website/content/museum/datavue-spark.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
DATAVUE Spark	Computers	Portable	U.S.A.	1987	Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos links oc_id source Spark /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_system_1.jpg /companies/datavue DATAVUE label value NAME Spark label value MANUFACTURER Datavue label value TYPE Portable label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR June 1987 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1993 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full stroke 76 Key IBM Style. No Keypad label value CPU Intel 8088, later Nec V20 & V30 label value SPEED 9.77 MHz. label value RAM 640 KB label value VRAM Suspected to be 128 KB label value ROM 384 KB label value TEXT MODES 40-80 chars. x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 320 x 200, 400 x 320 dots label value COLORS 16 blueish greyscales label value SOUND PC Speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 13 (W) x 13 (D) x 18 (H) Inches / 6.5 Kg. (14 lb) label value I/O PORTS 9 Pin RS232C, 9 Pin RGBI, RF Port, 25 Pin Centronics, 16 Pin External Floppy Port label value BUILT IN MEDIA One or two 3 ½ 720K Floppy Disk Drives - Hard disc version came later label value OS MS-DOS label value POWER SUPPLY External power supply unit label value PRICE $1000-$1200 (USA, 1988)\ AU$10999 (Australia, 1987) photos links 789 title subtitle text image TOP VIEW This case design would be used by dozens of laptop PC manufacturers for several years. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSED Along with its power supply unit. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_closed_s1.jpg title subtitle text image DISPLAY The display could be turned down when the computer was used with an external monitor. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_display_s1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP A complete PC-type keyboard with separate arrow keys. The BIOS allowed to shitch between letter or numeric keys (in red). /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PROFILE Notice the 'Line' and 'Tel' RJ11 sockets of the built-in modem.\ The second floppy disk drive is available on the right side of the Spark. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_profile_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SPARK CARRYING BAG /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_bag_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SPARK LABEL /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_logo_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BOTTOM LABEL /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_label_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ORIGINAL DOS DISKETTE Original Datavue DOS 2.11 and utilities diskette. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_dosdiskette_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS From left to rignt:\ • Reset button\ • Serial RS-232 DB9 connector\ • RGBI connector for external CGA monitor\ • Monochrome Composite video output jack\ • Parallel printer DB25 connector\ • External floppy drive DB15 connector\ • Extension bus connector (covered). /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_rearcon_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE **(1)** 256 KB Expansion RAM card (8 x 4464 Dip IC's)\ **(2)** Dual 3.5" 720 KB floppy disc drives\ **(3)** Modem card\ **(4)** Power regulation card /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAIN BOARD **(1)** Expansion RAM card connector\ **(2)** A faster NEC V20 replaces the original Intel 8088\ **(3)** The rare and expensive 8087 math co-processor option has been added\ **(4)** Modem and power regulation card connectors\ **(5)** Battery pack housing\ **(6)** Keyboard cable\ **(7)** RAM banks. 12 x 4464 chips hold 384 KB of RAM /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_mainboard_s2.jpg title subtitle text image CUSTOM CHIPSETS Each custom chip has different and enigmatic figurines painted on it! /media/museum/photos/datavue_chipsigns_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MODEM AND RAM CARDS Internal Modem and 256 KB RAM expansion cards /media/museum/photos/datavue_modemcard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLY We also found this 'Charly 286' which case is strictly the same as the Spark. Was it a copy? or was it manufactured under licence? We don't know the story. /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_charly_s1.jpg title url text Good pictures of the Spark, manual, bag,... http://sbibuilder.free.fr/spark/ 808 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230531230529/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=808 2023-05-31

The Datavue Spark was one of the First Laptops Ever Made. It Featured a Powerful (Back Then) Intel 8088 with a clock Speed of 9.77MHz.

It had a blue 5" x 10" screen (which was big for 1987) made by Epson that supported 16 shades of blueish grey. Plus, it was backlit, which made it very bright and readable.

DOS could be run on this system, but needed a boot disk to do anything.

Due to a very high retail price, very few Spark were sold (at least in Australia). In the US, the price was about $1000-$1200, depending on the amount of memory and whether 1 or 2 drives.

The closest (decent) competitor to the Spark was the Toshiba T-1000. A very well-made laptop, but its screen was only about 3-1/2" x 7" and much less readable.

Datavue made it up until 1993, then the company went under due to the many more powerful laptops on the market at the time. Datavue produced many other laptops.

Thanks to Michael Buchan, Ronald Harper for information.

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.