on

Rot ron 's ex pa nded line of equipment

coo ling fa ns and bl owe rs fo r the military/

aerospace and o the r high-re liability indus-

tries. T he state-o f-th e-art ECDC motors

and Ha ll-effect se nsors, whi ch monito r

fi e ld rotation to warn agai nst therm al

run away in the electronics systems bein g

cooled a re also described .

EG&G Rotron

Write 258

Introduction to WordStar. Writte n by

A rthur Naim an. this use r-fri e ndl y guide is

designed to teac h anyone to use Word-

Star, a powe rful wo rd processin g program.

T he beginn e r will quickl y lea rn to edit

copy, move a nd de lete bloc ks of text . cre-

ate and me rge fil es. check copy fo r spell-

ing accuracy, a nd eve n crea te special print

effects. It conta ins a compl ete di ctio nary

of all the co mm ands used in WordStar.

Spellstar and Ma ilMe rge . 220 pp.. $8.95.

Sybex

Write 276

...,,,...
:=..."..*,....., ..... . M; -
--=~:.":"
::.,v£ .~.
: .. .·......... ..... .:. ~.:":";..:-;:=-.::..

Telemetering Catalog. T his 32 pp. ca ta-

log descri bes a line of tele mete ring pro-

ducts which incl udes : Vo ltage Co ntroll ed

Oscill ato rs. Oscill ato rs. FM Discrimin a-

to rs. Freque ncy-to- DC Conve rters, Am-

plifie rs, A nalog Signal Iso lators. Pressure

Tra nsduce rs, Powe r Supplies, Wireless

Data Link and othe r products. A ll units

utilize a mini aturized. ruggedized design

and are recomm e nded fo r milit ary and in-

dustri al applicatio ns.

Solid State Electronics

Write 275

Microcomputer Products. T he 40 pp.

catalog (82 1) fro m Electric Speciali sts pre-

se nts the ir lin e of Microco mputer int erfer-

e nce co nt rol products. Protecti ve devices.

Line Vo ltage Regul ators a nd AC Power

Int e rrupte rs a re a lso included . Desc ript ive

sections outlin e part icul ar prob lems and

suggested so lutio ns. Typica l applica tio ns

a nd uses are hi ghl ighted .

Electronic Specialists

Write 259

Data Conversion and Signal Process-

ing Components. This 168 pp . catalog

descri bes in deta il a broad line of high per-

fo rm ance mo no lithi c. hybrid . and modul ar

da ta conve rte rs. T he prod uct lin e encom-

passes many new state-o f-th e art products

fro m AID a nd DIA co nve rte rs to prec ision

res istor networks. T hese dev ices arc spe-

cifica ll y des igned fo r a wide ra nge of mea-

surement . co nt ro l. and instrum ent atio n

applicatio ns.

Hybrid Systems

Write 264

Digital Design· July 1982

Wide Range Signal Measurement. So lu-

tions to the probl ems inh ere nt in such procedures as mo nitoring 0.01 ° cha nges in a

,...,,.,...__
."'!!,··~-~~ ...-

furn ace operating at 1000°, measuring
. I small changes in ion co nce ntratio ns. and
variable frequency transduce rs a re de-

sc ribed . This 12 pp. brochure expl ains

I how the back-off signal bala ncin g and cali-
bration required in sta ndard laboratory

:?. 8

procedures can be avo ided and a mo re re-

li able resolution obtained .

Chessell Corp.

Write 253

Data Communications Products. The 48 pp. book lists the co mpany's full product lin e, which includes a co mplete se lectio n o f data communi cations equipm e nt. T heir e mphasis is on a fas t, one-source suppl y for items th at include mode ms. 4 and 8 1 channel statisti ca l multipl exe rs/co nce nt rators. ca ble a nd ca ble suppli es. se rvice a nd testin g equipme nt , with a large in ve ntory o n hand to insure rapid shipm ent. Data Communications Brokers
Write 254

Lighting Guide. This 4 pp. sho rt fo rm .

full line Product Lighting Guid e ( LG

108 1), o ffers a broad ove rview o f th e Lee-

craft lin e while showin g a full range of

neo n, inca ndesce nt a nd LED indi ca to r

lights. Also shown a re a wide se lectio n o f

Inca ndesce nt, Wedge Base and H aloge n

Cycle lampho lders. th e gui de is stream-

lined for quick a nd easy design se lect ion.

