NEWV PROUCS - IEEE Computer Society ... system unit andkeyboardto $2398 for afully ... Report Manager's 3-D spreadsheet offers rows,

NEWV PROUCS

New Products Editor:Demetrios A. MichalopoulosCalifornia State University, Fullerton

PC combines IBM compatibility with advanced color graphics

Mindset Corporation has introduced a per-sonal computer with color graphics capabilitythat is compatible with IBM PC software. TheMindset personal computer features the Intel80186 microprocessor, augmented with twoMindset coprocessors for graphics and colordisplay support, and Microsoft's MS-DOS.The system's memory is from 32K to 256Kbytes, and up to 720K bytes of floppy disk

storage is available. The 22-lb Mindset useseither a television set or a standard RGBmonitor as its display. With either, it creates a320x200-pixel, bit-mapped screen that cansimultaneously display any 16 colors from a512-color palette. In an alternate interlaceddisplay mode, the Mindset is capable of640 x 400 resolution in two colors.

Input devices include an optional mechanical

Mindset Corporation's color graphics personal computer is compatible with software written forthe IBM personal computer, including Lotus 1-2-3, Wordstar, Multiplan, and Microsoft Word. Itsupports two, 360K-byte disk drives and up to 256K bytes of RAM.

mouse and joystick. Any standard digitizedpad can be connected through the RS-232 port.

In addition to MS-DOS programs, the Mind-set runs Time Arts Lumena; Designer, a per-sonal paint program featuring zoom and undocommands; Mindset GW Basic by Microsoft; ahigh-speed game called Vyper from Synapse;and an animated educational package fromHuman Engineered Software called Deep SeaDanger.

Suggested retail prices are from $1099 for thesystem unit and keyboard to $2398 for a fullyconfigured 256K, two-drive system.

Reader Service Number 25

Simulation accelerator offers500,000 evaluations per second

Valid Logic Systems recently announcedRealfast, a simulation accelerator for use withits Scaldsystem CAE workstations. Realfast of-fers simulation speeds of 500,000 evaluationsper second while maintaining the Scaldsystem'suser interface and interactive simulation cap-abilities.

Useful for fault simulation, as well as forsimulating microprocessors, complex periph-eral chips, and custom chips, Realfast consistsof two high-speed bipolar simulation engines.One engine is a scheduler/unscheduler thatlooks ahead to see if a gate must be evaluatedon any particular pass through the logic. Thesecond engine is a simulation processor thatperforms very high-speed evaluations of deviceprimitives-such as those that have beenscheduled for evaluation by the scheduler/unscheduler engine.

Realfast is implemented with an expandableboard set housed in either a desktop or low-boycabinet and connected to a Scaldsystem S-32computer with a ribbon cable.

Prices for Realfast begin at $29,500.


84 COMPUTER

Cubic spreadsheet forIBM PC announced

Datamension Corporation has introducedReport Manager, an advanced version of their3-D spreadsheet for the IBM PC. Among itsenhancements is a cut and paste feature that letsusers import columnar data from any programon a micro, mini, mainframe, or time-sharingservice. Other improvements include enhancedcolor monitor support, keyword search, ex-panded local and global formatting, and nestedsorts.

Report Manager's 3-D spreadsheet offersrows, columns, and pages. Its front-end pro-gramming language, Exec, can be used todevelop turnkey applications.

Eleven preprogrammed functions have beenadded, including time and date stamping,billable-hours calculations, and specified con-ditions identification-including errors in cellsor formulas, blank or no-value cells, and cellswith textual entries.

Similarly, 14 program statements have beenadded to Exec. A .KEY command stores anumeric value corresponding to the key nextstruck after a prompt; it can be used for flexibleconditional branching, with the option ofrecognizing no response. A .HIDE statementturns off the cursor, prompts, and results ofcells; its effects can be reversed with a .SHOWstatement. A .MSG statement displays a user-specified message on the edit line. Also, bothDIF and ASCII files can be read, and a specialpipelining feature imports data from Datamen-sion's Task Manager, Records Manager andProject Manager software.Minimum system requirements are an IBM

personal computer (or selected other systems),192K bytes of RAM and two disk drives or ahard disk.

Report Manager, which includes Datamen-sion's Dimension Aid for user assistance thatincludes an on-line help function, a trainingdiskette and a tutorial manual, is priced at$495.


Mainframe communicationsfacilitated for IBM PC users

Barr/Hasp +, communications software forthe IBM PC, is designed by Datanex for high-speed bulk transfer of information to and frommajor mainframes and networks.

Barr/Hasp + includes a synchronous inter-face board for the IBM PC for use in movingperiodic transaction batches, remote job entrytasks, programs, messages, and object or ex-ecutable files. An unattended mode of opera-tion allows the PC to be called by a remotecomputer to pick up and/or deliver informa-tion.

Barr/Hasp + is priced at $890, including thesynchronous interface.


IBM XTlsoftware system offered to project planners

American Computer Group has developedQuickplan, an executive project planning sys-tem for the IBM XT. The company is offeringan IBM XT system package consisting of hard-ware, software, and maintenance with a varietyof lease and purchase alternatives. The systemhas been used tQ plan new product introduc-tions, a marketing program, a research anddevelopment program, a five-year capitalbudget program, a trade show, the construc-tion of a $13 million building, a complete dataprocessing system, and a VIP visit to a com-pany facility.

Quickplan has select, sort, and report fea-tures for organizing and structuring data thatpermit the manager to take only the selected in-

formation and format and organize it on spe-cialized reports. To help orient novice users,Quickplan comes with six sample projects em-bedded in the software.

