Founded in 1977, Altos was one of the first producers of multiuser computers, and the company stayed true to that focus to 1990 when it was bought by Acer. Altos’s earliest models were based on the Z80 CPU and CP/M or its multiuser variant MP/M. Later, the company would focus primarily on UNIX-based systems. However, it also sold systems with MS-DOS or Pick.
By late 1981, Altos claimed to have installed 15,000 systems and was selling them at a rate of 1,000 a month.
The 580 and 586 lines were announced in January and July of 1982, respectively. The 580 was a Z80 system running CP/M or MP/M while the 586 was based on the 8086 CPU running Xenix/UNIX. Both systems are nearly identical in appearance.
Altos announced in 1987 what it claimed as the first 80386-based multiuser system, the Series 2000. It ran Altos V/386, its branded version of Microsoft Xenix System V. The Series 2000 came in three configurations. The Model 2408S supported up to 20 users and came with 4MB of RAM and a 65MB hard disk drive. The Model 2417M supported up to 64 users by using Altos’s Multidrop cabling and transmission system, and it came with 4MB of RAM and a 142MB hard disk drive. The Model 2817M also came with Multidrop and supported 64 users. It came with 8MB of RAM and a 142MB hard disk drive.
The Altos 3068 was primarily an OEM unit sold under other brand names such as Tandem, ADP, and Bunker Ramo.
Altos ACS8000 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $4,990
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 208K RAM, two 8-inch floppy disk drives, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Important Options: 10MB, 20MB, or 40MB hard disk drive
Altos ACS8600
Altos ACS8000-2 (1977, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 64K RAM, two 8-inch floppy disk drives, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-2A (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-6 (1979, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-7A (1979, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-10 (1980, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 208K RAM, 10MB hard drive, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-10A (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 20MB hard drive, six serial and one parallel port
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8000-12 (1980, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 20MB hard drive, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Important Options: second 20MB hard drive, tape backup
Altos ACS8000-14 (1980, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Important Options: up to 80MB disk storage, tape backup
Altos ACS8000-14SA (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, six serial and one parallel port, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Important Options: up to 80MB disk storage, tape backup
Altos ACS8000-15 (1979, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 208K RAM, CP/M or MP/M
Users Supported: 4
Altos ACS8600 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $12,500
Base Configuration: 8086 CPU, 512K RAM (1MB max), 20MB hard disk drive, 8-inch floppy disk drive, eight serial and one parallel port
Users Supported: 1 to 8
Important Options: 40MB hard disk drive
Altos ACS8600-12A (multiuser system)
Altos Series 5-15D (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $2,990
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 192K RAM, two 5.25-inch floppy disk drives, four serial and one parallel ports, MP/M II
Users Supported: 1 to 3
Altos Series 5-15D (multiuser system)
Altos Series 5-5D (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $5,490
Base Configuration: Z80A CPU, 192K RAM, 6MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, four serial and one parallel ports, MP/M II
Users Supported: 1 to 3
Altos Series 5-5AD (multiuser system)
Altos 580 (January 1982, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $6,490
Base Configuration: 4MHz Z80 CPU, 192K RAM, 10MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch 1MB floppy disk drive, four serial and one parallel ports, MP/M II
Users Supported: 1 to 3
Size and Weight: 16.86w x 6h x 18d inches, 25 lbs.
Altos 580-20 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $4.990
Base Configuration: 4MHz Z80 CPU, 20MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch 1MB floppy disk drive, MP/M II
Users Supported: 3
Altos 580-40 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $6,990
Base Configuration: 4MHz Z80 CPU, 40MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch 1MB floppy disk drive,MP/M II
Users Supported: 3
Altos 486 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $6,490
Base Configuration: 8MHz 80186 CPU, 512K RAM (1MB max), 25MB hard disk drive, 1.6MB floppy disk drive, five I/O ports, Altos III terminal, Xenix
Users Supported: 1 to 4
Altos 586
Altos 586 (1982, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $4,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 256K RAM (1MB max), two 5.25-inch floppy disk drives, six RS-232 ports, Xenix/UNIX
Size and Weight: 16.86w x 6h x 18d inches, 33 lbs.
Users supported: 5 to 8
Important Options: 10MB or 40MB hard disk drive, integral communications board
Altos 586-10 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $7,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 512K RAM (1MB max), 12MB hard drive, Multibus adapter, Xenix
Users supported: 5
Important Options: MS-DOS, Pick, MP/M-86, OASIS-16, BASIC, COBOL,FORTRAN, PASCAL, C
Altos 586-14 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $10,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 512K RAM (1MB max), 40MB hard drive, Multibus adapter, Xenix
Users supported: 5
Important Options: MS-DOS, Pick, MP/M-86, OASIS-16, BASIC, COBOL,FORTRAN, PASCAL, C
Altos S586-20 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $8,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 20MB hard drive, Altos II terminal, Xenix
Users supported: 5
Important Options: 80MB hard drive, tape backup board
Altos S586-40 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $4,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 40MB hard drive, six RS-232 ports, Xenix
Size and Weight: 16.86w x 6h x 18d inches, 33 lbs.
