# BeBox
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeBox
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{{Short description|Personal computer sold by Be Inc.}}
{{About|the personal computer|the router|Be Unlimited}}
{{primary sources|date=April 2013}}
{{Infobox personal computer
| aka =
| logo =
| image = Samsung SyncMaster 191T and BeBox 20081114.jpg
| caption = This BeBox has an aftermarket monitor.
| developer =
| manufacturer = [Be Inc.](/source/Be_Inc.)
| family =
| type = [Workstation](/source/Workstation)
| generation =
| release_date = '''BeBox Dual603-66:''' {{Start date and age|1995|10|03}}[{{cite press release |url=http://www-classic.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/95-10-03_Intro.html |title=Jean-Louis Gassée Unveils the BeBox |date=October 3, 1995|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000128072331/http://www-classic.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/95-10-03_Intro.html |archive-date=2000-01-28 }} for the original BeBox Dual603-66.]
'''BeBox Dual603e-133:''' {{Start date and age|1996|08|05}}[{{cite press release |url=http://www-classic.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/96-08-05_BeBox133.html |title=Be Announces the BeBox Dual603-133 |date=August 5, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000128162559/http://www-classic.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/96-08-05_BeBox133.html |archive-date=2000-01-28 }}]
| lifespan =
| price = '''BeBox Dual603-66''' {{USD|1600|1995|round=-1}}
'''BeBox Dual603e-133''' {{USD|2995|1996|round=-1}}
| discontinued = {{End date and age|1997|01}}
| units_sold = 1000 – BeBox Dual603-66
800 – BeBox Dual603e-133[[http://testou.free.fr/www.beatjapan.org/mirror/www.be.com/support/qandas/faqs/faq-0261.html The BeBox, General, FAQ, How many BeBoxes were sold before they were discontinued?] Be, Inc.]
| units_shipped =
| media =
| os = [BeOS](/source/BeOS)
| power = 100–240 volt AC single-phase
| system_on_chip =
| cpu = 2× [PowerPC 603](/source/PowerPC_600) @ 66 MHz, or
2× [PowerPC 603e](/source/PowerPC_600) @ 133 MHz[[http://testou.free.fr/www.beatjapan.org/mirror/www.be.com/products/bebox/dual603ds.html Be Product Datasheet], The BeBox Dual603, BeBox Dual603-66, BeBox Dual603-133]
| memory = Up to 256 MB (Up to eight 72-pin SIMMs)
| storage =
| memory_card =
| display =
| graphics =
| sound =
| input =
| controllers =
| camera =
| touchpad =
| connectivity =
| platform =
| online_services =
| dimensions = 15.68 in × 8.28 in × 18.15 in
39.8 cm × 21.0 cm × 46.1 cm
| weight =
| top_game =
| compatibility =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| related =
| website = {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961020193020/http://www.be.com/}}
}}
The '''BeBox''' is a discontinued [workstation](/source/workstation) from [Be Inc.](/source/Be_Inc.), running the company's [operating system](/source/operating_system), later named [BeOS](/source/BeOS).[{{Cite web |title=About Be |url=https://www.gbnet.net/public/be/acrobat/AboutBe.pdf |website=www.gbnet.net}}] It has two [PowerPC](/source/PowerPC) CPUs, its I/O board has a custom "GeekPort", and the front bezel has "[Blinkenlights](/source/Blinkenlights)".