Other features of Quickplan include lag ac-commodation; use of the precedence methodwith finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-finish, and logic connectors;and graphics that enable the user to draw net-work logic charts on a regular output printerand zoom, spread, and isolate activity displays.

Purchase prices for the complete hardware/software system start at $7727; leases start at$399 per month.


Single-board micro for Intel 80186

Advanced Digital Corporation has intro-duced the Super 186, a 16-bit S-100 single-board computer built around the Intel 80186.The 8-MHz Super 186 can be configured as astand-alone bus master or bus slave to serveboth single and multiple users.

In OEM applications, the Super 186 can beused as a 16-bit master to enhance the perfor-mance of Advanced Digital's Super Slave pro-cessor boards or as an eight-bit slave card toprocess large workloads at increased speed.

Super 186 features 256K bytes of memory,expandable to IM bytes, and a floppy disk-

drive controller that can simultaneously sup-port both eight-inch and 5¼/4-inch disk drives. Italso comes with four serial RS-232 and twoparallel I/O ports, DMA controller, parity andmonitor EPROM to aid in initial loading. Theboard is compatible with the Digital ResearchCP/M-86 and MP/M-86 operating systems andSoftware 2000's Turbo DOS and Microsoft'sMS-DOS.

The Super 186 retails for $1650.


Jonos International's C2600 expandable portable computer features a 32-inch, 10M-byte harddisk drive and a 3½2-inch, 322K-byte floppy disk drive with 128K bytes of RAM. The C2600 is aneight-bit, Z80B-based computer on the CP/M 3.0 Plus operating system. Other features are twoserial RS-232 fully implemented ports, a parallel printer port, a real-time calendar/clock, a com-posite video output jack, a nine-inch, high-resolution CRT display, a detachable Selectric-stylekeyboard with 10 special function keys and a 10-key numeric entry pad, and an eight-slot card cagewith three slots available for expansion using STD bus cards. The C2600 is priced at $5695.


May 1984 85

The Vector SX desktop computer provides both eight-bit and 16-bit processors, multiple operatingsystems, up to 896K bytes of RAM, integrated 51/4-inch soft-sectored floppy disk drives that have acapacity of 737K bytes each, and the ability to read a variety of diskette formats.

Business computer offers RAM expansion to 896K bytes

Vector Graphic's Vector SX business com-puter-a 16-bit processor that offers up to896K bytes of RAM, and three operating sys-tems-features an 8086 processor with a clockspeed of eight MHz.

Like the Vector 4, the Vector SX has aneight-bit Z80B processor, and an 8087 mathcoprocessor is optional.The Digital Research CP/M-86 will handle

eight-bit CP/M applications using the Run8simulator; Microsoft Corporation's MS-DOS2.1 is optional.The Vector SX also features IBM-compat-

ible soft-sectored floppy drives and relatedsoftware; an intelligent detachable keyboardwith high-resolution graphics display; an addi-tional 32K of dedicated video RAM; theGSX-86 graphics system extension-whichprovides access to graphics applications such asDigital Research's Dr. Graph and Chang Labo-ratories' Graphplan; three modified S-100 ex-pansion slots; a tone generator; and one serialprinter port, two parallel printer ports, and anRS-232 communications port. Optional asyn-chronous and bisynchronous communicationssoftware provides IBM 2770, 2780, 3741, 3780,and 3270 protocol emulation and access toremote mainframes and minicomputers.The single-user Vector SX microcomputer is

available with dual floppy drives or with one

floppy drive and a IOM-or 36M-byte hard diskdrive. The Vector SX 3000, with a 737K-bytefloppy drive and a IOM-byte hard disk, is pric-ed at $6295. Other 128K-byte RAM systemsrange from $4295 to $9995.


Pascal compiler for IBM PC jr.occupies 33K bytes

A Pascal language compiler that runs on theIBM PC jr. has been introduced by Borland In-ternational. Called Turbo Pascal, the combina-tion compiler/editor occupies 33K bytes ofmemory, compared with 129K to 300K bytesfor other Pascal compilers.Turbo Pascal, which compiles 2000 lines of

code per minute for microcomputers based onthe Z80 and 8088/8086 microprocessors, fea-tures bit/byte manipulation, direct access toCPU memory, dynamic strings, include files,and random-access files. It retails for $49.95.


Video capture system isIBM PC-compatible

The PC-Eye Series 1000 interface board-anIBM PC-compatible video capture system fromChorus Data Systems-occupies one IBM PCor XT expansion slot and permits the user tocapture video images directly from videocameras or recorders at eight frames per sec-ond. The images may be digitized with one ortwo bits of intensity for compatibility with theIBM high-resolution graphics adapter or dig-itized with four bits of intensity (640 x 400-pixelresolution) for display by other compatiblegraphics adapter boards.The image is transferred under DMA control

into the IBM PC main memory at up to IMbps. Successive frames may be captured andstored for off-line comparison or post-processing. Standard resolutions of 320x200x 2 bits, 640x 200x I bit, and 640x400 x4 bits have been selected to maintain com-patibility with available graphics adapter cards.Other resolutions and partial image transfersmay be selected under program control.

Cameras and recorders offering EIA RS-170or NTSC interfaces may be connected directlyto the PC-Eye. Noninterlaced and interlacedscanning are supported.

Software support is offered for printer out-put, annotation, storage, comparison, com-pression, and transmission of the video infor-mation.

Prices start at $500 per unit.


