website/content/museum/gridcase.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
GridCase	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1985	80C86 - low-power version	name image logo company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware oc_id source GridCase /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_running_s1.jpg /media/museum/logos/grid_gridcase_logo.gif /companies/grid Grid label value NAME GridCase label value MANUFACTURER Grid label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1985 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD 57-key IBM PCjr-compatible label value CPU 80C86 - low-power version label value SPEED 4.77 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Socket for an 8087 math corpocessor label value RAM 128 KB up to 512 KB label value VRAM 16 KB label value ROM Up to 512KB of user installable ROMs label value TEXT MODES 80 characters x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 640 x 200 pixels label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND Built-in speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 28.5 (W) x 38 (D) x 5.7 (H) cm / 5.8 kg label value I/O PORTS External colour monitor, Serial and Parallel ports, RJ11 phone jack, external PC keyboard, 50-pin expansion bus label value BUILT IN MEDIA 3.5'' 720 KB FDD label value OS MS-DOS 2.11, Grid-OS (proprietary OS) label value POWER SUPPLY External AC supply, rechargeable battery pack label value PERIPHERALS Internal 1200-baud modem ($795), external 5.25'' FDD ($895) label value PRICE I $2975 - II $3150 - III $4350 - IV $4550 photos adverts hardware 1027 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_system_s1.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BOTH SIDES The GridCase used one of the very first version of Sony 3.5" floppy-disk drive. /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_bothsides_s1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSED /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_closed_s1.jpg title subtitle text image GRIDCASE LOGOS /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_gridlogo_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR PANEL **(1)** Power switch\ **(2)** External keyboard DIN socket\ **(3)** Serial RS232 BD25 connector\ **(4)** Expansion bus DB50 connector\ **(5)** Parallel printer DB25 connector\ **(6)** External CGA monitor output\ **(7)** Battery pack\ **(8)** External AC adaptor jack /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_rearpanel_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ROM SOCKETS User could add specific OS or software sold by Grid in these sockets. /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_romsockets_s1.jpg title subtitle text image THE 3 MODELS The 3 Gridcase models are only different by their screen : classic LCD display (grey), enhanced LCD display (green & yellow), and high-contrast gas-plasma display (orange & black) /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase_3models.jpg title subtitle text image GRIDCASE IV BOOT-UP SCREEN Only a few GridCase IV computers were manufactured. Thanks to **Leonard Nagorski** /media/museum/photos/grid_gridcase4_bootscreen_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAGAZINE COVER The Gridcase made the cover of SVM (french magazine) in january 1985 /media/museum/pubs/grid_gridcase_svm.jpg title subtitle text image PERIPHERALS GridCase stackable portable peripherals. From top to bottom:\ • 3.5" floppy-disk drive\ • 5.25" floppy-disk drive\ • 10 MB hard-disk\ • Base station battery charger/power source. /media/museum/hardware/grid_gridcase_peripherals_s1.jpg 1054 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230605042356/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1054 2023-06-05

The GridCase was about the same size and featured the same robust magnesium case as Compass model, but Grid forwent the Compass's expensive and power-hungry electroluminescent display and bubble memory.

The GridCase series was composed of 4 models. The GridCase I featured a bottom-of-the-range LCD display, the GridCase II had an enhanced LCD "that more than one person can read" Grid said, the GridCase III offered a high-contrast gas-plasma display (photo), and the GridCase IV which used a full size yellow electoluminescent screen that was also offered on the high end earlier Grid Compass Computers.

The keyboard was the same as the IBM PCjr, not very convenient but with a good tactile feedback provided by a key click similar to that on the IBM PC. Two power modules were available, a rechargeable battery pack and an AC transformer. Both were the same size and fitted in a large socket on the rear panel. Each battery pack lasted 4 to 5 hours for the LCD models, and one hour with the plasma model.

All models came with eight sockets for ROM chips. Although only four of them could be accessed by the user, Grid offered programs such as MS-DOS, GW-BASIC or Lotus 1-2-3 on ROM chips.

Several peripherals were available, a base station battery charger and power source, a 5.25" and 3.5" floppy disk drive units and a 10 MB hard disk. They all were of the same size and could be stacked.

Some of these systems were made for military use and included a built-in hard drive. A big thick X was pressed into the case over the hard drive. The purpose of this was to show the user where to shoot in case the computer was in danger of falling into enemy hands.

GRiD Defence Systems produced the laptop computers used in the "Aliens" film in 1986. The scenes were cut from the theatrical release but subsequently added to the DVD release.

The GridCase systems were marketed in France by Sagem. There were a least the MTP16, MTP32 and MTP1550 models available. The MTP32 had a plasma display and a built-in hard disk and was powered 386 CPU. It could be the equivalent of the GridCase III. The MTP1550 had a LCD display and a kind of bar at the bottom of the keyboard which acted like a mouse/trackball... These systems were indeed quite sturdy and most of them were used for military applications.

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Contributors: David Griffith, Guy, Jérôme Ginestet

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.