LGR - Zenith Z-171 Vintage Computer System Overview
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Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 10
Caseytify
I think the design was by Morrow, in that he sold Zenith a license to make their version. Morrow was cash poor and took a one-time fee ($1. 20 million IIRC) from Zenith, who proceeded to win a huge DoD contract and sold them several thousand machines.
Until they started commodity PC clones, Zenith machines came with a built-in monitor similar to CMOS setup. You could invoke it by pressing Ctl-Alt-Insert. Looks like the Z-171 had something similar.
I suspect Zenith won the DoD contract because their version of the computer was the only one with an 80x25 back-lit screen, compared to 80x15 non-back-lit for the other systems.
BTW, you forgot to mention the classic luggable: the Compaq Portable, once touted as -more IBM compatible than IBM. - Of course it didn't have a battery, and weighed a good 40 pounds, but that 9- monitor could handle both high-res text and monochrome CGA graphics.
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I think the design was by Morrow, in that he sold Zenith a license to make their version. Morrow was cash poor and took a one-time fee ($1. 20 million IIRC) from Zenith, who proceeded to win a huge DoD contract and sold them several thousand machines.
Until they started commodity PC clones, Zenith machines came with a built-in monitor similar to CMOS setup. You could invoke it by pressing Ctl-Alt-Insert. Looks like the Z-171 had something similar.
I suspect Zenith won the DoD contract because their version of the computer was the only one with an 80x25 back-lit screen, compared to 80x15 non-back-lit for the other systems.
BTW, you forgot to mention the classic luggable: the Compaq Portable, once touted as -more IBM compatible than IBM. - Of course it didn't have a battery, and weighed a good 40 pounds, but that 9- monitor could handle both high-res text and monochrome CGA graphics.
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Sidney
The price was one of the reasons that Zenith went out of business in this country. I have one of their portables and love it. The one I have came with MS-Dos 5. 0 on it and I got it from a friend at my last job who was selling used computers and I gave him 75. 00 dollars for it. The carrying bag didn't come with mine but there was one included with it.
The one you have is larger than mine and they didn't have the internet then, but there was bulletin boards to connect to through the model. I still have some of the cables and need a battery since it didn't come with one. I hope that I can still get a battery from one company who sells batteries for computers and other hardware. My computer came with the monocrome screen also and I want to put Windows 3. 0 on it and see if it works since I have that OS on CD from Tandy.
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The price was one of the reasons that Zenith went out of business in this country. I have one of their portables and love it. The one I have came with MS-Dos 5. 0 on it and I got it from a friend at my last job who was selling used computers and I gave him 75. 00 dollars for it. The carrying bag didn't come with mine but there was one included with it.
The one you have is larger than mine and they didn't have the internet then, but there was bulletin boards to connect to through the model. I still have some of the cables and need a battery since it didn't come with one. I hope that I can still get a battery from one company who sells batteries for computers and other hardware. My computer came with the monocrome screen also and I want to put Windows 3. 0 on it and see if it works since I have that OS on CD from Tandy.
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Tim
I used to work for ZDS from 1990-96 in the service area. I recall the IRS had these, and one time one came through the depot with a 10mb hard drive installed. I bet the hard drive and controller cost as much as the portable! The supertwist lcd (like in the above model) was the sharper display, which replaced a yellow on greenish lcd. One of the most common problems with this model was the ribbon cable that connected to the keyboard. It would get pinch, then split the circuit traces. This was remedied with a new cable glued to a flexible plastic strip to keep it from flexing too much. I recall seeing them come through the department up to 1992. They were somewhat ancient by then. Even thigh the bios says 1985, this appears to be a later upgraded model from about 1987.
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I used to work for ZDS from 1990-96 in the service area. I recall the IRS had these, and one time one came through the depot with a 10mb hard drive installed. I bet the hard drive and controller cost as much as the portable! The supertwist lcd (like in the above model) was the sharper display, which replaced a yellow on greenish lcd. One of the most common problems with this model was the ribbon cable that connected to the keyboard. It would get pinch, then split the circuit traces. This was remedied with a new cable glued to a flexible plastic strip to keep it from flexing too much. I recall seeing them come through the department up to 1992. They were somewhat ancient by then. Even thigh the bios says 1985, this appears to be a later upgraded model from about 1987.
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Tuschedz
Seems odd to point out in the beginning that it thankfully comes with a color CGA output - but then to end by saying it's not worth it and recommend a clone PC with an actual monitor.
However, this also gives me a thought regarding older portables like this with both integrated LCD screens and legit color CGA cards. Would it not be possible to install a modern color LCD replacement using the RGB output? It seems like this would be a pretty rad mod for older CGA portables and laptops.
