Acorn Archimedes A440
 | |
| Archimedes 400-series system unit with colour monitor and keyboard | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Acorn Computers Ltd |
| Type | Personal computer (three-box desktop) |
| Released | A440 announced June 1987, available November 1987; A440/1 1989 |
| Intro price | A440 £2,299 ex VAT (£2,641.60 inc VAT); A440/1 £2,499 ex VAT |
| CPU | ARM2 at 8 MHz |
| Memory | 4 MB RAM |
| Storage | 3.5" floppy drive; 20 MB ST506 hard disc (A440), 50 MB (A440/1) |
| Display | Analogue RGB (modes 0–20 on a multisync monitor); high-resolution mono on two BNC sockets |
| Sound | 8 channels, stereo (VIDC1a) |
| OS / Firmware | A440: Arthur 1.2; A440/1: RISC OS 2.00 |
| Successor | Acorn Archimedes A540 |
| Model no. | AKB20 (A440), AKB44 (A440/1) |
The Acorn Archimedes A440 was the top model of the original Archimedes range, launched in June 1987 with availability from November 1987. It had 4 MB of RAM and a 20 MB hard disc as standard. Chris Whytehead believes it was the only 400-series machine produced; the A410 was announced and priced but probably never sold.[1]
Acorn replaced it with the A440/1 in 1989.
Prices
[edit | edit source]From Acorn's retail price list:[2]
| Product code | Configuration | RRP ex VAT | RRP inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKB20 | A440, no monitor | £2,299.00 | £2,641.60 |
| AKB20/AKF01 | A440 with mono monitor | £2,349.00 | £2,699.10 |
| AKB20/AKF11 | A440 with colour monitor | £2,499.00 | £2,871.60 |
The base price includes the 4 MB of RAM and the 20 MB hard disc.[2]
Differences from the 300 series
[edit | edit source]The A440 has its own main board, part 277,300, with an ST506 hard disc controller on board; the 300-series board leaves that area empty.[1][3] Acorn's manual describes the controller as a Hitachi HD63463 with a DP8455 data separator (IC50), and the board has a second hard disc connector for an external, separately powered drive.[4] A four-slot backplane (part 0277,040) is fitted as standard; the 300 series needs an optional two-slot backplane.[1]
The A440 is not a BBC Microcomputer. Its keyboard has no red function keys and no BBC logo above the numeric keypad.[1]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]Many designators match the 300-series board: ARM at IC43, MEMC at IC45, IOC at IC21, VIDC at IC17, PCF8583 at IC16, 65C51 at IC9 and 1772 floppy controller at IC47. The 4 MB is thirty-two 511000 (1M × 1, 120 ns) DRAMs.[4] Chris Whytehead's A440 has a VL2333-QC ARM2 at 8 MHz, a MEMC1, a VIDC1a, a Sony MP-F63W-00D floppy drive and a 19 MB Tandon TM 362 hard disc.[1] Screen modes and video levels are those of the 300 series; see Acorn Archimedes A305#Display.[5]
The power supply connects on the same four tags as the 300 series: PL5 +12 V, PL6 0 V, PL7 +5 V and PL8 −5 V. Acorn's first check on a dead machine is to measure these; a power supply that clicks has either a short between two of its outputs or a fault of its own.[4]
Acorn quotes "typically 4 MIPS" for the Archimedes.[5] Chris Whytehead's A440 under RISC OS 2.00 measures 4.56 MIPS on ARMSi v4.0 and 5,383 Dhrystones per second.[1]
Capacitors
[edit | edit source]The A440 parts list gives the same tantalum and electrolytic positions as the 300 series, with one more 10 µF tantalum:[4]
| Designators | Value and type | Acorn part |
|---|---|---|
| C40 and 'B' × 18 | 4.7 µF 10 V 20 % tantalum | 0610,005 |
| C14, C20, C35, C36, C52, C53 | 10 µF 10 V 20 % tantalum | 0610,010 |
| C37, C38, C39 | 100 µF 16 V 20 % tantalum | 0611,101 |
| C50 | 220 µF 16 V radial electrolytic | 0635,221 |
On the 300 series C37 sits across +12 V and is a known cause of a dead machine when it fails short; see Acorn Archimedes A310#Decoupling capacitors C37, C38 and C39. Confirm C37's rail on the A440's own circuit diagram, drawing 0177,300/C (sheet 1, sheet 2), or on the board before relying on that.
Backup batteries
[edit | edit source]The A440 uses two LR06 (AA) 1.5 V manganese alkaline cells inside the main unit, which Acorn specified replacing once a year: Acorn part 0817,005, in battery holder assembly 0176,009, connected to PL11.[4] With the power off, IC16 pin 8 should read about 2.8 V; if not, check PL11, D3 and the cells, each above 1.4 V.[4] Chris Whytehead's photograph of an A440 with the top off shows the battery pack next to the fan, at the top right of the case.[1] Alkaline cells left in for decades leak potassium hydroxide; see Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage and Battery Refurbishment.
