---
title: DYNALOGIC HYPERION
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Transportable
origins:
- Canada
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Intel 8086
params:
  name: HYPERION
  image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_system_s1.jpg
  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
  forum_thread: 343
  photos:
  - title: LARGE VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_system_2.jpg
  - title: LEFT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_leftside_s1.jpg
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_rightside_s1.jpg
  - title: FRONT VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: When the Hyperion has to be carried, the keyboard slides in a special housing under the machine.
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_frontview-s1.jpg
  - 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: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_topview_s1.jpg
  - 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: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_rearside_s1.jpg
  - title: 'REAR SIDE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The white box on the right of the case is the memory expansion.

      Thanks to **Bob Shapton**
    image: /media/museum/photos/hyperion_back.jpg
  - 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: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_fddrives_s1.jpg
  - 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: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_inside_s1.jpg
  - title: 'INSIDE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Notice the optional modem card mounted onto the main board.
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_inside_s2.jpg
  - title: RUNNING SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: Boot up screen of the Digital Research CP/M-86 OS.
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_cpmscreenshot_s1.jpg
  - 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: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_transparent_s1.jpg
  - title: 'TRANSPARENT HYPERION #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Eric des Courtis**
    image: /media/museum/photos/dynalogic_hyperion_transparent_s2.jpg
  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: /media/museum/pubs/dynalogic_hyperion_pub_1.jpg
  - title: UK ADVERT (JULY 1984)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/hyperion_pub_july-84.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: PHONE COUPLER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/dynalogic_hyperion_phonecoupler_1.jpg
  links:
  - title: Hrothgar's Cool Old Junk Page
    url: http://www.total.net/~hrothgar/museum/Hyperion/index.html
    text: Some infos here
  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**.