Brisbane, Queensland-based Anvil Designs Pty Ltd first demonstrated its intelligent input-output subsystem for PS/2 based systems on the IBM stand at UniForum in February, and has now announced its availability in the UK, via PC Distribution Ltd of Birmingham, which already sells input-output subsystems for the RT. The Australian claims that the Anvil OnBoard2 consume less than 1% of processor power with 16 users hooked up, compared with up to 30% per terminal on typical dumb controllers. The improvement is attributed to the board’s Advanced Terminal Architecture, which copies data from a user application directly to the input-output controller, bypassing the processor-intensive Unix terminal system. A standard OnBoard2 has four ports on a single expansion card, with an increase of up to 16 users with add-on units supporting four users each. 16-user versions have a 256Kb dual port RAM, which reduces the need for system buffers. Up to four boards can be added for a theoretical maximum of 64 users, although AIX licences specify a maximum of 16. Prices in the UK start at UKP500 for a four serial port system, with snap-on modules priced at UKP250. Device drivers for SCO Xenix, Interactive 386/ix, Microport Unix and MS-DOS are also available. Anvil has a US subsidiary operation in Santa Clara, California.
