website/content/museum/hewlett-packard-hp-200lx.md

---
title: Hewlett Packard HP-200LX
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Pocket
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1994'
params:
  name: HP-200LX
  image: /media/museum/photos/hp_200lx_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/hewlett-packard
  company_name: Hewlett Packard
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: HP-200LX
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Hewlett Packard
  - label: TYPE
    value: Pocket
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1994'
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: Late 1999
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Personal Information Manager System, Quicken, Lotus
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Miniature 80-key qwerty keyboard including dedicated PIM
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel Hornet - computer-on-a-chip based on 80186
  - label: SPEED
    value: 7.91MHz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: None
  - label: RAM
    value: 1MB / 2MB / 4MB (upgradable to 64MB with 3rd party solutions)
  - label: ROM
    value: 3MB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 columns x 25 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 640 x 200 dots
  - label: COLORS
    value: Black & white LCD / CGA emulated video controller
  - label: SOUND
    value: Multi-octave beeper
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 160 (W) x 85 (D) x 26 (H) mm (6 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 1 inch) / < 1 pound
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: IR port, Power, Serial, PCMCIA 2.0 type II
  - label: OS
    value: DOS 5.0 (in ROM)
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: 2xAA batteries / coin-cell for RAM-disk backup
  - label: PRICE
    value: $695
  tabs:
  - photos
  - links
  photos:
  - title: LARGE VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/hp_200lx_system_s2.jpg
  - title: CLOSED
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/hp_200lx_closed_s1.jpg
  - title: MOTHERBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Left: The bottom of the motherboard, with the Intel Hornet CPU.\
      Right: The top of the motherboard, with the 2 RAM chips and 2 ROM chips\
      A PCMCIA card is next to the motherboard, to give an idea of the size.
    image: /media/museum/photos/hp_200lx_mainboard_s1.jpg
  links:
  - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
    url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
    text: ''
  comments:
  - author: HPtom (Germany)
    date: Friday 25th February 2011
    text: |-
      I still use the HP200LX for my business contacts and the calendar and task management. Also I use the windows version of calendar on my main PC in the office. Also I use many other programs for my daily work in the laboratory. The PIM software is the bst one I have ever seen and together with database engine of HP it is unbeatable! Also the calculator with solver is a big thing, beside LOTUS.

      The HP200LX is a marvellous machine and the best ever built PDA for professional use, although in these these days there are limitations. But the robustness of the machine and the reliability is so good! I still have 2 "backup HP200LX" in my wardrobe so I think to have this little real PC in the pocket forever :-)\
      recommendable websites for support is palmtoppaper.com and the hplx.net

      Greetings from Germany\
      HPtom
  - author: Mark (Neverlands)
    date: Sunday 28th February 2021
    text: I''m writing programs in Quickbasic for the 200LX, is there anyway I can probe if the serial port is on or off, like an address or register? I use shell "lxstat s $ info" as a workaround, but there must be something better. Grtzz Mark
  - author: LX Lover (Japan)
    date: Monday 27th April 2020
    text: |-
      I have a HP200LX, and I download SSCL(star sapphire common lisp) last week. I install SSCL and EMACS, but EMACS reject key ''+'', ''\*'', ''$'' and so on. Do you know how to input such keys on EMACS ?\
      Please teach me how to setup EMACS.
  - author: DK2020 (US / Europe)
    date: Wednesday 18th March 2020
    text: |-
      Hi, I recently purchased the HP 1000CX. (An HP 200LX without the built in software.)

      I''m curious if it''s possible to manually install those missing built in software? Is there a download link somewhere if there is?
  - author: Jack Frost (New Zealand)
    date: Sunday 17th April 2016
    text: I do testing and tagging of electrical appliances. I use the Lotus 123 program as my client and asset database. The macros also prompt me for my test results. A Zebra TLP2844 prints my tags, directly from the Lotus 123 automatically based on the test results. I also have a spare HP200LX but cannot find my spare interface cable at present. If you have any unwanted HP200LX and/or accessories you wish to donate, email me at j-frost@xtra.co.nz
  - author: radek (Belgium)
    date: Monday 2nd November 2015
    text: |-
      Hi Renato Silva.\
      Can you contact met radek.orlowski@me.com
  - author: renato silva (portugal)
    date: Wednesday 3rd June 2015
    text: I have two working hp hewlett packard 200lx without the the adapter or manuals, just the pda to sell.
  - author: renato silva (portugal)
    date: Wednesday 3rd June 2015
    text: I have two working hp hewlett packard 200lx without the the adapter or manuals, just the pda to sell.
  - author: Radek (Belgium, Antwerp)
    date: Thursday 16th April 2015
    text: |-
      Hello to all

