Acorn ABC200
.jpg) | |
| Acorn's brochure photograph of the ABC; all models share this case and keyboard | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Acorn Computers |
| Type | Scientific workstation (not released) |
| CPU | National Semiconductor 32016 second processor; 6502-family I/O processor |
| Memory | 256 KB (Acorn User, 1984) or 512 KB (Wikipedia) for the 32016 |
| Storage | Two 5.25-inch floppy drives (720 KB each) |
| Display | Built-in 12-inch green monochrome monitor |
| Sound | — |
| OS / Firmware | Panos (not confirmed in writing) |
| Model no. | ABC 200 |
The Acorn ABC 200 is the 32016 model of the Acorn Business Computer (ABC) range: a twin floppy disc machine with a National Semiconductor 32016 second processor alongside the BBC B+ based main board, a green screen, and a set of programming languages for academic and scientific work.[1] Acorn cancelled the range before it went on sale. Its hard disc sister, the ABC 210, was relaunched in 1985 as the Acorn Cambridge Workstation; no surviving ABC 200 is recorded by Chris Whytehead, who lists it as wanted.[1][2]
Specification
[edit | edit source]Acorn's brochure lists the ABC 200 with a "32016 main processor", twin 720 KB disc drives, Econet and a range of programming languages, describing it as "essentially a data processing tool" with languages "of the type normally associated with mainframe computers": C, LISP, ISO-Pascal, Fortran 77, FORTH, BBC BASIC and an assembler.[3]
The sources disagree on memory. Acorn User reported in October 1984 that the 32016 models would have 256 KB as standard, with C, Modula-2 and Pascal among the languages and Xenix supplied with the hard disc ABC 210;[4] Wikipedia lists the ABC 200 with 512 KB.[2] Chris Whytehead believes it ran Panos, Acorn's operating system for the 32016 second processor, but has not seen this confirmed in writing.[1]
The 32016 processor, its Pandora firmware and Panos are described on Acorn 32016 Second Processor. Acorn's 32016 second processor was offered with 256 KB at first, and Practical Computing reported in 1985 that the shipping software needed at least 512 KB.[5]
Construction and service
[edit | edit source]The ABC 200 uses the common ABC case, with the 32016 card in a side wing and the main board under the hinged monitor chassis.[6] The construction, the keyboard's Tube switch and the related Acorn service documents are described on Acorn ABC110#Construction. Acorn's service manual for the Cambridge Workstation, the production version of the ABC 210 in the same case, covers a later 4 MB 32016 board, the power supply and the monitor.[7]
Warning: the monitor electronics inside the case are uncased and hold a high voltage after switch-off.[6] See CRT Discharge Procedure.
Related pages
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Whytehead, Chris. "Acorn Business Computer", Chris's Acorns, The Centre for Computing History (retrieved 2026-10-01). ABC 200: twin 5.25-inch floppy drives, 32016 second processor, ran Panos "although I have not seen this confirmed in writing", green screen, shipped with C, LISP, ISO-Pascal, Fortran 77, FORTH, BBC BASIC and assembler; listed as wanted; ABC 210 the same with a 10 MB hard disc, colour screen and 1 MB; most models said to have been rebuilt as ACWs.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Acorn Business Computer", Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-10-01). Cancellation before shipping; ABC 210 relaunched as the Acorn Cambridge Workstation in July 1985; ABC 200 listed with 512 KB, an 8 or 10 MHz memory bus for the second processor, twin 720 KB drives and a monochrome monitor; no price given.
- ↑ Acorn Computers, brochure "The Acorn Business Computer", APP01. Hosted on this wiki: File:Acorn Business Computer brochure (APP01).pdf. Page 3 (ABC 200 and 210 descriptions) and page 4 (model specifications).
- ↑ "New Acorn micro", Acorn User, October 1984, pp. 7 and 9. Scan via Chris's Acorns. ABC 200 and 210 described as "academic workstations" with the 32016; standard RAM 256 KB; languages including C, Modula-2 and Pascal; Xenix with the Winchester on the 210.
- ↑ Cullis, Roger. "Cambridge 32016 Co-Processor: BBC mainframe add-on", Practical Computing, October 1985. Scan via Chris's Acorns. The software needed a minimum of 512 KB, so only 512 KB and 1 MB versions were to be sold.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Acorn ABC 310", Personal Computer World, vol. 8 no. 4, April 1985. Scan via Chris's Acorns. Construction of the ABC case; uncased monitor electronics holding a high voltage after switch-off.
- ↑ Acorn Computers, ACW 443 Service Manual, reference 0420,001, issue 1, January 1987. PDF via Chris's Acorns.