Hello, i've tracked down a Gridcase Model 3, which is the type used in the Aliens film that Hicks used to activate the Sentry Guns.
But i dont know much about the hardware/software side about these computers and wanted to know if someone could help.

This is a picture of what the computer says at bootup.





The computer sadly did NOT come loaded with an Operating System.
So if anyone might have a copy of the Origional Grid-OS it is well appreciated.

You'll want to go here:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/RuGRiD-Laptop/

Actually, the correct type would be a Grid Compass II 1139. I've been looking for one for ages now and the closest match I could find was an 1131.

Cheers,
Stefan

If i recall, the Compass series had screens that we're too small when compared with the shots from the movie. They also required a large External Floppy Drive to load media onto it. Olny models after the Gridcase Model 1500 came with build-in floppy device. (which would be required for loading that little Sentry gun GUI which was origionally designed using GRiD BASIC) Also, none of the models in the Compass series came with a Battery Pack. Only Gridcase models including the 1520 and up we're capable of using battery power. And, even more so, the Gridcase Model 1520 came out the same year of the film.

The 1520 may have been released in 1986, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the model used in the film. The screenused ones have a smaller screen than the 1520.

The real question is did the 1520s ever use a yellow plasma screen rather than red like the one you have pictured.

This is a Gridcase 3:



And here's the link to some pics of the screenused ones on Harry's site:

http://www.harryharris.com/comp.htm

Anyway- the differences (other than the actual screen colour) are marginal and the 1520 is a pretty close match.

Best of luck finding an OS for it.

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Actually yes, the Gridcase Model 1520 that came out the year of the film used an Electroluminscent Yellow Display. Now, i'm not saying that just because it came out the same year the film did it HAS to be that one, but it just goes to further support it was this model.

But, mostly, its a design difference that makes it defiantly not a Compass. On all the Compass models, there was a rather large 'GRiD' Logo on the front next to the monitor. Now, these case's we're made of a Magnesium Allow(At the time they we're mainly sold to military personel and used on the Space Shuttle) so its not something you can just 'mod' for a film. The logo's from the movie match those on the Gridcase series.

You can trust me on this one. Here's a picture of the 1131 I have.



If you compare it to the screen used Sentry Gun Terminals you'll see it's dead on except for the label.

A few point:
- Keybord layout and lettering
- No brightness adjustment slider on the right side of the screen
- Internal bubble memory (think of it as flash memory) instead of disk drive
- Rom module port above the keybord
- 110/220V connector (visible in some shots)

I know I always do.

Well the guy i got this from has a few (Including that model) So I guess i'll have to pick one of those up as well. But getting information onto those older models is a pain, with no floppy disk. And the Bubble memory... it's quite a combination. But i've got a DOS version of the sentry gun program on floppy which is partially why i picked up a Gridcase the first time around. Least it still as the yellow screen.

If you can get an 1139 grab it! If you get two - get me the other one

Cheers,
Stefan

PS: I have some software for the Compass systems including a c-compiler. I also have some manuals, but sadly nothing like a programmer's guide.

Would you happen to have a copy of the Origional Grid-OS? I didnt check out the 1139 when i was up there so i wont know what that has on it till i drive back out there tomorrow, but the 1520 had no loaded OS. I was just gonna stick Windows 3.1x on it but having the Grid-OS with GridBasic is always a plus

I have the Grid-Os, but I think it's a ROM module. Sadly I don't have GridBasic - otherwise there'd be a differend screen on my Grid

Cheers,
Stefan

Has anyone tired to fit the outer case over a modern laptop? it might solve a lot of problems with software....

I've never opened up a grid but having opened a host of other electronic equipment over the years I wouldn't be too confident about fitting a "modern" laptop into the grid case.

The fit inside that type of equipment is usualy very tight with PCB's following the shape of the case very closely.

Not 100% out of the question but a tough job for certain.

_________________
"The other Gareth"

If you can point me in the direction of the necessary casing, I'll get it done!

