Processor Technology Sol-20

From: Gary Oliver <go_at_ao.com>
Date: Tue Mar 3 16:57:19 1998

At 05:27 PM 3/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
>< Does anybody know what the production numbers were for the Processor
>< Technology Sol-20? Also, does anybody know when PT went out of
>< business? Was it due to the Persci drives in the Helios II as I've
>>> snip
>
>crock!
>
>PT like many of the time were susceptable to the volitile market and
>over extended and went under. Good machine and the Persci drives were
>very late in the program when they were nearly gone.
>
>I think the SOL-20 was about 10,000 before the folded.
>
>Allison
>

I would tend to agree.

My company (for a couple years) sold a few Sol-20 systems into a turnkey
business application (before Helios.) We used two Persci drives and a
home-brew disk controller (hey, it was early and we didn't like what was
on the market.) The OS was home-grown, as necessary for the application.
The Persci's performed very well, thank you. Did need the occasional
(about every 6 months) alignment, but it was a quick 10 minute job once
you got the hang of it. The performance of the drives more than made up
for this periodic hassle.

Only problem I had was those &$^%# light bulbs in the track sensor. As they
aged (and near their end of life) the drives got to be real picky about
seeking
long distances. Was really glad when they went to the LED illumination.
Unfortunately that was AFTER our product was dead. Still have a couple of the
(working) drives at home. At least they worked last time I powered up a
couple of years ago. :-)

Gary
 
Received on Tue Mar 03 1998 - 16:57:19 GMT