The museum thread
Why this brand matters
Epson's HX-20 is one of the key machines in the museum because it demonstrates that portable computing did not have to evolve through the laptop form first. Keyboard, LCD, batteries, storage and even a microprinter were integrated into a self-contained computer at the start of the 1980s.
Epson continued this line with CP/M portables such as the PX-8 and also entered desktop microcomputers and IBM-compatible PCs, showing how portable and standardised computing developed in parallel.
Major machines and families
This is a historical map of the machines relevant to this museum's story, not merely a list of the models currently emulated.
| Period | Machine / family | Why it belongs in the story | Museum status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | HX-20 | Self-contained battery-powered computer with keyboard, LCD, microcassette option and printer | Playable |
| 1983 | QX-10 | Z80 desktop business computer associated with CP/M and Valdocs | Not yet emulated |
| 1984 | PX-8 Geneva | Portable CP/M computer with LCD and microcassette storage | Not yet emulated |
| 1985 | PX-4 | More compact CP/M portable continuing the battery-powered business-computer line | Not yet emulated |
| 1985– | Equity PC family | IBM-compatible desktops that joined the rapidly standardising PC market | Not yet emulated |
Continue the story
Epson in context
Brand histories overlap: CPUs, operating systems, standards, classroom adoption and software ecosystems routinely crossed manufacturer boundaries.
Technical specifications and chronology on this manufacturer page are intended to remain traceable to original documentation and established archives. See the source path for this family →