System provides productivitymanagement in small factories

Star Mate from Plant Star is an industrialproductivity management system designed forthe small factory and based on the IBM PC andIBM XT. Star Mate can gather information onmachine status, cycle time, downtime, andscrap/reject production for 20 machines thatperform repetitive manufacturing of discreteparts.A secure communication path brings the in-

formation to an IBM PC or XT that is locatedin an off-floor office. There, real-time data canbe viewed in color-coded graphic and tabulardisplays, sent to a printer for hardcopy, andstored on disk for both historical reference andinput to third-party software for plant-widemanagement analysis. Central to the opera-tion of the system are Plant Star's micropro-cessor-based local monitors, which are installedon or near the machines themselves. MLMsautomatically gather data on status, cycle time,and downtime; operators input data on scrapand rejects as problems occur. Colored lightson the MLM tell the operator whether themachine is operating too fast, too slowly, orwithin empirically established parameters.CMOS circuitry and a NiCad battery protect

the system from data loss in the event of apower outage.

Prices for the Star Mate system are from$20,000 to $25,000, depending on configura-tion.


86 COMPUTER

Accounting software series for the IBM PCIXT

Dow Jones Information Services has in-troduced three core modules of a seven-partDow Jones Software Accounting Series.'Designed for small businesses, the microcom-puter software package supports generally ac-cepted accounting practices.

Included with each of the core programs-the General Ledger, Accounts Payable, andAccounts Receivable-is a free customer-training seminar developed by the ArthurYoung accounting firm. End-users can also getassistance through a toll-free number for a yearafter purchase.

The integrated series, which was designed foruse on the IBM PC/XT, can handle the ac-counting needs of multibranch, division, orclient companies. The menu-driven programsfeature a word-processing-style editor, numericentry options, operator prompting, and errorchecking.

The series has an automatic audit trail fortracing summary account balances back to theoriginating transactions. The "pencil posting"capability allows the user to create preliminaryjournal entries and financial statements; at theend of each period, journal entries are "inkposted" to preserve the audit trail.

The central program in the series-the DowJones General Ledger-has a chart of accountspermitting the user to specify the type of chartdesired.

Both the Accounts Payable and AccountsReceivable programs have a select-and-sortcapability for account monitoring and analysis.This feature allows the user to request all ven-dors or customers within any of 37 differentcategories such as zip code, due date, oramount owed. Additionally, the user can re-quest a subgroup within that category. For ex-ample, a user could select all vendors in a par-ticular state and sort them alphabetically forreference. Both modules also have a "closestmatch" capability that helps the user locatedesired accounts by displaying the accountclosest to the one input by the user.

All modules in the series are integrated. In-formation developed in the Accounts Receiv-able or Accounts Payable modules is automati-cally recorded in the appropriate GeneralLedger journals when the invoices or checks areprinted.The three core programs will be available in

June for a suggested retail price of $1000 each.


Communication link connects IBM 370 with IBM PCsPC Contact, an integrated, interactive up-

load/download communication link betweenthe IBM 370 architecture and the family ofIBM personal computers, has been announcedby Cincom Systems. PC Contact allows theuser to access corporate data on the mainframehost using Mantis, Cincom's fourth-generationapplication development language. The infor-mation can then be downloaded to a PC disk-ette. Similarly, PC Contact allows the user toupload data from the PC back to the main-frame host.

PC Contact can be linked to the micro andmainframe through an asynchronous commu-nications link, a coaxial cable adapter (Irma) toa 3274 type control unit, or an SNA/SDLC(available with a future release of PC Contact).

Disktvideo interface offered forTRS-80 Model 100

Radio Shack's Disk/Video Interface for theTRS-80 Model 100 contains a 51/4-inch floppydisk drive interface and an interface for con-necting a video monitor or television set.A built-in-floppy disk drive unit allows the

use of a single 5 ¼/-inch double density floppydisk with a maximum storage per diskette of184K bytes. A floppy disk interface controls thestandard built-in disk drive and, if desired, anoptional second internal 51/4-inch floppy diskdrive.With the video interface, the Model 100 can

be connected to a standard video monitoravailable at any video dealer. The built-in RFconverter allows the Model 100 to be connectedto any standard television set with the cable andswitch box supplied.With either the TV or video monitor, 25 lines

of copy can be displayed. A television willdisplay 40 characters per line, while a standardvideo monitor offers either 40 or 80 cpl asselected by the user. All Model 100 charactersare displayed, but dot graphics are not sup-ported.The Disk/Video Interface and the Model 100

are connected through the 40-pin expansionconnector located on the bottom of the com-puter. When connected, the Disk/Video Inter-face will automatically load special software in-to the Model 100. A minimum 16K-byte mem-ory is required in the Model 100.The Disk/Video Interface is offered for

$799. The optional second floppy disk drive isavailable for $239.95.


The price for the PC Contact is $60,000 forthe mainframe and $1000 for each PC.


Incom Systems has designed the Sidekick briefcase computer system that provides current prod-uct pricing, inventory control, service support, order entry, and electronic mail services to travelingprofessionals. The unit features 16K bytes of RAM and 32K bytes of ROM, expandable to 160K.Available in a brown, black, or burgundy briefcase, the Sidekick weighs 15 Ibs, and includes a datarecorder, thermal printer, modem, and an ac adapter, all shock mounted."The Sidekick" uses either ac power or the provided NiCad power packs (for up to 6 hours con-

tinuously). Measuring 191/2 x 141/2 X 5 inches, the sidekick sells for $1595.


