Team1560 : Prototype board for TE-1506 memory module ordered

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The TE-1506 memory module is an important step on the way to the PC-1560.
It’s Sharp PC-1500(A) compatible and offers some nice features that missed from a long time.
I have ordered the prototype board and will receive it in two weeks.

CE-1506

In the size of a module you’ll have a 32KB static RAM and a 32KB Xicor EEPROM.

First remember the memory map. Example for the PC-1500A :
TRM 173

Now let’s see how it works :
The RAM :
It’s divided in two 16KB memory spaces from &0000H to &3FFFH and will replace your CE-161 module.
The LH5801 provide 2 flip-flops named PU and PV. They are mainly used to switch extension’s ROMs located from &8000H to &BFFFH.
Here you will be able to configure by jumper if pages are selected by PU or PV.
Natively the Basic can’t switch the RAM pages but… we will teach him.
For information the TRAMSoft memory extension use same page selection.
The whole RAM (from &0000H to &3FFFH) can be write protected by removing a jumper.
TE-1506_RAM

The EEPROM :
Xicor offers us a the perfect solution to store ROM extensions.
First, it’s 5v programable, second, it’s byte erasable !
No need of external EPROM programmer.
CGH already tested the Xicor solution on his PC-1500 as a permanent RAMDisk.
The 32KB of our EEPROM can work in two modes :

1 – As two 16KB ROM extensions located from &8000H to &BFFFH.
Depending on the peripheral used (CE-150 or CE-158) you can select the EEPROM’s position in the memory space.
If you use the CE-150 printer/tape interface then you have to select PU=1
If you use the CE-158 RS-232C/Parallel interface then you have to use PU=0
The two 16KB pages are selected by PV flip-flop.
Do you remember CGH’s tools ? BASWORD will be your friend.
TE-1506_ROM_CE-158TE-1506_ROM_CE-150

2 – As a 16KB ROM extension + 16KB system ROM replacement.
The first 16KB page becomes the new system ROM and the second 16KB page is still a ROM extension located on PV=0 or PV=1 zone.
The whole EEPROM can be write protected by removing a jumper.
TE-1506_SYSROMPV0TE-1506_SYSROMPV1

Amazing, no ? This will offer a solution to create you own root system !
Could you image a Forth native PC-1500 ?
an assembler native PC-1500 ?
a C native PC-1500 ?
Wow…

First tests in 3 weeks !

Tom’s story : my PC-1500 and Marilyn

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I like when my readers want to share some of their PC-1500’s stories.
Today thanks to Tom for this one :

Memories about Marilyn
======================

Hi folks,
recently I found a 30+ years old school exercise book that I used as my private listing library for my very first computer which was – you might guess – a SHARP PC-1500.
It’s a lot cool stuff in it (e.g. a kind of minesweeper game that runs on the CE-150 and some projective 3D math), but I found one bonbon I’d like to share here: The first digitized picture I ever “took”.

Monroe

When I saw this, memories sprang into my mind:

I was a school boy, maybe 17, and a fan of Marilyn. And I had this brand new PC-1500/CE-150 which I spend ALL my money for.
So I took a photo of her as a template, painted a free hand silhouette image on an A3 paper and rasterized it utilizing a transparent millimeter paper. After that, my best friend had to dictate me all the ZEROs and ONEs for each pixel, in order to capture a “huge” dataset by hand.
I still remember that it was a completely CRAZY amount of work, but the result was very nice for the time of the early 80s.
In fact the jaws of my buddies dropped, when they saw the CE-150 at work, producing that image – point by point.
Well, today we take a 24M picture by the press of our fingertip …
But that doesn’t beat old memories, right? 🙂

Thanx to Eric for this great website!
Cheers
Tom

I will soon tell you another “Tom’s story”… let’s find the memory…

Exploring the ROM : Unterprogrammkonzeption by Reiner PUCH

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ExploringTheROM
With CGH programs you have perfect tools to build programs for your PC-1500.
Writing a program in ML (Machine Language) is hard to do and the best is to use some existing code.
The best library is the system ROM (Read Only Memory).
There is a lot of useful routines that will help you.

Some of my documents are from the early 80’s and written by Reiner PUCH.
Here is a list of really interesting ROM routines :
UnterprogrammkonzeptionDownload

Thank you Herr Reiner PUCH !
If you have same interesting papers please contact me.

How many cases do you know for the PC-1500 + CE-150 ?