The BeBox debuted in October 1995 with dual [PowerPC 603](/source/PowerPC_603) at 66 MHz.[{{cite magazine
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lp7gd8Y8RL4C&pg=PP45
| magazine = [Computerworld](/source/Computerworld)
| title = Video Be-in
| first = Lisa
| last = Picarille
| date = 16 October 1995
| page = 45
| volume = 29
| issue = 42
}}] The processors were upgraded to 133 MHz in August 1996 (BeBox Dual603e-133). Production was halted in January 1997,[{{cite web|url=http://www.bebox.nu/history.php?s=history/1997|title=BeBox History, 1997|work=The BeBox Zone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204152621/http://bebox.nu/history.php?s=history%2F1997|archive-date=4 February 2012|url-status=dead}}][{{cite magazine
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aToEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3
| magazine = [InfoWorld](/source/InfoWorld)
| title = Briefly Noted
| date = 3 February 1997
| page = 3
| volume = 19
| issue = 5
}}] following the port of BeOS to the [Macintosh](/source/Mac_(computer)), for the company to concentrate on software. Be sold around 1,000 66 MHz BeBoxes and 800 133 MHz BeBoxes.[{{cite web|url=http://www.bebox.nu/news.php?lookat=65|title=Interview with Joseph Palmer|date=2 December 2005|work=Be Informed, The BeBox Zone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224230323/http://www.bebox.nu/news.php?lookat=65|archive-date=24 February 2008}}]
== Main board ==
The main board is in a standard AT format commonly found on [PC](/source/IBM_PC_compatible). It used standard PC components to make it as inexpensive as possible.[{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/eu_MacTech-1997-01_OCR/page/n53/mode/2up |page=52-56 |title=The Wizards of Be, Inc. |first=Dave |last=Mark |date=January 1997 |magazine=[MacTech](/source/MacTech) |volume=13 |issue=1}}]
* Two PowerPC 603/66 MHz or 603e/133 MHz processors
* Eight 72-pin [SIMM](/source/SIMM) sockets
* 128 KB Flash ROM
* Three [PCI](/source/Peripheral_Component_Interconnect) slots
* Five [ISA](/source/Industry_Standard_Architecture) slots
* Internal [SCSI](/source/SCSI) connector
* Internal [IDE](/source/Parallel_ATA) connector
* Internal floppy connector
* External [SCSI-2](/source/Parallel_SCSI) connector
* [Parallel port](/source/Parallel_port)
* Keyboard port, [AT](/source/IBM_Personal_Computer%2FAT)-style
* Three GeekPort fuses
* I/O Board connector
* Front panel connector
* Power connector
== I/O board ==
The I/O board offers four [serial ports](/source/serial_port) (9-pin [D-sub](/source/D-sub)), a [PS/2 mouse port](/source/PS%2F2_port), and two joystick ports (15-pin D-sub).[{{Cite web |title=beunited.org - Open Standards BeOS-compatible Operating Systems - the BeBox |url=https://www.beunited.org/bebook/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=www.beunited.org}}]
There are four [DIN](/source/DIN_connector) [MIDI](/source/MIDI) ports (two in, two out), two stereo pairs of [RCA connectors](/source/RCA_connector) audio line-level input and output, and a pair of 3.5 mm stereo [phone jacks](/source/Phone_connector_(audio)) for microphone input and headphone output. There are also internal audio connectors: 5-pin strip for the audio CD line-level playback, and two 4-pin strips for microphone input and headphone output. The audio is produced with a 16-bit DAC stereo sound system capable of 48 kHz and 44.1 kHz.[{{cite web|url=http://pinouts.ru/Motherboard/GeekPort_pinout.shtml| title=Pinout for the GeekPort connector |access-date=18 August 2021}}] on the [ISA bus](/source/ISA_bus):
* Two independent, bidirectional 8-bit ports
* Four A/D pins routing to a 12-bit [A/D converter](/source/Analog-to-digital_converter)
* Four D/A pins connected to an independent 8-bit [D/A converter](/source/Digital-to-analog_converter)
* Two signal [ground](/source/ground_(electricity)) reference pins
* Eleven power and ground pins: Two at +5 V, one at +12 V, one at -12 V, seven ground pins
== "Blinkenlights" ==
thumb|The LEDs
Two yellow/green vertical LED arrays, dubbed the "blinkenlights", are built into the front [bezel](/source/%3Awikt%3Abezel) to illustrate the [CPU](/source/Central_processing_unit) load.[{{cite news |last1=Pinheiro |first1=Eric |title=BeOS: The Alternate Universe's Mac OS X |url=https://hackaday.com/2020/01/09/beos-the-alternate-universes-mac-os-x/ |access-date=10 March 2024 |work=Hackaday |date=9 January 2020}}] The bottommost [LED](/source/Light-emitting_diode) on the right side indicates hard disk activity.
