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HP Palmtop FX

From Alfawiki
Hewlett-Packard
IndustryComputer hardware, Personal digital assistants
FoundedJanuary 1, 1939; 87 years ago (1939-01-01)
ProductsHP 200LX Palmtop PC, HP 100LX, HP 95LX, HP OmniGo series

The HP 200LX Palmtop PC (models F1060A, F1061A, F1216A), also referred to as project Felix, is a personal digital assistant introduced by Hewlett-Packard in August 1994. Positioned as a Palmtop PC, this compact device runs DOS and includes a monochrome graphical screen, a QWERTY keyboard, a serial interface, and a PCMCIA expansion slot. The "LX" designation stands for "Lotus Expandable".

Description

User input is facilitated through a compact QWERTY keyboard that incorporates a numeric keypad, all enclosed within a clamshell design roughly one-quarter the size of a conventional laptop. The unit operates on two AA alkaline or Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries, providing 30 to 40 hours of use, and supports recharging of Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries via a 12 V DC power adapter.

Powered by an Intel 80186-compatible processor named "Hornet," the HP 200LX runs at approximately 7.91 MHz, with an option to upgrade to 15.8 MHz. Memory configurations include 1, 2, or 4 MB—comprising 640 KB of RAM plus expanded memory (EMS) or storage space. Third-party enhancements allow memory expansion up to 64 MB, which frees the PCMCIA slot for modem or Ethernet cards from manufacturers such as Silicom, Accton, Netgear FA411, and Sohoware ND5120. As an IBM PC/XT-compatible machine running MS-DOS 5.0 stored in ROM, it supports most software designed for Intel 8086/8088/80186 processors with CGA graphics compatibility, along with some 80286 applications that do not require protected mode. The device includes a 16-bit PCMCIA Type II slot (5 V, maximum current of 150 mA), an Infrared Data Association (SIR) infrared port, and a full serial port equipped with a proprietary mini connector.

Preloaded ROM software features Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.4 spreadsheet, calendar, contacts manager, terminal emulator, Lotus cc:Mail client, and scientific/business calculators. When paired with a large CompactFlash card and a serial mouse, it can run Microsoft Windows 3.0 in Real Mode—the highest Windows version supported due to hardware constraints—allowing users to operate Word 1.x and Excel 2.x for Windows to create MS Office-compatible documents. The CGA-compatible LCD screen provides a resolution of 640×200 pixels with four grayscale levels but lacks backlighting; however, third-party electroluminescent backlight kits have been available since 2004.

While traditional CGA displays are restricted to hardware code page 437 fonts, the earlier HP 95LX supported code page 850. Starting with the HP 100LX model onward, the LX series offers user-selectable text mode ROM fonts for code pages 437 and 850 as well as software-definable RAM fonts covering code pages such as 437G, 437T, 852, and 866 through the KEYBEZ utility. Lotus 1-2-3 utilizes the Lotus International Character Set (LICS), which maps characters to code page 850 for both on-screen display and printing.

HP 100LX

The HP 100LX Palmtop PC (model numbers F1020A for the 1 MB version and F1022A for the 2 MB variant), internally known as project Cougar, served as the predecessor to the HP 200LX. Released in 1993, it was offered in multiple language editions including International English, U.S. English, French, German, and Spanish—with corresponding localized keyboards and system messages. This model also employs the Hornet CPU and runs MS-DOS version 5.0 but comes with earlier versions of the integrated applications.

HP Palmtop FX

Released in 1993, the HP Palmtop FX is a variant of the HP 100LX featuring up to 2 MB of flash memory that can be rewritten using a dedicated utility. This model, reportedly created for a Korean insurance firm, supported FAT flash disk images that were writable.

HP 200LX AIA

The HP 200LX AIA represents a specialized version of the HP 200LX with 2 MB of memory running at double speed, produced exclusively for American International Assurance (AIA).

HP 1000CX

Known internally as project Puma, the HP 1000CX Palmtop PC (F1203A with 1 MB released in March 1995, and F1222A with 2 MB in February 1997) served as a cost-effective alternative to the 200LX. It shipped without pre-installed software apart from MS-DOS 5.0 embedded in ROM. This device gained popularity among corporations such as Coca-Cola for running tailored logistics applications. Its exterior is distinguished by a black clamshell design, contrasting with the dark green casing characteristic of the 200LX.