Leecraft Manufacturing

Write 266

. . . -~d -~ ~ , / .. Q:/

Digital Patching/Switching. This 14 pp.

catalog cove rs Dynatec h's ex te nsive line o f

Ma rk II pa tchin g/swit c hin g/ mo nit o rin g

equipme nt. The Mark II se ries features

low cost and ve rsatilit y. The catalog cov-

ers the standard 24-circuit digit al patchin g

jacks, test/monito r modules and pa ne ls.

di gital A/B fallb ack a nd crossove r switch-

ing, plus VF patching and mo nito ring

equipme nt.

Dynatech Data Systems

Write 255

Software Directory. This 108 pp . directo-

ry describes the broad ra nge of applica-

tions and syste m softwa re ava il able fo r the

e ntire fa mil y of Ha rri s hi gh pe rfo rm a nce

super-minicompute rs. The directo ry in-

cludes a large number o f new C AD/CA M

and graphics packages fo r the design and

e nginee rin g ma rketplace . Included is the

A NVIL-4000. a n inte racti ve graphi cs sys-

tem fo r design , draftin g. nume rica l cont ro l

and manage ment in fo rm atio n.

Harris Corp.

Write 263

ZEBRA Connector LCD Design Selec-

tor. This 16 pp. brochure assists E ngin ee rs

in se lecting the correct ZEBRA co nnecto r

fo r mounting LC D "s to PC Boa rds. Fi f-

tee n leadin g fo reign a nd do mesti c LCD

manu fac ture rs are listed . H andy cross re f-

e rence to Z EBRA co nn ecto r asse mbli es

e nable readers to see at a glance what

standard beze ls and ho lde rs are ava il ab le.

e liminatin g the need o f costl y custo m de-

sign and guesswork .

Tecknit

Write 279

New Literature

',(I H~·n.1lrlt 1. .., jl, 11.~ ,..,, ( .n!r ,..1 f,.h.11··~·· rlf tdl<"

CRT Display Filters. T hi s e ngin ee ring

bull e tin provides des ign data a nd specifi -

ca ti o ns fo r no n-gla re . co ntrast e nhance-

me nt C RT d ispl ay filt e rs . Th e bull e tin ca n

be used as a desig n gui de by ma nu factur-

e rs of eq uipm e nt with visual di spl ays . It

li sts the most co mm o nl y used ph ospho rs

a nd th e Ho ma lit c shade th a t mee ts specif-

ic li ght tra nsmi ssio n require me nts fo r

th ose phosph o rs; a nd . describes va ri ous

grades of filt e rs ava il a bl e.

SGL Homalite

Write 274

SELOEN!3
electronic ws;r Al-lJ(.Atjlt

Training Schedule T he 16 pp . publi ca ti o n

descri bes training se rvices ava il ab le to

DGs O E Ms a nd e ncl -use rs th ro ugh Octo-

be r 1982 . It describes ove r 50 ;oftwarc.

hardwa re a nd ge nera l lecture co urses to

be o ffe red fro m Ap ril th rough O cto be r a t

th e co mpa ny's 5 U. S. reg io na l tra ining

ce nte rs . a nd includ es e nro llm e nt a nd pri c-

in g in fo rm a tio n o n 22 se lf-paced in struc-

ti o nal co urses a nd th e ava il a bilit y o f o n-

si tc t ra inin g a t custo me r loca tio ns.

Data General

Write 257

Electronic Wire Cable. T his 208 pp. cata-

log is a co mpre he nsive so urce of cable in -

fo rm a tio n a nd prod ucts fo r da ta co mmuni-

ca ti o n s . in s trum e nt a ti o n. b roadcas t.

co mput e r a nd o th e r e lect ro ni cs a ppli ca-

tio n . It desc ri bes sta nd a rd product lin es in

indexed ca tegori es: multi-co nducto r ca-

bles; com pute r ca bles ; mo lded cab le as-

se mblies: fibe r o pti c cab les; coax ia l a nd

broa dcast cab les; pl e num ca bl es: hi gh

te mpera ture ca bl es: a nd hoo k-up wire.

Belden

Write 251

Electronic Packaging Digest T his 24 pp .

ed iti o n. plus a 6 pp . p rod uct gui de. fea-

tures Bi vo r" s co mpl e te fa mil y of ove r 2000

sta nd a rd E lectro ni c Pac kag in g A id s fo r

cost-effecti ve so lu tio ns to costl y PC B

packagin g a nd compo ne nt mo untin g prob-

le ms. Co mpl e te. dime nsio ned spec ifica-

tio ns. a pplica tio ns ideas. a nd prices a rc in -

c lud e d . Ne w p ro du c ts feat ured a rc

ava il ab le fro m di stribute r a nd fac to ry

stoc k .

