After launching its Black Box III 68020-based multiprocessor systems based on hardware from Counterpoint Computer Corp in January, British micro manufacturer Rair Ltd – owned by Technology for Business Plc, which in turn is now owned by CLF Group Plc – is extending its OEM agreement with the company (now owned by the ambitious Taiwanese Acer Corporation) with the addition of the low-end multiprocessing system, which was announced by Counterpoint back in February. The Black Box II is a smaller, floor-standing unit that is targeted at the four- to 12-user market, and has an entry-level price of UKP31,950. Using a 20MHz 80386 processor, with optional floating point, the system is based on the AT bus structure, but also includes an intelligent input-output host controller and up to four intelligent eight-port terminal processors, which are based on the Motorola 68000 microprocessor. The new low-end machine supports up to 34 users, and includes the Merge/386 MS-DOS-tasks under-Unix product from Locus Computing. The new system was launched on the first day of the European Unix User Show.