Users supported: 5
Important Options: 80MB hard drive, tape backup board
Altos 686 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $4,995
Base Configuration: 7.5MHz 80286 CPU, 512K RAM (2.5MB max), 1.6MB floppy disk drive, six serial ports, Altos IV terminal
Users Supported: 1 to 6
Important Options: 80287 FPU, 50MB or 80MB hard disk drive, 60MB tape backup, Worknet LAN
Altos 986 (November 1983, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 CPU, 1MB RAM, two Z80 coprocessors, hard disk drive, 10 serial ports, Xenix
Users Supported: 9
Important Options: Worknet LAN
Altos S986-40 (1983, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $12,990
Base Configuration: 10MHz 8086 and two Z80 CPUs, 1MB RAM, 40MB hard drive, 10 RS-232 ports, Altos II terminal, Xenix
Users Supported: 9
Software: Worknet LAN
Important Options: 80MB hard drive, tape backup
Altos ACS68000 (1982, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $14,500
Base Configuration: 8MHz 68000 CPU, 512K RAM (1MB max), 40MB hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, RM/COS or UNIX System III
Users Supported: 8 to 16
Important Options: 80MB hard disk drive
Altos 886
Altos 568 (1982, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 8MHz 68000 CPU, 256K RAM, 5.25-inch floppy drive, six RS-232 ports, Multibus adapter, RM/COS or UNIX System III
Users Supported: 8
Important Options: 10MB, 20MB, 40MB, or 80MB hard drive; communications system; tape backup
Altos 886 (1986, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $6,695
Base Configuration: 7.5MHz 80286 CPU, Z80B terminal processor, 1MB RAM (2MB max), 40MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, Altos IV terminal, nine serial and one RS-422 ports, tape backup, Xenix 3.0
Users Supported: 8
Size and Weight: 17w x 6h x 18d inches, 36 lbs.
Important Options: 80287 FPU, 63MB hard disk drive
Altos 1086 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $14,990
Base Configuration: 8MHz 80286 CPU, 1MB RAM (2MB max), 50MB hard disk drive, 1.6MB floppy disk drive, 60MB tape backup, 10 serial and one parallel port
Users Supported: 1-10
Important Options: 80MB hard disk drive
Altos 2086 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $19,990
Base Configuration: 8MHz 80286 CPU, 1MB RAM (2MB max), 50MB hard disk drive, 1.6MB floppy disk drive, 60MB tape backup, 20 serial and one parallel port
Users Supported: 1-20
Important Options: 80MB hard disk drive
Altos 3086 (multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $29,990
Base Configuration: 12.5MHz 80286 CPU, 4MB RAM, 170MB hard disk drive, 1.6MB floppy disk drive, 60MB tape backup, four serial and two proprietary ports
Users Supported: 1-32
Altos 3068
Altos 3068 (1986, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 16.7MHz 68020 CPU, 8086 communications processor board, 1MB RAM (16MB max), 40MB hard disk drive, 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, 60MB tape backup, 10 serial and one parallel ports, UNIX System V Release 2.2
Users Supported: 1 to 40
Size and Weight: 24h x 8w x 22d inches, 68 lbs.
Important Options: 63NB or 150MB hard disk drive, 68881 FPU
Altos Series 500 (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 16MHz 80386 CPU, Xenix V/386 operating system or MS-DOS 3.3
Users supported: 8
Altos Series 1000 (1988, multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 16MHz or 25MHz 80386 CPU, 2MB RAM (16MB max), 5.25-inch floppy drive, 40MB SCSI hard drive, tape drive, eight RS-232 ports, three expansion slots, UNIX System V
Users Supported: 24
Size and Weight: 20h x 7w x 20d inches, 63 lbs.
