SPARCclassic
{{Short description|Sun Microsystems workstation model}}
{{no footnotes|date=August 2009}}
{{Infobox computing device
| name = SPARCclassic
| aka = 4/15
| codename = Sunergy{{efn|The SPARCstation LX shares the code-name Sunergy with the low-end range of SPARCclassic, SPARCclassic X, and SPARCstation ZX.{{Cite web|url=http://www.shrubbery.net/~heas/sun-feh-2_1/Systems/SUNERGY/SUNERGY_TOC.html|title=Sun-4/10/15/30 Handbook - Contents|website=www.shrubbery.net}}}}
| logo =
| image = Sun sparcclassic 1.jpg
| developer = Sun Microsystems
| manufacturer = Sun Microsystems
| family = SPARCstation
| type = Workstation
| release date = {{start date|1991|11|10}}
| availability = December 1992
| lifespan =
| price = US$4,495
| units sold =
| os = {{flatlist|
}}
| power =
| cpu = microSPARC at 50 MHz
| memory = 16–96 MB
| storage =
| display =
| graphics =
| sound =
| input =
| connectivity =
| dimensions =
| weight =
| successor = SPARCstation 4
| related = SPARCstation LX
}}
The SPARCclassic (Sun 4/15) is a workstation introduced by Sun Microsystems. It is based on the sun4m architecture, and is enclosed in a lunchbox chassis. It was unveiled on November 10, 1992, along with the SPARCstation LX; both were marketed at the low end of the Unix workstation market. The SPARCclassic had an original retail price of {{US$|4495}} ({{inflation|US|4495|1992|fmt=eq}}).{{cite journal | last=Fisher | first=Susan E. | date=November 9, 1992 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A12756142/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=940f7d98 | title=It's show time for RISC; DEC to debut Alpha systems, as Sun, HP wait in wings | work=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=9 | issue=45 | pages=1 et seq. | via=Gale}}{{cite news | last=Andrews | first=Paul | date=November 10, 1992 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/384301312/ | title=Sun Rises to Market with New Workstations | work=Seattle Times | page=2 | via=ProQuest}}
Specifications
=CPU support=
The SPARCclassic incorporates a single 50 MHz microSPARC processor.
= Memory =
The SPARCclassic has three banks with two DSIMM slots each. The official maximum configuration uses 16 MB modules, but the first bank can also hold 32 MB modules giving a maximum of 96 MB memory.
= Disk drives =
=Network support=
The SPARCclassic comes with an on-board AMD Lance Ethernet chipset providing 10BASE-T networking as standard and 10BASE2 and 10BASE5 via an AUI transceiver. The OpenBoot ROM is able to boot from network, using RARP and TFTP. Like all other SPARCstation systems, the SPARCclassic holds system information such as MAC address and serial number in NVRAM. If the battery on this chip dies, then the system will not be able to boot.
= Dimensions =
Its dimensions are {{convert|9.6|in|cm|abbr=on}} × {{convert|10.4|in|cm|abbr=on}} × {{convert|4.6|in|cm|abbr=on}} {{nowrap|(W × D × H)}}. The weight is {{convert|11|lbs|kg|abbr=on}}.{{cite book |title=SPARCclassic/SPARCclassic X/SPARCstation LX Service Manual |date=November 1993 |publisher=Sun Microsystems, Inc. |page=A-3 |url=https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19127-01/sparc.classic/801-2176-13/801-2176-13.pdf |access-date=10 July 2023}}
Operating systems
Differences between Classic and LX
The SPARCclassic was designed to be an entry-level workstation with a lower price point than the SPARCstation LX; it has a lower-end CG3 framebuffer rather than the LX's accelerated CG6. The SPARCclassic also features 8-bit audio as opposed to 16-bit audio for the LX. The motherboards of the two systems are otherwise similar, and both use the same chassis.
SPARCclassic X
File:Sun SPARCclassic X (1).jpg based on the SPARCclassic workstation]]
In July 1993, Sun introduced the SPARCclassic X, a stripped-down SPARCclassic marketed as an X terminal. It shipped with no local storage, and either 4 or 8 MB of memory.{{cite press release
|url = http://www.taborcommunications.com/archives/1245.html
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093905/http://www.taborcommunications.com/archives/1245.html
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = March 4, 2016
|title = Sun's SPARCclassic X System Is Upgradable to a Workstation
|accessdate = 2012-10-11
|date = June 30, 1993
|publisher = Sun Microsystems, Inc.
}}
Rather than running Solaris, the SPARCclassic X loaded and ran special software over the network.
Sun offered an upgrade kit to a full workstation that included a hard drive and additional memory.
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://obsolyte.com/sun_lx/ Obsolyte: SPARCstation Classic and LX]
- [http://www.sunstuff.org/hardware/systems/sun4/sun4m/SPARCstationClassic/ Parts List for SPARCstation Classic]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091129232625/http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/sparc.classic?l=en&a=view Official Sun Documentation]
{{Sun Microsystems}}