Prototyping board helps buildinterface add-ons

The EZ board, a solderless experimenter sys-

tem, from Sabadia Export Corporation, is usedfor building experimental add-ons to interfacewith personal computers.The EZ board features (1) a glass epoxy

printed-circuit board mounted with solderlessbreadboarding units, (2) four separate distribu-tion buses with 50 tie-points each, (3) an array

of tie-point blocks from which each pin of thebus system (I/O channel) is labelled, and (4) a

four-position DIP switch that is mounted on

the board. Each switch position connects to aset of tie-point block sockets on either side toaid in the development and analysis of ex-

perimental circuits. A flat ribbon cable con-

nects the board to the bus expansion slot.The breadboarding area consists of 1460 tie-

points with a capacity of 16 14-pin DIPs. Com-ponents with lead diameters (up to .032) plug inand are connected with solid hookup wire.Models IPC, APC, and CPC are available

for IBM-PC, Apple, Commodore, and allother hardware-compatible computers of thesame type. Retail price for the system, in-cluding cable and connectors, is $174.


88 COMPUTER

The Hewlett-Packard Think Jet printer and HP-IL interface are fully portable and compatiblewith the HP 150 touchscreen personal computer. The ink-jet printer uses a replaceable ink car-tridge and is powered by a rechargeable battery pack.

Ink-jet printer is designed for portableldesktop PCs

Think Jet, a personal printer created byHewlett-Packard Company, is an ink-jetprinter that operates below 50 dB, is portable,and can be used with Hewlett Packard portableor desktop personal computers, as well as theIBM PC, Apple, Compaq, and Texas Instru-ments PCs.Think Jet also features a combined printhead

and ink reservoir in a disposable unit; 150-cpsprint speed; 11 x 12 dot-matrix characters;multiple print sizes; bold and underline that donot slow printing; support for 11 languages;and 81/2 -inch x 11-inch paper (either single

sheet or fanfold) or 21.0 cmx 29.7 cm (sizeA4).The printer measures II /2 x 8-1/

10- x 3 '/2-inchs; weighs 5 to 6 pounds, and has a500-page average ink-cartridge life. Centronix,HP-IB, and HP-IL (battery-powered) inter-faces available.

Also featured are tractor and friction paperfeed and full graphics capability (192 x 96 or96 x 96 dpi).

Think Jet is priced at $495.


Single-board color display adapter for IBM PC and PC-XT

Personal Systems Technology has recentlyannounced the Bob display adapter, a single-board color display adapter for the IBM PCand PC-XT that is designed to interface withadvanced high-resolution monitors, such as the14-inch high-resolution NEC monitors, in-cluding the Model JC-1410P2(A) and the Mod-el JB-1410P2(A).The Bob board features total compatibility

with IBM Color Graphics Display Adaptersoftware; support for either a standard colormode with 16 colors or a black and white modewith 16 levels of gray; an 8 x 12 dot characterdisplay in a lOx 16 dot grid; a lightpen inter-face; and IBM PC standard user-selectablecharacter attributes (blinking, blanked, intensi-ty, and reverse video).The board also offers two standard graphics

screen modes (a 320 x 200 pixel, medium-reso-lution mode with four colors and a 640 x 200pixel, high-resolution mode with one color) andoptional enhanced graphics modes (a 320 x 400

pixel, medium resolution mode with four col-ors and a 640 x 400 pixel, high-resolution modewith one color). IBM's standard 256 display-able character set is also supported, which in-cludes 16 special characters for game support,15 characters for word processing editing sup-port, 96 characters for the standard ASCIIcharact.r set, 48 characters for business blockgraphics support, 16 Greek characters, and 15scientific notation characters.

In addition, the Bob board offers a24.83-kHz horizontal rate to support 400 ver-tical scan lines for higher resolution. It allowsboth standard direct memory access operationsof the display memory and user-accessed dis-play memory in any mode without disturbingthe screen image.

Prices for the Bob display adapter begin at$425.


Controller links PCs, terminalsto dissimilar hosts

Tri-Data has added a controller to its Netwayproduct line. The Netway 274 multi-dissimilar-host cluster controller connects a wide varietyof otherwise incompatible workstations andperipherals to multiple and dissimilar hosts.Each Netway 274 supports up to 16 worksta-

tions connecting up to five multipoint and 16point-to-point host connections. It includes afloppy disk system for loading system softwareand configuration information, a parallelprinter port, and an optional networking soft-ware package that connects up to 128 Netway274's over an unlimited geographic region.The Netway 274 supports IBM 3270 BSC,

IBM 3270 SNA/SDLC (LUI, LU2, LU3, ses-sion support), and Burroughs poll/select andasynchronous start-stop protocols.The Netway 274 also features password-pro-

tected configuration parameters that can bealtered on-line without affecting other users onthe system; printers that can be dedicated to asingle application or shared by many worksta-tions; the ability to send messages of up to 40characters between workstations without estab-lishing a formal connection; a diskette-loaded"correction" facility to update the system; andautomatic selection of the most efficient routewhen data is sent through a network when twoor more routes exist.

Prices for the Netway 274 start at $9150. Atypical configuration capable of connectingeight workstations is priced at $12,510.


Fiber optic LAN is EthernetcompatibleA fiber optic, Ethernet-compatible local area

network system is being offered by Unger-mann-Bass. Called Fiber Optic Net/One, itallows users to interconnect, via networkbridges or repeaters, baseband, broadband,and optical fiber Net/One systems.

Since optical fiber is not susceptible to elec-tromagnetic interference, the system is suitablefor use in factories with heavy machinery or ingeographical locations where lightning could bea hazard.

Fiber Optic Net/One is available in single or

multiple cable configurations and operates atIOM bps. Other features include Star Couplersthat allow the connection of up to 62 Net-Onenetwork interface units per star and the inter-connection of stars to form complex networktopologies. The maximum distance betweenNIUs in single star configurations is 2800meters while multistar systems offer virtuallyunlimited geographic coverage.The cost of an entry level system starts at

$25,000, including NIUs, the network manage-ment facility, transceivers, star couplers, andnetwork operating system software. A typicalFiber Optic Net/One with 200 device interfaceports costs approximately $135,000.


