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+--- Thread: Alternate To? (/thread-13295.html)
Alternate To? - Leviset - 07-17-2019 05:18 PM
Did any other Calculator Company (TI,CASIO,SHARP,COMMODORE,ELEKTRONIKA etc.) ever try to produce a competitor desktop programmable Calculator to compete with the HP-97? The only one close that I’ve found so far is The TI-59 combined with the PC-100A - are there others? I don’t want to include the Tandy, Radio Shack,Casio,Sharp that were sold as ‘Pocket Computers).
RE: Alternate To? - ColinJDenman - 07-17-2019 06:12 PM
http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/desk_electronic_calculators.html
has a section on the first programmables. May be of interest.
RE: Alternate To? - Didier Lachieze - 07-17-2019 07:28 PM
The Sharp PC-1300/1300S from 1978/79 should qualify:
- bigger than a usual handheld calculator
- works on rechargeable batteries
- keystroke programmable
- magnetic card reader/writer
- integrated printer
- in addition it has a 16 alphanumeric characters VFD display
See: The Sharp PC-1300S Pocket Computer
I have one that I got from Japan, I'm not sure it has been sold out of Japan.
RE: Alternate To? - Thomas Okken - 07-17-2019 08:48 PM
How about the Texas Instruments SR-60?
RE: Alternate To? - Valentin Albillo - 07-17-2019 09:06 PM
(07-17-2019 08:48 PM)Thomas Okken Wrote: How about the Texas Instruments SR-60?
Certainly.
The TI SR-60 qualifies perfectly though it's actually significantly more powerful than the HP-97 (and much more costly at the time, which is saying something as the HP-97 was no bargain itself).
V.
.
RE: Alternate To? - Leviset - 07-18-2019 11:04 AM
Thanks for the pointers everyone. I do have the Sharp PC-1500A desktop calculator complete with the CE-150 base unit - everything is functional.
The TI-SR60s are like hen’s teeth and mega expensive if you can find a working unit at all!
RE: Alternate To? - Leviset - 07-18-2019 06:33 PM
Does anyone know if such a thing as a TI SR-60 emulator exists, either online or as a download? I’ve done a pretty exhaustive check online and I can’t find one.
I did come across a real SR-60 which had sold for €1600!