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What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
07-10-2020, 10:41 PM
Post: #161
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-10-2020 10:26 PM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  
(07-10-2020 10:05 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  I've found that the 8000 series is not particularly durable, unfortunately. I have three - one of them works with some dead lines on the screen, and the other two won't power on at all. It seems like the 7000s might be a bit sturdier.

I guess that's what you get for buying it untested? I think it was genuinely untested as all the batteries were showing 1.3v instead of 3v. It might be the fact the batteries are rubbish I'm not sur.e it's odd as marked as it's rated for 6v but you put in 4x3v batteries.

Does it only use two at once or limit the voltage?

I wonder if a good clean will do it any good. If not I may send it to YouTuber mymatevince!

Oh yeah, if your batteries are reading that low, that could definitely be the problem. Have you tried a fresh set? The 6V rating might be for an external power supply, but that's just a guess. One of the four batteries is for memory backup, so the main batteries would be 12V if they're connected in series (also no clue about that, I'd have to poke around with my multimeter).
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07-13-2020, 03:29 PM
Post: #162
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
If anybody's looking for an OZ-7200 Wizard, I found a place here in the Grand Rapids area that has about 5 or 6 new-old-stock units for sale:

http://www.underwooddistributing.com/sto...gory_id=95

Note that these don't come with the BASIC card or any accessories, but for a brand new unit, the price is certainly right. Since they're new old stock, there's always the risk that some of them have aged better than others - the first one I got had a big black spot in the middle of the LCD, but the second one seems fine. If you talk to Suzanne, I'm sure she'd be happy to take it out of the package and give it a quick visual inspection before mailing.

Note that I'm not professionally affiliated with them in any way other than being a customer. Smile
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07-13-2020, 06:23 PM
Post: #163
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-13-2020 03:29 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  If anybody's looking for an OZ-7200 Wizard, I found a place here in the Grand Rapids area that has about 5 or 6 new-old-stock units for sale:

http://www.underwooddistributing.com/sto...gory_id=95

Note that these don't come with the BASIC card or any accessories, but for a brand new unit, the price is certainly right. Since they're new old stock, there's always the risk that some of them have aged better than others - the first one I got had a big black spot in the middle of the LCD, but the second one seems fine. If you talk to Suzanne, I'm sure she'd be happy to take it out of the package and give it a quick visual inspection before mailing.

Note that I'm not professionally affiliated with them in any way other than being a customer. Smile

Looks good but the cheapest shipping option across the pond to the UK, is > $60. I'll drop them a message as it seems like it's something which wouldn't cost anywhere near that to ship!
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07-13-2020, 06:25 PM
Post: #164
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-10-2020 10:41 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  
(07-10-2020 10:26 PM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  I guess that's what you get for buying it untested? I think it was genuinely untested as all the batteries were showing 1.3v instead of 3v. It might be the fact the batteries are rubbish I'm not sur.e it's odd as marked as it's rated for 6v but you put in 4x3v batteries.

Does it only use two at once or limit the voltage?

I wonder if a good clean will do it any good. If not I may send it to YouTuber mymatevince!

Oh yeah, if your batteries are reading that low, that could definitely be the problem. Have you tried a fresh set? The 6V rating might be for an external power supply, but that's just a guess. One of the four batteries is for memory backup, so the main batteries would be 12V if they're connected in series (also no clue about that, I'd have to poke around with my multimeter).

There are 4x 3v batteries plus the 3v backup battery.

So this would be 12v if connected in parallel.

I reckon that they're wired in two sets of parallel so the voltage is only 6v, but could be wrong. Is there a maintenance manual anywhere?
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07-13-2020, 09:41 PM
Post: #165
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-13-2020 06:25 PM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  There are 4x 3v batteries plus the 3v backup battery.

So this would be 12v if connected in parallel.

I reckon that they're wired in two sets of parallel so the voltage is only 6v, but could be wrong. Is there a maintenance manual anywhere?

I guess you mean connected in series?

I honestly don't recall, but I think the unit will not work at all unless all 4 batteries are installed; if it was 2 x 2 sets of 6V (possibly for large in-rush current issues), then it should work with one battery removed, which is easy enough to test.

I had an OZ-7000 (or 7200) Service Manual (in PDF?) somewhere, I will look for it and post a link if I find it.

--Bob Prosperi
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07-14-2020, 09:41 AM (This post was last modified: 07-14-2020 10:36 AM by ZQ8000_dude.)
Post: #166
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-13-2020 09:41 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  
(07-13-2020 06:25 PM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  There are 4x 3v batteries plus the 3v backup battery.

So this would be 12v if connected in parallel.

I reckon that they're wired in two sets of parallel so the voltage is only 6v, but could be wrong. Is there a maintenance manual anywhere?

I guess you mean connected in series?

I honestly don't recall, but I think the unit will not work at all unless all 4 batteries are installed; if it was 2 x 2 sets of 6V (possibly for large in-rush current issues), then it should work with one battery removed, which is easy enough to test.

I had an OZ-7000 (or 7200) Service Manual (in PDF?) somewhere, I will look for it and post a link if I find it.

Sorry, yes. I think I meant that...


Do you know if the OZ-8000/ IQ-8100M had the same screen?

A service manual for the 8000 series would be amazing too because that's the one I need to get fixed.

7000 would perhaps help as I imagine it's very similar inside, but not really sure. It's still useful to have that in the public domain though.
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07-14-2020, 12:19 PM
Post: #167
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-14-2020 09:41 AM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  Do you know if the OZ-8000/ IQ-8100M had the same screen?

A service manual for the 8000 series would be amazing too because that's the one I need to get fixed.

7000 would perhaps help as I imagine it's very similar inside, but not really sure. It's still useful to have that in the public domain though.

I believe all 8000 series (at least the equivalent of the OZ-8000, -8200, -8600 models; there were some IQ-8xxx models that used the larger screen of the OZ-95xx and -96xx) used the same LCD. I was told by one of the engineers that they differed only in RAM and ROM, but I don't have any 8xxxx service manuals to check.

--Bob Prosperi
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07-14-2020, 05:29 PM
Post: #168
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
(07-14-2020 12:19 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  
(07-14-2020 09:41 AM)ZQ8000_dude Wrote:  Do you know if the OZ-8000/ IQ-8100M had the same screen?

A service manual for the 8000 series would be amazing too because that's the one I need to get fixed.

7000 would perhaps help as I imagine it's very similar inside, but not really sure. It's still useful to have that in the public domain though.

I believe all 8000 series (at least the equivalent of the OZ-8000, -8200, -8600 models; there were some IQ-8xxx models that used the larger screen of the OZ-95xx and -96xx) used the same LCD. I was told by one of the engineers that they differed only in RAM and ROM, but I don't have any 8xxxx service manuals to check.

Well someone in Sharp contacted me, so I've asked them if they have the service mauals. The guys was joking that the software I was talking about (CE-491W) was older than him, which is probably true. They're going to try and get me version 1 of the software.
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