This was a multi-post system based on Z80 CPUs. It could handle up to 3 users, or more with optional cards. To connect the terminals, there are several RS232 ports at the back of the system, labeled JA, JB, JC, JD, JE, etc... The ports not used by the terminals could be used to connect a modem or a printer for example. 
This system was quite well designed with its squashed hexagon shaped box and its thin monitor. These are medium-sized desktop cases, usually beige but often came in custom colors.
The 580 systems used a large custom single-board computer, with the drive controller being a separate half-card mounted on top of the SBC.
It had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in on the right part of the front panel, and a 5''1/4 hard-disk on the left part.
The 580-2 had two 5''1/4 disk-drives built-in instead of just one.
Altos also produced a 16-bit version of this system, called the ACS-586.
Bill added this information :
Ours ran three user MP/M in a 16K common section and three 48K user sections of RAM. Neat thing to work with when there were no other uses because you could hit a key sequence on the terminal and switch it from one user space to another. So, I could use all three user spaces. I'd have an editor open in one, use another to compile and debug and the third to print or check files while debugging.
This system was quite well designed with its squashed hexagon shaped box and its thin monitor. These are medium-sized desktop cases, usually beige but often came in custom colors.
The 580 systems used a large custom single-board computer, with the drive controller being a separate half-card mounted on top of the SBC.
It had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in on the right part of the front panel, and a 5''1/4 hard-disk on the left part.
The 580-2 had two 5''1/4 disk-drives built-in instead of just one.
Altos also produced a 16-bit version of this system, called the ACS-586.
Bill added this information :
Ours ran three user MP/M in a 16K common section and three 48K user sections of RAM. Neat thing to work with when there were no other uses because you could hit a key sequence on the terminal and switch it from one user space to another. So, I could use all three user spaces. I'd have an editor open in one, use another to compile and debug and the third to print or check files while debugging.
主要参数编辑本段回目录
 |  |
| NAME | ACS-580 |
| MANUFACTURER | Altos Computer Systems |
| TYPE | Professional Computer |
| ORIGIN | U.S.A. |
| YEAR | ? 1981 |
| KEYBOARD | Full-stroke keyboard with numeric and editing keypads, 16 function keys, 108 keys |
| CPU | Z80A |
| SPEED | 3,5 Mhz ? |
| RAM | 192k (max. 256k) |
| ROM | 4k |
| TEXT MODES | 40 x 25, 80 x 25, 132 x 40 |
| GRAPHIC MODES | 800 x 325 |
| SOUND | Beeper |
| I/O PORTS | Five, four or three RS232 ports (depending on models), RGB video out, Centronics, TV video output |
| BUILT IN MEDIA | one or two 5''1/4 disk-drive (720k), and one hard-disk (10, 15, 20 or 40Mb) |
| OS | CP/M 2.2, M/MP-80, OASIS |
| POWER SUPPLY | Built-in PSU |
| PERIPHERALS | Hard-disk, streamer, disk-drive, printer |
ACS-586 / 686编辑本段回目录
The ACS-586 was a multipost system which could handle 5 users or more (8) with optional cards. To connect the terminals, there were several RS232 ports at the back of the system, labeled JA, JB, JC, JD, JE, etc... The ports not used by the terminals could be used to connect any serial peripheral, i.e. modem or printer. 
The 186 was the first computer from a big company to use Xenix as its native operating system. Xenix was the Microsoft "adaptation" of Unix.
This system was quite well designed with its squashed hexagon shaped box and its thin monitor. These were medium-sized desktop cases, usually beige but often came in custom colors.
A fully-loaded 586 contained four printed-circuit boards.
The main board held the 80186 and 512 KB of RAM; a Z80 I/O processor supporting six serial I/O ports, floppy disc access, and an RN422 LAN; and sundry memory management components allowing the 586 to support Xenix.
A second board held a hard disk and tape controller with an Intel 8089 I/O processor
An optional communication board provided an Ethernet chipset and processors supporting either the X25 or SNA protocols, or four additional serial I/O ports.
The fourth board was an optional memory expansion board providing an additional 512 KB of RAM.
It had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in on the right part of the front panel, and a hard-disk on the left part.
A real-time clock was included with the system. There were 128 semi-graphic symbols available.
The Altos 686 appears to be the same machine as the 586, but with an 80286 processor.
The 186 was the first computer from a big company to use Xenix as its native operating system. Xenix was the Microsoft "adaptation" of Unix.
This system was quite well designed with its squashed hexagon shaped box and its thin monitor. These were medium-sized desktop cases, usually beige but often came in custom colors.
A fully-loaded 586 contained four printed-circuit boards.
The main board held the 80186 and 512 KB of RAM; a Z80 I/O processor supporting six serial I/O ports, floppy disc access, and an RN422 LAN; and sundry memory management components allowing the 586 to support Xenix.
A second board held a hard disk and tape controller with an Intel 8089 I/O processor
An optional communication board provided an Ethernet chipset and processors supporting either the X25 or SNA protocols, or four additional serial I/O ports.
The fourth board was an optional memory expansion board providing an additional 512 KB of RAM.
It had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in on the right part of the front panel, and a hard-disk on the left part.
A real-time clock was included with the system. There were 128 semi-graphic symbols available.
The Altos 686 appears to be the same machine as the 586, but with an 80286 processor.
 |  |
| NAME | ACS-586 / 686 |
| MANUFACTURER | Altos Computer Systems |
| TYPE | Professional Computer |
| ORIGIN | U.S.A. |
| YEAR | January 1983 |
| BUILT IN LANGUAGE | None |
| KEYBOARD | Full-stroke keyboard (108 keys), editing & numeric keypad, 16 function keys |
| CPU | Intel 8086 |
| SPEED | 10 Mhz |
| CO-PROCESSOR | Intel 8089 (I/O), Z80 (Serial ports) |
| RAM | 512 kb (up to 1Mb) |
| ROM | 32 kb |
| TEXT MODES | 40 x 25, 80 x 25, 132 x 40 |
| GRAPHIC MODES | 800 x 325 |
| COLORS | Monochrome |
| I/O PORTS | 6 x RS232, Serial expansion, multibus bus, Ethernet, Altos-Net (RS422) |
| BUILT IN MEDIA | One 5''1/4 disk-drive, 1Mb Winchester hard-disk (10, 30 or 40Mb) |
| OS | Xenix, MP/M-86, Pick, MS-DOS |
| POWER SUPPLY | Built-in PSU |
| PERIPHERALS | 512k RAM expansion, additional RS232 ports (4), network card, second hard-disk, streamer |
| PRICE | $7990 (System with 512 KB RAM, 10 MB hard disk and 1 MB floppy disk) |
参考文献编辑本段回目录
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=516
