SBC for process control

S BC for process control Intel's iSBC 88/40 measurement and control computer, the firm's first sin~,le-board computer is designed expressly for industrial and laboratory applications and is designed to meet the requirements of a wide range of process loop control and data acquisition applications with just a single computer board. It also contains a Multibus system so that it can be used in multiprocessor and distributed processing systems as either a multimaster or intelligent slave with other iSBC single-board computers. Onboard facilities include: •

a programmable 20 kHz analogue input subsystem providing 32 single-ended or 16 differential inputs with 12-bit resolution

an iAPX 88/10 (alias 8088) microprocessor • three iSBX Multimodule connectors for a wide variety of peripheral controllers and analogue and digital I/O expansion options • three programmable 16-bit counter/timers • 4k of RAM expandable with the iSBC 301 memory expansion Multimodule board to 8k - including I k of dual-port RAM enabling the board to communicate with other single-board computers without Multibus contention through the intelligent slave interface • four 28-pin ROM sockets, which

onboard programming and modification of up to 4k of memory for data or programs that must be kept in nonvolatile memory, such as set points for a process control loop

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also support Intel's new 2816 EEPROMS (see above) allowing

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digital I/O interface subsystem with 24 programmable parallel lines

Deliveries of iSBC 88/40 will start in March 1981 when it will be available from stock at a US price of $2000 per board. Hardware support will include iSBX Multimodule boards, iSBC Multirnodule memory expansion and numeric data processor boards, a wide range of memory, I/O and controller boards, iCS industrial control systems chassis, signal conditioning boards and other packaging options. A numeric data processor Multimodule, using the 8087, is planned, increasing the iSBC 88/40's arithmetic processing capability. (Intel Corporation, Rue du Moulin A Papier, 51, Boite 1, B-I I60 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: (322) 660

30 1o)

Rockwell's Mbit bubbles

i ~i!i ¸

Gemini Microcomputer's new desktop microsystem, Gemini System 801, is Z80-based, has 630 kbyte of storage and is designed around CP/M. High resolution graphics are controlled by an MC6845, generating up to 131 072 dots. The programmable set of 128 characters is held on disc and loaded to the internal RAM. Outside communication is provided by a RS232C serial interface with an optional parallel interface giving 2 x 8-bit I/0 ports. There is no standard bus connector used, but SlO0 interface is to be introduced. System 801 is available in two other versions." the 801A (a discless version with the character set on EPROM) and the 801B (the 801A without the Gemini housing) for those users who wish to expand to disc and CP/M later. Prices are: 801, £I075; 801A, £695; and 801B, £575. (Gemini Microcomputers Ltd, Oakfield Corner, Sycamore Road, Amersham, Bucks, UK. Tel: (02403) 22307)

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The Rockwell 1 Mbit bubble memory device (RBM411) retains the same design as their RBM256 ¼ Mbit device. It is composed of 572 storage loops, each containing 2052 bubble positions. The device is a blockoriented component using redundancy to increase yield and reduce cost. Of the 572 loops, 528 are operative, with 512 for data and 16 for addressing and error correction. The RBM411 is available as part of a new family of single-board bubble memory systems, each containing a controller and all necessary support circuitry. The family consists of four modules: •

RMS121, a 32 kbyte system with one RBM256 • RMS 122, a 64 kbyte system with two RBM256s • RMS141, a 128 kbyte system with one RBM411 • RMS142, a 256 kbyte system with two RBM41 ls

microprocessors and microsystems