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6,654 pages: 1,289 machines, 702 software, 460 companies, 64 history, 17 articles, 59 fun.
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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
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---
title: DYNALOGIC HYPERION
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Transportable
origins:
- Canada
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Intel 8086
params:
name: HYPERION
company: /companies/dynalogic
company_name: DYNALOGIC
specs:
- label: NAME
value: HYPERION
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Dynalogic
- label: TYPE
value: Transportable
- label: ORIGIN
value: Canada
- label: YEAR
value: January 1983
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1984'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: None
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full-stroke 83 keys PC-style keyboard with numeric keypad
- label: CPU
value: Intel 8086
- label: SPEED
value: 4.77 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: Socket for a 8087 Math coprocessor
- label: RAM
value: 256 KB (up to 640 KB)
- label: VRAM
value: 16 KB
- label: ROM
value: 8 KB
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 or 80 characters x 25 lines
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 / 640 x 400 pixels
- label: COLORS
value: Monochrome. 16 levels of grey
- label: SOUND
value: built-in loudspeaker
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 46.4 (W) x 28.8 (D) x 22.3 (H) cm. / 18 pounds
- label: I/O PORTS
value: RS232, Centronics, Modem, Network, Telephone handset, expansion connector
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Two 5.25'' 360 KB disk drives
- label: OS
value: MS-DOS, CP/M-86
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in switching power supply unit
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: IN:TOUCH telephone magement system, internal 300-baud modem, RAM extension
- label: PRICE
value: C$4,955
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- links
photos:
- title: LARGE VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
- title: LEFT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
- title: RIGHT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
- title: FRONT VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: When the Hyperion has to be carried, the keyboard slides in a special housing under the machine.
image: null
- title: TOP VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: The keyboard has the same layout as the original IBM PC keyboard except for the function keys which are located at the top part.
image: null
- title: 'REAR SIDE #1'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
From left to right:\
• 110V AC mains supply plug. Can be changed to 220V internally.\
• Composite video output RCA jack\
• Telephone handset RJ11 plug\
• Local network RJ11 plug\
• External modem RJ11 plug\
• Parallel DB25 connector\
• Serial DB25 connector\
• 50-pin memory expansion/HDD connector
image: null
- title: 'REAR SIDE #2'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The white box on the right of the case is the memory expansion.
Thanks to **Bob Shapton**
image: null
- title: FLOPPY DRIVES
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Faulty floppy drives shipped with the computer did a lot of damage to the Hyperion reputation.\
At least two versions were released:\
**(1)** First version with Mitsubishi drives\
**(2)** Second version with US drives. Notice that the contrast and brightness knobs which were really not convenient on the first version were slightly modified\
**(3)** In the third version, the user changed original drive for Chinon models and made two additional holes for the drive Leds
image: null
- title: 'INSIDE #1'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**(1)** The twin logic boards are mounted vertically at the rear side of the machine\
**(2)** The switching power supply comes from Aztec, Hong-Kong\
**(3)** The fan has dual speed, low speed for normal use, high speed when the floppy drives are in use.
image: null
- title: 'INSIDE #2'
subtitle: ''
text: Notice the optional modem card mounted onto the main board.
image: null
- title: RUNNING SYSTEM
subtitle: ''
text: Boot up screen of the Digital Research CP/M-86 OS.
image: null
- title: 'TRANSPARENT HYPERION #1'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**Eric des Courtis**, the proud owner of this unique machine says:\
This Hyperion was made in 82, before it's release to the public It was made to show off the technology inside the Hyperion.\
This unit was never sold to the public, and it\`s the only one in existance today. It the oldest IBM PC compatible portable in existance. And probably the first.
image: null
- title: 'TRANSPARENT HYPERION #2'
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to **Eric des Courtis**
image: null
adverts:
- title: US AD. JUNE 1983
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Advert said:
Hyperion is a true portable weighting in at only 18 pounds. It is light on the eyes with its European amber screen and styling. But heavy on performances with many standard features which are expensive necessities for other personal computers. And all for a price that's less that you'd expect...
image: null
- title: UK ADVERT (JULY 1984)
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
hardware:
- title: PHONE COUPLER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
links:
- title: Hrothgar's Cool Old Junk Page
url: http://www.total.net/~hrothgar/museum/Hyperion/index.html
text: Some infos here
comments:
- author: Mike (Canada)
date: Thursday 9th March 2023
text: Stumbled across this site, as I was just thinking about the good old days at Dynalogic/ Hyperion. I used fly out of Canada every 2nd week to train dealers on how to repair the machines. It got so bad, that I ended up writing a piece of software that we later sold to dealers (I think Dysan ended up copying it and selling it under another name, my first experience with such business practices). My software allowed them to use the machine as a disk drive exerciser alignment tool (yes, because the drives caused the machine to be DOA far too many times). I later switched over to a company that made a solid state disk drive emulator (for the Hyperion), using "bubble memory" - it too had technology failure problems LOL. Those were the days. I still have a brand new Hyperion, in the original bag, with all the various software. BTW, we called it a "luggable" back then.
