--- title: Grid Compass categories: - Computers types: - Portable origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1982' cpus: - Intel 8086 params: name: Compass image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_2s.jpg company: /companies/grid company_name: Grid specs: - label: NAME value: Compass - label: MANUFACTURER value: Grid - label: TYPE value: Portable - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: April 1982 - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: GRID BASIC - label: KEYBOARD value: Full stroke 57 keys - label: CPU value: Intel 8086 - label: SPEED value: Unknown - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: 8087 math coprocessor - label: RAM value: 256 KB (up to 512 KB) - label: VRAM value: Unknown - label: ROM value: Unknown - label: TEXT MODES value: 80 chars x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 320 x 240 dots - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: Beeper - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 38 (H) x 29 (D) x 5 (H) cm / 8.5 lbs (4.3 kg) - label: I/O PORTS value: Serial RS-232, RS-422, IEEE-488 - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: 384 KB bubble RAM - label: OS value: GRID O/S, MS-DOS 2.2 - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in poxer supply unit - label: PERIPHERALS value: RAM cards, 360 KB 5.25'' floppy disc unit, 10 MB hard disk unit - label: PRICE value: £4595 (U.K., 1984) tabs: - photos - hardware photos: - title: GRID COMPASS subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_2.jpg - title: ANOTHER VIEW subtitle: '' text: Thanks to redrum76 for this picture image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_redrum76_1.jpg - title: B&W PICTURE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_system_1.jpg - title: CLOSED subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_closed.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_inside.jpg - title: DISPLAY OPENED subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_monitor.jpg - title: COMPASS BAG subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/grid_compass_bag_1.jpg hardware: - title: NUMERIC KEYPAD subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/grid_compass_numpad_s1.jpg - title: 5.25 '' DISK-DRIVE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/grid_compass_fdd_1.jpg - title: 10 MB HARD DISK subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/grid_compass_hd_1.jpg comments: - author: pete gerry (us) date: Tuesday 1st February 2011 text: |- The first grid is the 1101 Compass, the next model was the 1103 which was used in a lot of military apps like testing avionics, early shuttle flights (later the 1500 series took that over) and some tactical data messaging apps that connected to radios. They are practically crashproof as mentioned earlier. As a collectible the 1101''s are fetching huge dollars on ebay now, around 1k upto 3k for new in the box. The 1103''s still turn up also for around 300 to 1k and the 1520-1530''s turn up often for 100 to 300 bucks. They are basically the same with a larger screen and a faster processor. - author: NormGraham (usa) date: Wednesday 20th October 2010 text: |- 1\) Their main developer died of aids. Insted of viewing him as a replaceable resource (like we do today), the company used it as an excuse for YEARS when their customers wanted new features.\ 2\) 32 computers/devices can be linked together, and you could assign a task to each one. It was pretty cool, but never really functional because developers likely were not in love with GRiD. Also, I could not divide the tasks up very well to keep that many computers busy.\ 3\) They came out with their own GUI, Penright!. Also pretty cool, used the dos-graphics mode, and even had their own development tools. Unfortunatly, Windows got better, and people wanted windows on the laptops, etc.\ 4\) Price! Price! Even in the 90''s these suckers were expensive. Who cares they went into space, etc.\ 5\) I rewrote the Penright! Libs interface, and provided a non-grid solution. Would you believe, people used that to prove they were not using grid, but actually were still using them (and not paying them).