Tag Archives: Tandy

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

Sharp and Tandy service manuals

Do you know the Sharp and Tandy Service Manuals ?
Here are they, modified to have one PDF file (OCR) per item.

All manuals are scanned from my own materials.
If you have some of the missing manuals (or not in this list) to offer (or sell) please tell me.
If you download something, please feel free to write a little comment.


Download

Download
CE-151 4Kb
MISSING
CE-152 Tape
MISSING

Download
CE-154 Wallet
Not exist

Download
CE-156 Soft tape
Not exist
CE-157 ROM 4Kb
MISSING

Download

Download
CE-160 7,8Kb
MISSING

Download

Download
CE-163 32Kb
MISSING
CE-165 Writer for CE-160
MISSING

Download

Download

Download

Download schematics

Paper ? Sharp, Tandy or unbranded ?

With our printers we printed hundreds of meters listings.
Everyone remembers So these little paper rolls?
Okay, did you know these 3 models?

EMI_2856 - Version 2

We have:
– The Tandy box with its blue color which contains 6 rolls
– Sharp box ROL-P-38 containing 5 rolls
– The box unmarked ROL-P-38, which also contains 5 rolls

But look a little closer these rolls …

To the right we have the Sharp left and the Tandy and unbranded.
The length of paper appears to be identical.
But there are two conspicuous differences:
– The color of the paper.
– The red band indicates the end of paper.

EMI_2859

There really is a difference in quality!

Do you know any other packaging for these rolls?
If this is the case thank you send me a message.

Tandy a full system closed to Sharp one.

Most of you better know the Sharp system. Why ?
Maybe because Tandy/Radio shack didn’t follow Sharp along the years for this pocket computer.
Here is the Tandy system :
EMI_2609

We know some PC-3, PC-4… but the PC-2 is still at the PC-1500 step.
I don’t know exactly why…
Someone can help me with this item ?

I already presented the PC-2.
To be precise I presented one version of the machine.
Yes, you really read “one version”, maybe the third one.
On the picture you can see lot of blue straps and a IC named “SC613128” with “A03”.
TRS-80_PC2_004

We know it’s the firmware revision. Then A03 seems to be the third.
Does someone have the first and the second ? Uh… that sounds mysterious…

I have the fourth !
Tandy_PC2_A04

As you see, no blue straps on the CPU board.
In fact it’s exactly closed to the PC-1500 evolution.
But… one moment please…
With some friends we had a really interesting discuss about Tandy and Sharp.
Like the chicken and the egg … which came first?

After reading this first article you have more questions than answers, isn’t it ?
– who have the versions one and two ???
– who can answer the chicken/egg question ???