- author: Mike (Canada)
date: Thursday 9th March 2023
text: Stumbled across this site, as I was just thinking about the good old days at Dynalogic/ Hyperion. I used fly out of Canada every 2nd week to train dealers on how to repair the machines. It got so bad, that I ended up writing a piece of software that we later sold to dealers (I think Dysan ended up copying it and selling it under another name, my first experience with such business practices). My software allowed them to use the machine as a disk drive exerciser alignment tool (yes, because the drives caused the machine to be DOA far too many times). I later switched over to a company that made a solid state disk drive emulator (for the Hyperion), using "bubble memory" - it too had technology failure problems LOL. Those were the days. I still have a brand new Hyperion, in the original bag, with all the various software. BTW, we called it a "luggable" back then.
- author: Dennis (Philadelphia, PA)
date: Monday 24th April 2017
text: I was Anderson Jacobson''s service manger in Philly (Jeffersonville), and we had a Hyperion as a sales demo. The Philly office only sold a few units, but we did use the demo as an office computer. I found it quite useful, and the bundled software was advanced for the time. It worked OK except for the floppy drives.
- author: Ross (Australia)
date: Wednesday 1st June 2016
text: I had one too in the early eighties, in Australia. My memory must be failing me as I thought I had it when I worked for an employer whom I left around March 1982. I remember it came with MSDOS 1.1 and then happy days I got MSDOS 1.25. I certainly had Lotus 123, a word processor and Turbo Pascal. .....and it was transportable. It was a joy that I could take home rather than pencil and paper at night.
- author: Jørgen Bang (Danmark)
date: Wednesday 22nd July 2015
text: I had a Hyperion in 1983 in Denmark, Europe. It ran MS-DOS 1.25, a special danish version of 1.1, I used it with Lotus 1-2-3 for accounting. I was very happy about it, it never let me down. In Denmark it was sold by a company called HELPP Computer. I do''nt know how many they sold. In Norway a bank bought 50 to be used in banking.
- author: Dave Malby (Sacramento, CA)
date: Tuesday 19th May 2015
text: I purchased the Hyperion that was 1 year old in 1985 from Anderson Jacobson in Santa Clara, CA. I used it for tax preparation for businesses. I was one of the first Registered California Tax Practitioners that prepared taxes using a portable computer and filed taxes electronically. I believe I used the first edition of Turbotax that was introduced by Mike Chipman which I conversed with on the phone when I ran into problems. The computer only gave me grief if I forgot to save the file on the 2nd floppy or when someone tripped on the power cord.
- author: Mary Jim Ailor (United States)
date: Thursday 13rd November 2014
text: |-
I have one with the case all the books that I am selling at a estate sale next week in Huntsville, al. Please email me if you are interested and help me with the price. The only one I see it $4000, but I know they are not selling for that.\
MJ Ailor\
Loose Ends By MJ estate sales
- author: Mary Jim Ailor (United States)
date: Thursday 13rd November 2014
text: |-
I have one with the case all the books that I am selling at a estate sale next week in Huntsville, al. Please email me if you are interested and help me with the price. The only one I see it $4000, but I know they are not selling for that.\
MJ Ailor\
Loose Ends By MJ estate sales
- author: TravelFrost (Canada)
date: Wednesday 21st May 2014
text: 'SM (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - if you still have a Hyperion - I would be interested. email: travelfrost@yahoo.com'
- author: SM (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
date: Monday 16th September 2013
text: I have six working Hyperions, with carrying cases, and three for parts. anybody interested? Original manuals as well.
