website/content/museum/altos-computer-systems-acs-580.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Altos Computer Systems ACS-580	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1981	Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread adverts oc_id source ACS-580 /media/museum/photos/altos_580_1.jpg /companies/altos-computer-systems Altos Computer Systems label value NAME ACS-580 label value MANUFACTURER Altos Computer Systems label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR ? 1981 label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with numeric and editing keypads, 16 function keys, 108 keys label value CPU Z80A label value SPEED 3,5 Mhz ? label value RAM 192k (max. 256k) label value ROM 4k label value TEXT MODES 40 x 25, 80 x 25, 132 x 40 label value GRAPHIC MODES 800 x 325 label value SOUND Beeper label value I/O PORTS Five, four or three RS232 ports (depending on models), RGB video out, Centronics, TV video output label value BUILT IN MEDIA one or two 5''1/4 disk-drive (720k), and one hard-disk (10, 15, 20 or 40Mb) label value OS CP/M 2.2, M/MP-80, OASIS label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU label value PERIPHERALS Hard-disk, streamer, disk-drive, printer adverts 510 title subtitle text image OEMS WANTED /media/museum/pubs/altos_acs580_pub_1.jpg 516 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230603211506/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=516 2023-06-03

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.

Picture courtesy of Gaby's CP/M Homepage.