HP OmniGo 700LX

The HP OmniGo 700LX Communicator Plus (F1206A), codenamed Columbia, was engineered by HP's calculator division based in Singapore. It combined a customized HP 200LX motherboard with a Nokia 2110 GSM phone connected through an additional PCMCIA slot, enabling wireless communication. Announced in late 1995 and launched in March 1996, its sizeable pebble-shaped housing was designed to accommodate the phone module. Production ceased as the Nokia 2110 became outdated. The OmniGo 700LX foreshadowed smartphone technology, preceding devices like the Nokia 9000 Communicator.

HP 95LX

Introduced in April 1991 under project name Jaguar, the HP 95LX Palmtop PC (F1000A with 512 KB and F1010A with 1 MB) laid the groundwork for subsequent models. Powered by an NEC V20 CPU clocked at 5.37 MHz, it was constrained by its quarter-CGA resolution LCD and MDA-compatible graphics chip, primarily displaying visuals through a unique LX mode. Operating on MS-DOS 3.22, it came preloaded with Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2 and featured a CR2032 battery to preserve memory when AA batteries were exhausted.

HP OmniGo 100

The HP OmniGo 100 Organizer Plus (models F1305A/F1310A) was developed as a more sophisticated successor to the LX line, incorporating functionality from the HP-12C calculator. It offered a graphical user interface navigable by pen input or keyboard; however, it could not execute unaltered DOS applications. Its main operating environment was DOS-based PEN/GEOS version 2.1 featuring Graffiti handwriting recognition layered over Datalight ROM-DOS 6.22. Despite its advanced features, it failed to establish itself as a calculator substitute due to competition from Palm and Pocket PC devices dominating the PDA sector. Equipped with 1 MB of RAM, it utilized the Vadem VG230/V5H platform and was powered by a 16 MHz NEC V30HL CPU compatible with the Intel 80186 instruction set.

Current usage

Following HP’s decision to discontinue these models in favor of their Windows CE series starting with the HP 300LX, interest in the HP OmniGo 100 persisted because of its MS-DOS compatibility and bundled applications such as Lotus 1-2-3 and Quicken. DOS programs were generally smaller and more efficient compared to Windows CE alternatives, while utilities like Software Carousel allowed multiple applications to run simultaneously.

Third-party providers continue to supply upgrades, repairs, and refurbishments aimed at prolonging these devices' operational lifespan.

In Japan, the HP 200LX enjoyed significant popularity, inspiring an open-source project initiated in 2001 to create an AMD Élan SC400-based successor. Unfortunately, only one prototype emerged before the venture collapsed in bankruptcy by 2003 amid reports of lost deposits and component shortages contributing to its failure.

Frequent Issues

  • Cracks frequently appear near the right hinge on the injected-molded case top due to inadequate molding flow; common fixes include using industrial-strength super glue or reinforcing the area with epoxy combined with metal strips.
  • The case latch may malfunction but can be restored by placing a thin piece of rubber or sponge to act as a spring mechanism.
  • To avoid leakage that can harm the LCD flat video cable, only premium AA rechargeable batteries should be used.
  • Older units might experience pixel loss on the display caused by pins detaching from SMD chips; this issue is often resolved by reflowing the solder joints.
  • Intensive use can result in the space bar or enter key becoming detached, which typically requires replacing the keyboard.
  • The flex cable connecting the screen to the motherboard is prone to tearing from frequent opening and closing, necessitating replacement.
  • Keys that fail to respond are usually due to degraded graphite pad connections on the keyboard ribbon; restoring conductivity with silver conductive paint or copper tape can fix this. Corroded motherboard pads may also be polished to enhance electrical contact. Such repairs demand careful handling and expertise in electronics.

Limitations in IBM PC Compatibility

  • The HP 100LX/200LX’s digital-to-analog converter does not generate audio tones; instead, it is used for monitoring battery status and charging.
  • This device does not support the BIOS service (INT 13h) required for hard disk access. However, partial drivers exist that allow booting operating systems such as MINIX 2.0.

