A Review of the Gemini GM6202 ‘AT’ Compatible

by C. Bowden.

Some months ago I received some literature with details of some of Gemini’s new products. In addition to the Challenger series, and the standard 80-BUS products, several interesting new products were listed and described. These included new 80-BUS cards, utilising Z180 (aka 64180), Z280 and 80286 processors, a new RAM-disk with battery backed memory, a Hayes compatible Modem, and a series of colour cards with a high specification and commensurate price.

In addition, two new systems were detailed. One series is based on the Inmos transputer, and it has a very impressive specification. The other system is more likely to be of general interest since it is an IBM ‘AT’ compatible system, and should be able to run all of the standard PC software.

This system is listed as the Gemini GM6000 series, and the prices cover a range of systems, starting with a main system card at £595, and progresses up to a very comprehensive system with a 23ms 140Mb Winnie, VGA Graphics, and a 14″ Colour Monitor, at £3785. These systems (GM61xx) run at 8MHz, but equivalent models with 12MHz processor and compatible RAM (GM62xx) are available at £200 additional cost.

The range includes systems without a Graphics card and Monitor, allowing purchasers to fit their own options. Thus a ‘Basic’ system is available with 1 Mb, 8Mhz card, 49Mb Winnie, 1.2Mb Floppy, and Keyboard, for £1865. (The 44mb, 28ms Winnie now seems to have been superseded by a 49mb, 35ms unit.)

(The prices quoted are based on a Gemini list issued in April 1988.)

Operating systems are extra, and several options are available, with MSDOS, Concurrent DOS, Xenix, and BOS listed.

The prices quoted may seem high, if one is comparing this system with some of the systems advertised in the magazines, but I think that it would be fair to say that the extremely high quality of the product and its performance must be taken into account. There are also advantages in supporting manufacturers based in the UK. It has never been any problem, for example to get 80-BUS products serviced, and Gemini have usually been helpful over problems.