\ Ug. - author: Victoria Leavitt (Lakewood, Washington) date: Sunday 22nd May 2005 text: My husband worked for a DoD contractor in the early 1980's. They were testing "off the shelf" items with combat area applications. One of the items was the Grid Compass Computer - so they all had one. I was in nursing school at the time and was one of the first students to use a "laptop" and hand in papers (and make graphs for over heads for presentations) with a word processor. I remember the dot matrix printer too. Had to tear off the sides of the paper - hated the ragged edge it left. - author: Dave Hannum (United States) date: Monday 9th April 2018 text: I had one of the first Grid Computers in my lab, I had gone to LA for the big Computer show and was provided one of their units for inspection, at the ime I worked for the Bell System. Other than what has been described here, I remember the case, it was magnesium and heated nearly hot enough to cook on. It was one of the ''cons'' of this unit, but the pro''s were the innovative design, and the capability ''to take it with you''. That era was for the innovators and we saw many ideas brought to the front, most, like the Grid were short lived but added to the overall design of future units. I was glad to be there. - author: Paul date: Tuesday 7th July 2015 text: |- Your Compass description is great. Nothing to add. I do have an old Grid Compass-II 1129 that may have an interesting history? It has a small red plate reading "Class-III NOT FOR FLIGHT". When it is booted, a boot-splash screen pops up stating:\ \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\ HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT 510I CREW OF\ JOE ENGLE\ DICK COVEY\ OX VAN HOFTEN\ MIKE LOUNGE\ BILL FISHER FROM THE SPOC GROUP\ \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Anyway, it has two "GRID-ROM Grid-OS SYSTEM" ROMS, but the other two ROM sockets are empty.\ My guess is that the SPOC ROMS were pulled when this was surplussed 30+ years ago.\ I''d love to get hold of the binaries for the two SPOC ROMS (I have a VERY old EPROM burner in my collection that I use for Intel SDK-85 Trainer EPROM-Burns). It would be great to restore this for others to enjoy. Have a great day!\ Paul\ pullin_gs@hotmail.com - author: matt chandler (usa) date: Saturday 28th March 2015 text: Found one of these a few years back while dumpster diving. Knew it was cool so just kept it in the closet for a few years. Then couple of months back posted it on eBay and was sold for 2k by the end of that day. It went to the right person too because he explained it was going to make its way to the Smithsonian where I always knew it belonged. I am now sending this on my tab s 10.5 which was bought with part of the grids sale proceeds. :) - author: matt chandler (usa) date: Saturday 28th March 2015 text: Found one of these a few years back while dumpster diving. Knew it was cool so just kept it in the closet for a few years. Then couple of months back posted it on eBay and was sold for 2k by the end of that day. It went to the right person too because he explained it was going to make its way to the Smithsonian where I always knew it belonged. I am now sending this on my tab s 10.5 which was bought with part of the grids sale proceeds. :) - author: Tom Hall (USA) date: Sunday 14th April 2013 text: Manager of compatible software developement. - author: Robert Allen date: Sunday 9th September 2012 text: |- I used these briefly when I worked at a military contractors in the mid 1980''s. But what''s more interesting perhaps is, Grid Compasses were the weapons used by the Space Marines to run their sentry guns, in the movie Aliens. It''s a $d scene in the directors cut. Here''s a clip of the "sentry gun" UI in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v$HQDy-5IQvuU$feature$related - author: Gene Gajewski date: Friday 16th September 2011 text: I remember Grids from the 80''s. The DOD was big on them - they \*almost\* were mechanically rugged - except - spilling orange juice (or any liquid) on the keyboard would damage the underlying membrane mechanism. You had to toss that TEMPEST certified puppy on the scrap heap... - author: Dan date: Monday 21st February 2011 text: |- I noticed a post by Len regarding the GRiD Compass computer that was NASA surplus. I am wondering if it is possible to obtain the software that NASA used on that computer for the Space Shuttle? I would like to install it on a GRiD Compass with my NASA collection. Thanks in advance for your help!\ Dan - author: Bob (usa) date: Thursday 17th February 2011 text: 6 years before this computer came out and 3 years before the patent I developed a very similar item for SAI. It used a 512x256 plasma display, an 8 inch floppy, and a emulated version of the Data General Nova line of computers so it had an RTOS, Basic and Fortran. And it was built into a briefcase with the display and touch panel in the top. Funny thing was that SAI decided there was no need for it so refused to go after a patent. Even funnier was 20 years later they were ruggeding the GRiD Compass computer for military applications and paying royalties to them! - author: NormGraham date: Wednesday 20th October 2010 text: lol....I just remembered my boss STOLE a GRiD computer at a convention show....he did it so we could be the first to market with our software.....