90COMPUTER

Low-cost graphics availablefor Commodore 64

Commodore 64 owners can use the FlyingColors graphics package from The ComputerColorworks.The package, which retails for $39.95 has a

windowed screen menu that lets the user pickthe desired functions for drawing. Choices in-clude thick and thin lines, automatic circles andboxes of any size, erasures, and ability to fillenclosed areas with a variety of colors.

Users can adjust their drawing speed for ex-acting detail work and paint with a selection ofcolors and brush sizes. Text can be added any-where and a grid feature helps users to aligntheir pictures. Pictures can be saved andretrieved from disk.

Flying Colors also includes a sophisticatedSlide Projector program so that users cancreate their own slide shows for presentationsand recreation.


RS-232 data switch operateswith no transient switching

A three-port active switch from DigitalLaboratories lets any two RS-232 devices sharea third and communicate with each other.The Digital TLC-I accommodates any trans-

mission format at any rate up to 19,200 baud;all connections are made using a six-buttoncontrol panel without switching transients.The transmitted and received data pins are

connected for any combination of data com-munication equipment and data terminalequipment. Up to 64 connection combinationsare possible, and all data paths are monitoredby six LEDs.The Digital TLC-1 three-port active RS-232

data switch sells for $245.


Basic offered for useon the 8087 coprocessor

Professional Basic, by Morgan ComputingCompany, is a 16-bit language that can accessthe full memory of the IBM PC and use the8087 coprocessor.

Professional Basic contains a window-oriented system of more than a dozen tracingand debugging screens. The user can viewchanges in variables or array elements, andprogress of FOR/NEXT loops or GOSUBS.The values of each variable are displayed atevery point during execution of the program.

Professional Basic provides a dynamic syn-tax checking feature. The package permitslabeled GOSUBS, cross referencing, and set-ting breakpoints.

Professional Basic is written in Assemblerand requires 256K bytes of RAM. It sells for$345.


May 1984

l1X

PC monitor features touch-sensitive screen

Microtouch Systems has announced thePoint-i, a touch-sensitive monitor for the IBMPC and other personal computers. Users posi-tion the cursor, select from menus, and manip-ulate graphics by touching the CRT screen in-stead of using the keyboard or other pointingdevices. According to the company, learningtimes greatly reduce for novice users whileoperating efficiency increases for more ex-perienced users.The Point-I CRT has a resolution of

1024 x 1024 points; an RS-232-C serial port ac-commodates the communication of touchpoints. A version of the Point-I is offered forboth the IBM monochrome and color graphicscard and is available with a choice of amber orgreen phosphors.

Software tools are offered with the Point-Imonitor, including Drive Point, a communica-tion and driver package used to configure, prd-gram, and operate the touch screen controller;Command Point, which allows the Point-I tofunction as a coprocessor when running ap-plications; and View Point, which allows screenlayouts, windows, and icons to be created in-teractively by "drawing" on the screen. Touchsensitive regions can be defined and linked intothe application code by touch.

In OEM quantities, the Point-l is priced at$995. An OEM kit version of the touch screen isalso available.


High-speed plotter offers DM/PL compatibility

Houston Instrument has introduced a plot-ter, the DMP-5 1, which combines a speed of 22inches per second, 4G acceleration, and aresolution of .001 inches.The DMP-51 produces C- or D-size drawings

and is designed to streamline architectural,engineering, scientific, business, surveying,educational, and geophysical drafting.

With 26K bytes of built-in intelligence, theDMP-51 is compatible with existing DM/PL

software programs and offers servo-motortechnology.

A mechanical/architectural version, theDMP-52, with its 18- x 24-inch and 24- x 36-inchpaper size, is also available from Houston Instru-ment.

Both plotters are priced at $4495.


The Corona PPCXT, a portable hard-disk-based personal computer by Corona Data Systems,Inc., is compatible with virtually all software applications independently developed for the IBMPC. The Corona PPCXT incorporates a half-height, 5l/4-inch 1OM-byte Winchester disk drive; theunit measures 9-3/5-inches x 18-4/5-inches x 19-4/5 inches. The PPCXT features an Intel 8088CPU, 256K-byte RAM (expandable to 512K-bytes on a single board), 1OM-byte hard disk drive,360K-byte floppy diskette drive, hard disk controller, built-in 80 character x 25 line display withnine-inch amber monitor, RS-232-C serial port, Centronics-compatible parallel port, 110-W swit-ching power supply, detachable 83-key IBM PC-compatible keyboard, four IBM PC-compatibleexpansion slots, and graphics resolution of 640x325 pixels. Bundled software includesMicrosoft's MS-DOS 2.0 and GW Basic, Software Systems' Multi Mate word processor and Com-prehensive Software Support's PC Tutor self-teaching program. The PPCXT sells for $4895.


Mainframe access for remotepersonal computers

Forte Data Systems has announced Forte-Call, a software package that connects remotepersonal computers and terminals into a main-frame-based data network. Reportedly, withForte-Call a user with a home computer or ter-minal can dial into a designated business PCand gain secured access to corporate databasesby way of a 3270 coaxial network.

