Engineering:Compaq LTE

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Compaq LTE
Compaq-Logo bis 2008
File:Laptop Compaq LTE.ogv
Media: a woman using a COMPAQ LTE Elite 4/40CX notebook
ManufacturerCompaq
Product familyLTE
TypeNotebook
Release date1989; 35 years ago (1989)[1]
Discontinued1997
Operating systemDOS, Windows
Platformi386
PredecessorCompaq SLT
SuccessorCompaq Armada and Contura

Compaq LTE was a line of laptop computers made by Compaq, introduced in 1989.[1][2] The first models, Compaq LTE and Compaq LTE 286, were among the first computers to be close to the size of a paper notebook, spurring the use of the term "notebook" to describe a smaller laptop, and earned a notable place in laptop history. They were also among the first to include both a built-in hard disk and a floppy disk drive, and later models offered optional docking stations, providing performance comparable to then-current desktop machines.[3]

History

Compaq LTE/286

Compaq introduced the LTE in 1989.[3] At the time of launch, virtually no "notebook"-style fully-fledged computers existed.[citation needed] Prior to the LTE series, portable computers were bulky, such as Compaq SLT, which is coined as the predecessor to the LTE series, despite both models existing side-by-side for some time. Compaq SLT had large full-size 3.5-inch hard drives, and was heavy at 6.5 kg in comparison to the LTE at approximately 2.5 kg.

Models

List of LTE models
Model Release Date Processor Speed Screen Type Display size Screen Resolution Memory Notes
Original LTE models
LTE[2] 1989[1] Intel 8086 9.55 MHz 80/40 x 25 lines, grayscale, 4 shades 8.8" 640 x 200 640 kB base RAM, additional 1–4 MB using proprietary memory cards
LTE/286[4] 1989[1] Intel 80C286 12 MHz 80/40 x 25 lines, grayscale, 4 shades 8.8" 640 x 200 640 kB base RAM, additional 1–4 MB using proprietary memory cards
LTE 386s/20[5] October 1990 Intel i386SX 20 MHz Edge-lit Passive Matrix VGA (Mono) [5] 9" 640 x 480 2MB onboard, 10 MB maximum[6] L1 cache is 64 kB, L2 cache is either 1 or 2 MB, 30 or 60 MB HDD[6]
LTE Lite models
LTE Lite/20 27 January 1992[7] 386SL 20 MHz Passive Matrix (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 2MB onboard, 18 MB maximum 16Kb external cache, Maxlight VGA, no trackball, 80 or 120 MB HDD
LTE Lite/25[8] 27 January 1992[7] 386SL 25 MHz Maxlight VGA LCD (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 2MB onboard, 18 MB maximum 16Kb external cache, no trackball, 80 or 120 MB HDD
LTE Lite/25C[8] 15 June 1992[7] 386SL 25 MHz Active Matrix TFT (Color) 8.4" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 64Kb external cache, trackball included, 80 or 120 MB HDD
LTE Lite/25E[8] 15 June 1992[7] 386SL (Mono) 25 MHz Active Matrix TFT (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 64Kb external cache, trackball included, 120 MB HDD
LTE Lite 4/25 9 November 1992 486SL 25 MHz Passive Matrix (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 8kb external cache, trackball included, 120 MB HDD
LTE Lite 4/25C[8] 9 November 1992[7] 486SL 25 MHz Active Matrix TFT (Color) 8.4" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 8Kb external cache, trackball included, 120 MB or 209 MB HDD, Advanced Power Management (APM)
LTE Lite 4/25E May 1993[7] 486SL (with math co-processor) 25 MHz Active Matrix TFT (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 8 Kb external cache, trackball included, Advanced Power Management (APM) 120 or 209 MB HDD
LTE Lite 4/33C May 1993[7] 486SL (with math co-processor) 33 MHz Active Matrix TFT (Color) 8.4" 640x480 4MB onboard, 20 MB maximum 8Kb external cache, trackball included, supports Advanced Power Management (APM), 120 or 209 MB HDD
LTE Elite models
LTE Elite 4/40C[9] > 1994 486DX2 40 MHz STN (Color) 9.4" 640x480 8KB cache, 4MB RAM, 170 HDD
LTE Elite 4/50E[9] > 1994 486 DX2 50 MHz TFT (Mono) 9.5" 640x480 8KB cache, 4MB RAM, 250MB HDD
LTE Elite 4/40CX[9] > 1994 486 DX2 40 MHz TFT (Color) 8.4" 640x480 8KB cache, 4MB RAM, 170/340MB HDD
LTE Elite 4/50CX[9] > 1994 486 DX2 50 MHz TFT (Color) 9.5" 640x480 8KB cache, 8MB RAM, 340MB HDD
LTE Elite 4/75CX[9] > 1994 486 DX4 75 MHz TFT (Color) 9.5" 640x480 16KB cache, 8MB RAM, 340/510MB HDD
LTE 5000 models
LTE 5000 series (510)[10] > 1996 Pentium/75 75 MHz Color-STN 10.4" 640x480 -
LTE 5000 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/75 75 MHz Color-STN 11.3" 800x600 -
LTE 5000 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/75 75 MHz TFT (Color) 10.4" 640x480 -
LTE 5100 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/90 90 MHz TFT (Color) 10.4" 800x600 -
LTE 5100 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/90 90 MHz TFT (Color) 10.4" 800x600 -
LTE 5150 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/100 100 MHz Color-STN 11.3" 800x600 -
LTE 5200 series (1350)[10] > 1996 Pentium/120 120 MHz TFT (Color) 10.4" 800x600 -
LTE 5250 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/120 120 MHz TFT (Color) 10.4" 800x600 -
LTE 5280 series (810)[10] > 1996 Pentium/120 120 MHz TFT (Color) 11.3" 800x600 -
LTE 5300 series (1350)[10] > 1996 Pentium/133 133 MHz TFT (Color) 12.1" 800x600 -
LTE 5300 series (2160)[10] > 1996 Pentium/133 133 MHz TFT (Color) 12.1" 800x600 -
LTE 5380 series (2160)[10] > 1996 Pentium/133 133 MHz TFT (Color) 12.1" 1024x768 -
LTE 5400 series (2160)[10] > 1997 Pentium/150 150 MHz TFT (Color) 12.1" 800x600 -

