Access Computer
Encyclopedia
Access Computer was the common name for the Access Matrix a lug
gable computer
introduced in 1982 by a United States
computer company 'Access Matrix Corp' (AM CORP on FCC documentation). The company was shortly renamed 'Actrix Computer Corp' due to copyright
issues, and the name of the computer-line was changed to Actrix - see Actrix. Actrix appears to mean "'Access maTrix".
, a 7" built-in amber CRT
monitor, and a built-in 80 CPS Epson MX80 dot matrix
printer with GRAFTRAX-80 chipset. It used the CP/M
operating system
, and also included a Bell-103 300baud modem
with both acoustic-coupled and direct connections. Additional connectors for IEEE-488 (external hard disk), composite monitor, RS2-32 serial and Centronics parallel were provided. The mainboard has a 50-pin header that was designed to support 8-inch disk drives (4 heads on two double-sided disks - drive letters C:/D: and E:/F:)
, CBASIC
, the Perfect-series office software, Personal Pearl database and Fancy Font markup/formatting system. Custom-written software included a disk format/verify/duplication utility (DISKU.COM) that worked with both the internal A:/B: drives as well as optional external 8" disks (C:/D: and E:/F:). A custom-written Telecommunications utility (TELCOMU.COM) offered dialup address book, basic terminal emulation, XMODEM/Modem7 file transfer and other features for connection to BBS
and other online systems or to operate as a drone to receive files uploaded from other computers.
Apparently the system was popular with journalists who could use the inbuilt "OFFLINE" type-writer mode to create and print simple ad-hoc single-page documents ready for immediate faxing to HQ from their hotel lobby. Another option was to combine the word processing and telecommunications features to create a document using the word processing software and immediately upload the document directly to either an online services such as Compuserve or indeed to another 'waiting' Access Matrix at their head office.
The rebadged Actrix DS was presented at the Las Vegas
Comdex
in November 1983. There was another model called the Actrix SS with a 170k 5.25-inch disk drive.
Lug
-Places:* Lug , a Croatian village in Herzegovina* Lug, Bilje, a settlement in Croatian Baranja* Lug, Germany, a municipality in Germany* Ług, Łódź Voivodeship, a village in Poland* Lug , a village in Serbia-Transportation:...
gable computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
introduced in 1982 by a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer company 'Access Matrix Corp' (AM CORP on FCC documentation). The company was shortly renamed 'Actrix Computer Corp' due to copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
issues, and the name of the computer-line was changed to Actrix - see Actrix. Actrix appears to mean "'Access maTrix".
Hardware
The Access Computer had dual 5.25inch floppy drives (either 320k-DS or 168k-SS) a detachable keyboardComputer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
, a 7" built-in amber CRT
Cathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
monitor, and a built-in 80 CPS Epson MX80 dot matrix
Dot matrix
A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional array of LED used to represent characters, symbols and images.Typically the dot matrix is used in older computer printers and many digital display devices. In printers, the dots are usually the darkened areas of the paper...
printer with GRAFTRAX-80 chipset. It used the CP/M
CP/M
CP/M was a mass-market operating system created for Intel 8080/85 based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, and also included a Bell-103 300baud modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
with both acoustic-coupled and direct connections. Additional connectors for IEEE-488 (external hard disk), composite monitor, RS2-32 serial and Centronics parallel were provided. The mainboard has a 50-pin header that was designed to support 8-inch disk drives (4 heads on two double-sided disks - drive letters C:/D: and E:/F:)
Software
Access Matrix came bundled with MBASICMBASIC
MBASIC is the Microsoft BASIC implementation of BASIC for the CP/M operating system. MBASIC is a descendant of the original Altair BASIC interpreters that were among Microsoft's first products. MBASIC was one of the two versions of BASIC bundled with the Osborne 1 computer...
, CBASIC
CBASIC
CBASIC is a compiled version of the BASIC programming language written for the CP/M operating system by Gordon Eubanks in 1976–77. It is an enhanced version of BASIC-E, his master's thesis project.-History:...
, the Perfect-series office software, Personal Pearl database and Fancy Font markup/formatting system. Custom-written software included a disk format/verify/duplication utility (DISKU.COM) that worked with both the internal A:/B: drives as well as optional external 8" disks (C:/D: and E:/F:). A custom-written Telecommunications utility (TELCOMU.COM) offered dialup address book, basic terminal emulation, XMODEM/Modem7 file transfer and other features for connection to BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
and other online systems or to operate as a drone to receive files uploaded from other computers.
Market
Although not truly portable the all-in-one design did allow for quick setup and shut-down. It was rugged and although weighing 15 kg, it was reasonably easy to transport in a car or in an aircraft's coat- locker. The Access Matrix had option of a padded cloth bag with shoulder-strap or a heavier-duty leather/cloth bound protective case with carry handle and shoulder-strap.Apparently the system was popular with journalists who could use the inbuilt "OFFLINE" type-writer mode to create and print simple ad-hoc single-page documents ready for immediate faxing to HQ from their hotel lobby. Another option was to combine the word processing and telecommunications features to create a document using the word processing software and immediately upload the document directly to either an online services such as Compuserve or indeed to another 'waiting' Access Matrix at their head office.
The rebadged Actrix DS was presented at the Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
Comdex
COMDEX
COMDEX was a computer expo held in Las Vegas, Nevada, each November from 1979 to 2003. It was one of the largest computer trade shows in the world, usually second only to the German CeBIT, and by many accounts one of the largest trade shows in any industry sector...
in November 1983. There was another model called the Actrix SS with a 170k 5.25-inch disk drive.