DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
|
DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Sharp EL-503
| 1979 | Display technology: | LCD | |
| New price: | Display size: | 8 (5 + 2) | |
| Size: | 5.8" x 2.6" x 0.75" | ||
| Weight: | 4.4 ounces | Serial No: | |
| Batteries: | 2*AA | Date of manufacture: | year 1980 |
| AC-Adapter: | EA-10B | Origin of manufacture: | Japan |
| Precision: | 11 | Integrated circuits: | TP0327N |
| Memories: | 1 | ||
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
At
first glance this early Sharp EL-503 scientific calculator looks not really
exciting. A bulky housing, a very limited keyboard with just 28 keys and a LCD
display with only 8 digits ranks the EL-503 even in the 1979/80 timeframe at the
lower end of the list.
Dismantling
the EL-503, on the other hand, reveals a big surprise: This calculator makes use
of a Texas Instruments TP0327 single-chip calculator circuit based on the TMS1000
Microcomputer family. The TP0320
architecture was introduced in 1978 and powered the Slimline calculators family
centered around the Texas Instruments TI-50,
TI-53,
and Business Analyst II.
Running
Mike Sebastian's "Calculator forensics"
gives a result of 9.177087103, well-known since the TI-30
introduced in 1976.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, November 3, 2008. No reprints without written permission.