RH100045

Acorn
RiscPC 600

ACB25

72-ACB25

Serial No

1011494

Description:
Released in 1994, the RiscPC Series was Acorn's successor to the Archimedes. Still based around Acorn's own ARM architecture and still having RISC OS in ROM, the RiscPC was now more powerful utilizing the new ARMv3 (and later ARMv4) processors, with full VGA graphics, and a memory architecture capable of addressing up to 256MB RAM. Support for standard IDE CD-ROM drives and PS/2 keyboards was also added which helped to keep costs down and made it more attractive to IBM PC owners. Compared to the average IBM PC in 1994 the Acorn RiscPC was comparatively cheap and quite powerful, with it's 32-bit ARM processor delivering up to 3.5 times as many MIPS as a similar Intel based PC, and it's fantastic graphical user interface - RISC OS. Even in 1997, a Windows 95 based computer could not use more than 64MB of memory unless the software package being run accessed it directly. As the Intel Pentium PC architecture became affordable Acorn responded with the StrongARM upgrades pushing the processing speed to 200MHz and beyond.

The fantastically efficient ARM processor, brilliantly designed RISC OS, superb upgrade-ability, and wide compatibility between models made the Acorn RiscPC a popular computing platform, particularly within education establishments and the music industry. Even after the demise of Acorn various third parties picked up the RiscPC baton and continued to develop both the hardware and RISC OS. Even today, although the RiscPC hardware developers have all gone, RISC OS is still alive and well and continually being developed for modern ARM based platforms such as the Raspberry Pi and Beagleboard.

The RiscPC 600 is the first of the range to be released, and this exhibit is one of the original release models, with aa 30MHz ARM610 processor and the new generation RISC OS 3.5 installed in ROM. To cut production costs Acorn used only 2x 1MB (512K x 16-bit) ROM's which meant that the new OS would not completely fit in ROM and certain parts had to be installed onto the hard disk. As all models of the RiscPC included a hard disk this was not a major issue. However RISC OS 3.5 did have some serious bugs and both the ROM size and a lot of the bugs were quickly remedied in RISC OS 3.6. Another production cost saving meant early units had only 8-bit sound, although for some motherboard revisions a 16-bit upgrade was available. Later models were upgraded to 16-bit sound, together with a small processor speed increase to 33MHz, and RISC OS 3.6. RISC OS 3.6 was also available as an upgrade for existing RiscPC600 owners, in-fact Acorn recommended that all customers upgraded.

Specifications:
» CPU: ARM610 @ 30MHz (P610ARM-B) fitted to Acorn Processor Card (Pn: 0197,208)
» 2nd CPU: None Fitted
» RAM: 12MB, 1x 4MB 72 pin FP SIMM (HB56A13-2BV-7B) & 1x 8MB 72 pin FP SIMM Module (QuBIG QC236). Originally shipped with 4MB RAM.
» ROM: 4MB, RISC OS 3.70, 2x 512Mb x 16-bit ROM Chips (1203,191-01 / 1203,192-01). Originally shipped with RISC OS 3.5.
» Graphics: VIDC20 with 1MB Video RAM Module, VGA Output 1024x768 max.
» Motherboard: 0197,000 Iss.D
» Chipset: IOMD20 (0297,030) & VY86C630-1 (VLSI)
» Backplane: 2 Podule, Pn: 0197,101
» Hard Disk: 210MB IDE, Conner CFS210A
» Floppy Disk: 3.5" 1.6MB / 1.44MB, Citizen OSDA-74G-U
» Optical Disk: CD-RW Drive, IDE, Lite-On LTR-24102B (Aftermarket Upgrade)
» LAN: iCubed 600 V2 Network Module (SN:00:83:F3) (Aftermarket Upgrade)
» Input Devices: Acorn 0391,400/1 PS/2 Keyboard (Sn: 41970755), Logitech M-PG15-0914,000 3-button 9-pin Quadrature Mouse (Sn: LT312C02037)
» PSU: Acorn 70W Pn:0179,110 (Sn:M41300920B2), 5.1V @ 7.9A, 12V @ 2.05A, -12V @ 0.25A
» Battery Backup: 1.2V Rechargeable NimH AA Cell (Originally Varta V280R PCB Mounted Cell)
» Podules: Non Fitted
» Size:
» Weight:

This exhibit is in very good working condition, complete with an original Acorn PS/2 Keyboard and Acorn supplied Logitech 3-button mouse. As many RiscPC's, it has been upgraded from it's original shipped specification, with an extra 8MB RAM, and a CD-ROM unit which neccessitates a RISC OS 3.70 ROM set upgrade and a network card.

Condition:

• Hardware fully functional.
• NOT in original packaging!
• Some Manuals and Instructions Missing.

Notes:

Product Images:

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