Forte-Call requires any business IBM PC orXT to be equipped with either of Forte's 3270emulation boards: Forte PJ or Forte PC78-2.These supply the requisite network interface,allowing the PC to emulate an IBM 3278 or3279 terminal when linked to an IBM main-frame. Forte-Call resides on this PC as a com-munications utility program. Any remote PC,portable or other ASCII device can then dial in-to this "host" PC and, with the proper pass-words, go on-line to the mainframe. The"host" PC captures mainframe data, convertsit to ASCII in its buffer, and passes it onto theremote device.

Entirely software based, Forte-Call requiresa standard modem at the remote site and ispriced at $295.


Productivity tool offered for IBMSystem/34 users

Green Software recently announced Queue/34, a productivity tool for IBM System/34users. Queue/34 establishes an auxiliary batchjob queue that allows user jobs to run in-dependently of and concurrent with jobs in thesystem job queue.

According to the company, no modificationsto user programs are required with Queue/34.Users have complete control of their job's posi-tion in the queue, as well as status, start time,execution priority, and completion messages

through interactive screens. A complete set ofHelp screens has also been included.Queue/34 is available for a one-time license

fee of $295 per CPU.


Software aids circuit analysis

Communications Consulting has introducedthe Cadec software package for analysis andoptimization of electronic circuits.The program runs in the frequency domain

and allows the interconnection of active andpassive elements, as well as complex intercon-nections. Fourier transform capability allowsresults to be transformed into the time domain,and all results can be displayed both in tabularand graph formats.Cadec is available for the Tektronix 4051/52/

54 and the Hewlett-Packard 9845B/C, Series 200machines (9816/26/36), and Series 500 (9020)systems. It retails for $2500.


92 COMPUTER

The SP320 daisy wheel printer, by Fujitsu America, Inc., offers letter-quality printing at 48 cps;enhanced print functions-including the capability of proportional spacing, bold print, shadowprint, superscript, and subscript; forms-handling options-including unidirectional and bidirec-tional tractors and single-bin and double-bin cut-sheet feeders; support for a wide selection ofcharacter fonts in both 96- and 127-character printwheels; and Centronics, RS-232-C, or dc currentloop interfaces. The printer is priced at $945.


Program for Commodore 64 allows increased access

Workstation has integralfloating point unit

The DN320 from Apollo Computer is a32-bit workstation node with an integralfloating-point unit.The DN320 features 1.5M bytes of tightly

coupled main memory; windows for up to 25concurrent processes; 16M bytes of virtual ad-dress space per process; high-resolution, bit-mapped graphics; and linkup to Apollo's localarea network. The 16-inch, monochromaticdisplay offers a 1024 x 800-pixel resolution, de-tachable keyboard, and optional touchpad ormouse.

In addition to the standard arithmetic func-tions, the DN320 performs trigonometric andtranscendental functions such as sine, cosine,and square root.

Systems software support for the DN320 in-cludes Apollo's proprietary operating system,which supports demand-paged virtual memoryoperation across the network, and Aux, thefirm's adaptation of Bell Labs Unix System III

software with Berkeley extensions.Additional software includes D3M, the Do-

main distributed data management system; Sig-graph Core Graphics, an industry-standard setof graphics programs; ANSI Fortran 77, Pas-cal, and C languages; the Domain professionalsupport services of integrated administrativetools; and the Domain software engineering en-vironment, a set of four software modules forproject control and documentation. Also avail-able are terminal emulators, font editors, and adebugger.The DN320 is priced at $23,400.


Super Term, a terminal program by MidwestMicro, allows the Commodore 64 to mimic ter-minals like the VTI00, making the Com-modore 64 compatible with systems not nor-mally accessible.

Super Term contains 52 user-defined func-tion keys to simulate dedicated terminal keys,26 display functions and several baud rates,parity, wordsize, stopbits, and other com-munications parameters.

Uploading and downloading are available inseveral formats, including Xon/Xoff witheither the character, line, or block mode. WithSuper Term's text editor-which can captureand manipulate up to 18.4K bytes of informa-tion either on- or off-line-data can be enteredfor transmittal to the host at a later time. SuperTerm also prints or stores to disk; both featuresare designed to minimize long-distance tele-phone charges and connect time.The text editor contains insert, delete, erase,

bytes and merge features approaching those ofmany word processors. Text can be displayed in40, 80, or 132 columns by a side-scrolling tech-nique that slides information across the Com-modore 64's 40-column screen.With a parallel printer and Midwest Micro's

Smart ASCII Plus interface, text can be printedon-line as it comes in from the modem. Withother interfaces or VIC printers, off-line print-ing is available.

In some protocols, Basic and machine lan-guage programs can be uploaded and down-loaded either as ready-to-run code or as files

that can be converted to code without retyping.Stand-alone programs are included on theSuper Term disk for this automatic conversionprocess.

Super Term, with a hardware module thatplugs into the cartridge port of the Commodore64, and documentation, retails for $149.95;Smart ASCII Plus retails for $59.95.


80286-based multiuser computermeets IEEE 696 standard

Compupro's System 816/F-based on a six-MHz 80286 central processing unit with an80287 math processor-is a multiuser 16-bitsystem that runs either the Digital ResearchCP/M-86 or MP/M-86 operating systems, al-lowing software compatibility with the 8086family of microprocessors.Hardware features include 512K bytes of

static memory (expandable to 16M bytes); 12serial ports, one Centronics printer port, andone parallel port; 1.2M bytes of floppy diskstorage; and 40M bytes of hard disk storage.Convenience features include clock/calendar,interrupt controllers, interval timers, andbattery-backed RAM.The list price of the System 816/F is $14,995.