I've actually seen a mod that did something similar with a Commodore PET and color CRT - which has to be significantly more difficult given that the chipset was only designed to display the built-in character set in monochrome.
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Seems odd to point out in the beginning that it thankfully comes with a color CGA output - but then to end by saying it's not worth it and recommend a clone PC with an actual monitor.
However, this also gives me a thought regarding older portables like this with both integrated LCD screens and legit color CGA cards. Would it not be possible to install a modern color LCD replacement using the RGB output? It seems like this would be a pretty rad mod for older CGA portables and laptops.
I've actually seen a mod that did something similar with a Commodore PET and color CRT - which has to be significantly more difficult given that the chipset was only designed to display the built-in character set in monochrome.
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Dwight
I marketed a hard disk drive adapter for the Z-171. That really changed the game for what it could do. I acquired the rights and inventory from the guy who created it when he had little luck in marketing it. I took it to a national market and did well with it until obsolescence took over and the Z-171 market disappeared. I discarded my last Z-171 and the last hard drive adapter when I sold my house back in 2006. Kinda made a big lump in my throat.
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I marketed a hard disk drive adapter for the Z-171. That really changed the game for what it could do. I acquired the rights and inventory from the guy who created it when he had little luck in marketing it. I took it to a national market and did well with it until obsolescence took over and the Z-171 market disappeared. I discarded my last Z-171 and the last hard drive adapter when I sold my house back in 2006. Kinda made a big lump in my throat.
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Martin
This may have been covered in your video but a big reason these Zenith Z100 Z-DOS compatible systems are special is that their OEM version of MS-DOS has a few unique qualities: encryption and ability to read cp/m disks. In the right hands, their the rosetta stone of file conversion. If you still have this hardware and the 2. 11 media, you need to re-review this historic gem. Let me know if you need help.
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This may have been covered in your video but a big reason these Zenith Z100 Z-DOS compatible systems are special is that their OEM version of MS-DOS has a few unique qualities: encryption and ability to read cp/m disks. In the right hands, their the rosetta stone of file conversion. If you still have this hardware and the 2. 11 media, you need to re-review this historic gem. Let me know if you need help.
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wotsac
I had one of these for a few minutes maybe 25 years ago. It was a real step up from the z161, which was a more conventional portable form factor, which they achieved by taking a desktop z151 computer, and shoving that and a 9- monitor in a distinctly unusual case, with the floppy drives on a pop-up tray on the top of the computer. Was it heavy? SO HEAVY. 45lbs heavy!
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I had one of these for a few minutes maybe 25 years ago. It was a real step up from the z161, which was a more conventional portable form factor, which they achieved by taking a desktop z151 computer, and shoving that and a 9- monitor in a distinctly unusual case, with the floppy drives on a pop-up tray on the top of the computer. Was it heavy? SO HEAVY. 45lbs heavy!
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Rebel
I was born a few months before that thing came out. Also it looks like my grandma's breathing thing. Now i know this video is old, but i would buy that thing if you would be willing to sell and still have it. Or if you know of a seller that would be great. I want to just sit it in my Delorean. I mean just to be able to pull that out at car shows would be cool.
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I was born a few months before that thing came out. Also it looks like my grandma's breathing thing. Now i know this video is old, but i would buy that thing if you would be willing to sell and still have it. Or if you know of a seller that would be great. I want to just sit it in my Delorean. I mean just to be able to pull that out at car shows would be cool.
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James
Great video but it-s a Morrow design and Zenith licensed it. The government, likes large manufacturers for large computer orders for accountability reasons. I-m pretty sure the first order was for the IRS then the military. Still great video on a historical computer that NOBODY except Stewart Cheifet, that-s the highest compliment I can give.
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Great video but it-s a Morrow design and Zenith licensed it. The government, likes large manufacturers for large computer orders for accountability reasons. I-m pretty sure the first order was for the IRS then the military. Still great video on a historical computer that NOBODY except Stewart Cheifet, that-s the highest compliment I can give.
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Allen
Zeenith not zaynith. It was an old TV brand, then it went out of business and the brand was purchased. Since then it's been slapped on thousands of generic low end consumer devices and appliances. I've seen it on window AC units, LCD monitors, and even a coffee maker. They hope name brand recognition will offset the cheapness of the product.
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Zeenith not zaynith. It was an old TV brand, then it went out of business and the brand was purchased. Since then it's been slapped on thousands of generic low end consumer devices and appliances. I've seen it on window AC units, LCD monitors, and even a coffee maker. They hope name brand recognition will offset the cheapness of the product.
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