      I am desperately searching one or more working HP Lx200 without the adapter or manuals, just the pda. Willing to pay via Paypal including shipment. Thanks to all.
  - author: Radek (Belgium, Antwerp)
    date: Thursday 16th April 2015
    text: |-
      Hello to all

      I am desperately searching one or more working HP Lx200 without the adapter or manuals, just the pda. Willing to pay via Paypal including shipment. Thanks to all.
  - author: Paul B Davis (Temple, NH USA)
    date: Monday 17th November 2014
    text: |-
      The 200LX 32Mb double speed from Thaddeus is the best $1000 I ever spent$ Hands Down, no contest. It is NOT a "PDA", rather it is the first "Netbook". A real computer with OS incorruptibly in ROM. I use camera flash memory in an adapter in the PCMCIA slot. The wonderful "Carousel" gives me 10 completely independently configured computers that can swap out in 1 second.\
      This thing still sits next to my Win7 PC because it is SO FAST to get the answer I need. HPCalc is Fabulous. Work-a-day, (non-enormous) databases quite useable. Skyglobe 3.6, Collins English and multi-language Dictionaries work faster than just opening up Chrome on Cable internet on my reasonably modern Lenovo.\
      Next to my 200LX sits my first pocket calculator - also still very useful - the HP-29C. The calculator keyboard cannot be beat with an emulator - but I would dearly appreciate a full 200LX emulation that would run on my PC! I''d pay real money for it even.\
      The weakness of the 200LX is that the hinge for the cover wears out after 20 years or so :-) So I leave it open. A brilliant, ridiculously under-marketed device - the last throws of the late great Corvallis division of HP. Nowadays, "HP is neither". :-(
  - author: David (Spain)
    date: Tuesday 3rd July 2012
    text: 'jo (DE): There was more recent machines like you ask for. For example Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 line: Clamshell, full keyboard, Linux, color screen, etc, but they didn''''t reach great success in market.'
  - author: Simon Inzel
    date: Wednesday 18th April 2012
    text: |-
      I have just found back to my HPLX200,and decided to start using it again instead of / in addition to my Iphone. Does anyone know if it still is possible to have backlight installed on the LX?\
      Simmon
  - author: jo (DE)
    date: Monday 12th March 2012
    text: Steven, I wouldn''t want to lure anyone away from this great device, but a modern and similarly capable device could be the Pandora handheld. Clamshell, full keyboard, Linux. Although its primary design goal was to be a retro game console, it''s in fact rather close to the LX200 in several respects and you should be able to find a powerful word processor for it as well. (Besides USB, SDHC, Wireless...)
  - author: Steven L. (Italy)
    date: Tuesday 11th October 2011
    text: |-
      I use it mostly for text editing (translation of screenplays) combined with Word 5 (for DOS) and/or VDE text editor. Big text files 120K. I can still beat the hell out of any modern handheld device. Only the PSION 5MX came close (excellent but poorly constructed - flat cable woes). I''d be lost without my HP200LX... No bells, no whistles, no Internet, no phone calls... but when it comes to inputting text, this little DOS XT combined with a program like Word5 that allows for macros, literally beats the crap out of IPADS, Androids, Palms, old stylus PDAs and the rest.

      The other day I went to check out those marvelous and sexy Tablets. A nerdy young sales clerk came over with a smile, already extolling the Ipad 2 (which of course is wondrous). But I told him: "Look, I want to join modern humanity, but I also want to work fast and well. Can ANY of your marvel of cybernetic engineering do this?" Do any of your MAC / Android tablet programs have text editors with macros? See how fast I can translate this paragraph, how efficiently I $ the new and cancel the old... Do you have anything matching this (shameful, absurd, antiquated, hard-on-the-eyes) DOS XT power?"

      "Oh but if you turn it sideways it automatically goes sideways with you and while you type, you can watch Dr. House and download Lady Gaga and check the weather in London!"

      "Yes, but - damn it (- because I really would like to lay this superannuated thing to rest) - can you give me something I can walk around with, that fits in my pocket and has such amazing text editing capabilities? Can you give me something even HALF as fast?"

