Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!ATHOS.RUTGERS.EDU!webber From: webber@ATHOS.RUTGERS.EDU (Bob Webber) Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k.pc Subject: Re: PT-68K: where can I get info about it? Message-ID: Date: 10 Feb 90 13:41:46 GMT References: <2124@bnr-rsc.UUCP> <1056@mgse.UUCP> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 60 Approved: info-68k@ucbvax.berkeley.edu In article <1056@mgse.UUCP>, marks@mgse.UUCP (Mark Seiffert) writes: > In article <2124@bnr-rsc.UUCP> mwnorman@bcarh332.bnr.ca (Michael Norman) writes: > -I've been following this group and I am interested in building > -my own 68k-based system. Some people have mentioned the PT-68K. > -What is it, where is it, how much is it? etc ... > Please post, i am interested too. Does someone have a phone number for them? > are they on the net? The PT-68K is a system described in Radio-Electronics starting with issue October 1987 with a series of monthly installments by Peter A. Stark that continued at least until July 1988. Referring to that last article, there is a BBS at 914-241-3307; hardware questions can be handled by Peripheral Technology, 1480 Terrell Mill Rd. #870, Marietta GA, 30067 [Phone: (404) 984-0742]. The software it ran was the HUMBUG monitor program and SK*DOS disk operating system by Star-K Software Systems Corp. P.O. Box 209, Mt. Kisco NY 10549 (914) 241--0287. The system itself could be ordered from Peripheral Technology. In mid-1988, pricing for the full system was running around $500. The Star-K address/contact information is the same in their ad in the May'89 68 Micro Journal; In the same issue, Peripheral Technology shows the same phone but a different street address: 1710 Cumberland Point Dr. Suite 8. As described in the first article, the system could be modularly incremented starting with a $200 base: PC board, MC68000 (8 MHz ($20 extra for 10 MHz and $70 extra for 12 MHz)), clock oscillator, 2K static RAM, two serial ports, power and signal connectors, IC sockets, resistors, capacitors, and other components. To which could be added more memory: 1st 512K for $90: included DRAM controller and 512K of 150-ns DRAM with sockets. 2nd 512K for $50: 512K of 150-ns DRAM with sockets. A floppy controller for $100: the controller and related chips, connectors and sockets, and SK*DOS which included editor, assembler, BASIC, RAM disk, disk cache, and utility programs [disk extra] Parallel port and clock/calendar for $50: the parts. PC-compatible slots for $40: stuff for first 3 bus slots and compatible keyboard. another 3 slots for $10 Recommended 3rd party parts: Baby AT cabinet for $45 150 watt power supply for $60 AT-style keyboard for $60 Samsung 1252G amber monitor for $90 Hercules-compatible monochrome text/graphics card for $50 Western Digital hard-disk controller card for $90 80-track double-sided 720K floppy drive for $120 20 megabyte half-height hard disk for $295. All prices October 1987, who knows what it would cost to build now-a-days -- or what sort of improvements one could pull off to take into account some of the advances in the chip world [like: would using SIMMS help, how best to factor in an MMU and with which CPU, ...]. If I understand things right, one could get color graphics by just choosing from the available PC-boards. The authors leave the impression that running faster than 12Mhz would drastically change the design. --- BOB (webber@athos.rutgers.edu ; rutgers!athos.rutgers.edu!webber)