The BeBox was a personal computer of the company Incorporated, which was delivered together with the operating system BeOS. The BeBox was a system with two microprocessors (dual processor system) of the type PowerPC, which was Frog Design in a blue Design housing of the company. With it two LED rows at the housing front, which indicated the extent of utilization of the processors, were remarkable.

History

The BeBox was from the outset a multiprocessor system. Originally it should be based on two main header bit processors of AT&T. After the production of the main header bit processor had been however stopped, for a long time before with the manufacturing of the BeBox, selected one was begun as replacement the power PC processor. The first version of the BeBox, which appeared on 3 October 1995, used two processors of the type PowerPC 603 with in each case 66 MHz. Starting from August 1996 two processors were then used of the type PowerPC 603e with 133 MHz clock. On 31 January 1997 it was communicated that the production of the BeBox is stopped. Altogether world-wide about 1000 BeBoxen with 66 MHz processor and about 800 with 133 MHz processor were delivered.

Equipment

The BeBox consisted of two power PC processors, at first with 66 MHz and later with 133 MHz. A Second level Cache was missing however, since the used processor controllers either and its Cache or two processors a processor could administer. For main memories the BeBox made 8 SIMM card locations available, this could maximally with memory latch plates with a capacity by 32 MT be equipped, which permitted a memory development up to 256 MT. Continued to possess the BeBox of 5 ISA and 3 PCI card locations for extension cards. According to standard a diagram map was provided by S3. For the connection the non removable disk and the CD-ROM drive assembly served an nearly SCSI adapter, additionally was still another a floppy disk drive and an IDE adapter present.

At external connections the BeBox made a connection available for DIN keyboards, a PS/2-Anschluss for mouse, four RS232-Schnitstellen, two Joystick connections, two Midi In/Out, three infrared connections, a parallel haven and the GeekPort. The GeekPort was a 37polige interface, which made similar and digital in/exits as well as different operating voltages available. For treatment of clays/tones the BeBox made Cinch sockets for LINE in Out, as well as a Klinkenbuchse available for microphone and headphone. Owing to the CS4231-Codecs von Crystal thereby CD quality was possible at all these entrances and exits.

GeekPort

The GeekPort is a 37poliger connection, different operating voltages, 16 directly programmable I/O lines and four A/D pairs. The scanning rate amounts to 100 kHz those target group was, how the name suggest in interested amateur handicraftsmen, who wanted to extend their computers with built parts.

BeBox and BeOS

On beginning the BeBoxen delivered with the Developer the releases of BeOS it was to be installed problem-free possible also later versions from BeOS to, however only the BeBoxen supported all BeOS starting from revision 6, including BeOS 5. On a newer BeBox an older version of BeOS (before release 3) to install is however not completely simple, since with these early versions frequently the Flash ROM of the BeBox was updated, so that this came with older BeOS versions (before DR7) no longer by right.

Related links

• TheBeBox zone (English)

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Related Websites

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• The BeBox Zone
  Technical Specifications for BeBox components, historical information about BeBox development, and...


• The BeBox Zone - BeBox History
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• The Old BeBox Forums
  A place to discover old conversations about all things BeBox related ... The Old BeBox Forums had 112 members with 599 posts in 208 topics before we moved ...