I'm suprised that nobody has ever vaccuformed or resin cast one of these. If you could nab a dead one the rest wouldn't be that hard. Then prehaps you could add a more "modern" system in there. Maybe one of the palmtop units made by Sony or something.

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

It figures that you'd be on this board. Can't wait for those Version 2 Trigun kits

I picked up the 1520 for 10 bucks and he has another one laying around. Depeding if its still there and if he wants to sell it to me, i'd be willing to donate one if someone wants to attempt a Cast.

you might be able to fit a portable DVD player instead of a laptop.

_________________
Rob Slater
A08/TQ2.0.42136E1

Does the 1520 have a hard drive, or just a floppy?
I just picked up a 1520 but I haven't received it yet, so I'd like to get my ducks in a row for when it arrives.

Did anyone ever find a copy of Grid OS?

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

Here's some additional helpful tools for the Grid laptops.
No Grid-OS or MSDOS though, but everything else.

http://www.ari-service.com/support/file ... /ftp/grid/

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

Listen to Stefan... I did and now I feel I know almost as much as he does!

Here's a comparison shot (albeit a little blurry) of my GRiDCase 3 (on left) and my GRiD Compass II 1137 (right):


The only thing that is not screen accurate about the GRiDCase II 1137 is that it has no ROM access panel on the left like my GRiDCase 3 and Stefan's GRiD Compass II 1131 do. My GRiDCase II 1139 does however have the ROM access panel with four slots beneath it -- which as Stefan mentioned, is dead on accurate to the film.

The original GRiD Compass has a MUCH smaller screen, closer in aspect ratio to a television's 3:4. Only the GRiD Compass II's and GRiDCases have the obvious widescreen aspect ratio. Every GRiD model produced after the GRiDCase 3 moved back towards the 3:4 aspect ratio, only larger than the original Compass's.

As far as the "plasma screen" goes, only the original Compass's and Compass II's appear to have it as far as I can tell -- they look orange, but appear yellow when photographed or filmed. None of my GRiDCase 3's have it -- they all look red on film. My GRiDCase 2 is another beast altogether, with a black on white (green) LCD display.


Oh, but I have -- and it is mighty tight in there!

This is what it looks like under the hood of a GRiDCase 3:


GRiDCase 3 motherboard:


GRiDCase 3 memory (a whopping 512kb!):


The only reason I pulled this thing apart was because it was sold to me as working, but it arrived in non-working condition.

Upon final disassembly, I found that some sort of beverage had actually been spilled inside the keyboard. But after some intricate cleaning and reassembly, she works and looks good as new.

_________________
Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Yeah... finding a GRiDBasic ROM and a programmer's guide would be like finding the Holy Grail for us GRiDHeads. I've got the GRiD OS and GRiD Utilities on ROM, but the GRiDBasic continues to elude me.

And as an added note to the differences in these GRiD's... here's what the earlier GRiD Compass (an 1129 in this case) with the 4:3 screen looks like:

_________________
Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Damn Rick...

How many of those beauties do you have?

Might need some help from you and bugstomper soon.

I'm giving into temptation....

Rick,

if you want to make your 1137 more screen accurate, you can simply take the rom cover from your gridcase and put it on your 1137 - et voila - an 1139 lookalike

Cheers,
Stefan

Oh,

and here we have one of the key components of the Compass 1131 - the bubble memory modules with a capacity of 1Mbit each:



Some other components I found in it:

Texas Instruments TMS9914ANL - GPIB Controller (?)
Intel P8274 - Serial Controller
Intel P8254 - Programmable Interval Timer
Intel D8086 - 16 Bit Microprocessor
Intel C8087-3 - Math Coprocessor
Intel D8741 - Universal Peripheral Interface Microcomputer (Keyboard?)
AMD P8259A - Programmable Interrupt Controller
Mitsubishi M5K4164ANP-15 - 65 536 BIT DYNAMIC RAM (32x)
Saronix 84 XTAL OSC 44 15.0000 MHz



Cheers,
Stefan