--- title: Seequa CHAMELEON categories: - Computers types: - Transportable origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1983' cpus: - Zilog Z80 params: name: CHAMELEON image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_system_1.jpg company: /companies/seequa company_name: Seequa specs: - label: NAME value: CHAMELEON - label: MANUFACTURER value: Seequa - label: TYPE value: Transportable - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1983' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: QWERTY full-stroke 83 keys with numeric keypad and 10 seperate function keys - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80 + Intel 8088 - label: SPEED value: 2.5 MHz (Z80) - 5 MHz (8088) - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: 8087 (optional) - label: RAM value: 128 KB to 256 KB on board. Up to 640 KB with expansion board - label: VRAM value: 16 KB - label: ROM value: 16 KB (up to 48 KB) - label: TEXT MODES value: |- 9 inch Green Phosphor Monitor\ 80 x 25, 40 x 25 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 320 x 200 with 4 colours - 640 x 200 in black & white - label: COLORS value: 16 (text mode) - label: SOUND value: Beeper - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 12.7 Kg - label: I/O PORTS value: Centronics, RS232c, Composite video - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: 2 x 5.25'' 320 KB disk-drives - label: OS value: MS DOS and CP/M - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 2 x built-in switching power supply units - label: PERIPHERALS value: Expansion box, IEEE-488 port - label: PRICE value: $1995 tabs: - photos - adverts - docs forum_thread: 121 photos: - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_system_2.jpg - title: CLOSED subtitle: '' text: A small, robust but heavy suitcase image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_closed_1.jpg - title: BACK subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_back_1.jpg - title: 'CLOSE-UP #1' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_keybcloseup_1.jpg - title: 'CLOSE-UP #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_system_3.jpg - title: REAR CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Serial connector\ **(2)** Parallel connector\ **(3)** Serial number #4742!\ **(4)** Composite video output. A color monitor could be used but displayed colours only in text mode.\ **(5)** Keyboard DIN plug\ **(6)** Brightness adjustment image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_back_2.jpg - title: UNCOVERED subtitle: '' text: Only one logic board covers the frame and participates in its rigidity! image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_inside_2.jpg - title: PERIPHERAL COMPONENTS subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Fan\ **(2)** Floppy disc drives magnetic shield\ **(3)** Serial and parallel connectors\ **(4)** The Chameleon uses two switching power supplies almost identical\ **(5)** Video electronic board is mounted around the tube. image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_inside_1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD EXPLAINED subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** 2 x 8 KB 2764 BIOS ROM's. Four sockets are free for 32 KB optional ROM\ **(2)** 8087 coprocessor socket\ **(3)** 8088 processor. Here a NEC version\ **(4)** Zilog Z80-A processor\ **(5)** Intel 8353 chip used for sound generation and memory refresh\ **(6)** Intel 8237 chip. 4-channel Direct Memory Access controller\ **(7)** 4 KB Video text RAM (2 x 6116 chips)\ **(8)** 6845 video management chip (graphic and text modes)\ **(9)** Serial and parallel flat cables\ **(10)** Optional GPIB (IEEE-488) chip sockets\ **(11)** Floppy disc flat cable\ **(12)** Floppy disc controller chip (NEC D765AC)\ **(13)** Intel 8274 serial controller chip. Sockets are available for a second serial port\ **(14)** First 128 KB RAM bank (18 x soldered 4164 chips)\ **(15)** Second 128 KB RAM bank (socketted chips)\ **(16)** 16 KB graphic video RAM (2 x 4416 chips) image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_motherboard_1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: No technical interest, but I like this picture... image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_motherboard_2.jpg - title: USER'S MANUAL subtitle: '' text: A really complete manual with clear and detailed information about hardware and software Chameleon features. image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_manual_1.jpg - title: DESKTOP VERSIONS subtitle: '' text: PC and XT versions used same dual processor motherboard as the portable model. image: /media/museum/photos/seequa_chameleon_pcxt_1.jpg adverts: - title: SEEQUA CHAMELEON BROCHURE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/seequa_chameleon_leaflet_1.jpg - title: DESKTOP & PORTABLE BROCHURE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/seequa_chameleon_leaflet_2.jpg - title: SEEQUA AD (JUN. 83) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/seequa_chameleon_pub_1.jpg - title: ADVERT subtitle: '' text: Thanks to [www.guiguy.com/Schiff/](http://www.guiguy.com/Schiff/) for this picture image: /media/museum/pubs/seequa_chameleon_brochure_1.jpg docs: - title: SEEQUA CHAMELEON USER'S MANUAL url: http://issuu.com/ryaninspiron/docs/seequa_chameleon_document cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/seequa_chameleon_doc.jpg text: |- [**SEEQUA CHAMELEON USER'S MANUAL**](http://issuu.com/ryaninspiron/docs/seequa_chameleon_document)written by Seequa  compiled/archived by Ryan Morrison\  type of document : Online reader **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** oc_id: 107 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604043621/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=107 date: '2023-06-04' --- The Seequa Chameleon was one of the first luggable computer that contained both a Z80 and an 8088 processor. So it was capable of running either CP/M or early MS-DOS operating system, hence its name. Basic version featured 128 KB of RAM while the "Chameleon Plus" version had 256 KB on board. Built-in 9" cathodic monochrom screen could be replaced by an external color monitor to use the 16-color text mode.The machine was also available with an internal hard disk. Seequa also manufactured two desktop versions, PC and XT, of the Chameleon, as well as an obscure version called Chameleon 325 that used the very rare and short-lived Dysan 3.25" floppy disc drive. The following software were bundled with the system:\ \- MS-DOS for the 8088 and CP/M-80 (8 bit OS), CP/M-86 (16 bit OS)\ \- M Basic-86 for 8088\ \- G W Basic - Microsoft's Advanced BASIC including graphics\ \- Perfect Writer - Word Processing for 8088\ \- Perfect Calc - Spreadsheet Software for 8088\ \- Perfect Speller - 50,000 word spelling checker for 8088\ \- Condor I - database management system for 8088