All the “Pocket Computer Newsletter” by Don Gregory

Thank you Don for the “Pocket Computer Newsletter” archives !

I subscribed to Pocket Computer Newsletter in 1982 and was able to get back
issues of 1981.
I was interested in Machine Language for the PC1500.
In 1982 PCN was the only information available.
The Sharp Technical Reference Manual was not yet out.
TRS80 Microcomputer News started revealing the mnemonic codes in March 1983.

The last issue of each year of PCN has an index.
For those that want to learn PC1500 ML, search the index for articles by
Norlin Rober.

Thanks to the hard work of Norlin Rober, PCN had the first info on ML
programming the PC 1500.
They called the command set Rober Mnemonics.

Norlin Rober provided the first PC1500 disassembler program in PCN 1982
Special Edition issue.
This was written in BASIC.

He later offered it written in ML, named LMD 2.0
(Loader/Monitor/Disassembler 2.0).
A must have program!

In 1983 PCN had a series of issues called “Machine Language Programming the
PC1500”.

Don Gregory.

Here are the archives by year : 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
And the 1982 special edition
And the Machine Language Programming

CE-165 : More informations (by Don Gregory)

Don Gregory is a PC-1500.info reader and contributor.
In february he sent me all the “Pocket Computer Newsletter” (I apologize, I’m very late to post it)
He contacted me after my last article and give us a lot more informations about the CE-165 :


(CE-165 with it’s cover (c) Don Gregory)

Here is my CE-165 and a user guide I made as follows:

The CE-165 is a program writer for CE-160 memory modules.

Programs must first be written to a CE-155 8k module (not a CE-159).
DEF key labels should be used for your programs. Read a CE-160 manual.
Then the program can be transferred to the CE-160 module.
Up to 16 modules can be programmed at a time.

Maximum byte size of the program for transferal:

BASIC program – 7808 bytes
Katakana in use – 6119 bytes
CE-153 in used – 6740 bytes
Katakana and CE-153 in use – 4941 bytes


(CE-165 ready to program 2 modules (c) Don Gregory)

Procedure:

Connect the PC-1500 with CE-155 to a CE-150 printer.
Load your program and power off.
Connect to the CE-165 via a cable.
Connect the EA-150 power supply to the CE-165 then plug to a wall outlet.
Power on the CE-165 then power on the PC-1500.
CE-165 program Auto Runs.
Commands corresponding to the Function keys will appear on the screen.
If you press the Break key you can restart with Run command or press
Function Key 1.
Function Key 2 is a power down with no line feed at power up, like Auto
Power Off.

Screen 1:
MODULE X UNITS: YES NO

X will be the number of modules that are inserted and functioning.

If the number is correct press the Function Key under YES.
Program proceeds to Screen 2.

If the number is incorrect press the function key under NO.
Screen will show sockets that are not active 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Press Enter shows sockets not active 8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15
Any number not appearing is a good module ready to use.

Screen 2:
ERASE WRITE VERIFY

ERASE – Screen displays ERASE START ******* changes to ERASE END ******
then powers off.

WRITE – Screen displays PREVIOUS SETTINGS AVAILABLE ?? YES NO
NO will ask if you want to include the RESERVE AREA: YES NO
Then asks if CE-153? YES NO
Asks again to confirm CE-153 usage. YES NO
WRITE START ******
WRITE VERIFY ****** If VERIFY fails the socket number(s) is
displayed ERR: X
WRITE END ******** then powers off

VERIFY – Screen displays SOURCE PROGRAM 1500 160
modules in the CE-165 can be verified with a CE-160 or a CE-155 in
the PC-1500.
RESERVE AREA? YES NO
CE-153? YES NO
Confirm CE-153 usage. YES NO
VERIFY START ********* If VERIFY fails the socket number(s) is
displayed ERR: X
VERIFY END ******** then powers off

Note: If CE-153 is used and the NEW command was incorrect ERROR: NEW XXX
THIS VALUE IS WRONG is displayed.

Are you able to understand the meaning of it’s CE-165 serial number ?
It’s one of the firsts one produced.

(My CE-165’s serial number (c) Don Gregory)

Thank you very much Don for this article !
We are happy to see a near mint, full functional, CE-165.

TE-1507 : Prototype updated

Hi, In my PC-1500 i had problems with the first TE-1507 version using Xicor memory.
It was impossible to write something in an unprotected X28HC256.
http://www.pc-1500.info/2015/07/30/te-1507-the-memory-module-for-developers/

The Team1560 needs were to have a big system RAM and a place to test system ROM extensions.
Done ! The TE-1507 is now working with 2 RAM ICs and the R/W protection is done by jumper.

Here are some pictures the prototype :

TE-1507_Proto_900_001

TE-1507_Proto_900_002TE-1507_Proto_900_004

TE-1507_Proto_900_006TE-1507_Proto_900_007

TE-1507_Proto_900_008TE-1507_Proto_900_009

This one, number 3, is reserved for…….. ? Stay tuned 😉

The release version should be available in one month.

Happy birthday !!! The second candle !!!

Hi all my readers !
Two years ago when i started this website i didn’t imagine to find all these informations about the Sharp PC-1500.
Did you imagine that this little pocket computer was distributed all over the world ?
Under other brands like Hiradastechnika or Nanfeng ?

It’s always a pleasure when a reader contact me and tells me it’s story with the PC-1500.
But it’s very rare ! Who wants to share his experience and knowledge ? Send me some articles with pictures and i will publish it !
Do you have some old program tapes ? Do you want to teach machine language programming in a set of articles ?
Your English language writing will sure be better than mine ! lol

300 000 visits since last year… incredible ! Thank you !
I know that my visitors are from lot of countries, some close to me in France like the Silicium.org forum, some from the other side of the planet like Neil in Australia or Waon in China, Toplica in Russia… Thank you for following the SHARP PC-1500’s story.

My next big task will be to contact Sharp in Japan and to ask for their help.
They may have lot of documents to share with us and shipping a parcel with rare informations, schematics, books, pictures, peripherals (like CE-165), is not an excessive cost ? They may have a museum, isn’t ? My website is the PC-1500 museum 😉
Please, Sharp company, read this page http://www.pc-1500.info/donors/
Some of you are already generous donors and i thank you again and again !!!

Who can answer this question : Which is the last serial number signification ?
My suggestion is something like the factory or the target country…

Ok, it’s time to close this second year with a Graal : the Blue PC-1500 in the rare Japan case !

PC-1500_GRAAL_001
PC-1500_GRAAL_002PC-1500_GRAAL_003
PC-1500_GRAAL_005PC-1500_GRAAL_004
PC-1500_GRAAL_007PC-1500_GRAAL_008
PC-1500_GRAAL_009