4-bit microcomputer A new 4-bit microcomputer, the $2000, has been announced by AMI. The device has 1 k X 8-bit ROM and 64 X 4-bit RAM onchip, plus 13 TTL compatible outputs, eight inputs and eight bidirectional three-state lines. The 1 kbyte of ROM is expandable to 8 kbytes. There are 51 single-byte instructions available, 49 operations being single cycle for which the execution time is 4/~s. There is a three-level subroutine stack. Two versions of the chip are available: the $2000 has a seven-segment decoder and display drivers for LEDs included, the $2000A has drivers suitable for vacuum fluorescent displays. The microcomputer has an internal 50 or 60 Hz timer and requires a single 9 V supply. For program development, the $2000 can be operated in reset, test or step modes, and a microcomputer development centre, debugger, emulator, logic analyser and tester are also available. Prices for the UK were not available at time of press, but should be of the order of £3.60 each for a quantity of 25 000, £2.50 each for a quantity of 50 000. (Available in the UK from
Adrian Electronics Limited, First floor, 28 High Street, Winslow, Bucks. MK18 3HF, UK. Telephone: (029671) 3535. Telex: 837130)
Intelligent communications A single printed-circuit board containing up to 8kwords of ROM and RAM, TMS 9900 microprocessor, three serial RS232 I/O interfaces, four external interrupt lines, a 16-bit
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parallel I/O interface and a real-time clock is available from Albetros. The PCB format is double Eurocard and requires power supplies of +-5V and +- 12V. A monitor program is contained in an onboard ROM. With a rack, power supply and Teletype terminal, applications software can be developed. Typical uses of the module are inline monitoring, data compres-
s/on or expansion, data conversion or formatting, peripheral control, peripheral upgrading, mainframe frontending or process control. Albetros will also develop software for users. A module with 1 kword ROM and 1 kword RAM costs £390 in quantities o f 100. (,4/be tros (Engineers) L/mired,
35 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berks, UK. Telephone: Wokingham 790660)
I/O + RAM chip A 40-pin chip from National Semiconductor contains 128 X &bit words of static RAM, together with two 8bit parallel I/O ports that are bit programmable. The device requires only a single + 5 V supply, and all of the I/O pins are T T L compatible. One of the ports may be programmed to operate in
several types of strobed mode with handshake. This mode, together with optional interrupt operation, permits high-speed parallel data transfers and interface to peripherals without external logic. (National Semicon-
ductor Limited, 19 Go/dington Road, Bedford MK40 3LF, UK. Telephone: (0234) 211262. Telex: 826209)
9900 CORAL CORAL is now available on the TI 990/9900 range of mini/microcomputers. The compiler is a version of the SDL portable CORAL compiler, and it sells in the UK for £4500. Initially it is available resident on the 990/10 mini and the 990[4 development sys tem. Features include good error re-
covery and reporting, diagnostics and trace facilities, and facilities for making assembler code inserts. Links can be made with FORTRAN libraries.
(Systems Designers Limited, Systems House, 57--61 High Street, Frimley, Surrey GUI6 5Hi, UK. Telephone: 0276 63471)
Floating-point for CORAL GEC Semiconductors have just introduced a floating-point option for their RCCS0 resident CORAL 66 compiler for the Intel 8080A and 8085 microprocessors. It has been developed to meet the requirements of floatingpoint arithmetic specified in the official definition of CORAL 66 (HMSO ISBN 0-11-47022 -7). The new option is compatible with all existing programs compiled by the RCC80 and may be added retrospec-
tively. A library of arithmetical rou I tines is available from GEC as well as some from Intel. Hardware, such as the SBC 310 high-speed arithmetic board, is also available. The option and package of arithmetical routines are supplied on a floppy disc complete with the RCC80 Compiler. (GEC Semiconductors,
East Lane, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 7PP, UK. Telephone 01-904 9303)
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