Acorn System 2
 | |
| Acorn System 2 in a 19-inch card frame | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Acorn Computers Ltd |
| Type | Modular microcomputer (Eurocard) |
| Released | 1980 |
| Intro price | £320 (£480 with PSU); keyboard £136 (1982) |
| CPU | 6502 @ 1 MHz (6809 option) |
| Memory | 4 KB RAM + 4 KB BASIC ROM (expandable) |
| Storage | Cassette interface |
| Display | 40×25 teletext VDU (MC6845 + SAA5050), 8 colours |
| Sound | — |
| OS / Firmware | Cassette Operating System; Acorn System BASIC |
| Predecessor | Acorn System 1 |
| Successor | Acorn System 3 |
The Acorn System 2 (1980) was the rack-mounted successor to the Acorn System 1. It put the System 1's Eurocards onto a backplane and added a video card and a BASIC ROM, making the machine straightforward to expand.[1]
Configuration
The System 2 mounts four Eurocards in a 19-inch sub-rack on an 8-slot backplane, with a separately-supplied external keyboard:[1][2]
| Card | Function |
|---|---|
| CPU card | 1 MHz 6502, keyboard interface, 2 KB Cassette Operating System (6809 option) |
| VDU card | 40×25 teletext display (MC6845 CRTC + SAA5050 character generator), 8 colours |
| Cassette interface card | The System 1 I/O card, with its keypad and LED unused |
| Memory card | 4 KB RAM + 4 KB Acorn System BASIC ROM (optional +4 KB RAM and +4 KB floating-point ROM) |
The CPU and cassette cards are the same Eurocards as the Acorn System 1; any of Acorn's standard Eurocards can be added in the remaining slots.[1] In 1982 the System 2 cost £320 (£480 with power supply), plus £136 for the optional keyboard.
Maintenance and repair
- Acorn System 2 Maintenance Guide
- Acorn System 2 Troubleshooting Guide
- Acorn System 2 Capacitor Replacement Guide
See also
- Acorn System 1 · Acorn System 3 · Acorn System 4 · Acorn System 5
- Acorn System Catalogue — the Eurocard range
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Acorn System", Wikipedia. Source for the System 2 configuration (8-slot backplane, four cards, external keyboard), the VDU card (MC6845 + SAA5050), the memory card (4K RAM + 4K BASIC ROM, optional +4K RAM and +4K FP ROM), the 6809 CPU option, and the 1982 prices.
- ↑ Whytehead, Chris. "Acorn System 2", Chris's Acorns / The Centre for Computing History. Source for the typical card set (1 MHz 6502 CPU with 2K Cassette Operating System, 40×25 8-colour VDU, memory card with 4K RAM + 4K BASIC ROM, cassette interface) and the 8-slot card frame.