Additional Information

  • The HP 200LX was utilized during NASA’s Discovery OV103 Mission (STS-95) to support an Electronic Nose experiment developed by JPL and Caltech, overseen by Dan Karmon from JPL.
  • Through software created by Stefan Peichl, the HP 200LX can play low-resolution video and audio files and supports basic sound recording. While no compatible PCMCIA sound cards are available, Yamaha MU10 MIDI generators and OPL3LPT cards can be connected via serial or parallel ports for improved audio capabilities.
  • Both software and hardware solutions enable the HP 200LX to connect to the Internet.
  • Serial numbers on HP models such as 100LX, 200LX, 1000CX, and OmniGo 700LX follow the pattern XXYWWNNNNN, where XX denotes the country of manufacture (e.g., SG for Singapore), Y is the last digit of the production year, WW indicates the manufacturing week, and NNNNN represents the unit number produced during that week.

Hidden Features

The HP 200LX contains several easter eggs, including:

Secret Gallery

Within the built-in game "Lair of Squid," entering "gallery" at startup—translated according to language settings—unlocks a maze area showcasing photographs of principal software developers:

  • Andy Gryc
  • Pat Megowan
  • Everett Kaser
  • Bill Johnson
  • Lynn Winter
  • Susan Wechsler
  • Eric Evett

At the end of this corridor, a gratitude message from the Felix Software team is displayed.

First Self-Test Poem

Accessing self-test mode on the HP 200LX by pressing with the device off, selecting display options, then pressing fourteen times reveals a limerick poem.

Second Self-Test Poem

Another concealed poem can be found in self-test mode by pressing , then holding while pressing thirteen times. This enigmatic poem reflects business difficulties encountered by the software development team.

Third self-test poem

By pressing , then holding while tapping 13 times in self-test mode, a third poem is revealed. This piece metaphorically depicts the progression and anticipated future of the HP LX palmtops. The project codenames referenced include 'Jaguar' (HP 95LX), 'Cougar' (HP 100LX), and 'Felix' (HP 200LX—the inaugural LX model to feature Quicken):


Concealed development tool within 'More Applications'

A development utility is embedded inside the HP 200LX's native System Manager. To access it, press the blue key to enter 'More Applications,' then hold while pressing four times, followed by a single press of . Holding during this sequence displays comprehensive details on System Manager-compatible (.EXM) applications and other internal program data, facilitating software oversight and troubleshooting.

Undocumented hexadecimal calculator

The HP 200LX contains an unlisted calculator app called HEXCALC, created by Andrew Gryc. This tool performs arithmetic and logical functions in binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal numeral systems. To incorporate it into the applications menu, use the following configuration:

  • Name: He&x Calc
  • Path: D:\BIN\HEXCALC.EXM

See also

Further reading

  • The Evolution of the HP Palmtops – Insights from an HP engineer on the creation of the HP 95LX and HP 100LX.
  • The First Real Palmtop – A review of the initial palmtop concept and its market influence.
  • The story of the 1991 HP DOS Palmtop – Chronicles the transition from enhanced calculator to fully DOS-compatible device.
  • The HP 200LX: A Review by Rob Tillotson.
  • Sy's HP 200LX evaluation.
  • Articles concerning NASA's STS-95 E-Nose experiment involving the HP 200LX.
  • "Off-the-Shelf" 200LX utilized by "Shade Tree Engineer."
  • The Electronic Nose and The Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Array.
  • Outcomes from the Space Shuttle STS-95 Electronic Nose Experiment.
  • HP 200LX profile at Old-Computers.com Museum.

External links

  • 200LX Software S.U.P.E.R. software archive – Hosting over 1500 programs and 200 databases for the 200LX.
  • HP Palmtop Paper Online – Thaddeus Computing; offering Buy-Sell-Repair services.
  • HP Palmtop Ring Homepage.
  • Skolob's Hewlett Packard 95LX Palmtop Page – Comprehensive information and FAQ on HP 95LX.
  • Networking on an HP palmtop – Details on compatibility with Sohoware ND5120 network card.
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