Apple-compatible package has640-dot x 768-line screen

Demco Electronics is offering the GraphicsTool Kit-an Apple-compatible hardware-software package for generating interactivegraphics. According to the company, the screenarea is nine times larger than Apple's Hi-Resscreen and the resolution is 41/2 times sharperthan that of Apple II computers. The systemoutputs to a dot matrix printer, eliminating theneed for light pens, graphic tablets, mice, RGBmonitors, or plotters.

Users of the Graphics Tool Kit design on amovable screen for an 8 1/2 x 11-inch page witha resolution of 640 dots x 768 lines. The view-ing window is 640 dots x 384 lines.The main software program is menu-driven

to manipulate vector shapes, display fonts,draw lines, plot points, and save/retrieve adrawing from disk. Other segments include avector shape table maker and a font maker.After loading approximately 2K of systemdrivers, the user can write a program using thenormal Applesoft Hi-Res commands and theTool Kit's expanded screen. The system driversconsist of the hardware interface, disk accesscommands, and printer-dump routine.The Graphics Tool Kit retails for $495.


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COMPUTER

Color graphics system has over 16 million hues

Genisco Computers has introduced theG-6200, a color raster display system featuringcolor capabilities and the Gencor operatingsystem.

The basic G-6200 has a 1536 x 1024 bit maprefresh memory that allows 16 colors to beselected from a palette of over 16 million possi-ble hues. Using optional memory cards, colorselection can be expanded to 4096. The cardsalso provide additional overlays for graphicsand imaging.The G-6200 is available in three resolutions:

1392 x 1024 with 30-Hz refresh, 768 x 512 with60-Hz noninterlaced refresh, and 1056 x 792

with 50-Hz noninterlaced refresh. The Gencoroperating system permits a multilevel displaylist with 32-bit precision to be stored locally andmanipulated with three-dimensional modelingtransforms. The user can interact with the datato pick segments or complex assemblies with lit-tle host computer intervention.

Multiple viewports allow selected views andimage data to be displayed simultaneously.Gencor's instruction set allows for texturedlines, markers, and text and includes com-mands for definable stroked character sets,complex rational cubic curve generation, and

an edge-list polygon fill that uses 35-ns-per-pixel surface fill logic.The G-6200 hardware includes 19-inch moni-

tor, detached keyboard; pan, scroll, zoom, cur-sor control, and peripheral support. Graphtablet, digitizing table, text terminal, and colorhardcopy are supported along with bothRS-232 serial interface and optional parallelDMA controllers.

The G-6200 retails for $23,950; OEM quanti-ty discounts are available.


IBM PC peripheral accepts hand-printed data in real time

Pencept is offering "a mouse that writes,"an intelligent peripheral for the IBM PC thataccepts hand-printed data, text, or graphics inreal time and adds cursor motion control andcommand trigger to make data entry easier.

In Penpad's mouse mode, the user moves acursor to any spot on the page, by moving Pen-pad's pen near the surface of the tablet in theappropriate direction. The button on the penprovides the trigger. Penpad analyzes pen-strokes as they are made, identifies the charac-ters being formed, and presents them to thehost computer in a manner indistinguishablefrom routine keyboard input.

Part of Penpad is a board that fits inside thePC. The board includes an MC-68000 and pro-gramming that applies dynamic characterrecognition techniques. The MC-68000 pro-cesses both character and position information,and then makes the PC "think" its input camefrom its own keyboard.Penpad recognizes capital letters A-Z, nu-

merals 0-9, 23 symbols, and upper- and lower-case characters. Lowercase is assumed whenuppercase letters are written at half height.

Penpad's tablet is a digitizer that can sendfreehand drawings or tracings to the computeror work similar to a touch pad.

Penpad works unmodified with Multiplan,Lotus 1-2-3, Visicalc, and Word Star. It hasbeen specially adapted to work with Versa-form. It also includes Penform, software todesign custom on-screen forms and prepareprinting grids for companion paper forms, andPenpad driver, a tool that helps initialize Pen-pad to work with specific software packagesand in conjunction with the PC keyboard.

Penpad is available for $995.


Modem helps stop data theft without encryption

Data Sentry, an intelligent modemn fromLockheed-Georgia Companv's Getex disision,canl help present data theft and other securitybreaches of personal, mini-, anid mainframecomputer systems without requil"ing encrvptionor chang2es in systems programming. An op-tional comiipaniion device called Remote-On canlturn a computer's power oni anld off from aremote terminial once securits has been cleared.

Data SentrV uses a call-up, call-back, andrequest-password sequence to thwart thievesand hackers. It requests the phonie number ofsomeonie wranting access to the COIImputer,hangs up and looks through a list of authorizednumbers, and, if the numnber is authorized,dials the caller back and requests a password.The caller- gets three tries to gis e Data Sentry

the right password. Without it, D)ata Senitrv svillnot return tfurther calls fromii that phonenumber. It also creates an audit trail of userpasswords anid phonie numbers, whether callsare SIuccessful or riot.A lower security mode lets uiers progtani

Data Seritr-!, to call back ans iimnber t'romiiwhich it aets the corr-ect password. This mode is

Single-board computer offersvoice processing capabilities

Votal's VSPIf00()-a single soice processor

board-oft'ers soice recognition, speech coni-

pression, and coriiplete telephone interfacinigfacilities. The VSPIlOO) feattires cointinuousspeech recognition, which allows an indisidualto speak to the coniputer- in a riornial coni er sa-

tional manner, ssitliout unnatural pausCs bc-tsveen words. In addition, a "'sord-spotting"capability cnables the systeri to pick oLIt targetwords fromii a streani o' normal conversation.Speaker-inidepeindent recognition, the recogni-tioni of any one soice speaking a liriiited socab-ulary w ithout prior enrollmeint on the sssteimi, is

also offered as an option. The digits 0 through9, arid the words ves and no are asailable, as

sell as ctistom socabularics.

