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BobVA · 12-18-2021, 07:21 PM

Jeff Birt has a mail segment where he shows a couple of Sharp PC-1270 calculators, including one with a printer / cassette interface base. I'd not seen this gadget before.

Some interesting 1270 background from Bob Prosperi, et al., here.

Segment five, about eight minutes in:

Massimo Gnerucci · 12-18-2021, 07:54 PM

I have one, with printer/cassette interface. GMAC customized.

**rprosperi** · 12-19-2021, 03:08 AM

Thanks for sharing this video Bob, good stuff!

In the later segment on the PC-1500 stuff, he shows a custom EPROM made by Pygmy Computer Systems in Miami; this was one of the larger Sharp Master VARs for the Pocket Computer business, one of the companies that sold both custom applications and also tools and devices for other VARs to create and distribute vertical applications.

Another Sharp Master VAR was P*ROM in Burlington, VT. Although all such products are obviously long-discontinued, P*ROM shared this excellent webpage, full of lots of details and documents about the Sharp Pocket Computer family:

https://sharppocketcomputers.com/

Jeff_Birt · 12-19-2021, 07:44 PM

Hi all,

Bob sent me an email about this thread which finally got me motivated enough to work past the registration gauntlets (Captcha and quiz). (I understand their importance in keeping bots out though.)

Sharp made a few 'run only' models including the 1270. It does seem quite odd from the view of a pocket computer enthusiast, but they did provide a simple solution to a point-of-use computation niche. I thought it would be interesting to try and figure out how to get a program into one.

I did find a bit on information on the PC-1270:
https://sharppocketcomputers.com/pc1270.htm, http://www.promsoft.com/uguides/users_guides.htm, https://sharppocketcomputers.com/index.htm.

For last link look for PC-1270 section as well as "Languages" section.

On the PC-1500 front, I came across the address of 'Pygmy Computer Systems' in Florida and given the date of incorporation was 1 year before the ROM cart was made it seemed likely to be the same company. The registration address is a private home though. I sent a letter via snail mail on the off chance it might lead to more information.

The personal notes that came with the PC-1500 lot was the most interesting. Things like program listings with a handwritten not "Why does this lock up?". There was even a written response to a letter he sent to someone asking for help with a program.

The PC-1500 is my favorite machine of that era, I think. In recent months I have written a lh5801 emulator (processer in PC-1500) and am working on a disassembler for it as well (which I'll back port into the emulator for disassembly on the fly as you run code.)

**rprosperi** · 12-20-2021, 01:45 PM

Welcome to the MoHPC Forum Jeff!

Many of us here have enjoyed your videos for years, thanks so much for the time, effort and enthusiasm that went into these videos; as HP nuts, we fully understand the passion and focus on these old devices.

Keep it up!! There are a lot more folks out there who appreciate them than just those that comment.

Thanks!

robve · 12-20-2021, 05:31 PM

I started watching your videos. Your efforts to save a NEC PC-8201a were great and insightful. Good idea to put something aside for a while rather than forcing a way forward. Your patience is far better than mine when it comes to such efforts (I only have a little bit of experience removing corrosion and re-soldering etc.) I think your channel deserves more views.

- Rob

Dave Britten · 12-20-2021, 05:39 PM

Cool video, I hadn't heard about Pocket Computer Newsletter before, but it turns out PDFs can be found here:

http://www.pc-1500.info/2017/09/11/pocke...n-gregory/

Also, for the Tandy 100/102 fans out there, make sure you buy one of Jeff's Backpack drives. Smile

https://www.soigeneris.com/tandy-tpdd-2-backpack-drive

(No affiliation, aside from being a satisfied owner!)

Jeff_Birt · 12-24-2021, 05:29 PM

(12-20-2021 05:39 PM)Dave Britten Wrote: Also, for the Tandy 100/102 fans out there, make sure you buy one of Jeff's Backpack drives.

https://www.soigeneris.com/tandy-tpdd-2-backpack-drive

(No affiliation, aside from being a satisfied owner!)

To give credit where it is due, the Backpack is a creation of a friend of mine. He sent me one and it was so cool I encouraged him to make more. He wishes to remain out of the public eye so I told him I would do everything I could to help.

BTW, We decided to do a video on the process of doing a project like this. The challenge of doing a small run of a niche product. The costs, risks, and time involved. It is taking me forever to edit it though.

Jeff_Birt · 12-24-2021, 05:30 PM

(12-20-2021 01:45 PM)rprosperi Wrote: Welcome to the MoHPC Forum Jeff!

Many of us here have enjoyed your videos for years, thanks so much for the time, effort and enthusiasm that went into these videos; as HP nuts, we fully understand the passion and focus on these old devices.

Keep it up!! There are a lot more folks out there who appreciate them than just those that comment.

Thanks!

Thanks Bob!

Jeff_Birt · 12-24-2021, 05:31 PM

(12-20-2021 05:31 PM)robve Wrote: I started watching your videos. Your efforts to save a NEC PC-8201a were great and insightful. Good idea to put something aside for a while rather than forcing a way forward. Your patience is far better than mine when it comes to such efforts (I only have a little bit of experience removing corrosion and re-soldering etc.) I think your channel deserves more views.

- Rob

Taking a break from a difficult project has worked well for me over the years. The downside is that on occasion I'll wake up at 2:00AM with the solution to the problem Smile

mfleming · 12-25-2021, 01:35 AM

(12-24-2021 05:29 PM)Jeff_Birt Wrote: BTW, We decided to do a video on the process of doing a project like this. The challenge of doing a small run of a niche product. The costs, risks, and time involved. It is taking me forever to edit it though.

Can't wait to see a link to the video posted here.

mfleming · 01-16-2022, 01:51 AM

Is this bychance a followup to the current thread? Always helps to post to a non stale thread!

https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-57...#pid156487

Video at 11...
https://youtu.be/30NxHAbotyo

Jeff_Birt · 01-18-2022, 12:13 AM

(01-16-2022 01:51 AM)mfleming Wrote: Is this bychance a followup to the current thread? Always helps to post to a non stale thread!

https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-57...#pid156487

Video at 11...
https://youtu.be/30NxHAbotyo

Yes, that is it. That thread popped up in something I was searching for and I forgot I mentioned the video here Smile

Anyhow here is the info:

A friend and I recently did a project together requiring PCB assembly and decided to document the process hoping it would be helpful to others wanting to take their idea from 'Prototype to Product'. I made a video about it which seems to dovetail into this thread so I'll post a link.

https://youtu.be/30NxHAbotyo