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Compaq Portable III (Model 2660) with External Expansion Chassis

Compaq Portable III (Model 2660)

Autopsy:

testo tratto dalla Homepage di Ivrea Laboratorio Museo:

Il Compaq Portable III viene commercializzato nel 1987, contemporaneamente in 12 paesi. Nonostante siano già presenti sul mercato dei computer portatili, funzionanti a batterie, la Compaq produce uno degli ultimi trasportabili, cioè un computer che può funzionare solo con la tensione di rete e non a batterie.

Il design, studiato con grande attenzione per ridurre il peso e lo spazio mantenendo una buona visibilità, fa assumere ai trasportabili con schermo LCD una forma particolare, tale da essere soprannominati “lunch box”, più o meno “cestino da colazione”. Sono disponibili degli accessori opzionali, fra cui un modem a 1200 baud e uno chassis per eventuali schede di espansione.

Specifiche:

  • Microprocessore: Intel 80286 (8 bit) a 12 Mhz
  • RAM: 640 KB espandibile a 2 MB
  • Memoria ROM: 16 KB
  • Modalità grafica: 640 x 200
  • Porte input/output: Video RGB, parallela, seriale, bus espansione.
  • Memoria di massa: 1 floppy disk (5,25”) 1,2 MB Hard disk 20MB
  • Tastiera: 92 tasti, separata.
  • Modalità testo: 40 o 80 caratteri x 25 linee.
  • Monitor: Monocromatico.
  • Colori: Beige.
  • Produzione: dal 1987
  • Dimensione: 41 x 19 x 25 cm (LxPxA)
  • Peso: 9 kg

source: museotecnologicamente.it

  1. Lucas
    28 October 2013 a 0:52 | #1

    Very important..The display isnt LCD but one of firsts very rare plasma tecnology monitor

  2. Norm
    4 May 2017 a 2:14 | #2

    Very informative dissection. I’ll have to implement your fix for the keyboard connector to mine. Fyi, the clock, backup battery and 64 bytes of non-volatile RAM to store boot settings are all in the DS1287 chip. Fyi, if a replacement is ever needed, a DS12887 is a 100% drop-in replacement, and can still be purchased for about $8.

  3. 27 August 2017 a 21:13 | #3

    Nice job. Just fixing up this model as well. I miss the user manual though. Do you know how I get display on an external RGB-L (CGA) monitor?

  4. 1 September 2017 a 2:13 | #4

    My Portable III had different mechanism for splitting the keyboard. It was very difficult clamps (broke 3 of them), and no screws at all. Keyboard is looking identical though.

  5. 22 September 2018 a 12:50 | #5

    @Remi
    You just have to press CTRL+ALT+> and CTRL+ALT+< to switch between the internal Plasma and external RGB display.
    In reality you need to press 4 keys at once on an English keyboard: CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+

  6. 22 September 2018 a 12:51 | #6

    dunno why, but the symbols > and < were removed after posting…they should have followed SHIFT+

  7. 3 December 2018 a 2:59 | #7

    Does anyone know how to take the cover off of a Compaq portable III power supply? Thank you!

  8. Mirco
    14 October 2019 a 23:42 | #8

    Hi, you can tell me the pinout scheme voltage of the 4-pin red molex connector that powers the LCD screen. please.

  9. Tim
    28 February 2020 a 19:01 | #9

    I’ve got one of these in storage somewhere. Gotta dig it out soon. I can’t remember if they had an RS-232 port on them or not or if one was available if not. Does anyone know? I’d like to use it as a portable terminal with a WiModem232 to call BBS’s.

  10. Greg
    21 April 2021 a 15:36 | #10

    @Tim
    Yes, the Portable IIIs have an RS-232 (9-pin serial) port as standard equipment on the back. Compaq also offered an authentic Hayes-manufactured modem in Compaq’s proprietary form factor that fits under the disk drives. Came with a replacement trim piece (plastic cover) for access to the phone jack. Snap out the old cover and snap in the new. The modem was Compaq part 2661; 1200 and 2400 bps models were available. Same modems worked with Portable 386s, which was physically identical. Let me know if you want one; I have a working modem for sale.

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