Well, I was going through some of my GRiD stuff in the closet and found one of these...



Although they used GRiD Compass II's in the film, this ROM board came out of my GRiDCase 3 which is very similar.



The display color look more red than yellow, and the actual program running here is actually MS-DOS based, and not GRiDBasic running on GRiD-OS.

Has anyone here ever gotten a copy of GRiD-OS or GRiDBasic?

I know it's been awhile since this was last discussed.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

How difficult would it be to recreate a program for modern pc's?

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No, they are not going to see this coming...

I'd imagine it would be quite easy to make in flash or something simliar??

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AKA: Simon

Easy enough to have already been done

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3019

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A11/TQ1.0.32150E1 Murphy, J - Covert recording headcam. There is no flashing red light when you are on Kona-Cam
Weyland-Yutani: Their projects are intentionally full of bugs. Avoid!

Well isn't that handy!

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AKA: Simon

Exactly.

Mike really did spoil us with that SWFlash version. Spoiled to the point that I keep thinking about completely gutting my GRiD to attempt to stuff a modern laptop PC running MS Windows in there.

Ironically, his version is much more accurate looking than the actual UA 571-A program that I am currently run on my GRiDCase 3.

In fact, I believe Tony had an older dinosaur PC laptop running Mike's UA 571-A program at a convention not too long ago. I don't think he had a Sentry Gun to go with it though.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

I used Mike's in my grid 'style' laptop I was able to load Win 95 on through floppies.
While not 100% accurate most people couldn't tell the difference.

I don't see why the innards of a modern laptop couldn't be retrofitted into a grid.
Just a case of finding the right size screen and squeezing it all in there somehow.

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Those Raspberry Pi boards at $25 look perfect for doing this sort of thing (when they get released)

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A11/TQ1.0.32150E1 Murphy, J - Covert recording headcam. There is no flashing red light when you are on Kona-Cam
Weyland-Yutani: Their projects are intentionally full of bugs. Avoid!

I have a GRiD that I bought off a member here, the only problem is it's gutted, so no amount of hardware/software will make it run.

However...

I did have the idea of getting one of those digital picture frames, the newer ones can play short videos, breaking that down, somehow transfering Mike's flash animation onto it and then adding on sound effects in a sound editing program and installing THAT into the monitor area of my GRiD.

I'm pretty sure this can be done, the problem lies in finding a digital frame that would be the right size once the actual "frame" is removed, and this is nearly impossible to do without being able to actually pick it up and look at it (which means no on-line purchases).

So this project was at a complete standstill before it got started.

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Wow -- no kidding! And they run Linux too!

In an act of desperation to get one of my GRiD's 'working' as a Sentry Gun Terminal, I had actually thought of that too at one point. Your original GRiD keyboard is still intact though, correct? Because the Raspberry Pi sounds like it could show some definite promise.

Although finding a suitable screen will probably be a minor challenge, I guess I'd be more concerned as to how we can get the built-in GRiD keyboard to interface properly. Again, what you are seeing below is my GRiDCase 3 disassembled. The keyboard is slightly different from the GRiD Compass II.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Yes, my keyboard is intact. I was leaning towards the modified digital picture frame because I don't know anything about computers, how to hook them up or program them.

It's all voo-doo magic, "F&*^ing voo-doo magic mon!"

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Which model GRiD do you have?

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

DSB has a Gridcase2.

I bought it, but it had heavy battery corrosion.

I gut it, but left the keyboard.


I have an article from Make magazine where a guy made a custom winamp input device using a keyboard controller. He toned out keys and re-soldered them to switches. Looked pretty cool.


There is plenty of room inside the gridcase screen housing, so you don't have to have the screen fit perfectly.

I have a multitude of screens here for repairs....if you give me measurements I can help you with what you may need....of course if you go that route!

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With or without the functions keys? Just curious as I've seen both, and sometimes it's hard to tell how many different versions/layouts of each GRiDCase were actually available back in the day. Also, to anyone following this thread not completely familiar with the proper GRiD model, to be closer to screen-accurate you don't want function keys on your GRiD laptop.

Here is a great reference thread that Russ posted on GRiD laptops in general a while back:

LINK - Prop Parts: Sentry Gun Remote Terminal (Gridcase Refrences)

Unfortunately I noticed that his "GRiDCase 2/II" reference photo is actually a GRiD Compass II unit (you may want to update that Russ ) -- so please be aware that the GRiD laptop in this photo...

...is actually a GRiD Compass II (probably an 1139) and is COMPLETELY CORRECT for a screen-accurate version.

