DY4 Orion V
[Vin5]
The DY4 Orion V was built by DY4 Systems, Inc., a company based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. DY4 was known for specializing in rugged and high-reliability embedded computing systems primarily for military, aerospace, and industrial applications. Their expertise in creating durable systems for extreme conditions made them a trusted supplier in these sectors.
DY4 Systems became a notable player in the defense and aerospace industry before being acquired by Curtiss-Wright Corporation in the early 2000s, which continued developing rugged embedded computing systems based on DY4’s pioneering designs.
- Manufacturer: DY4 Systems Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Type: Embedded computer
- Released: Early 1980s
- MIPS: 0.05 – 0.07 (50-70 KIPS)
Hardware Specifications
- Processor: Zilog Z80 CPU
- Memory: Expandable RAM, typically including 64 KB and up to 256 KB RAM cards (one often used as a RAM disk).
- Storage: Dual full-size 8-inch floppy diskette drives built into the chassis.
- Display: Required external display and keyboard (such as the DY-4 VGT-100)
Operating System & Programming Languages
- CP/M 2.2 operating system
- BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, and assembly language, as well as other languages available for CP/M systems at the time.
Notables
- The DY4 Orion V was designed and manufactured in Ottawa, Canada, by DY-4 Systems Inc., a company founded by four engineers in 1979.
- It featured a modular STD-bus architecture and dual built-in 8″ diskette drives, which was unusual for desktop computers of its era.
- The Orion V could be configured as either a standalone desktop or a rack-mountable system, catering to both laboratory and industrial environments.
- One Orion V in the York University Computer Museum was nicknamed “Pegasus” during its use at the University of Ottawa.
- DY4 products, including the Orion V, were known for their ruggedness and reliability, finding use in harsh environments and critical applications like air traffic control, military command, and aerospace systems.
- The Orion V contributed to DY4’s reputation, helping the company become a global leader in embedded and ruggedized computing, with its technology later used in tanks, submarines, airplanes, and spacecraft worldwide
Donated by: Arlen Michaels