Bivar

Write 252

-----

Automatic Test Equipment Textbook. T he 205 pp. tex t was co mpil ed fro m co urse mate ri als Tes t E ngin ee rin g So lu tio ns. In c. uses in it s Tes t Spec ia li st Progra m. Subject matte r includes: Wh y test (o r wh y no t)?; El e me nts o f testing process; T ypes o f failures a nd fa ult s; E leme nt s o f a n A TE ; E le me nts o f a test progra m set ; Milit a ry vs . co mm e rcial use of a n ATE ; Test progra m de ve lo pm e nt a nd much mo re. $59 .50 . Test Engineering Solutions Write 278

Design Data Catalog. T his 12 pp . bro-

chure descri bes a co mpre he nsive line o f

off-the-she lf powe r suppli es fo r t he OE M.

It includes : ge nera l purpose sin gle o utput

a nd multi ple o utput powe r suppli es: d isk

drive a nd µ.P suppli es; modul a r supplies

fo r industri al. O E M. a nd sys te m a ppli ca-

ti o ns; compl e te lo w cost powe r suppli es o n

plug-in printed ca rds as we ll as c usto m

po w e r s uppli es fo r m a n y m ore

a ppli catio ns.

Power Pac

Write 271

[ I ) POWER PAC INC

Advertiser Index
Adapti ve Science ........ . . . .. 74 Advanced Electronics Des ign 8 . 69 Alphacom ...... .. . .. ....... . 85 Anadex ............. . .. . ... 2, 3 Analog Techno logy ..... .. .... . 65 Aydin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Borg-Warner Thermoe lectrics .. .. 94 Bo-Sherrel . . ..... . .......... . 77
CalComp . . .... .... ........... 4 Canon USA ........... . ..... 83 Comdex . ............... . .... 87 Controll ed Power .......... . .. C3
Datacube .... . ............... 93 Dataram ........... . ... .. ... 15 Des ign Aids .. ...... . ..... . .. 11 Do lch ........... . ...... . ... C4

Eaton . ............ . .. .. .... . 49 EG & G Reticon . .... . . .... .... 6 Exatron ........... . . ... . . . .. 77
General Electric .............. 73 Gould .............. .. ...... 45
Hecon ..... . .......... . ... 9, 76
Kennedy ... . ......... . . . .... C 2
Lex idata .... . ... . ........... 19 Log E/Spatial Data ..... . .. . ... 59
Memodyne ... . .. .. .... .... . . 14 Mitsubi shi Electronics America .. 35 Modgraph ... . ........ . .... 7 , 13 Moya ... . . . .... . .. .. .. . ... . . 96 MuSys ... .. .. . ....... . ...... 46

Omnibyte ..... . ...... . ...... 47
Phoeni x Co mputer Graphics .... 22 Plessey Peripheral Sys te ms . . . .. 61 Printer Products .... . ... . ..... 95 Pul ~ . . .. . ..... . .. . ......... 44
Qantex ... .... . .. . ... . ...... . 71
Spectra Systems .... . ..... . .... I Superset ............. : . . .... 67
Tele Video Sys tems ..... ... . 26, 27 Texas In strume nts .... . ........ 75 TRW ... ...... . ..... . . . ..... 2 1
Wave Mate ................ . . 96
Xentek . . ................... . 97
Zendex . ...... . .......... 40. 41

100

Digital Design· July 1982

Dolch.
advanced logic analysis

32 to 64 Channels plus Mnemonics.

Trace it all-fast -and disassemble your code into Mnemonics. When you have a sophisticated job to do , don 't get bogged down in machine code. The Dolch LAM 3250 logic analyzer gives you the channels you need to trace data , address, port an'd control lines . And Dolch makes sure you'll be able to hanple future needs with channel expansion to48 or even 64 channels.
Hook up fast, too. Dolch personality probes clip right over your CPU chips so you don ' t waste valuable time connecting dozens of individual hooks on IC pins .

And the probe takes care of clock, timing and signal interfacing so you don ' t have to worry about signal conditions.
Store your setups. The Dolch LAM 3250 lets you hold setups in a nonvolatile memory. Six files of menu and display configurations can be stored for up to three months without power. You don't have to reprogram every time you power up .
Don't settle for less than Dolch. The LAM 3250 is truly a universal logic analyzer with recording speeds of up to 50 MHz, sophisticated sequential triggering,

multilevel clocking, and 1 K-deep source and reference memories.
See a demonstration. You'll appreciate the difference in Dolch. For details on the LAM 3250, or any of our other trouble-shooting tools, write: Dolch Logic Instruments , Inc. , 230 Devcon Drive, San Jose, CA 95112 . Or call toll free: (800) 538-7506; in California call (408) 998-5730.

For Demonstrations, Write 4 on Reader Inquiry Card For More Information, Write 14 on Reader Inquiry Card

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