Acorn A7000
Encyclopedia
The A7000 and A7000+ were Acorn Computers
Acorn Computers
Acorn Computers Ltd. was a British computer company established in Cambridge, England, in 1978. The company produced a number of computers which were especially popular in the UK. These included the Acorn Electron, the BBC Micro, and the Acorn Archimedes...
's entry level computer based on the Risc PC
Risc PC
The RiscPC was Acorn Computers's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched on 15 April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes. The Acorn PC card and software allows PC compatible software to be run....
architecture. Launched in 1995, they replaced some of the models of the Acorn Archimedes
Acorn Archimedes
The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly...
range. After the breakup of Acorn Computers in 1998, Castle Technology
Castle Technology
Castle Technology Ltd. is a British limited company engaged in computer software and IT consulting. It produced and sold ARM computers, and sold the Acorn-branded range of desktop computers that run RISC OS. Prior to Acorn's demise, it was the largest of their dealerships...
bought the rights to continue production of the A7000+. The A7000 used the ARM7500 system on chip which combined the separate ARM CPU, MMU, VIDC20 video chip and IOMD IO controller of the Risc PC into a single chip.
Specifications and technical details
- CPU: A7000, ARM7500 clocked at 32 MHz. A7000+, ARM7500FE, with hardware floating point unit, clocked at 48 MHz or 56 MHz (Castle A7000+).
- Memory type: 4 MiB FPM (8 MiB EDO A7000+) motherboard mounted and, 1 SIMMSIMMA SIMM, or single in-line memory module, is a type of memory module containing random access memory used in computers from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. It differs from a dual in-line memory module , the most predominant form of memory module today, in that the contacts on a SIMM are redundant...
slot, supporting a maximum memory size of 132 MiB (136 MiB A7000+). - Video subsystem: VIDC20 controller integrated into ARM7500 core, display memory is shared with main memory.
- Expansion: One Eurocard-sized PodulePodulePodule is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Sędziejowice, within Łask County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland.-References:...
support in common with Archimedes-seriesAcorn ArchimedesThe Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly...
machines. One internal network card socket. - Case: One 3.5 inch bay, with floppy drive, one 5.25 inch bay for a CD-ROMCD-ROMA CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
. Note, only one of a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM or an Eurocard Podule could be fitted. - Ports: RS-232RS-232In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
Serial, Parallel, PS/2PS/2 connectorThe PS/2 connector is a 6-pin Mini-DIN connector used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987...
keyboard, PS/2 mouse, headphone audio out, DE15D-subminiatureThe D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems....
VGA, network (optional). - Dimensions, HxWxD: 102 x 357 x 283 mm
- Operating System: RISC OSRISC OSRISC OS is a computer operating system originally developed by Acorn Computers Ltd in Cambridge, England for their range of desktop computers, based on their own ARM architecture. First released in 1987, under the name Arthur, the subsequent iteration was renamed as in 1988...
3.60 (A7000), RISC OS 3.71 (A7000+). RISC OS 4 is available as a replacement for the Acorn-implemented versions which came fitted as standard. Alternatively NetBSDNetBSDNetBSD is a freely available open source version of the Berkeley Software Distribution Unix operating system. It was the second open source BSD descendant to be formally released, after 386BSD, and continues to be actively developed. The NetBSD project is primarily focused on high quality design,...
or ARM LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
(historically)
Milestones
1995 - A7000 launched, featuring a 32 MHz ARM7500 processor.1997 - A7000+ launched, featuring a 48 MHz ARM7500FE processor.
1998 - Acorn Computers is broken up and Castle Technology buys the rights to continue A7000+ production.