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Canon Canola L100

Date of introduction:  1971 Display technology:  Panaplex tubes
New price:   Display size:  10
Size:  9.7" x 9.2" x 2.7"     
Weight:  4 pounds 11 ounces Serial No:  200357
Batteries:  n.a. Date of manufacture:  year 1971
AC-Adapter:  220V Origin of manufacture:  Japan
Precision:  10  Integrated circuits:  TMC1737, TMC1753, TMC1754, TMC1807 
Memories:      
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

The Canon Canola L100 preceded the first desktop calculator manufactured by Texas Instruments - the TI-3000 - about one and a half year.  
L100_IC.jpg (94186 Byte)Instead of the later
single-chip calculator electronics found in the TI-3000 and its sibling TI-3500 the L100 uses four chips similar to the Pocketronic. A similar architecture could be found in the even larger desktop calculators L121 and L160, too.

L100_DISP.jpg (21674 Byte)The display consists of 10 single tubes with a 7-segment layout. Later products like the L100A or L100S used a construction similar to the Panaplex™ display manufactured by Burroughs.

In Texas Instrument's history of calculator chips the L100 plays an important role. It adds to the three LSI-circuits (Arithmetic Chip, Entry Chip, and Data Chip) of the
Pocketronic an additional Display Chip.

Please compare the quick evolution of the calculator technology:

Type Year Digits Chip set
L100 1971 10 TMC1737, TMC1753, TMC1754, TMC1807 
L100A 1971 10 TMS1824, TMS1825
L100S 1972 10 TMS0106 single chip
L121F 1972 12 TMS0201, TMS0302



The next desktop calculator in Canon's line was the L100A using the TMC1824, TMC1825 chips of the LE-10.


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

© Joerg Woerner, December 21, 2001. No reprints without written permission.