This however is my GRiDCase 2... with function keys and LCD (both wrong for a screen-used replica):


Uhmmm... 'toned out keys and re-soldered them to switches'?

He was clearly an ambitious lad.

Very true. In fact, the screen sizes between the GRiD Compass II and the GRiDCase 2 & 3's actually varies in width a bit -- so I doubt we would ever get a perfect match without cropping out part of the screen or using shims to fill the gaps.

I haven't gotten to that point quite yet, but you guys will be the first to know when I do.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Yep, Matt knows what I have, bought mine from him.

Tony, who was your comment directed towards?

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Curses! Foiled again!

Picture updated, description modded and credit for new stolen reference photo added. Thanks Rick!

What does your computer say above the function keys? Does it say Gridcase Plus?

If so, I'll need to move the picture again to the sub category.

Russ

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

No hassle buddy! Surprisingly, trying to get a good handle on all of the different models and versions of GRiD laptops is no easy task. Not only because examples are relatively rare and far between, but also because there seems to be a few different versions or options within each model.

In fact, here's a GRiDCase 2 without function keys:

This isn't mine... I just came across someone trying to sell it on eBay for $900.00 USD, which is far too high for this particular model.

My GRiDCase 2 pictured a couple posts above is labeled just that... GRiDCase 2. However, just above the row of function keys it says GRiDCase Plus on a removable key-reference insert. That said, there were at least TWO different versions of GRiDCase 2 based on the keyboard alone:

1) GRiDCase 2 - Without Function Keys
2) GRiDCase 2 (Plus) - With Function Keys

I believe this holds true for the GRiDCase 3 too, and most likely for the others as well. I'll have to dig through my closet, but in addition to the GRiDCase 3 shown above (partially dismantled) without function keys, I believe my other GRiDCase 3 has function keys.

And then there are the multiple screen options that seem to have been available on at least the GRiDCase 2 and GRiDCase 3... but that's another story.

Again... GRiD Systems built a lot of varying versions within each model. Not much different from what computer companies do today I suppose.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

What was the original purpose of these? Were they just regular computers or something more specialised?

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AKA: Simon

They were rugged systems and some designs were used by the military. The cases were all metal.

Rick, my Gridcase 3 has the function keys.

Ah, so yours is a 2 Plus then? Cool! I have a pic of a 3 Plus already, yours is a nice addition. Can I get a little higher res version of that pic?

Russ

_________________
"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Also, and arguably most important... these were the very first portable laptop computers, and kind of a big deal back then.

Here's the famous "GRiD in Space" photo of astronaut John Creighton with onboard GRiD Compass 1101 computer from June 18, 1985 (Courtesy of NASA)...



And a couple of screenshots from some of the ROM chips used on a GRiD Compass 1139 obtained from NASA:



Very good -- mine stays in the closet... for now.

Here's a better image of my GRiDCase 2 Plus:


Here's a link to a high-resolution version of this same photo:

http://www.ripstick.com/USCM/images/GRiDCase%202%20Plus%20-%20001%20-%20HI-RES.jpg

...apologies for the dusty keyboard.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Awesome photos, what you want is a working Sentry, that moves an beeps =P

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Easily distracted by shiny things...

Thanks Rick! I knew there was a reason I liked you.

Made an oops though in my earlier statement, though. I don't have a Grid 3, I have a 1530 with the function keys.

Long ago somebody who's name I can't remember *cough*Stephan*cough* was going to try and program the
terminal software to run on an actual Grid.

Maybe if we politely harass him he'll think about it again.

Does anyone have a good image of the Gridcase3 with the Red Plasma screen? I'd like to replace the current
image with a higher res version like the one Rick shared of the Gridcase 2 plus.

Russ

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

That's already well past the planning stage and well into the design stage.

Anytime!

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Hmmm... like this one?


HI-RES - http://www.ripstick.com/USCM/images/GRiDCase%203%20-%20001%20-%20HI-RES.jpg

Although not entirely screen accurate, the UA 571-C Sentry program still looks quite good for MS-DOS.

I do think it's about time we revisit our resources regarding this. Especially since I just discovered GRiDBasic on my GRiD Compass II 1137!

Anyone got a manual or user's guide for GRiDBasic?



HI-RES - http://www.ripstick.com/USCM/images/GRiD%20Compass%20II%201137%20-%20001%20-%20HI-RES.jpg


And lastly... here's my GRiD Compass II 1129 which I am currently locked out of due to password protection:



HI-RES - http://www.ripstick.com/USCM/images/GRiD%20Compass%20II%201129%20-%20001%20-%20HI-RES.jpg

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1