Conference 7.286::digital

Contact John Kane (MR1MI1::JKane) about the AlphaHPB.  He is the product 
manager.  Data sheet EC-F5561-56.

Al Cook


    

    The AlphaPC 64 is a product that Digital Semiconductor is shipping
    as a motherboard. This product is currently shipping in volume and some
    of our customers are integrating these motherboards in their systems and 
    shipping. One may run openVMS, digital UNIX and WNT on the AlphaPC 64.
    
    For more information please contact David Jessel, product manager at
    chipbz::jessel and DTN 225-5409.
    
    Bhanu Nanduri
    Digital Semiconductor 
	

	Can't it also run Linux for Alpha??

							mike

    re .0

    This is in addition to the previous replies. AlphaPC64 was introduced
    as an evaluation board by Digital semiconductor. Till now they call it
    as evaluation board. This board was introduced by DS to enable them to
    sell the Alpha CHIPS. As I understand it, Digital semiconductor is in
    the CHIP business. Their charter is NOT board business. However since
    they have NOT signed up any significant major OEM to buy CHIPS, they
    seems to have been trying to enter the board business. I have not seen
    any official announcement from DS stating their charter has changed and 
    now they will boards. I suspect in the long term Digital Management will 
    allow DS to enter the board business in volume !! ( But I may be wrong ).

    Regarding operating systems support, it runs on Alpha NT. However IHMO,
    support for UNIX and Open VMS is some what questionable. In the case of
    UNIX, while this board is said to be qualified for UNIX, there are
    several issues around Firmware and options. According to USG this board 
    runs UNIX , However all the options are not fully qualified as we do in
    other Digital products.The scenario is much cloudier in terms of Open VMS
    support for this board. According to one source Open VMS runs on this
    board. But No options are qualified. 

    E&Rt group ( formerly known as TOEM ) within Components division will be 
    productizing this board under the trade name AlphaHPB in the embedded
    as well as the PC clone space.

    If you need additional information on Alpha HPB,send mail to Mike Ritz 
    @ MRO ( MROA::RITZ) or Enrique Mitman @ MRO ( MROA::MITMAN) or myself.
                           
    Jay Srinivasan
    OEM Technology Group - E&Rt
      

    
    Thank you for the information.
    
    Laurie
    

    
    Linux is just in the final stages of being released for ALPHA.
    
    Mark W.

    There's a brochure on AlphaHPB accessible via VTX IR. The IR entry
    should have contact details.

re.6:

>    Linux is just in the final stages of being released for ALPHA.

Do you mean 'officially' released? By whom?

Thanks,
Dave.

RE: .8

	Probably best answered in the Linux conference. When I was
	following it a while back, there was a 32-bit port of the
	current Linux source to Alpha. That was being done by someone
	in DEC. There was also a 64-bit port being done by Linus.

	Where that all is nowadays, I'm not sure.

							mike

	This may sound picky but, why was the "AlphaPC 64" name dumped for "AlphaHPB"?
	The first name is more obvious and rolls off the tongue smoother than the 
	second one does. What does "HPB" stand for anyway? 

	High Performance Board?
	Help, Please Buy? 
	High Priced Bomb?

	Does anyone know?

	-D- 

>This may sound picky but, why was the "AlphaPC 64" name dumped for "AlphaHPB"?

It wasn't dumped.  They are different products for different markets.  Both
are being sold.  If you would rather buy the AlphaPC 64, go for it.

>What does "HPB" stand for anyway? 

>	High Performance Board?

Right first time.  The name can't be that bad.  :-)

    Contact Jon "maddog" Hall (xirtlu::hall) in UNIX Product Marketing for
    info on LINUX and Digital's position/activities.
    
    Mark
    

    I am interested in these board PCs for an industrial application. Is
    there any notes files available for either the AlphaPC 64 or AlphaHPB?
    
    thanks,
     ted

There is a restricted notes conference  mroa::sbc the moderator is Harold
Hager mroa::hager.  You may want to try helix::realtime.  There are some 
discussions there.

Al Cook

    
Note the excerpt from the Boston Globe article on Mac clones.
    
     ... the new Power PC, called the PowerWave 604/150, is the
     first to be equipped with a 150 MHz microprocessor, which company
     officials say is the fastest chip now made.  
     
    I guess even the local technical reporters aren't aware of Alpha and
    Alpha PCs.
    
Cheers,
Paul
    
    
    
<><><><><><><><>  T h e   V O G O N   N e w s   S e r v i c e  <><><><><><><><>

 Edition : 3424               Friday  3-Nov-1995            Circulation :  4550 

...

VNS COMPUTER NEWS:                            [Tracy Talcott, VNS Computer Desk]
==================                            [Nashua, NH, USA                 ]
...

 Power Computing Corp. - Unveils Mac clones
        {The Boston Globe, 30-Oct-95, p. 13}
   Power Computing, maker of the first Apple Macintosh clones,  will unveil
 today what it bills as the world's fastest PC.  Based on the Macintosh
 operating platform, the new Power PC, called the PowerWave 604/150, is the
 first to be equipped with a 150 MHz microprocessor, which company officials
 say is the fastest chip now made.  The PowerWave 604/150 is one of three new
 Mac clones the company will introduce today.  Each is equipped with the 604
 RISC PowerPC chip.  The models, which will be shipped in November, carry price
 tags from $3,199 to $4,499.  The company is also introducing an innovative
 system called Stargate technology that will let buyers choose the type of
 expansion slots with which their new machines will be equipped.  The standard
 Apple expansion slots, called NUBUS, is being replaced by a more modern
 architecture called PCI that Apple claims is faster and more reliable.
 However, users who have invested thousands of dollars in peripherals based on
 the NUBUS technology cannot use them with the new Apple Power PCs with PCI
 slots.  Power Computing will ship the new models with varying combinations of
 PCI and NUBUS clots depends on the users' needs.  "This is really responsive
 to our customers and a really neat compromise," said Geff Burr, director of
 marketing for Power Computing.  "If users later want to switch to all PCI
 expansion slots they can just pull out the Stargate card to do it."

...

Paul:

> Note the excerpt from the Boston Globe article on Mac clones.
> 
> ... the new Power PC, called the PowerWave 604/150, is the
> first to be equipped with a 150 MHz microprocessor, which company
> officials say is the fastest chip now made.  
> 
> I guess even the local technical reporters aren't aware of Alpha and
> Alpha PCs.
    
  Sometimes you need to read with context. "...fastest [PowerPC] chip
  made..." is certainly true.
                                   Atlant


P.S.: Even "...fastest [mass market] chip made.." is possibly true,
      much to our disgrace.

>> ... the new Power PC, called the PowerWave 604/150, is the
>> first to be equipped with a 150 MHz microprocessor, which company
>> officials say is the fastest chip now made.  

Isn't the Pentium Pro the fastest chip in production?

Dave.

    Well, you'll have to define "production"...
    
    				-John

  ...And "fastest". And probably even "chip".

                                   Atlant