HP-150
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| Introduced: | November, 1983 |
| MSRP: | $2795[1] |
| CPU: | Intel 8088 |
| CPU speed: | 8 MHz |
| Operating system: | MS-DOS |
| DRAM: | 256 KB |
| SRAM (video): | 6 KB |
| ROM: | 160 KB |
| Floppies: | 270 KB x 2 |
| Discontinued: | ? |
The HP-150, a "compact, powerful and innovative" computer made by Hewlett-Packard in 1983 and based on the Intel 8088, was one of the world's earliest commercialized touch screen computers. The machine was not IBM PC compatible, although it was MS-DOS compatible. Customized MS-DOS versions 2.01, 2.11 and 3.20 were available. Its 8088 CPU, rated at 8 MHz, was faster than the 4.77 MHz ones used by the IBM PC of that period. Using add-on cards, main memory could be increased from 256 KB (256 KiB) to 640 KB. However, its mainboard did not have a slot for the optional Intel 8087 math coprocessor due to space constraints. The HP-150 with an optional hard disk was called the "Touchscreen MAX".
The screen is not a touch screen in the strict sense, but a 9" Sony CRT surrounded by infrared emitters and detectors which detect the position of any non-transparent object on the screen. Like the Macintosh, the CPU was packaged with the CRT, unlike the Mac, the 3½ disks were external. The HP-150 45611A sat atop the phone book sized 9121D dual 3½" floppy (76mm high, 325 mm wide, 285mm deep) or the similarly sized hard disk devices, connected by HP-IB. The HP-120 45600A 2xZ80 CP/M machine also used the 9121 drives.
The HP-150II 45849A replaced the HP-150 in 1984. It was still called the Touchscreen, although the touch screen was no longer standard, but rather a rarely-adopted option. The HP-150II had the same footprint as the HP-150, but came in a larger housing to accommodate its 12" screen, but could no longer accommodate an internal printer. The HP-150II had four expansion slots available (as opposed to two), and could accommodate an optional 8087 co-processor board. There were some minor compatibility problems between the HP-150 and the HP-150II in the video subsystem.
Development of the HP-150 series of computers ceased shortly after the introduction of the HP-150II. It was replaced by the IBM PC compatible Vectra series of computers.
- Supported HP-IB attached storage:
| HP Model | Command Set | # FDD | FDD Type | Sides | FDD Capacity (each) | # HDD | HDD Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82901M | Amigo | 2 | 5.25" | DS | 270kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only |
| 82902M | Amigo | 1 | 5.25" | DS | 270kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only |
| 9121D | Amigo | 2 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 0 | n/a | - |
| 9121S | Amigo | 1 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only |
| 9122D | SS/80 | 2 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 0 | n/a | - |
| 9122S | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only |
| 9123D | SS/80 | 2 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 0 | n/a | HP-150 II only |
| 9125S | Amigo | 1 | 5.25" | DS | 360kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only. Not bootable |
| 9127S | Amigo | 1 | 5.25" | DS | 360kb | 0 | n/a | Add-on only. Not bootable |
| 9133A | Amigo | 1 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 1 | 5Mb | - |
| 9133B | Amigo | 1 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 1 | 10Mb | - |
| 9133D | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 15Mb | - |
| 9133H | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 20Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9133L | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 40Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9133V | Amigo | 1 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 1 | 5Mb | - |
| 9133XV | Amigo | 1 | 3.5" | SS | 270kb | 1 | 15Mb | - |
| 9134A | Amigo | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 5Mb | - |
| 9134B | Amigo | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 10Mb | - |
| 9134H | SS/80 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 20Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9134L | SS/80 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 40Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9134V | Amigo | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 5Mb | - |
| 9134XV | Amigo | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 15Mb | - |
| 9153A | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 10Mb | - |
| 9153B | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 20Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9153C | SS/80 | 1 | 3.5" | DS | 710kb | 1 | 10/20/40Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
| 9154A | SS/80 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 10Mb | - |
| 9154B | SS/80 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 20Mb | Requires DOS 3.20 |
- Display resolutions:
- Monitor sensor grid: 40 (h) x 24 (v)
- Optional Internal Thermal printer 2647A (Fax Roll)
- Communication ports:
HP-150's touch screen sensor grid is quite coarse. Its resolution is only two characters wide. Used mainly for rough cursor positioning and function key control, it could not be used to draw pictures.
See also: List of Hewlett-Packard products
[edit] References
- Phil Lemmons and Barbara Robertson, "Product Review: The HP 150," BYTE October 1983, pp. 36-50.
- Phil Lemmons and Barbara Robertson, "An Interview: The HP 150's Design-team Leaders," BYTE October 1983, pp. 51-58.
- Hewlett Packard: Series 100: HP 150 Personal Computer; Printed 9/83; 5953-5846
- The Definitive HP150 Catalog. The 1991 Edition. Personalized Software
[edit] External links
- HP-150
- Hewlett-Packard HP-150
- HP's Virtual Museum: 6-views of the HP-150
- HP Computer Museum: 100 Series, also HP-150 Software
