Some general questions about the Gazelle

[MissArgent]

So, I've got some relatively open questions about a certain MS-DOS spawning, mini fridge-sized, terminal-centric, 8088-based S100 system...None other than the SCP Gazelle! I mostly wanna know about how rare they are, What were they like to use, and what the software landscape looked like (particularly in the early QDOS/86-DOS days), mostly. Anyone have any experiences they can relate when they get a chance? The system's piqued my interest but it seems like one'd be a ornery and likely costly acquisition at best if I can even find one. It sorta seems like they'd be something for some time down the road, or probably one of those "interesting, but too expensive to own" sort of machines.

Thanks!

 

[RichCini]

Check out the page on my site where I discuss the Gazelle restoration and recreation project I did http://www.classiccmp.org/cini/gazelle.htm.

I have never seen one in-person but I was able to re-create it from parts. All of the docs and disk images are mirrored on Bitsavers. The individual boards are fairly rare (I haven't been able to determine how large the production runs were) and I think the systems more so.

Rich

 

[MissArgent]

Hmm...that replica you've cooked up looks interesting! Given the scarcity of the real deal, making one of my own would certainly be an option in terms of getting some SCP kit into my collection.

 

[RichCini]

Thanks. My replica is based on one that's in the VCF collection in NJ with a few differences:
* I use higher-density CompuPro memory boards to max out the RAM at either 768 or 832k (I forget). Especially important since...
* ...my TEi enclosure is 12 slots rather than 22
* I have a Quantum Q-540 hard drive formatted with a geometry that matches what's in the driver code
* I have a fully-populated serial card

I waited years to find the CPU Support Card and serial card -- I had the CPU already. Memory boards from CompuPro are available. 8" drives are expensive.


Rich