Felix PC
The Felix PC was an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer developed as a laboratory model at the Politehnica University of Bucharest (Computer Science Department) between 1983 and 1984, then taken over by ICE Felix for series production from 1985 to 1990. A comparable system was the Junior manufactured by FEPER.
Hardware
The Felix PC had a modular design and could be configured as either an 8-bit or 16-bit system, depending on the microprocessor used (Intel 8088 or Intel 8086). Its modular architecture allowed it to serve both as a general-purpose computer and in specialized applications with appropriate hardware extensions.
The base module included:
- Intel 8086/8088 processor with optional Intel 8087 math coprocessor;
- 256 KB RAM;
- 8–64 KB EPROM;
- disk controller for 5¼- or 8-inch floppy disk drives;
- interfaces for keyboard, serial printer, asynchronous/synchronous communication, cassette recorder, and tone generator;
- real-time clock, programmable counters, interrupt system, DMA channel;
- expansion slots and peripheral connectors.
The system clock ran at 5 MHz (machine cycle 800 ns, I/O cycle 1 μs). The optional Intel 8087 coprocessor accelerated floating-point operations by approximately two orders of magnitude.
Over the course of production, the Felix PC was supplied with CGA, Hercules, and EGA graphics cards. From 1988, configurations with 20 MB Winchester hard drives were also available.
Price: 150,000 lei (1988).
Software
The software platform was based on IBM PC DOS and MS-DOS (versions 3.0–3.3) and included:
- system programs for user interface, file management, and diagnostics;
- execution and debugging tools;
- assembler and BASIC translator;
- BASIC interpreter with graphics functions;
- development environments for Pascal, C, Prolog, Edison, and Modula-2;
- application software for CAD, word processing, databases, data acquisition, graphics, and accounting.
Compatibility with established systems (IBM PC XT, IBM PS/2 Model 30, Sanyo 550, Olivetti M24, and others) ensured access to a wide range of available software.
External links
- Microcalculatorul FELIX PC (PDF, Romanian; archived version)
See also
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