I found an HP150 (model 45851A?)--how do I make it work?

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Sat Feb 5 08:41:23 2000

Hi,

  I have a bunch of programs for the HP 150 including several versions of
MS_DOS. As you've probably figured out by now, the 150s aren't entirely
IBM compatible. The programs for it should use only DOS calls, if they
access the hardware directly then they have to modified to work with the
150. If your machine is a box with squared corners and the expansion cards
are mounted vertical behind the monitor then it's a TouchScreen II. If the
machine has nice rounded edges and the expansion cards are horizontal in
the bottom then it's the original HP 150. The TS II has a 5 pin DIN
connector in the back. That's used to provide power for a HP 9123 disk
drive. The 150 and TS II can both use the HP 9121 and 9122 3.5" floppy
disk drives. The 9121 is a single sided drive and the 9122 is a double
sided drive. Both drives are AC powered. The HP 9123 drive is exactly the
same as the 9122 except that it has no power supply and gets it's power
from the TS II. You can connect it to an external power supply and use it
on a 150 or any other HP machine that supports the 9122. The S verion of
the drives only have a single drive but the D verson of the drives have
dual drives. FWIW there is also a HP 9122C but it's scarce. The C is a
quad density drive and is not compatible with the other 9122s. I don't
think the 150 or TS-11 supports the 9122C.

  The Touch Screen feature is standard on the 150 but optional on the
TS-II. Strange! I've never seen a Touch Screen on a TS-II. I don't think
many buyers added it.

   Let me know if you have any specific questions.

   Joe

At 09:58 PM 2/4/00 -0000, you wrote:
>Hi Kevin,
>
> >....I picked up a lot of cool stuff, but the real prize was an
> >HP model 45851A (I think) 'Touchscreen II,' a.k.a HP 150C.
>
>Nice find.
>
>
> >....But I don't think anyone in the company still has the disk
> >media. I can't imagine there being any other options besides
> >the HP version of MS-DOS that it shipped with....
>
>I can send you a Teledisk image of the DOS disc if you need one. Other than
>that I have no software for the machine.
>
>Hardware options included several different RAM boards, one with built in
>HP-IL interface, various floppy/hard drive units and the touch screen itself
>(I've NEVER seen a machine with the touch screen BTW).
>
>Do you have some form of drive unit for the machine? Without one all you
>have is a dumb terminal....
>
>
> TTFN - Pete.
>
>--
>Hardware & Software Engineer. Sound Engineer.
>Collector of Arcade Machines, Games Consoles & Obsolete Computers (esp DEC)
>
>peter.pachla_at_wintermute.org.uk | www.wintermute.org.uk
>--
>
>
>
Received on Sat Feb 05 2000 - 08:41:23 GMT