- author: Jim Baucom (Colorado, USA)
date: Wednesday 23rd November 2011
text: |-
SCI Systems made these in Huntsville, AL for Dynalogic and I bought one while working for SCI. I will give it and the mauuels anyone who wants it.\
jim0400@aol.com
- author: Jim Baucom (Colorado, USA)
date: Wednesday 23rd November 2011
text: |-
SCI Systems made these in Huntsville, AL for Dynalogic and I bought one while working for SCI. I will give it and the mauuels anyone who wants it.\
jim0400@aol.com
- author: steve (Toronto, Canada)
date: Wednesday 5th October 2011
text: I had one of these in working condition back in 1988 - my mother found it in a junk closet at an office she worked at in Ottawa. I was saving it as the showpiece of my vintage pc collection. Then I learned that the same mother threw it in the trash while I was backpacking in Australia! I was unbelievably disappointed, but I think another collector found it, so at least the machine went to a good home.
- author: Dean (Canada)
date: Sunday 28th November 2010
text: This was my first computer, back when I was in university. I actually did CFD modelling on it. Somewhere, I still have floppy disks of Lotus 123 Version 1A.
- author: Mitch Hodges (Georgia, USA)
date: Saturday 22nd May 2010
text: |-
My very first IT job was with Anderson-Jacobson as a Sales Support Engineer hired specifically to support the Hyperion, although I supported most of their other telecomm equipment as well. Based out of DC, I was in and out of most of government with this, and they purchased quite a few.
I still had the carrying case that I used as a carry-on bag up until about 5 years ago. It was great "little" computer, but the bag was even better!
- author: Yves Mc Donald (Quebec, Canada)
date: Monday 24th March 2003
text: I salvaged a pair of Hyperion' main logic boards from an electronic discount store in Montreal back in 88. The boars were later sold to a delighted Hyperion user because the boards were actually intact! They were oddly shaped PCBs. The board\`s contour fitted the back end of the case. It looks more like some sort of test equipment rather than a PC.
- author: Eric des Courtis (Ottawa)
date: Sunday 5th February 2006
text: I have MS-DOS 1.25H except I am not sure if I can legally make you a copy. You might find it useful to know the machine will boot MS-DOS 5 and possibly 6.22. The disk drives are 320KB instead of 360KB which might cause problems for booting... So make sure to format the disk at lower density. Also take into consideration you can't use a 1.2MB 5"25 Floppy drive to format the disk you will need a 360KB drive.
- author: Paul Williams (Canada)
date: Thursday 15th December 2005
text: I have a Hyperion, I found in the garbage. The screen was not functioning when I found it, but has since been repaired. I am wondering if there is any way that I could download a copy of PC Dos 1.25H from somewhere. Also if anyone knows where I can get some more documentation as it is very difficult to find. In any case It will be great to get it fully up and running!
- author: Michael R Murphy (Canada)
date: Thursday 26th May 2005
text: The Dynalogic Hyperion is fondly remembered by me,a sort of old timer in the computer world. Given that it was also one of the very few Canadian presences in the computer world at that time, that makes it like me, a proud Canadian!
- author: Nighthawk (Ontario, Canada)
date: Tuesday 7th January 2003
text: I bought a Hyperion for $50 in 1992. I noticed quite by accident since I was actually looking at anthor computer. The unique stance of this machine is what caught my eye. The machine came with a custom version of MS-DOS, version 1.25. This version od DOS could take advantage of a custom video mode unique to this machine. It allowed 40 or so extra pixels (or the equivalent text lines). It came with a vserion of GW-BASIC that also could use the custom video mode. While you might think that 256K is not much ram (and it's not, really) I could use some for a ram disk, load Turbo Pascal 3.01A in to the ram disk and run it from there. Man did it fly! Since the Compiler could compile to ram and run it from ram, the disk never was used except to save files.
oc_id: 339
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230401022800/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=339
date: '2023-04-01'
---
The Hyperion was produced by the **Infotech Cie**. of Ottawa, a subsidiary of **Bytec Management Corp**. It was the first portable IBM-PC compatible computer, released three months earlier than the [Compaq Portable](/museum/compaq-portable/).
The machine offered powerful features for a 1982 computer, including dual 360K 5.25" disk drives, built-in 7-inch amber CRT and a video out jack for displaying CGA graphics. The keyboard slides underneath the main unit and locks into place. It was delivered along with a suite of standard software: word processor, data base and communications.
Although it was significantly lighter and handy than the Compaq, the Hyperion suffered from reliabilty problems, specially from disk drives. Furthermore it was only 95% PC compatible. For these reasons, Compaq definitively took the lead of portable sales.
The Hyperion sales continued in Canada and USA for two year. A few of them were also sold in Europe from September 1983 by the German **Anderson Jacobson** Cie, under the name **Ajile**.