Architecture

 Multistation VS IBM PC

 Multistation
 IBM PC
CPU
 i8086 8MHz
 i8088 4.77MHz
Memory
 Min 256KB
Max 512KB
 Min 16KB
Max 256KB
Diskette
 2DD 640KB
1 - 3 Drives
 2D 360KB
None - 2 Drives
Screen
 Japanese Display
Adapter
 Option
MDA,CGA etc.
Resolution
 1024 x 768(24dot)
720 x 512(16dot)
 640 x 200 etc.
Parallel Port
 Built-in
 Option
Serial Port
 Option
 Option
OS
 Japanese DOS
(Kanji DOS)
 DOS
CP/M-86
UCSD p-system

    Generally it is working for the improvement in the ability though it occurs
    to pass from the appearance rest of IBM PC for several years.

    The high resolution to indicate Japanese with 24 dot is especially
    characteristic.

    When the next high resolution standard of VGA is developed in IBM,
    the resolution of the Multistation was adopted.
    It is a famous story.

    As for the resolution of 16 dot edition, even the expansion indication
    mode of JX was adopted.

 The structure of indication of Kanji
    It is fundamental specifications it has the font of the Kanji, and adds a font
    to the memory more than software and to indicate it on the hardware.

    The Kanji font card of the option must be built in in this inside of the body
    by the model.

    A Kanji font card became a Kanji ROM more than the model of the middle,
    and came to be carried by the standard.

    There is a thing which a DOS/V after that understands in this structure.

    But, it seems that it was not a rare method separately to make it indicate
    a Kanji on the graphic screen even if those days were taken because it
    had already been adopted with Multi-16 of Mitsubishi Electric corp.

    An indication speed is thought to be very late with the management speed
    of the CPU having been slow when a Kanji font card isn't attached because
    there were a few memories.

 In such cases as the bus and the interface
    A really different individual bus is adopted with IBM PC and MCA after that
    as well.
    Therefore perfectly lacks the compatibility of the Adapter kind.
　It lacks compatibility by the individual thing even if it is attached to the
    display and the keyboard.
    A parallel interface lacks compatibility with the MCA machine with a big
    connector of 36 pin, too.
    As for the cereal interface, the beginning was built in in the model of the rest
    by the option.

  The example of the Adapter card
5250AdapterCard

    5250 Workstation Adapter
      Note
          This Adapter is the type of the old model which 2 slot is used.

  Interface
Interface
       The left  Display            The right  Keyboard
          (monochrome)

Self-diagnostic function
    Multistation had a self-diagnostic function.
    There were BAT(Basic Assurance Test) and RNA(Resident Nom Automatic)
    test in the diagnostic function.

    BAT was carried out automatically at the time of the power supply injection of
    the system unit.
    When the power is turned on, the logo of "IBM" is indicated, and a number is
    indicated and counted.
    System program was boot when the count of that number was finished.

    There is the following example in the manual of 5540 as an error code.
    Sorry to say, there are no materials any further.

        Only one number is indicated.          There is a wrong point in the system unit.
        1XXX, 3XXX and CXXX                  There is a wrong point in the system unit.
        A111                                                    Keyboard-cable comes off.
                                                                     There is a wrong point in the keyboard-cable.
        A112 and A1D1                                 There is a wrong point in the device of either
                                                                      one.
        The mark of the key is indicated.      A safety protection lock is locked.
                                                                      There is a wrong point in the system unit.
        FFF2                                                     Test-switch is the condition of "Test".
        F0XX                                                    The wrong point of the memory or shortage.
        FXXX                                                    There is a problem in the program.
                                                                       There was unusual interruption.

    RNA test came to start only when "Test switch" in the rear of the system unit was
    moved to the test side.
    If RNA test started, the item that it was diagnosed more than a menu was chosen,
    and it came to do the test of each department of the hardware.

The function of RNA test (manual of 5540 M/P)
Test No.
 The contents of a test
0
  If the diskette for dumping is put into a diskette drive, the contents of a
 memory will be written in the diskette.

 An option card etc. can be tested if a system diskette or a diagnostic
 diskette is put into the Diskette Drive 1.
1
  Character attribute display
2
  Graphics mode display
3
  APA(All Point Addressable) test
4
  Diskette Drive 1 test
5
  Diskette Drive 2 test
9
  The test of the memory backed up by the lithium battery
10
  Printer cuff test
11
  Data printing test
12
  BAT starting
13
  Memory test
14
  Font ROM test

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