== Market ==
Be called the BeBox: "the first true real-time, portable, object-oriented system that features multiple PowerPC processors, true preemptive multitasking, an integrated database, fast I/O, and a wide range of expansion options — all at an extremely aggressive price that is well below that of any competitive offering."[{{cite magazine |date=September 1996 |title=New Amiga Prepares to Kill Mac/PC |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-021/page/n21/mode/2up |magazine=[Next Generation](/source/Next_Generation_(magazine)) |publisher=[Imagine Media](/source/Imagine_Media) |issue=21 |page=21}}]
== Prototype ==
As of 1993, prototypes (at the time called Be Machine) had two 25 MHz [AT&T Hobbit](/source/AT%26T_Hobbit) processors and three AT&T 9308S [DSP](/source/digital_signal_processor)s.[{{cite web |title=Introduction to the Be machine and the BeBus |url=https://www.hirlimann.net/Ludovic/beos/hobbitdoc/intro1.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221105754/https://www.hirlimann.net/Ludovic/beos/hobbitdoc/intro1.jpg |archive-date=21 February 2017 |format=JPEG}}] In 2009, a rare prototype of the BeBox with Hobbit processors was sold at an auction.[{{Cite web |title=Planets Align: Rare Hobbit BeBox Offered and Sold – OSnews |url=https://www.osnews.com/story/20869/planets-align-rare-hobbit-bebox-offered-and-sold/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.osnews.com}}]
== Linux ==
Craftworks Solutions developed Be_Linux for the BeBox. Craftworks and Be Inc. announced in 1996 that they would work together to bring Be_Linux to the BeBox.[{{Cite web |date=1997-02-18 |title=Craftwork Solutions and Be Announce Alliance |url=http://www.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/96-11-18_Craftwork.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970218230243/http://www.be.com/aboutbe/pressreleases/96-11-18_Craftwork.html |archive-date=1997-02-18 }}]
== See also ==
* [Multi Emulator Super System](/source/Multi_Emulator_Super_System) (MESS){{snd}} able to emulate both BeBox [http://www.progettoemma.net/mess/system.php?machine=bebox 66] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621165404/http://www.progettoemma.net/mess/system.php?machine=bebox |date=2015-06-21 }} and [http://www.progettoemma.net/mess/system.php?machine=bebox2 133] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621175752/http://www.progettoemma.net/mess/system.php?machine=bebox2 |date=2015-06-21 }}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/eu_MacTech-1997-01_OCR/page/n53/mode/2up |page=52-56 |title=The Wizards of Be, Inc. |first=Dave |last=Mark |date=January 1997 |magazine=[MacTech](/source/MacTech) |volume=13 |issue=1}} {{snd}} An interview with Be Inc. CEO [Jean-Louis Gassée](/source/Jean-Louis_Gass%C3%A9e) and VP of Engineering [Erich Ringewald](/source/Erich_Ringewald).
* {{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/eu_MacTech-1996-01_OCR/page/n26/mode/2up |title=Opening the BeBox |page=25-45 |date=January 1996 |magazine=[MacTech](/source/MacTech) |volume=12 |issue=1 |first1=Peter |last1=Potrebic |first2=Steve |last2=Horowitz}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.bebox.nu/|title=The BeBox Zone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415074143/http://www.bebox.nu/|archive-date=15 April 2013}}
* [http://www.josephpalmer.com/BeBox/BeBox.shtml BeBox Photo Gallery (Joseph Palmer: Be HW Engineer)]
* {{US trademark|75054089}} (BeBox)
{{BeOS}}
{{Commons category|BeBox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bebox}}
Category:Be Inc.
Category:Computer-related introductions in 1995
Category:Computer workstations
Category:PowerPC computers
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [BeBox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeBox) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeBox?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.