K 1840

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Robotron RVS K 1840 in the Dresden Technical Collections

The K 1840 (SKR cipher CM 1710) was a super mini computer from the GDR . Its exact name is RVS (computer system with virtual memory) K 1840 .

It was developed from August 1985 at VEB Robotron-Elektronik Dresden in Dresden and introduced into series production in 1988.

development

The K 1840 was based on the VAX  11/780 from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). The export of western 32bit -Superminicomputer in the area of the CMEA (Comecon) was the CoCom technology embargo prohibited. Therefore, an in-house development had to be carried out to cover the need for modern CAD computing technology based on a 32-bit architecture .

The K 1840 was the first 32-bit computer of the DEC-VAX-compatible computer line M 32 built in the GDR in the system of small computers (SKR) of the former countries of the Comecon. Replicas of the VAX-11 / 7xx computers are also known from the ČSSR (CM 5152), Hungary (TPA-11/540, 560 and 580), Romania (CORAL 8730) and the Soviet Union (CM 1700).

The architecture on which this computer system is based, as well as modern operating systems, combined previous mainframe functions - such as virtual memory management, batch and multi-user applications - with the properties and flexibility of small computers, such as: real-time behavior, interactive data processing, user-friendly command languages ​​and additional devices for accelerating floating point operations.

The K 1840 had a maximum computing speed of 1.1  MIPS and could use a main memory of max. 16 MB (4 GB virtual) access. ICs from the Schottky TTL series were used as the circuit basis .

The first commissioning of a laboratory model with the essential computer core components took place in April 1987. Up to September 1987 another 5 functional models were built. In October 1987, the new computer was presented to the public and awarded the national prize of the GDR 1st class and at the Leipzig spring fair in 1988 with fair gold . Series production began in June 1988. By 1990, 217 K 1840 systems had been delivered at a price of 1.9 million marks each .

When the K 1840 was developed, its successor K 1845 (corresponding to VAX 11/785) was designed. In addition to the K 1840, the main focus of development for the K 1845 was a module for implementing multi-machine capability with the corresponding operating system components. The concept was drawn up in parallel to the K 1840 in mid-1987. The development of the K 1845 began at the end of 1987 as an independent continuation topic. The K 1845 was presented to the public at the 1990 Leipzig Spring Fair. With a maximum of 64 Mbytes, it had a larger main memory capacity and had a larger number of bus adapters and controllers than its predecessor. Twenty samples of the K 1845 were built.

In addition, the successor to the K 1850 (based on the model VAX 8000) with an output of 6 MIPS with max. 128MB main memory using ECL gate arrays planned to be launched in 1993.

Robotron developed a replica of the MicroVAX  II under the name K 1820 . The K 1820 expanded the series of VAX-compatible computer line in the SKR, with the K 1820 models achieving around 90% of the performance of the K 1840. The K 1820 was fully software compatible with the K 1840 so that system and user software that had already been developed could be used. From 1995, a continuation of this line was planned as K 1830 (similar to MicroVAX III) based on a CMOS microprocessor system U80900 .

In mid-1990, production of the K 1840/1845 was discontinued and all development work was discontinued because economic exploitation was no longer possible under the new market economy conditions after the monetary, economic and social union and the breakdown of traditional markets in the Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe .

One copy of the K 1840 is in the Technical Collections Dresden , in the Konrad Zuse Computer Museum in Hoyerswerda , in the "Rechenwerk" Computer & Technology Museum in Halle and in the Computer History Museum in Mountain View , California , USA .

hardware

Alphanumeric terminal K 8911
VT220-compatible terminal K 8941
Interactive graphic terminal K 8918 in the Computer History Museum

The K 1840 was manufactured in a 19 ″ cabinet system consisting of three cabinets.

Cabinet 1 (K 0681) was equipped with the following main assemblies, which were connected via the internal synchronous bus (ISB):

  • Central processing unit CPU K 2810
  • Console subsystem KSS K 2811
  • Floating-point accelerator FPA K 2812
  • Main memory MEM K 3581.10 and memory expansion MEME K 3581.11
  • SKRBUS adapter SBA K 2815
  • MSBUS adapter MBA K 2816
  • Power supply module with fans

In cabinet 2.1 (K 0682), two SBE K 0685 plug-in units for up to 44 additional SKRBUS controllers could be installed, such as:

  • Multifunction communication controller AMF18 K 8081 ( V.24 , IFSS, IFSP, Centronics ) and
  • Local network controller RONAS K 8681 ( ROLANET2 / Ethernet ).

