yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
b274874139
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
192 lines
9.5 KiB
Markdown
192 lines
9.5 KiB
Markdown
---
|
||
title: Sharp PC-1500 / PC-1500A
|
||
categories:
|
||
- Computers
|
||
types:
|
||
- Pocket
|
||
origins:
|
||
- Japan
|
||
years:
|
||
- '1981'
|
||
cpus:
|
||
- LH 5801 8-bit CMOS
|
||
params:
|
||
name: PC-1500 / PC-1500A
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/sharp_pc1500_system_1.jpg
|
||
company: /companies/sharp
|
||
company_name: Sharp
|
||
specs:
|
||
- label: NAME
|
||
value: PC-1500 / PC-1500A
|
||
- label: MANUFACTURER
|
||
value: Sharp
|
||
- label: TYPE
|
||
value: Pocket
|
||
- label: ORIGIN
|
||
value: Japan
|
||
- label: YEAR
|
||
value: '1981'
|
||
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
|
||
value: Sharp BASIC interpreter
|
||
- label: KEYBOARD
|
||
value: 65 keys, QWERTY calculator type with numeric key-pad
|
||
- label: CPU
|
||
value: LH 5801 8-bit CMOS
|
||
- label: SPEED
|
||
value: 1.3 MHz
|
||
- label: RAM
|
||
value: 'PC-1500: 3.5 KB - PC-1500A: 8.5 kB'
|
||
- label: ROM
|
||
value: 16 KB
|
||
- label: TEXT MODES
|
||
value: 1 line x 26 chars. (LCD screen)
|
||
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
|
||
value: 7 x 156 pixels
|
||
- label: COLORS
|
||
value: Monochrome
|
||
- label: SOUND
|
||
value: One-channel Beeper, with frequency and duration controllable by BASIC statement
|
||
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
|
||
value: 19.5 (W) x 8.6 (D) x 2.55 (H) cm / 375 g (with batteries)
|
||
- label: I/O PORTS
|
||
value: Proprietary 60 pin expansion bus, 40 pin slot for memory and program modules
|
||
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
|
||
value: None
|
||
- label: POWER SUPPLY
|
||
value: 4 x AA 1.5V batteries, 50 hours run time (0.13W) - 6V DC external AC adaptor EA-150
|
||
- label: PERIPHERALS
|
||
value: 'CE-150 4-colour pen-plotter and cassette interface, various RAM modules (4 to 2x16 kBytes), various interfaces (RS-232, Centronics, video), Software modules: graphics, math, engineering etc.'
|
||
- label: PRICE
|
||
value: 'PC-1500: 335, PC-1500A: $200, 235'
|
||
tabs:
|
||
- photos
|
||
- adverts
|
||
- emulators
|
||
- links
|
||
- docs
|
||
forum_thread: 941
|
||
photos:
|
||
- title: INSIDE THE PC-1500A
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
The right part is the top side (keyboard, display) of the PC-1500.
|
||
|
||
**(1)** External AC adaptor plug\
|
||
**(2)** BASIC interpreter ROM chip\
|
||
**(3)** Four HM6116 RAM chips\
|
||
**(4)**These four chips manage the LCD display\
|
||
**(5)** In order to reduce the size of the computer, the logic board has been divided into two parts interconnected with two flat cables\
|
||
**(6)** Custom Sharp I/O chip, manages all the external peripherals\
|
||
**(7)** Proprietary 60 pin expansion connector\
|
||
**(8)** LH 5801 8-bit CMOS processor. Its internal design (registers, instructions) was close to the Z80\
|
||
**(9)** 4 x AA batteries housing
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/sharp_pc1500_inside_1.jpg
|
||
- title: RAM LAYOUT
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
The main difference between the PC-1500 and PC-1500A was the hardware RAM layout.\
|
||
The PC-1500 (right) used two TC5114 1K x 4-bit chips (yellow arrow) and one HM6116 2k x 8 bit chip (red arrow), while the PC-1500A used four HM6116 chips.
|
||
|
||
Thanks to **Roman von Wartburg**
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/sharp_pc1500_ramchips_1.jpg
|
||
adverts:
|
||
- title: FRENCH ADVERT (APRIL 1982)
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: '"the computing answer"'
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/sharp_pc1500_french-pub_reponse-informatique.jpg
|
||
emulators:
|
||
- title: POEMS
|
||
url: http://sourceforge.jp/projects/poems/
|
||
platform: Unix / Linux
|
||
text: PC-12xx, 14xx & 13xx emulator
|
||
- title: PockEmul
|
||
url: http://pockemul.free.fr/
|
||
platform: Multiplatform
|
||
text: Emulates nearly all Sharp pocket computers!
|
||
links:
|
||
- title: Sharp PC-1500 computer (TRS-80 PC-2) resource page
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/
|
||
text: Software archive, tools, documentations and links. A must see.