Important Options: 80387 FPU, 300MB hard drive, up to two additional 8-port serial boards
Altos Series 1000 Model 33 (April 1989, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $20,000 to $25,000
Base Configuration: 33MHz 80386 CPU, 4MB RAM (24MB max), 5.25-inch floppy drive, 145MB SCSI hard drive, tape drive, eight RS-232 ports, Altos terminal, UNIX System V/386
Altos Series 2000
Altos Series 2000 (May 1987, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $25,000 to $30,000
Base Configuration: 16MHz 80386 CPU, up to 16MB RAM, 60MB tape backup, 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, Altos V Terminal
Users supported: 64
Important Options: Dual processor kit, up to 1.5GB hard disk storage
Altos Series 2000 Model 20 (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 20MHz 80386 CPU, up to 16MB RAM, Xenix V/386 operating system
Users supported: 64
Important Options: Dual processor kit, up to 1.5GB hard disk storage
Altos 386 Series 1000 (April 1989, multiuser system)
Original Retail Price: $20,000 to $25,000
Base Configuration: 33MHz 80386 CPU, 4MB RAM (24MB max), eight serial ports, 125/150MB tape backup, 1.2MB floppy disk drive, 145MB hard disk drive, Xenix V/386 operating system
Size and Weight: 20h x 7w x 20d inches, 63 lbs.
Important Options: 80387 FPU, 300MB hard disk drive, up to two additional 8-port serial boards, Altos VII Display Terminal
Altos 68X Series 030 (multiuser system)
Base Configuration: 25MHz 68030 CPU, up to 16MB RAM, Pick operating system
Users supported: 250
Important Options: Dual processor kit, up to 1.1GB hard disk storage, 60MB or 120/150MB tape backup, UPS
Classic Tech 
I used a 8 user Altos box for about 10 years. Mya brother-in-law Ron Conway was the marketing head but later Dave Jackson made home CEO. Tragically Dave died in a bike accident. Ron was tasked by Dave to sell Altos Computers; 1990 bought by Accer, I believe. I really liked Xenia and informing on that system. Even had email, although it was just among the 8 users. Elven had color monitors, green or amber wise.
Wise should be wyse informing should be informix
Auto-correct will get you every time.
Recently I got a “Altos 386 Series 1000 “, but sadly there are only a few places where you can find any information about it.
On of these places is this page, so thanks a lot for writing it!
I was one of the mechanical designers on most of the enclosures and electrical layouts ’82 thru about ’88. I still have a 186 Workstation with one of a kind injection molded ABS enclosure components. they killed the product just after the molds were ready for production. Rare and still works….sort of. I have a few other collectibles with “Altos” all over them. It was one of the better jobs in my career. Now heading off to learn Xenix in my retirement…..! yeeaa riiight.
Hi Scott,
I’m in desperate need to get any information about Altos 386 Series 1000…
Is it possible to get in contact? If yes please drop me an email to: bogdan at kde dot org .
Kind regards,
Bogdan.
Depends… highly technical likely not. General history maybe. I’d have to refer you to an engineer I worked with.
Came across these posts and thought I would chime in. From 1983 to 84 I worked at EDS for Ross Perot. We were re-packaging Altos-386 machines for use by the Army as part of their LONS program (Local On-Line Network System. In essence, it was a field-hardened computer running XENIX with multiple modem capabilities, “lots” of storage, and a remote terminal that could be up top 100 meters away using fibre-optic cable.
In my archives I have most of the software we developed for the system including full release of XENIX. I wrote some of the device drivers including one that presented two separate physical disk drives to the O/S as a single drive!
Hey Gray,
WOW fibre optic in the 80s! It must have cost a fortune!
Is it possible to share your Altos/Xenix archive?
If yes please drop me an email to: bogdan at kde dot org .
I managed to recover all the floppy disks, the only missing piece is this https://photos.app.goo.gl/yHf4WZYGJ9Ebk2WY8 tape content.
In the future I also like to port NetBSD or linux on it, so any info about the HW will save me from fully decompile the dlcode(ioc) and the unix kernel.
Will post a picture of the LONS computer when I get home. The fibre-optic cable was used to connect a remote terminal to the main system. We had two rs232 devices on each end that converted the optical signal to rs232 and vice versa. Pretty novel approach at the time,but it worked really well.
I remember in 1984 we were demonstrating the system at a conference at the Disneyland hotel in CA. The units we deployed to the field for testing were having some problems. While the main unit was being demonstrated, I was in a back room with the remote terminal diagnosing the problems. It actually became one of the main selling points!
I only can wonder if you have a boot / diagnostic floppy for my 186 xenix altos. It displays disk error codes on start up. I’ve long lost any xenix commands. It is full of loaded altos programs.
I may. Am traveling this week, but will check when I get home. I believe I saved a complete set of installation discs as well as all the custom software we developed. Please email me directly at g.Didio at outlook Dot com
I worked as a secretary during college at a sales office in Palatine, Illinois, outside of Chicago, and they sold these. I remember we had it in the office as well. I remember not knowing much about computers but I did think it was cool that we were networked.