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February 8, 1989
RADIO SHACK ADDS 33MHz COMPUTER TO TANDY 4000 FAMILY OF 386
PRODUCTS
Rounds out 386 Line with 16, 20, 25MHz Systems
NEW YORK -- Radio Shack, a division of Tandy Corporation, announced today its
most powerful PC, the Tandy 4033 LX computer, utilizing the industry standard
architecture and Intel's 386 microprocessor operating at 33 megahertz (MHz).
TANDY 4033 LX COMPUTER The 4033 LX is designed for application-intensive,
multi-user environments and the most demanding business applications, such as
computer-aided design, advanced software development, statistical analysis and
large database applications. It's speed and features also make it an ideal
network file server.
It combines high-speed static memory with a memory cache controller, 16-bit
video graphics array (VGA) adapter and SmartDrive Intelligent Drive Electronics
(IDE) technology for superior speed and performance.
This combination of high-performance features delivers more than two-and-a-half
times improvement in CPU intensive applications over 16 MHz 386 CPU-based
systems.
The potential of the 4033 LX is maximized under powerful operating environments
such as SCO UNIX 386 operating system and Open Desktop operating environment,
from The Santa Cruz Operation, while supporting multiple tasks under the MS
OS/2 operating system as well as the broad base of MS-DOS-based software.
The 4033 LX includes the Intel 82385 memory cache controller and 32 kilobytes
(KB) of cache memory operating at 20 nanoseconds (ns). When combined with the
standard two megabytes (MB) of dynamic random access memory (RAM), the 4033 LX
achieves an effective zero wait state performance.
Standard configuration of the Tandy 4033 LX computer includes 2MB of the more
widely available 100ns Single In-Line Memory Modules (SIMMs) and is expandable
to 16MB. Also included is the Tandy Expanded Memory Manager that enables MS-DOS
applications to access memory beyond the traditional 640KB memory boundary.
This program emulates the LIM 4.0 expanded memory specification.
Other standard features include one 3.5-inch, 1.44MB floppy disk drive with
room for three additional devices, a socket for an optional 33MHz 387 or Weitek
coprocessor, five available 16-bit expansion slots plus two 32-bit proprietary
memory slots, VGA graphics, 200-watt power supply, 101-key enhanced keyboard
with tactile feedback, keylock, asynchronous serial port, mouse port, and
bi-directional parallel port.
An industry-standard SmartDrive IDE connector permits hard drives with
integrated AT-type controllers to plug directly into the system eliminating the
need to use an expansion slot for a controller. Embedded controllers assure the
user of complete compatibility between the drive and controller resulting in
increased performance.
Another innovative feature included in the entire line of LX series 386
CPU-based products is Tandys new ProSlot technology. This design places the
CPU, cache controller, cache memory and coprocessor socket on a separate card
to maximize flexibility in the manufacturing process. This design also allows
for a small footprint measuring 6.5 x 15.75 x 17 (HxWxD) inches.
"In the future, Tandy's ProSlot technology offers upgrade potential as new
processor technologies emerge," explained Howard Elias, vice president of
Computer Merchandising, Radio Shack.
Expansion options include floppy drives in capacities of 360KB, 720KB, 1.2MB
and 1.44MB. SmartDrive options are available in 40MB and 80MB capacities. For
applications that demand even higher performance from a hard drive, Tandy
offers Small Computer Device Interface (SCSI) drives in capacities from 40MB to
344MB as well as a 150MB Enhanced System Device Interface (ESDI) hard drive.
Software utilities included with the system provide password protection for
powering on and keyboard lockout.
Scheduled for March, the Tandy 4033 LX computer (Cat. No 25-5130) has a
suggested retail price of $5,999.