Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hpcvra.cv.hp.com!everett From: everett@hpcvra.cv.hp.com. (Everett Kaser) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: Re: What kind of a beast is the HP95? Message-ID: <25590152@hpcvra.cv.hp.com.> Date: 30 Apr 91 17:22:38 GMT References: <590@lysator.liu.se> Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA Lines: 49 laird@think.com (Laird Popkin) writes... >akcs.falco@hpcvbbs.UUCP (Andrey Dolgachev) writes: >>Laird Popkin says that "The main differences are that the 95LX has more >>RAM and a larger >>display, while the PF costs half as much and is somewhat thinner." > >The Portfolio runs IBM software as well, under the _same_ constraints as >the 95LX (e.g. well behaved BIOS text programs will work, programs which >write directly to the screen don't). The 95LX display is an MDA (IBM Monochrome, text-only interface) compatible display. The 40x16 LCD is a window on an 80x25 MDA display, that is scrollable about the full-size display. This means that the 95 will run ANY PC compat- ible program that is "reasonably" well behaved, even if it writes directly to display memory (as long as it detects and uses the MDA display). Admittedly the "scrolling window" doesn't work well on all programs, but does work reasonably well on many. (The window is scrolled automatically to keep the cursor "on the display", so the most important part of the display is usually shown.) "Reasonably" well behaved means that the program doesn't try talking to a disk interface card directly (INT 13 is supported), doesn't try to use a DMA controller (the 95 has none), and doesn't require a graphics mode (the 95 graphics are non-standard, although a complete set of graphics routines are supplied via a software interrupt, so the software developer doesn't have to develop their own line, point, block-image, rectangle, replacement rule, etc routines). There may be a few other minor points of in-compatibility, but the display is NOT just "BIOS text" compatible, but WILL work with direct screen writes. >>Laird also says that The PC >>Card Drive makes file transfers to the PF very easy. Well, with the HP >>Filer, all you do is hook your 95 to your IBM and transfer by simply >>selecting what you want and it is moved over. Since the 95 has a serial >>port, I'm sure that a third party hard-drive could come out, but it's not >>really needed with up to 1m of Ram, and ROm cards. > >You don't seem to understand what the PC Card drive _is_. It is a RAM card >drive that connects to your PC. You stick a Portfolio RAM card into the >drive and copy files onto it, and then stick the card in the Portfolio. >- Laird As noted in another response, the ThinCard drive from Databook is EXACTLY what you describe, and the HP 95LX's RAM cards are fully compatible with the Databook drive, allowing you to stick a 95 RAM card into the drive in your PC and copy files onto/off-of it, and then stick the card in the 95 and do the same. Everett Kaser Hewlett-Packard Company ...hplabs!hp-pcd!everett work: (503) 750-3569 Corvallis, Oregon everett%hpcvra@hplabs.hp.com home: (503) 928-5259 Albany, Oregon