Convex C1 XL

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System

Company:	Convex
Introduction:	1986
Maximum number of CPUs:	1
uses architecture:	Convex C-Series
can contain:	Convex C1 CPU
System class:	Supercomputer
Contains:	Convex C1 CPU

This Convex C1 XL is one of the systems donated by a Stanford University professor.

The Convex C1 XL was introduced in 1986 as a low-end follow-on to the original C1 (1984). The original C1 consists of a high performance 64-bit custom designed CPU with integrated scalar/vector functions built from 8k CMOS gate arrays. It supports 4 GB of virtual memory and up to 128 MB of physical memory. Capable of delivering 40 MFLOPS (peak). Runs an enhanced version of Berkeley UNIX. Also available is CoVue, an OS extension that offers some VAX/VMS compatibility features: VAX/VMS DCL command language compatibility; DECnet; VAX/EDT compatible text editor; VMS compatible job batch system; Fortran language extensions compatible with VAX and Cray Fortran. The C1 XL is a C1 in a smaller cardcage, with less capability for I/O expansion.

The C1 XL cabinet contains a card-cage (smaller than the one in the XP) at the top left hand corner (14 slots). The power supplies, Multibus card cage and the SPU tape drive and hard disk are built into the right-hand side of the chassis. The main SMD hard drives are sadly missing, so I'm working on an SMD disk emulator to provide these systems with a replacement disk.