(That''s the side of the industry you dont hear about anymore). - author: Ali Simmons (UK) date: Tuesday 15th July 2008 text: |- I've just found one of these at the back of my atic. It still boots up!! - author: Themis (Greece,Patras) date: Sunday 20th April 2008 text: Nice design.Μου αρεσει πολυ.How can be connected with the new printers and internet? - author: K. T. Lam (Juneau, AK) date: Thursday 8th June 2006 text: I remember first seeing one of these on an airplane when I was flying from New York to Denver. I was absolutely blown away by it, at the time I couldn't imagine a computer that you could carry around with you! - author: Quick basic (east Coast) date: Thursday 9th September 2004 text: I want one of these! oc_id: 900 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230607193345/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=900 date: '2023-06-07' --- The Compass portable was the first computer of the Grid company; and the very first clamshell laptop (GRiD had the patent on the clamshell idea). It was an expensive portable business computer incorporating large memories (both RAM and data storage) for the time, but above all one of the first graphic amber plasma flat screen. It was housed in in a matt-black finished magnesium case. Not only does this gave increased protection (and weight) that some plastic shells, it also acted as a heat-sink, so there was no cooling fan. Stangely, there was no carrying handle either. Above the keyboard was a panel displaying common command codes to refresh user's memory. Instead of a disk drive, first Compass held a 384 KB non-volatile bubble memory (like the [Sharp PC-5000](/museum/sharp-pc-5000/)). Software could be loaded from a Grid server, however, user could connect an external 360 KB floppy disc or 10 MB hard disk unit. The Compass also featured a built-in modem. --- **Tom Lutz** reports to us:\ In addition to being first in space, it was allso the first laptop used as operators positions aboard naval vessels, and it was the first laptop that was attached to paratroopers that were dropped behind enemy lines. The GRIDS were used to monitor troop and equipment movements and to send back tactical data to the command center. The heart of the operating system was "Compass Computer Operating System (CCOS).\ I employed the GRID in many research projects for which I was the project manager. One of these projects is the reason we now have GPS. Some of the programs I worked on used the std GRID and/or DOS software while others used software especially built for the project.\ Did anyone mention that you could daisychain multiple devices off the 488 I/O? This port was identified as the GPIB or Grid Processor Interface Bus. I Don't remember the limit, however, if I recall correctly, I remember having two 10 MB disk, one floppy disk, an HP plotter were daisychined off a single GRID 488 port. The Epson or Diablo printers ran off the serial port. Conceptionally, this mad the GRID more flexable then todays CPUs. If anyone were to ask, I would say that the GRID defined the term "User Friendly". I don't recall one occassion when a GRID crashed because of what an operator did.\ In addition to running on 110 VAC, the unit could be switched to 220 VAC. The only thing you needed to change was a switch and a fuse. GRID was way ahead of everyone else at that time. It is too bad they felt they could sit back on their lorals and do nothing. By the time they realized they needed to improve (make it lighter eg.) they were already playing catch-up; and never could. Patent on clamshell computers, by **Martin Green**:\ When Grid went out of business they sold their IP to Tandy, of Radio Shack and TRS-80 fame. Some time later Tandy lawyers noticed they had unknowingly purchased the patent on clamshell computers in the deal and notified all the other laptop makers that they would begin collecting royalties. After a legal battle the patent was upheld and a small portion of every single clamshell laptop sold by anybody went to Tandy.\ My understanding and recollection is that Grid never enforced their patent, so other makers went on producing clamshell designs for probably a decade before Tandy started making royalty noises. By then the clamshell design was firmly entrenched and it was a case of pay up or get out of the laptop business.