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Texas Instruments PS-6960Si

Date of introduction:  1996 Display technology:  LCD dot matrix
New price:   Display size:  6 lines by 24 char
Size:  3.3" x 5.1" x 0.70"
 85 x 129 x 18 mm3
   
Weight:  4.6 ounces, 130 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  2*CR2032 Date of manufacture:  mth 07 year 1997
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Thailand (C)
Precision:  12 Integrated circuits:  CPU: Toshiba T6M88
 ROM: AB23512
 RAM: 2*EPSON SRM20100
Memories:  256kB RAM    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

The PS-6960Si replaced the earlier PS-6800 within one year and doubled the memory capacity to 256k Byte. The changes are minor:

he PS-6155 Dock-station cradle to synchronize data with 
    the Lotus Organizer 97 software was optimized.
The display of the organizer supporting 6 lines by 24 characters was 
    enhanced with a greenish backlite feature called Indiglo.

Dismantling this PS-6960Si manufactured in 1997 by Compal Electronics in Thailand reveals no surprises. The printed circuit board (PCB) looks very familiar to us and we identify the major components immediately.

The hardware resembles more or less its predecessor PS-6800 but is centered around a Toshiba T6M88 Application Specific CPU based on the 8-bit Z80 core instead the previous T6M76.

The program memory is labeled AB23512 0055, probably an OTP-ROM with a capacity of 64k Bytes. The original PS-6700 makes use of the ATMEL AT27C512 OTP-ROM.

The data memory of the PS-6760Si, PS-6860Si and PS-6960Si are specified with 64k Bytes, 128k Bytes resp. 256k Bytes - the layout of the printed circuit board (PCB) suggests immediately the technical solution: The PCB accommodates one or two different sized memory chips in a very flexible configuration, this PS-6960Si hosts two EPSON SRM20100 chips sporting a capacity of 128k Bytes, each.

PS-6960Si_DISP.jpg (145003 Byte)The PS-6960Si uses two driver chips in Chip-on-Board (COB) technology on the Main-PCB, we couldn't identify the manufacturer and type of them.

 

 

 

The PS-6965Si Personal Organizer & PC Connectivity Kit bundled the PS-6960Si with the PS-6155.

It took another year until the PocketMate 400 appeared with a better keyboard layout.


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If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.

© Joerg Woerner, October 28, 2009. No reprints without written permission.