website/content/museum/dvw-micro-electronics-husky.md

---
title: DVW MICRO-ELECTRONICS Husky
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Portable
origins:
- United Kingdom
years:
- '1981'
params:
  name: Husky
  image: /media/museum/photos/dvw-microelectronics_husky_1.jpg
  company: /companies/dvw-micro-electronics
  company_name: DVW MICRO-ELECTRONICS
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Husky
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: DVW Micro-electronics
  - label: TYPE
    value: Portable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: United Kingdom
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1981'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Basic
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Flat membrane keyboard (40 keys)
  - label: CPU
    value: NSC 800 - Z80 low power clone from National Semiconductors
  - label: SPEED
    value: Unknown
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: NSC 801
  - label: RAM
    value: 32 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 chars x 4 lines (LCD screen)
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: Black & white
  - label: SOUND
    value: Beeper
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 24 x 19.5 x 4 cm / 2kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Serial port, Barecode reader
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Battery backup
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Batteries
  - label: PRICE
    value: 5335 (France, 83)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - links
  forum_thread: 465
  photos:
  - title: IN USE
    subtitle: ''
    text: '[www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org](http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org)'
    image: /media/museum/photos/dvw_husky_main.jpg
  - title: ARMY GREEN VERSION
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Javier Fernandez**
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_brownversion_1.jpg
  - title: 'GREEN VERSION #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Javier Fernandez**
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_brownversion_2.jpg
  - title: 'GREEN VERSION #3'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Javier Fernandez**
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_brownversion_3.jpg
  - title: 'GREEN VERSION #4'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Javier Fernandez**
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_brownversion_4.jpg
  - title: WHITE VERSION
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_system_1.jpg
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/dvw_husky_r-side_2_150908.jpg
  - title: BOTTOM
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** This strap allows the user to fasten the system on his arm\
      **(2)** DB25 connectors. Allows the Husky to be connected to various mainframes thanks to several internal data transfer protocoles.\
      **(3)** Barcode reader connector\
      **(4)** Programs and data battery backup housing
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_systembottom_1.jpg
  - title: LCD DISPLAY
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **Top pict**: Welcome display at power on.\
      **Bottom pict**: A system menu offers 6 submenus:\
      \- **1** - VDU simulation. Husky can be used as a terminal\
      \- **2** - Cloning Husky. An easy way to transfer programs and data into other Husky's\
      \- **3** - Special facilities. Barcode type selection\
      \- **4** - Initialise communications. Serial communication setup\
      \- **5** - Initialise Clock. Time and date\
      \- **6** - Basic Interpreter
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_display_1.jpg
  - title: SYSTEM OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: Upper memory board is fitted with 32 KB of RAM. A second 32 KB bank could be added.
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_inside_1.jpg
  - title: 'SYSTEM OPENED #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      No connectors are used, only soldered rigid flat cables. Maintenance should'nt be really easy.\
      The right memory board is normally superposed on the main board
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_opened_1.jpg
  - title: MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Only standard low power IC are used.\
      **(1)** NSC 800 processor from National Semiconductors. A low power version of the Z80\
      **(2)** NSC 810 provides I/O ports, a timer and buffer RAM\
      **(3)** 32 KB ROM (4 x 2732 chips) holding the BASIC interpreter and system routines\
      **(4)** 32 chars x 4 lines LCD display provided by Epson\
      **(5)** Clock battery backup\
      **(6)** Power and barcode reader connector\
      **(7)** Serial connector
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_mainboard_1.jpg
  - title: MAINBOARD CLOSE-UO
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_mainboard_2.jpg
  - title: WATERPROOF CASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Note the black seal and silicon pointing at the back of the keyboard and display glass.
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_etancheite_1.jpg
  - title: 'CASE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The very robust case is made of two thick aluminium parts.\
      The copper cylinder is the main batteries housing.
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_case_1.jpg
  - title: 'LEATHER SATCHEL #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/husky_dvw_bag_1.jpg
  - title: 'LEATHER SATCHEL #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/dvw_husky_sacoche.jpg
  links:
  - title: Husky official website
    url: http://www.itronix.co.uk/uk/
    text: Husky (now Itronix) is still producing rugged field notebooks !
  oc_id: 471
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20221205135157/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=471
    date: '2022-12-05'
---

This is an obscure computer, not very well known. It's a rugged field computer, conceived to be used outdoor, and resistant to extreme conditions (it was used in the British Army for example).

In 1981, responding to a request from Severn Trent Water, DVW designed and manufactured the first rugged handheld computer - the Husky, dramatically featured on the BBC TV programme 'Tomorrow's World'. This caught the attention of the UK Ministry of Defence, who subsequently awarded DVW a contract to supply the MOD with rugged handheld computers as part of the Rapier missile project.

Husky (it will become the name of the company some years later) has become since a familiar name in the niche market for rugged field hardware.

The Husky was the first, or at least one of the first real portable computer. And as it was waterproof against accidental immersion and rugged, it was very expensive (\~5600 Euros).

The Husky had a small LCD screen (32 x 4) and a flat membrane keyboard, just like the [Sinclair ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/).

It has a basic interpreter, an onboard clock (unsurprisingly lacking in millennium compliency), onboard routines for communicating through what looks like a serial port interface, as well as a menu option for "cloning husky". This must be used to clone multiple Husky systems that will all be used for the same purpose, rather than re-entering the BASIC code for each unit.

The unit stores programmed entered into the basic interpreter in some kind of solid state memory which must be powered by the backup battery (since when you take the backup battery out, you lose the basic code).

In 1983, the [Husky Hunter](/museum/husky-computers-limited-husky-hunter/) is launched. DVW changes its name to Husky Computers Limited and moves to the Courtaulds site in Coventry.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>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.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>