website/content/museum/actrix-ds.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Actrix DS	Computers	Transportable	U.S.A.	1983	Z80A - Optional Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs forum_thread oc_id source Actrix DS /media/museum/photos/actrix_ds_1.jpg /companies/actrix ACTRIX label value NAME Actrix DS label value MANUFACTURER Actrix label value TYPE Transportable label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1983 label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad and 15 function keys label value CPU Z80A - Optional Intel 8088 label value CO-PROCESSOR Second Z-80A for CRT, real time clock, keyboard interface; 8741 and 8749 printer controllers, 8749 keyboard scanner label value RAM 64 KB or 256 KB with the 8088 processor label value ROM Unknown label value TEXT MODES Full 96 ASCII upper and lower case, high resolution text characters. 7x9 character matrix in a 9x11 block with descenders label value GRAPHIC MODES 64 graphic characters label value COLORS Monochrome amber label value SOUND Unknown label value SIZE / WEIGHT 33 pounds label value I/O PORTS Two RS-232C with software selectable baud rate (61-9600)\ Parallel with Centronics compatible and bi-directional modes\ One IEEE-488\ Composite video out jack\ 8'' external disk drive interface (optional) label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 5''1/4 disk-drives (350 KB each) label value OS CP/M 80, CP/M 2.2\ With optional 8088 : CP/M 86, MS-DOS label value POWER SUPPLY 95 to 135 VAC or 190 to 270 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz (110 or 240 selectable). label value PERIPHERALS 80 CPS bi-directional impact dot matrix: 40-80 characters per line; full graphics capability. Came with optional tractor feed.\ MODEMS: 300-baud acoustic coupler and Direct-Connect label value PRICE 3090$ (USA, november 1983) 496 502 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230415070620/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=502 2023-04-15

This transportable computer was originally produced by Access Matrix Corporation, San Jose, CA. The Company name then changed to Actrix Corporation. The machine was thus named Access, then Actrix.

It had a built-in printer (132 characters, 80 cps, using normal paper 20cm wide) and an acoustic modem (300 and 1200 baud). The rubber cups (to put the phone handset in) are located behind the printer paper.

It also had a monochrome built-in monitor and two 5''1/4 disk-drives (360kb each).

The Actrix DS used a Z80A processor but was also equipped with an optional Intel 8088 card for IBM-PC compatibility.

It shipped with several software:
CP/M 2.2 operating Sytem
Microsoft M Basic (w/8088 co-processor
Digital Research C Basic
Communications
Perfect Writer, Perfect Speller, Perfect Filer, Perfect Calc
Access Font, and Access Language
Personal Perle
Money Maestro
Hard case or soft, padded case were optional.

The Actrix DS was presented at the Las-Vegas Comdex in November 1983. There was another model called the Actrix SS with a 170k 5''1/4 disk-drive. Actrix seems to mean "ACcess maTRIX"•

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Phil adds:
Lousy marketing . . . they spend big bucks promoting this great machine to the sports watchers (superbowl, etc.) and most of these guys probably still can't spell computer.
Also wasted money on Defending, and then loosing ACTRIX name / trademark.
Hooked one up to a giant 10 Meg. Hard drive (IEEE 488 port) which had to be partitioned to two 5 meg. partitions.
Fancy Font enabled built in Epson FX / MX 80 printer to produce almost true type output (but the screen just showed a bunch of formatting code inserted between text.

PC compatible model, by Frank Barberis:
Actrix also produced a fully IBM compatible version. It had 9" amber screen, grey scale graphics, 24 pin dot matrix printer (Citizen), full size keyboard, 20/40 meg HDD, and 80286 processor. It weighed in about 38lbs, came with carring cloth carring case. I believe about 100 were sold.