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
116 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
116 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Sharp PC-1401 PC-1402 PC-1421
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Pocket
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origins:
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- Japan
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years:
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- '1983'
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cpus:
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- SC 61860
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params:
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name: PC-1401 PC-1402 PC-1421
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image: /media/museum/photos/sharp_pc1401_system_s1.jpg
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company: /companies/sharp
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company_name: Sharp
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: PC-1401 PC-1402 PC-1421
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Sharp
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- label: TYPE
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value: Pocket
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: Japan
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1983'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: Sharp BASIC interpreter
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: 76 keys, QWERTY calculator type with numeric key-pad and math function keys
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- label: CPU
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value: SC 61860 (8 bits)
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- label: SPEED
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value: 'PC-1401, PC-1402: 576 kHz - PC-1421: 768 kHz'
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- label: RAM
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value: 'PC-1401, PC-1421: 4.2 KB - PC-1402: 10.2 KB'
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- label: ROM
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value: 40 KB
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 1 line x 16 chars. (LCD screen), 5x7 dot matrix
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: None
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- label: COLORS
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value: Monochrome LCD
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- label: SOUND
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value: CPU controlled piezo buzzer, fixed frequency and duration via BASIC statement
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 170 (W) x 72 (D) x 9.5 (H) mm / 150 g (with batteries and hard cover)
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: Proprietary 11-pin expansion bus
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: 6 volts, 2 x CR 2032 lithium cells
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- label: PERIPHERALS
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value: CE-126P thermal printer and tape interface
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- label: PRICE
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value: 'PC-1401: 155 , PC-1402: 181 (Germany)'
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tabs:
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- adverts
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- emulators
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- links
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forum_thread: 1139
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adverts:
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- title: NEW ZEALAND ADVERT
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subtitle: ''
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text: Dated February 1984 from Bits & Bytes magazine
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image: null
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emulators:
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- title: POEMS
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url: http://sourceforge.jp/projects/poems/
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platform: Unix / Linux
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text: PC-12xx, 14xx & 13xx emulator
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- title: PockEmul
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url: http://pockemul.free.fr/
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: Emulates nearly all Sharp pocket computers!
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links:
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- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
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url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
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text: ''
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related:
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1210-1211-1212
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1245
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1250-pc-1251
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1260-pc-1261-pc-1262
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1403-h
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- /museum/sharp-pc-1500-pc-1500a
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- /museum/sharp-pc-2500
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oc_id: 1170
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605031213/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1170
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date: '2023-06-05'
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---
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The PC-1401 was the first of a series of pocket computers with a new concept.
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It combined the advantages of a BASIC programmable pocket computer and a scientific calculator. Nevertheless, it was much thinner than, for instance, the [PC-1500](/museum/sharp-pc-1500-pc-1500a/), and well worth its price.\
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Therefore, the PC-14xx series was very successful, especially among students.
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The PC-1401 was developed based on the [PC-125x](/museum/sharp-pc-1250-pc-1251/) series, thus it possessed the same BASIC core capabilities. In addition, it had a separate calculator mode, in which it could be used like any of Sharp's scientific calculators, such as the EL506H.\
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For this purpose, the right section of the keyboard had 18 additional math keys, and it could be used as any standard AOS entry calculator. Moreover, a set of statistics functions was implemented.
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In BASIC mode, the additional math buttons could be used as shortcut keys to enter the BASIC keywords of these math functions. A downside was the small display with only 16 characters, which made it somewhat hard to keep track of your BASIC program while programming.
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As the PC-125x series, the PC-1401 was based on the SC61860 8-bit CMOS microprocessor, clocked with a 576 kHz ceramic resonator circuit, and the same display driver chip (SC43536). It had 4.2 KB RAM (two HM6116 2k x 8 chips plus some bytes in the display driver chip) and 40 KB ROM (SC613256). All chips and other components were soldered onto a single PCB. The RAM of the PC-1401 could not be extended by modules.
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The PC-14xx series consisted of various models; here, only those directly derived from the PC-125x hardware are described. At least three different models were widely available in the West:\
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**PC-1401**: This was the first machine of the series, released in 1983.\
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**PC-1402**: Released about one year later. Basically the same machine, but with more RAM. One of the HM6116 chips had been replaced by a D4364G 8k x 8 chip, resulting in 10.2 KB RAM (9678 bytes for BASIC).\
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**PC-1421**: This machine was also released in 1984. As the PC-1401, it had 4.2 KB RAM (3454 for BASIC). However, it was powered by a later release of the CPU and clocked with a higher clock rate (768 kHz), which made it one third faster. From the software's point of view,it was equipped with special math functions for business/financial matters.
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Together with the PC-1401, the CE-126P thermal printer and micro cassette interface unit was introduced. It was alcaline battery powered and could print 24 characters per line on special thermal paper.
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Special thanks to **Roman von Wartburg** and his [Website](http://retrocomputing.ch/), who provided us all this information.
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