digilog 800 protocol analyser

Brent Hilpert hilpert at cs.ubc.ca
Thu Apr 24 18:45:27 CDT 2008


I received a Digilog 800 protocol analyser a while ago. It's essentially a
portable/luggable (50 lbs(!)) multibus-based computer from 1985 with:

  - built-in 10" colour monitor
  - flip-down keyboard
  - ST-2<something> hard-disk (ST-225?)
  - 3.5" floppy
  - 6-slot multibus backplane
  - three(!) 80186 CPUs along with an AMD 29116 and an 8085.
 
The multibus boards all appear to be of proprietary design, rather than 
some off-the-shelf boards.
I don't know why there are so many 80186's. I suppose one might construe
it as an unintended comment on the computing power of the '186.

A little googling finds some period marketing info:
  "the model 800 operates at 256 kb/s, is equipped with a 10-Mb Winchester disk
  and has nine soft-function keys and a 10.5-inch color CRT."
and refers to it as a "4th generation protocol analyser".

Powered up it goes though a couple of self-tests, fails on a Winchester boot
problem, requests a system floppy be inserted (which of course I don't have)
and hangs, and of course I received no manuals.

On the one hand it was pretty good stuff for it's time, might be an
interesting architecture, and speaks to a particular time and need in networking
development.
On the other hand, the lack of docs, complexity, and limited and outdated target
application leave me with difficulty coming up with a compelling reason not 
to scrap it.

Anyone know anything more about it, or have any interest in it?
(location is Vancouver, B.C. area)




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