Hyperion EX chassis

Hyperion EX chassis

computer hardware: extension module

The design of the Dynalogic Hyperion desktop computer began soon after the introduction of the IBM PC in 1981. Because the Hyperion was designed to be IBM PC compatible,  hardware configurations of both the Hyperion and the IBM PC were similar. However, in March 1983, soon after the Hyperion appeared on the market, IBM released an improved version of its PC--the XT--with new hardware features such as an internal hard drive and eight expansion slots, features not offered by the Hyperion. To remain competitive, Bytec Management Corp.--the manufacturer of the Hyperion--announced the Hyperion EX expansion chassis the following month. The Expansion Chassis provided room for up to seven IBM compatible expansion cards, and a 5, 10, or 20 Mbyte hard disk.

The EX expansion chassis directly connected to the Hyperion's expansion connector located at the back of the computer.  It not only provided so needed hard drive storage and expansion slots but it also allowed the use of sophisticated operating systems such as QNX.

The Hyperion EX was released in late 1983. The data concerning the unit in the museum's collection is given below.

Model number: 4001

Serial number:  437

Manufacturing date: October, 1984

Installed hardware:

• 20 Mbyte MiniScribe hard drive,
• Mountain hard drive controller card,
• 512 Kbytes RAM card,
• US Robotics MICRO-LINK 2400 modem card, Rev. B,
• Async I/O card, SIB8408,
• Bytec Hyperion I/O Interface card, PWA 100075-00

Donated by George Brown College, Toronto

Bytec

1983-85