Commodore 900
Also known as | C900, Z-8000, Z-Machine |
---|---|
Developer | Commodore |
Manufacturer | Commodore |
Type | Desktop |
Units shipped | Fifty prototypes built |
Media | 1.2 MB 5.25" floppy disks[1] |
Operating system | Coherent |
CPU | Zilog Z8001 @ 10 MHz[1] |
Memory | 512 KB RAM[1] |
Storage | 20 MB hard drive[1] |
Display | 1024×800 |
Graphics | MOS Technology 8563 |
Sound | None |
Predecessor | Commodore PET |
The Commodore 900 (also known as the C900, Z-8000, and Z-Machine)
In early 1983, Commodore announced an agreement with Zilog to adopt the Z8000 family of processors for its next generation of computers, conferring rights to Commodore to manufacture these processors and for Zilog to manufacture various Commodore-designed integrated circuit products. Zilog was to manufacture components for Commodore's computers, allowing Commodore to expand its own semiconductor operation.[8] Commodore had reportedly been developing its own 16-bit microprocessor, abandoning this effort to adopt the Z8000.[9]
Design
The C900 was a
Two versions of the machine were developed: a
The C900 ran
Manufacturing of the system was to commence in 1985 at Commodore International's West Germany plant, with availability in the United States announced for the third quarter of the same year, and with pricing starting from approximately $2,700.[14] The machine was publicly demonstrated for the first time outside the US at the 1985 Hanover Fair, with interest in the product described as "overwhelming".[18] Ultimately, only fifty prototypes were made and sold as development systems before the project was cancelled.
The C900's case is similar to the Amiga 2000's but slightly larger.
See also
References
- ^ ISSN 0744-8724. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
- ^ "Commodore 900: The Unix-like workstation/server that was eclipsed by Amiga – VintageComputer.ca". 21 September 2019. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ a b c Frank Hughes (1985-03-01). Commodore c900 Hardware Spec.
- ^ a b c d e "Commodore Info Page - Brochures: Commodore 900 [en]". www.commodore-info.com. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ Mini-micro Systems. Cahners Publishing Company. 1985.
- ^ Predicasts Technology Update. Predicasts. 1985.
- ISBN 0-9738649-0-7
- ^ "Commodore to Use Z8000 Family in Its Micros". Computerworld. 24 January 1983. p. 77. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ Libes, Sol (March 1983). "16-Bit Version of 6502 Announced". Computers & Electronics. p. 32. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Commodore 900 Computer : This is Z Page". www.zimmers.net. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ a b "Hanover 1984". Commodore User. May 1984. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ Libes, Sol (March 1983). "Rumors & Gossip". Computers & Electronics. p. 32. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Secret Weapons of Commodore: The CBM 900". www.floodgap.com. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ a b "Commodore high-performance micros out". Computerworld. International Data Group. 6 May 1985. p. 57.
- ^ Rochkind, Marc J. (November 1985). "Pick, Coherent and THEOS". Byte. pp. 231–239. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
Coherent appears to be nearly a clone of UNIX Version 7, an older release of UNIX that has since been replaced by System III and System V. I write "appears to be" because the Coherent manual doesn't say it is based on UNIX.
- ^ Onyx C8002 Computer System. Onyx Systems Incorporated. p. 8.
- ^ C5002A, C8002A Series Product Description. Onyx Systems Inc. February 1983. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Commodore at the Hanover Fair". Commodore International. Vol. 3, no. 2. Fall 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
External links
- C900 page at 'The Secret Weapons of Commodore' website – By Cameron Kaiser and The Commodore Knowledge Base
- This is Z page – By Bo Zimmerman
- The Commodore C900 – color photos of a prototype unit
- Commodore C900 product announcement
- A running CBM900 has survived at datamuseum.dk and several of the ROMs have been reverse-engineered.
- Commodore Microcomputer magazine coverage of the 900's announcement
- Commodore 900: The Unix-like workstation/server that was eclipsed by Amiga