Speech compression on the VSPI(100 pro-

Vides human-souIndina oice OttpUt capabil-ities t'or operator prompting arid t'eedback bvthe niaclilrie.

With the VSP1000, int'oriiiatioii can be ac-

cessed froni or enitered on a coIiiputCl systernftroni any phonie in the sorld, sithLIout a por-table teriiiriial and niodeiii. Special telephonieutilities such as aulto anssver and auto dial,dual-tone multifrequency, AKA, or touch-tone, aid enccdini or decodling are also pro-vided on the VSP1000.

The VSPIOOO contains all the hardware re-

qluired to sers ice a soice channiel tinder the con-

trol of a general-purpose sy stern processor. Thesy sterni processor mas be ani single-board coni-

puter (8- or 16-bit) that interfaces to theIEEE-796 standard multibus as a bus niaster.

The VSP1000 is priced at $2500.


suitable for anvone-doctor, lawver, salesrepresentatise-who wanted access to the of-f'ice or honie computer during non-businiesshours or when the comptIter is unattended.

Data Sentr\v also operates like a conventionalintellientri modem, featuring 30()- or 1200-baud, f'ull duplex, asy nchronious operationsw ith aLtto dial, auto answer, auto speed, andautO paritv selection.

Other features include auto selection of tonearid rotar\ pulse dialing, so Data Sentrx canl beused ssith all long-distance sersices; six pro--ratiiriiable directories raninru froni 10 32-char acter stored phone inibers for speedingdialig to 16 32-charactcr "riot allowed" phoneriuriiber s that Data Senitrs s ill riot call backss liile in a secuCIits niode; a staindard RS-232-Ccable interf'ace; and a battery backup to protectiieriuls aiid tables durimti moses and poswerfailures.The price of the Data Sentry sithout

Reriiote-Oin is 5895; the Remote-On option listsfoi- S 145.

Reader Service Ntumber 62

Fixed-media disk drive offers264M bytes of storage

Tandem Computers has announced the4114, a 264M-byte Winchester fixed-mediadisk drise that has 264M-bytes of formattedstorage in a sealed module. The 4114 is the topdrive in a two-drive cabinet; the bottom drive,designated the 4115, is identical to the 4114.

Plug-compatible with Tandem's othermodels, the 4114 fixed-media drive, when con-

figured at 240M bytes, can also be mirroredwith the Tandem 4104 removable-head240M-byte disk drive. Additional flexibility isprovided with an external unit select plug thatallows users to change the address of any 4114drive to that of any other 4114 or to the 4104removable-head 240M-byte drive.The price of the 4114 drive is $20,500 (in-

cluding cabinet); the 4115 is priced at $19,000.


System puts mainframe speedin mini packaging

Analogic Corporation has developed a

stand-alone, general-purpose computer usingarray architecture. The APL Machine is de-signed to run APL at speeds comparable to

those of large mainframe computers but withthe I/0 and display flexibility of the IBM PC.The APL Machine consists of an AP500 ar-

ray processor, an 84M-byte hard disk, a dual-mode tape drise, an I / processor supportingup to 16 terminals, and IBM PCs as program-mer workstations.The APL Machine costs from $80,000 to

$100,000, depending on configuration.


New

Litraure

Computer education. Beginner's guide to com-puters describes typical computer system hard-ware and accessories, shows how softwareprompts the user in text-interactive systems, ex-plains systems features and functions, providescharts for readers to use in selecting PCs forhome or business, and gives advice on where tolearn more. Computers Won't Byte, HowardW. Sams & Co., Inc., 4300 West 62nd St., In-dianapolis, IN 46268; (317) 298-5400; S4.95.

Bits of trivia. Collection of computer lore,facts, and milestones. The Naked Comnputer,William Morrow & Co., 105 Madison Ave.,Newv York, NY 10016; (212) 889-3050; $15.95.

PC repairs. Maintenance guide for small-compuiter owners describes simple presentivemaintenance techniques and do-it-yourself ser-vicing for systems, printers, disk drives, andother peripherals. Ho" to Maintain and Ser-vice Your Small Computer, Howard W. Sams& Co., Inc., 4300 West 62nd St., Indianapolis,IN 46268; (317) 298-5400; $17.95.

Svstem development. Guidelines for the development of EDP-based information svstems in asystematic, task-oriented, and technique-independent manner. Aimed at system devel-opment students who have an understanding ofcomputer hardware and programming, thisbook is designed to give a complete under-standing of the tasks associated with the fullinformation-system life cycle. EDP SvstemDevelopment Guidelines, QED InformationSciences, Inc., PO Box 181, Wellesley, MA02181; (617) 237-5656; $24.95.

Speech synthesis. Detailed introduction to elec-tronic speech synthesizers; major methods ofspeech synthesis (including linear predictivecoding and format synthesis); signal process-ing, acoustics, and speech analysis; the speech-synthesis chips manufactured by various com-panies; and the state of the art in speechrecognition. Talking Chips: IC Speech Syn-thesis, McGraw-Hill, 1221 Avenue of theAmericas; New York, NY 10020; (212)512-3493; $24.50.

C programming language. Detailed tutorialprovides introductory material on how to write

C programs. Introduction to C, MatrixPublishers, Inc., 8285 SW Nimbus, Suite 151;Beaverton, OR 97005; (503) 646-2713; $15.95.

May 1984

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Documents

NEWV PROUCS - IEEE Computer Society ... system unit andkeyboardto $2398 for afully ... Report Manager's 3-D spreadsheet offers rows,