--- title: Otrona Attache categories: - Computers types: - Transportable origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1982' cpus: - Zilog Z80A at 4 MHz params: name: Attache image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_1s.jpg company: /companies/otrona company_name: Otrona specs: - label: NAME value: Attache - label: MANUFACTURER value: Otrona - label: TYPE value: Transportable - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: April 1982 - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: '1984' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Unknown - label: KEYBOARD value: compact full-stroke keyboard (QWERTY) - label: CPU value: |- Zilog Z80A at 4 MHz\ \+ Intel i8086 at 8 MHz for the Model 8:16 - label: RAM value: |- 64 KB\ 8:16 model: 256 KB when running in MS-DOS mode - label: ROM value: 4 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 80 x 24 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 320 x 240 - label: COLORS value: No (monochrome built-in 5.5'' CRT display) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 12 x 5.75 x 13.6 inches / 19 lbs - label: I/O PORTS value: expansion slot, keyboard connector, two RS-232c ports, video output (composite) - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: 5.25'' built-in floppy disk drive (360 KB) - label: OS value: |- CP/M\ \+ MS-DOS with 8:16 model - label: POWER SUPPLY value: AC power or battery pack (optional) - label: PERIPHERALS value: second 5.25'' floppy disk drive, 10 MB hard disk, parallel interface, carrying case, battery pack - label: PRICE value: $3995 (USA, 1982) tabs: - photos - links forum_thread: 1194 photos: - title: OTRONA ATTACHE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_1.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_3.jpg - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_top.jpg - title: CLOSED subtitle: '' text: ready to go ! image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_closed.jpg - title: CLOSED - STAND UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_closed_2.jpg - title: CLOSED WITH 5.25'' DISK subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_closed_3.jpg - title: DETAIL subtitle: '' text: The serial number of this unit is 1464. image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_detail.jpg - title: TURNED ON subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_2.jpg - title: USING THE DISK DRIVES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_disk.jpg - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_rear.jpg - title: BOOT SCREEN subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_screen.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: This is a model 8:16 motherboard, with the additional i8086 board placed on top of the main Z80 board. image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache-8-16_mobo.jpg - title: DOCUMENTATION subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/otrona_attache_docs.jpg links: - title: Oldcomputers.net - Otrona Attache page url: http://oldcomputers.net/attache.html text: Very interesting page about the Otrona Attache - title: Otrona Attache 8:16 diskette contents url: http://wps.com/archives/Otrona-Attache-8-16-diskettes/ text: download this while it's online! - title: Rhod's collection url: http://www.rhod.fr/otrona.html text: Nice pictures! - title: Wikipedia - Otrona page url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otrona text: Some info here... oc_id: 1227 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230530210241/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1227 date: '2023-05-30' --- The Otrona Attache was the most wanted transportable computer at the time as it was the smallest of its category. Preceded by the [Osborne](/museum/osborne-corp-osborne-1/) and [Kaypro II](/museum/kaypro-ii/), the Attache was also more expensive than its competitors. Compactness has a price! The Attache is this a nice little CP/M system. High-resolution graphics, compact keyboard, 64 KB RAM, real time battery-packed clock, composite video output, delivered with Wordstar, MBasic, CP/M, the Otrona Attache had all that was needed at the time to be efficient. in 1983, Otrona released a second model, the **Attache 8:16** which was in fact a "normal" Attache with an Intel 8086 expansion board built-in, thus offering the MS-DOS world in addition to the CP/M compatibility. The [IBM PC](/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150/) was already putting a strong pressure on the market. The rush toward MS-DOS compatibility had begun, announcing CP/M death. Meanwhile, hybrid machines like this one appeared on the market illustrating the transition. In May 1984, Otrona announced a new transportable model, the **Otrona 2001**, using an Intel 8088 processor. Sadly the 2001 wasn't completely IBM PC compatible and the production costs were high. Like its predecessor (Attache), the 2001 had real assets, but was too expensive compared to other portables. As Otrona didn't want to exceed the $3000 price limit to stay competitive against IBM and Compaq, they had to throw in the towel. Too bad, as the demand for the "2001" ran extraordinarily well, as Otrona president Jim Lindner explained. 1000 orders in the month were common. But in september 1984, Otrona Advanced Systems announced that it was ceasing production. It gave notice to its 175 employees and said that it had decided that is was not able to reorganize (and thus continue in business) under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Act. Jim Lindner hoped for a buyback which never came (?).
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.