      The kid went away shaking his head, no doubt convinced that I was a lost cause, just a grumpy old fart stuck in the past. But if he had shown me a worthy product, I would''ve bought it on the spot.
  - author: jhfire
    date: Friday 5th August 2011
    text: I have an iPod, does all that and more. I believe there actually might be an app for that. All jokes set aside, really wonderful to step in the past. Thanks for making the site and please keep it alive!
  - author: Skip (Toronto - Canada)
    date: Thursday 14th May 2009
    text: I bought an HP200LX from Thaddeus Computing. They repair and recondition these old devices. I still need it to gather data via the infrared port from engine monitors like those sold by Insight Avionics.
  - author: Peter (Sweden)
    date: Thursday 14th May 2009
    text: Just found this website, amazing. I found a HP-200LX in my wardrobe! In the orignal box with user guide. And it´s still running.
  - author: Ruben (Bombarral, Portugal)
    date: Sunday 18th November 2007
    text: Were i can buy a HP-200LX???
  - author: Axel Haegeman (Overijse - Belgium)
    date: Monday 1st January 2007
    text: |-
      Hello,\
      I just bought a 200Lx on Ebay, but did not get the adapter kit HP F 1023, to connetct the PDA to my PC. Can anyone help me on this ? I want to hook it up to a PC to download data.
  - author: Hoi Lam (San Jose, CA)
    date: Sunday 11th June 2006
    text: |-
      I have a HP200LX. The backup battery low was on for a while but I was too busy to go get a new battery to replace the old one. It went completely dead finally. When I connected the plam top with AC power, I noticed that the machine rebooted itself in DOS and all my data (address book) were gone!!!

      Does anyone know if there is a way I can recover the lost data from HPLX200?
  - author: david masson (STL)
    date: Saturday 21st January 2006
    text: I have a 100 LX, the rarest in the series, and I love it! Even for a computer from 1992 I still use it, A LOT!!!
  - author: Bob Johnson (Toronto, Ont)
    date: Friday 22nd July 2005
    text: Just bought one of these today at the Goodwill in Toronto for $1.99 with PS (Look the thing up on EBay!), and when I turned the damn thing on its in French! (I can't speak French so you can see my problem), but I'm fooling around with it and it looks like fun, just have to figure out how to put programs on it.
  - author: Sylvain (France)
    date: Thursday 30th June 2005
    text: The HP-200LX was actually released in 1994, about one year after the HP-100LX. Some parts were probably designed in 1992, hence the copyright.
  - author: random replyer (USA)
    date: Tuesday 28th June 2005
    text: My friend has one of these. We looked at the copywrite on the bottom and it said that it was actually made in 1992.
  related:
  - /museum/hewlett-packard-hp-65
  oc_id: 1088
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230512142855/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1088
    date: '2023-05-12'
---

It was either a PC-XT you can fit in your hand, or a "PDA" that also happened to run countless DOS programs.

The PIM software was very powerful and comprehensive, included the usual address Book, Appointments, and Notepad / Memo capabilities, as well as a Database program. Plus, Pocket Quicken, Lotus 123, and cc:Mail. Also has a "Filer" program for file management, LapLink to connect with a desktop system for file transfer, and a Data Comm program for connecting to online services, and more!

Because it ran MS DOS 5.0 and had the architecture of a PC-XT with a CGA graphics adaptor, it was able to run almost any DOS software which would run on a similar desktop system.

Using a PCMCIA flash-memory card in lieu of a hard-drive allowed limitless storage space. System Memory was divided between normal RAM and a RAM-disk which became your C:\\ drive. The 2MB model gave you 640 KB system Ram and about 1400 KB of C: drive.

The keyboard was a little small for touch-typing, but it could be done. Keys had a slight tactile click to them. The IR port was not IRDA, being an older HP IR format instead. The Serial port was standard RS-232 signals but was a small non-standard 10-pin design. The pins 1-9 had the same assignments as a 9-pin serial port, the 10th being shell ground.

The 200LX was third in a series, the **HP-95LX** was first but had much more limited features, the **HP-100LX** was second and was almost identical, except was lacking some of the more-advanced PIM software. There was also the **HP-1000CX** which was identical to the 200LX except it had no PIM software at all, it was strictly a DOS 5.0 palmtop.

Thanks to **Stephanie Maks** for information and pictures.