Operating system
[edit | edit source]The A440 shipped with Arthur 1.2. Chris Whytehead's machine now runs RISC OS 2.00 (ROMs dated 5 October 1988).[1]
The A440/1 (1989)
[edit | edit source]The 400/1 range replaced the 400 series in 1989, with the MEMC1a as its main change.[6] The A440/1, product code AKB44, has 4 MB of RAM and a hard disc; Acorn's parts list gives the drive as part 0912,012, "50 MB H DISC DRIVE 440/1".[7] It cost £2,499 ex VAT.[8]
The A440/1 uses the Acorn Universal Board (part 0283,000) and the 0283,040 four-slot backplane shared with the A410/1 and A420/1.[6] Its batteries are the same two AA alkaline cells, on PL10, and its power tags are numbered differently from the A440's (PL11 +12 V, PL5 0 V, PL6 +5 V, PL7 −5 V).[7] Board details, the capacitor list and Acorn's fault checks for the 400/1 are on the Acorn Archimedes A410 page.
Chris Whytehead's A440/1 is badged A440/1 but carries serial number 27-AKB40-1007658, an A410/1 code, and has 4 MB and a hard disc; he thinks it was upgraded by the dealer and relabelled.[6]
R140
[edit | edit source]The R140 was Acorn's Unix workstation on the same hardware: an ARM2, 4 MB and a 60 MB ST506 drive. RISC OS 2 in ROM only boots the disc-based RISC iX (BSD Unix). Early R140s were based on a slightly adapted A440 and later ones on the A440/1. Without a monitor it cost £3,500 ex VAT; the AKA25 Ethernet podule was £599 and the AKA30 SCSI adapter £299.[9] Acorn's Acorn A400-1 and R140 Service Manual covers it with the 400/1 range, and its parts list gives the same 50 MB drive, 0912,012, for the 440/1 and the R140.[7]
Maintenance and repair
[edit | edit source]- A440/1: the 400/1 range guides are Acorn Archimedes 400/1 Series Maintenance Guide, Acorn Archimedes 400/1 Series Troubleshooting Guide and Acorn Archimedes 400/1 Series Capacitor Guide.
- Remove the AA cells and check the holder, its leads and the board around it (Battery Refurbishment).
- Measure the rails at PL5–PL8 (A440) or PL11, PL6 and PL7 against PL5 (A440/1) before chasing any other fault.
- Hard discs: see Hard Drive Maintenance and Repair. Acorn's hard disc tests destroy the data on the disc.[7]
- Floppy drive: see Floppy Drive Repair. Tools: see Recommended Tools.
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- Archimedes 440 Service Manual: part 0476,155, issue 1, November 1988. Specification, system description, disassembly, links and test points, fault finding (section 6, pp. 43–53), parts lists (pp. 55–60) and production changes. The main scan ends at p. 103; the drawings on pp. 105–117 are hosted separately as File:Archimedes 440 Service Manual Diagrams.pdf.
- Acorn's main PCB circuit diagram, drawing 0177,300/C, two A0 sheets: sheet 1 and sheet 2.
- Acorn A400-1 and R140 Service Manual: part 0483,075, issue 1, July 1989, for the A440/1 and R140.
- Archimedes 300 Series Service Manual and its component level supplement, for the shared chip set and designators.
- Acorn Archimedes Retail Price List 1987
See also
[edit | edit source]- Acorn Archimedes A305 and Acorn Archimedes A310, the 300 series of the same year
- Acorn Archimedes A410 and Acorn Archimedes A420, the other 400 and 400/1 models
- Acorn Archimedes A540, the 1990 machine that followed
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Whytehead, Chris. "Acorn Archimedes A400 Series", Chris's Acorns, archived by The Centre for Computing History. A440 launch and availability, motherboard 277,300 Issue 1, ST506/MFM controller, Tandon TM 362 drive, four-slot backplane 0277,040, keyboard, Arthur 1.2, battery pack position, measured figures.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Acorn Computers Limited, High Performance Computer Systems Retail Price List and Pricing sheet, undated (1987). Hosted on this wiki: Acorn Archimedes Retail Price List 1987.
- ↑ Whytehead, Chris. "Acorn Archimedes A300 Series", Chris's Acorns, archived by The Centre for Computing History.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Acorn Computers Limited, High Performance Computer Systems Model 440 Service Manual, part number 0476,155, issue 1, November 1988: technical specification pp. 5–6; hard disc interface p. 28; disassembly and power tags p. 30; basic checks p. 44; configuration, NVM and RTC check p. 49; parts lists pp. 55–60 (battery p. 55, capacitors and DRAM p. 58). Hosted on this wiki: Archimedes 440 Service Manual.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Acorn Computers Limited, Archimedes 300 Series Module Level Service Manual, part number 0476,140, issue 1, April 1988. Section 1.2 technical specification. Hosted on this wiki: Archimedes 300 Series Service Manual.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Whytehead, Chris. "Acorn Archimedes A400/1 Series", Chris's Acorns, archived by The Centre for Computing History. A440/1 product code, board and backplane, documented A440/1 with serial 27-AKB40-1007658.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Acorn Computers Limited, 400/1 & R140 Service Manual, part number 0483,075, issue 1, July 1989: specification p. 7; disassembly, PL10 and power tags p. 17; hard disc tests p. 27; NVM check p. 47; parts list p. 61 (hard disc drives). Hosted on this wiki: Acorn A400-1 and R140 Service Manual.
- ↑ "The Acorn Archimedes", 4corn Computers (retrieved 2026-10-01): 1989 prices ex VAT of the A410/1, A420/1 and A440/1.
- ↑ Whytehead, Chris. "RISC iX Computers", Chris's Acorns, archived by The Centre for Computing History. R140 hardware, prices and documented machine.