|
||
docs:
|
||
- title: SHARP PC-1500 - OWNER'S MANUAL
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/pc2manual.html
|
||
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sharp_pc1500_owner-manual.jpg
|
||
text: |-
|
||
[**SHARP PC-1500 - OWNER'S MANUAL**](http://www.pc1500.com/pc2manual.html)written by Sharp Corporation
|
||
|
||
compiled/archived by Wade Fincher\
|
||
type of document : PDF\
|
||
size : 2.86 MB\
|
||
source : [www.pc1500.com](http://www.pc1500.com)
|
||
- title: SHARP PC-1500 - TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/technical_reference_manual.html
|
||
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sharp_pc1500_technical-reference-manual.jpg
|
||
text: |-
|
||
[**SHARP PC-1500 - TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.pc1500.com/technical_reference_manual.html)written by Sharp Corporation
|
||
|
||
compiled/archived by Tom Berry\
|
||
type of document : PDF\
|
||
size : 26.3 MB\
|
||
source : [www.pc1500.com](http://www.pc1500.com)
|
||
- title: 'TRS-80 PC-2 (AND SHARP PC-1500) : ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE MANUAL'
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/assemblylanguage.html
|
||
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sharp_pc1500_assembly-language-manual.jpg
|
||
text: |-
|
||
[**TRS-80 PC-2 (AND SHARP PC-1500) : ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE MANUAL**](http://www.pc1500.com/assemblylanguage.html)written by Bruce Elliot / The TRS-80 microcomputer news magazine
|
||
|
||
compiled/archived by E. Mulder\
|
||
type of document : PDF\
|
||
size : 6.75 MB\
|
||
source : [www.pc1500.com](http://www.pc1500.com)
|
||
- title: SHARP PC-1500 (AND TANDY TRS-80 PC2) - PRINTER / CASSETTE OWNER'S MANUAL
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/printermanual.html
|
||
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sharp_pc1500_cassette-printer-interface_manual.jpg
|
||
text: |-
|
||
[**SHARP PC-1500 (AND TANDY TRS-80 PC2) - PRINTER / CASSETTE OWNER'S MANUAL**](http://www.pc1500.com/printermanual.html)written by Sharp Corporation
|
||
|
||
compiled/archived by Wade Fincher\
|
||
type of document : PDF\
|
||
size : 2,9 MB\
|
||
source : [www.pc1500.com](http://www.pc1500.com)
|
||
- title: TRS-80 PC-2 (AND SHARP PC-1500) - SERVICE MANUAL
|
||
url: http://www.pc1500.com/servicemanual.html
|
||
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sharp_pc1500_service-manual.jpg
|
||
text: |-
|
||
[**TRS-80 PC-2 (AND SHARP PC-1500) - SERVICE MANUAL**](http://www.pc1500.com/servicemanual.html)written by Radio Shack
|
||
|
||
compiled/archived by E. Mulder\
|
||
type of document : PDF\
|
||
size : 9.9 MB\
|
||
source : [www.pc1500.com](http://www.pc1500.com)
|
||
related:
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1210-1211-1212
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1245
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1250-pc-1251
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1260-pc-1261-pc-1262
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1401-pc-1402-pc-1421
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-1403-h
|
||
- /museum/sharp-pc-2500
|
||
oc_id: 965
|
||
source:
|
||
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604073048/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=965
|
||
date: '2023-06-04'
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
After the successful [PC-121x series](/museum/sharp-pc-1210-1211-1212/), the PC-1500 was the second pocket computer released by Sharp, and their first one based on an 8 bit microprocessor. It might be contended that the PC-1500 was THE milestone in pocket computers. It was very popular among computer hobbyists, and it was used by many companies who equipped their field staff with the machine.
|
||
|
||
Why was this so? Actually, the technical specifications were not overwhelming: its display was only two characters longer than its predecessor's, but at least it featured "one line graphics", i.e. it was a "gap-less" display with 7 x 156 pixels.
|
||
|
||
With 3.5 KB memory, the PC-1500 had not much more RAM available for BASIC (1850 bytes) than the PC-1211 (1424 steps). Moreover, it was quite bulky (25 mm thick, 375 g), supposedly mainly because it used 4 normal AA batteries as power supply. However, the latter fact might have been an advantage, as these batteries are cheap and easily replacable.
|
||
|
||
Presumably, the most important advantage was the expandability of the system. Several RAM extensions (some even with battery back-up), program modules, a "docking station" with cassette interface and colour plotter with full graphics capabilites accessible with BASIC, an external board with programmable function buttons, various interfaces etc. were available. Moreover, the PC-1500 was also programmable in machine code. Apart from that, nothing comparable was available from other manufacturers at that time. Later strongest competitor Casio had their [FX-702P](/museum/casio-fx-702p/), and they were only about to release their [PB-100](/museum/casio-pb-100/) which had rather weak specifications.
|
||
|
||
The PC-1500 was released in late 1981 in Japan and early 1982 in the rest of the world. It was built around the **LH 5801** 8-bit CMOS processor which ran at 1.3 MHz. The RAM consisted of three parts. The 1KB system RAM was made up by two TC5514 1k x 4bit chips, a legacy from the PC-121x series. This area was used for system memory and part of the fixed variables. User RAM was realised with a HM6116 2k x 8 bit chip, most of it available for BASIC (1850 Bytes). Additional 512 Bytes incorporated in the display driver chips were used for the rest of the fixed variables and the display buffer.
|
||
|
||
The RAM could be expanded by RAM modules in different sizes, the largest of which was 16KB (actually, there was also a 32KB module, which had two switchable 16KB pages, i.e. only 16KB could be used at a time). There was also a widely known method to build a self-made RAM expansion up to 32KB.
|
||
|
||
As with the PC-1211, there was a custom manufactured version of the PC-1500 built by Sharp for Tandy Radio Shack, called the [TRS-80 PC-2](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-pc-2/). Apart from a different keyboard layout, it was identical.
|
||
|
||
Two years later, the slightly expanded model **PC-1500A** was released (in Japan and maybe some other countries labelled as **PC-1501**). It was equipped with four HM6116 RAM chips, which made 5946 Bytes available for BASIC, and an additional 1KB area for machine code only.
|
||
|
||
Thanks to **Roman von Wartburg** and his [site](http://retrocomputing.ch/) for information and picture.
|