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Calculators: Desktop: Sharp EL-803 (aka Elsi 803)
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Size (approx): |
224mm x 190mm x 35-70mm (w,h,d) |
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Power: |
Mains (240V 50-60Hz, 3W) power only through a permanently fixed mains cable of considerable length. | |
| Display: | 8 digit green VFD with an additional digit for error and negative indication on the far right instead of the more familiar far left | |
| Features: | Standard four functions with switched constant and count feature. Semi reverse polish notation. | |
| Age: | 1972 | |
| Manufacturer: | Sharp Corporation, made in Japan, serial No. 29538608. An additional sticker of the rear states patent numbers for the USA, UK and Canada, so it appears that these were the countries it was supplied into. | |
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Comments:
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Surprisingly early model that has a leading edge modern design. The original cover is grey plastic with white piping and the white text "Sharp Electronic Calculator" printed on it. As you would expect the logic is pretty poor with archaic input, no recovery, no trailing zero suppression on division and several bugs. |
| Case and Design: | Main body is made from two-piece gloss finish (originally) light grey plastic with a third matt black section for the front. A green plastic display filter is heavily inset and practically vertical. There are numeral numbers printed in white on it. The right hand section has some cooling slots and below these, a recess for a flush metallic sticker printed in red and dark grey for the brand and model number. The top left has an embossed, silver painted Sharp logo. |
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| Keys and Switches: | Main keys are in two groups and are medium travel with a plastic-hollow sound. Two equals keys, one is red and one in white are actually (-=) and (+=) keys respectively. An additional switch is marked K for constant and N for , as far as I can make out, normal operation. The on/off switch is on the right hand side about one third along. | ||
| Construction: | Remove the four screws from the underside. Turn the calculator back over and gently lift the top section away, hinging to the left. |
| Boards: | The main CPU board sits in the rear section and is held in place by a number of screws and metal brackets. It houses a sturdy metal display frame to hold the VFD tubes almost upright. A large edge connector is used for on 14 wires to the keyboard assembly. The keyboard consists of two units (4622-SW and 4632-SW) which is attached to the front with numerous screws. |
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| Components: | 1 x cpu: Hitachi
HD3276P 2H, 28 pin DIL, 0.6" width 1 x IC: Hitachi HD3253P 2H, 16 pin DIL, 0.3" width 3 x IC: Toshiba TM4352P I, 16 pin DIL, 0.3" width 9 x 1 digit VFD tubes: Futaba DG10Q1 2GA (2GB and 2GC) 6 x transistors 5 x diodes 2 x rectifiers 10 x capacitors 54 x resistors 1 x mains transformer: 4202PT 2 x fuses in holders Additionally there are 11 x diodes on the keyboard assembly |
| Logic comments: | (CE) is used once to cancel the last number entered and (C) to clear the whole calculator. |
| Operation is semi-Reverse Polish notation (arithmetic) input. To do 5-3 key in (5)(=)(3)(=). | |
| Input overflow is suppressed, keying a ninth digit is ignore | |
| Constant function is switched in with the "K" switch and operates on multiple and divide only, I believe the "N" setting is just "normal" | |
| Negative numbers are shown with a minus in the far right (ninth) digit thereby allowing full eight digit negative numbers | |
| Divide by zero shows "0.E" in the far right digits and is not recoverable | |
| Overflow shows the just and "0.E" in the far right digits and is no recoverable | |
| It suffers the pseudo fixed decimal bug: key in (1)(=)(.)(0)(0)(0)(=) to give "1.000" which remains a fixed three decimal digit number until you need more digits or use divide | |
| It suffers the divide to negative zero bug: switch on constant and key in (1)(=)(/)(1)(0)(=)(=)(=) etc. until you eventually get "0.0000000-" | |
| Results of division do not have trailing zero suppression: key in (9)(/)(3)(=) to get "3.0000000" |