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Hello,

How many cases, pouches, briefcases do you know for the “PC-1500 + CE-150” ?
Sharp branded or from other companies.
Can you post links to the pictures as comment ?

I know 7 :
– 1 official Sharp “CE-150 + PC-1500” for most of the countries.
– 1 official Sharp “PC-1500RP + PC-1500RP2” for Brasil
– 2 official Hiradastechnika for “KA-160 + PTA-4000” and “KA-160 + PTA-4000+16”
– 1 official Radio Shack for the PC2 and it’s printer
– 1 from a french company for “CE-150 + PC-1500”
– 1 special from Japan. Only 50 were built.

Thank you !

Hidden objects : the Sharp PC-1500A, CE-150 and manual

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All of you know the famous games “Hidden objects”, isn’t it ?
I have special one for you !

Could you find the Sharp CE-150 ? The PC-1500A manual ? The Sharp PC-1500A ?
Hidden_objects_Sharp_PC-1500_1
Hidden_objects_Sharp_PC-1500_2
Hidden_objects_Sharp_PC-1500_3

Yes, our favorite pocket computer is 33 years old…
The whole article at Crystalradio.cn : http://www.crystalradio.cn/thread-245019-1-1.html

Alles für Sharp Computer : july to december 1986

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AFSC_86-07
Download		AFSC_86-08
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AFSC_86-09
Download		AFSC_86-10
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AFSC_86-11
Download		AFSC_86-12
Download

All the book, manuals, magazines provided here are digitized from my personal collection and for information about the PC-1500’s story. They illustrate all the incredible enjoyment around this pocket computer and all the work of thousands of fans. Feel free to find your own original items.
If you are the copyright owner of some digitized documents and want them to be removed from my website please contact me.
And if you own some other items that could be interesting to be published here please contact me.
And if you are fans and have some story to tell us contact me too !

CE-154 : The Sharp briefcase for the PC-1500

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This is a “must have” item for PC-1500 fans.
Sharp_CE-154_Closed
Did James Bond have a such briefcase ? No !
Sharp_CE-154_OpenedFull2

When opening it you have :
– PC-1500 or PC-1500A
– CE-150 printer and cassette interface
– CE-152 tape recorder
– CE-153 extended keyboard
– EA-150 power adapter
And under the CE-153 you have a special compartment with
– CE-153 software tape
– CE-156 Katakana software (for Japan briefcase)
– place for up to 4 paper rolls
– place for all cables (CE-153, CE-152, power)
Sharp_CE-154_OpenedFull1    Sharp_CE-154_FullTop

Here is the empty briefcase :
Sharp_CE-154_1    Sharp_CE-154_EmptyTop

Sharp_CE-154_Full

You can remove the interior :
Sharp_CE-154_Inside

And see that it’s a standard briefcase :
Sharp_CE-154_0 Sharp_CE-154_CaseTop

I’m lucky with this one and i have two covers for the interior :
Sharp_CE-154_Empty1 Sharp_CE-154_Empty0

All is explained in this japanese user manual :
Sharp_CE-154-Doc

Unique item : ergonomic Sharp PC-1500 stand

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This is a unique piece machined in the late 80’s by a machine shop in Hamburg.
The owner of a PC-1500 was disappointed by the angle of view of the LCD.
So he decided to ask a machine shop to build him the perfect stand for viewing and typing.

It’s made in aluminum (AU4G) and it’s weight is 1,8Kg.

I’m very happy to present you this unique item :
Stand_001
Stand_002 Stand_003

Stand_007 Stand_006

Stand_008 Stand_005

PC-1500 hardware is not always made in silicium and gold !

DIANZIBAO : Repairing the Sharp CE-150 printer

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Lot of my technical informations come from USA and Europe.
And i’m always happy to discover informations from China specially this one !

DIANZIBAO is a kind of bible for repair shops.
Something like 400 pages of technical informations, schematics, matching table for ICs, components pinouts for all kind of items.
This cover from fridge, cameras, radios… to repair tools.
In the 1992 edition there are some pages about the Sharp CE-150 and it’s usual problems.
CE-150_CN_Repair_001

In this article you discover all the CE-150 problems you can encounter.
Battery ? Gear ? Pen ? Step-motor ?
CE-150_CN_Repair_005

And there is a paragraph for ROM replacement.
These pages were never published in EU and USA ! Why ?

It would be wiry nice if some Chinese reader can translate it for us.
I’m sure we would learn a lot more about the CE-150 !

Download the full chapter from DIANZIBAO 1992