Cabinet 2.2 was available as a device cabinet in 3 design variants for accommodating storage devices:

  • Hard disk space K 5502 (124 MB Winchester hard disk for operating system, access time 52 ms, transfer rate 806 kB / s)
  • Removable hard disk storage WPS CM 5416 (174 MB, manufacturer: ISOT, Bulgaria , access time 30 ms, transfer rate 806 kB / s)
  • Magnetic tape recorder CM 5306 (0.5 ″ magnetic tapes up to 40 MB, manufacturer: ISOT, Bulgaria)

The following peripheral devices were offered:

  • alphanumeric terminal K 8911.80 via IFFS, K 8911.81 via V.24
  • VT220-compatible terminal K 8941 via V.24
  • Interactive graphic terminal K 8918 (based on A 7150 , resolution 680 × 480 pixels, connection via IFSS, V.24 or DNÜ K 8172)
  • Dot matrix printer K 6313/14
  • Matrix printer K 6328, compatible with DEC Letterprinter 100 (LA100)
  • Drum printer VT 27000 and tape printer VT 23000 (manufacturer: Videoton, VR Hungary)
  • Plotter K 6411 (A2 flatbed pen plotter)
  • Digitizer K 6404.20 ( graphics tablet with magnifying glass and pen in DIN A0 format)
  • Data transmission device DNÜ K 8172 (transmission rate up to 19200 bit / s, range up to max. 30 km)
  • VM 2400 modem (up to 2400 bit / s, data transmission via public telephone networks)
  • Modem TAM 1200 (1200 bit / s, manufacturer: Telefongyar, Hungary)

Additional hardware K 1845

The K 1845 represents a further development of the K 1840, so that the above-mentioned main assemblies of the K 1840 were still used. The increase in performance was achieved with the following additional assemblies:

  • Main memory MEM K 3581.20 and memory expansion MEME K 3581.21 with up to 64 MByte memory capacity
  • High-speed interface adapter HIA K 2817 (interface for multi-computer network)
  • High-speed interface distributor HIV K 4181 (distributor for a maximum of 16 nodes)
  • DMA interface controller AR16W K 6081 for connecting peripheral devices
  • Process controller ATP18 K 9081 for integration as a master computer in process automation
  • ROLANET1 controller LNC1S K 8626 for connection to the ROLANET1 LAN
  • Communication controller KMS16 K 8082 to implement an X.25 interface
  • SKRBUS tester SET K 4285 for tests during commissioning and testing of the SKRBUS interface

Operating systems / software

As operating systems that were VMS -compatible SVP1800 and UNIX compatible mutos 1800 have been developed. Compilers for programming languages C , MODULA-2 , FORTRAN 77/88 as well as for COBOL , LISP , PROLOG and ADA were available for the K 1840 . Numerous application programs have been adapted for the K 1840, for example the CAD software PROCAD (model: MEDUSA ) or GBS1800 (3D CAD based on GKS 1800) as well as database software DABA 32 ( Ingres compatible) or ALLDBS (model: Oracle ).

successor

A significant increase in performance should be achieved with the transition to ECL circuit technology. As a follow-up to the K 1840/1845, a K 1850 model based on the VAX 8800 was planned with the aim of introducing production in 1993. The K 1850 should be based on an ECL gate array system and as a single processor system in the performance range up to 6 MIPS with max. 128 MB main memory (using 1 MBit DRAM ICs ) can be implemented. The bus systems of the K 1840 / K 1845 should continue to be used so that the controllers and peripherals of these predecessors could continue to be used in the I / O system. The prerequisite for achieving these performance and deadline goals was the establishment of an ECL circuit line in the GDR. For this purpose, an ECL gate array system of the type D600 / D1200 was developed at VEB's semiconductor plant in Frankfurt (Oder) .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dujnic, J .; Fristacky, N .; Molnar, L .; Plander, I .; Rovan, B .: On the history of computer science, computer engineering, and computer technology development in Slovakia . IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 38-48, July-Sept. 1999
  2. ^ The KFKI (Central Research Institute for Physics Budapest) TPA series
  3. ↑ Laimutis Telksnys, Antanas Zilinskas: Computers in Lithuania . IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 31-37, July-Sept. 1999
  4. ↑ Article on Heise.de from September 24, 2015
  5. ↑ Catalog number 102678345 of the Computer History Museum
  6. ↑ corresponds to DEC- SBI
  7. ↑ corresponds to DEC- UNIBUS
  8. ↑ corresponds to DEC- MASSBUS

Web links

Commons : Robotron K1840  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files