Original model specifications

The two original LTE models differed primarily in the processor availability; however, the 286 model came with a standard 40 MB hard drive in place of the base model's 20 MB. Both computers weighed 6.7 lb (3.0 kg). They ran MS-DOS version 3.31.

Aspect Value
Processor LTE: 9.55 MHz Intel 8086; LTE 286: 12 MHz Intel 80C286
Memory 640 kB base RAM, additional 1–4 MB using proprietary memory cards
Hard disk LTE: 20 MB: LTE/286: 40 MB, <29 ms seek time
Floppy disk drive 1.44 MB floppy drive
Video adapter Backlit grayscale CGA 640 x 200 display (80/40 x 25 lines, 4 shades of grey) with separate CGA video output
Modem Internal 2400 bit/s Hayes


Later models

A Compaq LTE 386s/20 laptop.

The success of the original LTE series led Compaq to apply the designation to later models. LTE 386s/20 made extensive use of flexible electronics for the motherboard and motherboard interconnects. Other later Compaq LTE computers had a pointing stick in the middle of the keyboard, however, the LTE Elite 486 models had a trackball mounted to the right of the LCD screen. The LTE Elite series had an easily-removable hard drive for data security purposes. Starting with LTE 386s/20, the LTE series computers were able to connect to a (in some cases, powered) docking station to act as a regular desktop computer. Later models' designs provide for the easy removal the floppy drive to add an internal CD-ROM drive, which was an expensive upgrade option for the late LTE series. The last LTE laptops were the 5000 series, ending with the 5400, which had a 150 MHz Pentium processor, and was quite capable of running Windows 98SE. It also allowed for swappable Floppy/CD-ROM drives.


Docking stations

LTE 386s/20 laptop with dock

The LTE range was marketed as a desktop replacement solution, and with its docking options, allowed peripherals to be permanently connected. The LTE laptop would be simply removed from the docking station to be used on the go, and then docked to use in the office.

There were different docking station options for the differing LTE models.


Docking Station Compatible Models Notes
LTE Lite Desktop Expansion Base LTE Lite (All models) Also suitable for Elite models with Upgrade Adapter
SmartStation Expansion Base LTE Elite (All models) -
MiniStation Base LTE Elite (All models) -
MultiBay Expansion Base[10] ^ LTE 5000 Family (Most models) -
MultiBay-ISA Expansion Base[10] ^ LTE 5000 Family (Most models) Has ISA expansion slot

^ Note: The MultiBay Expansion Base and MultiBay-ISA Expansion Base are virtually the same, with the MultiBay-ISA Expansion Base having an ISA slot in the back panel, and a speaker assembly.[10]

Trivia

  • When the LTE Lite series was first released in 1992, there were only four models released: Lite/25, Lite/25E, Lite/25C, and Lite 4/25C (486/25). Later, in 1993, there was a 486 33MHz version of the Lite model, which was relatively unknown[11]
  • Compaq LTE 5280, released in 1995, was still used in 2016 by McLaren Automotive to service the McLaren F1 supercar.[12]
  • The LTE Lite allows you to have two serial interfaces with an add-in card. The part number is 121173-001. It's one of the very few laptops that have this capability.

In popular culture

  • The Compaq LTE/286 model was used seen in the 1994 Season 1, Episode 22 of Frasier.[13]
  • The Compaq LTE Elite 4/75CX model was featured in Jungle 2 Jungle.
  • In a Homestar Runner DVD exclusive Easter egg short "Real-Live E-Mails", a Compaq LTE was used as a live-action stand-in for Strong Bad's Lappy 486 computer.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Chronology of Computer, Business and Association". Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151002192614/http://www.laynetworks.com/history4.htm. Retrieved 6 September 2015. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Compaq LTE Original Spec.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Personal Computers; Compaq Does It Again". The New York Times. 17 October 1989. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/17/science/personal-computers-compaq-does-it-again.html. Retrieved 6 September 2015. 
  4. ↑ Munich Computer Museum entry on the LTE (in German)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 New York Times Article on the Specs of the Compaq LTE 386s/20 (October 21, 1990, Section 3, Page 8)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Memory Specs of the Compaq LTE 386s/20
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 "LTE Lite Info". Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160312205311/http://ltelite.cybtonic.com:80/introduction.htm. Retrieved 25 November 2018. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Compaq LTE Lite Family PDF
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Compaq LTE Elite Family PDF
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 Compaq LTE 5000 Family PDF
  11. ↑ "LTE Lite 4/33C". Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160311123921/http://ltelite.cybtonic.com:80/showcases.htm#lite433c. 
  12. ↑ "This Ancient Laptop Is The Only Key To The Most Valuable Supercars On The Planet". Jalopnik. http://jalopnik.com/this-ancient-laptop-is-the-only-key-to-the-most-valuabl-1773662267. 
  13. ↑ Frasier - Season 1, Episode 22, "Author, Author" (1994) - The brothers use an LTE 286 for their writing.
  14. ↑ "Real-Live E-Mails". http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Real_Live_Emails. Retrieved 18 September 2018. 

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