DATAMATH

DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Bedol Checkbook Balancer

Date of introduction:		Display technology:	LCD
New price:	$19.00 (SRP July 2020)	Display size:	8
Size:	2.1" x 3.3" x 0.15" 54 x 85 x 4 mm³
Weight:	0.8 ounces, 22 grams	Serial No:
Batteries:	LR55	Date of manufacture:
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	China
Precision:	8	Integrated circuits:	unknown
Memories:	3
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner
		Download manual:	(US: 4.4 MByte)

National Semiconductor introduced already in 1978 with the NS103 Data Checker an electronic record keeper with three continuous memories to track bank and charge account balances with dedicated keys:

• Memory 1 [CHK] [DEP] [BAL] [A]
• Memory 2 [PMT] [CHG] [BAL] [B]
• Memory 3 [PMT] [CHG] [BAL] [C]
• Total sum of Memories [GT]

While the NS103 Data Checker was based on proprietary technology, introduced NEC of Japan with the uPD1833G in 1980 a single-chip calculator circuit that created the blueprint for checkbook-sized Account Manager calculators and thereupon the market got swamped with products based on this design. The uPD1833G simplified the use of the memories by removing the redundant [A], [B], and [C] keys and replaced the inconvenient three-way power-switch of the NS103 Data Checker with two dedicated [ON] and [OFF] keys and a [DS] key to toggle between two entry modes:

• Indicator (--) Floating decimal with manual insertion of the decimal using the [.] key
• Indicator (AM) Add mode with the decimal automatically put in the dollars and cents position (0.00)

Even the successor of the NS103, known as NS103A, switched its internals to the uPD1833G but we feature some more Account Manager calculators in the Datamath Calculator Museum based on this technology:

• Canon Checkbook - Missing the Toggle Key for the decimal mode
• Royal LCB 841 - The Art of Perfection in Japan
• This Royal LCB 835 - Just one Memory (uPD1831G)
• Texas Instruments TI-2200 Checkwriter - Late, but not too late
• Unisonic LC 262CK Check Master - Credit Card sized

NEC of Japan lost some market share with their design for Account Manager calculators in the Eighties, when competitors like Hitachi and Sharp introduced similar chips and finally lost the business completely to Toshiba's "Solar Cells" compatible design. Find more Account Manager calculators in the Datamath Calculator Museum:

• Canon Checkbook II - Toshiba inside
• Casio CB-80 - Hitachi inside
• This Unisonic LC 224CK Check Master - Sharp Inside
• Texas Instruments TI-2200 II Checkwriter - Toshiba + Solar cells = Winning formula

We couldn't dismantle the featured Bedol Checkbook Balancer Calculator manufactured in China but assume that it is centered around an unknown single-chip calculator circuit bonded on a double-sided printed circuit board (PCB) and powered by 4 solar cells and a small LR55 (LR1120) backup battery.

Learn more about single-chip calculator circuits used in Account Manager Calculators.

Bedol entered the market of Checkbook Calculators with the Checkmaster Standard in 2000. It features Account Manager functionality with three permanent (till you remove the batteries) Memories and started a very successful product line. We discovered as of now sixteen different family members:

• 2000: Checkmaster Standard, 3 Memories
• 2000: Checkmaster Standard w/ Leather Cover (5 options), 3 Memories
• 2000: Checkmaster Gold, 3 Memories, Time, Alarm, Calendar, Currency and Metric conversion
• 2000: Checkmaster Superthin Page Marker, 3 Memories, Time, Alarm, Calendar, Currency and Metric conversion ($30.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2000: Checkmaster Superthin Page Marker w/Leather Cover, 3 Memories, Time, Alarm, Calendar, Currency and Metric conversion ($48.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2000: Checkmaster Easyrule, 3 Memories, ruler form with oval hole configuration for planners
• 2000: Checkmaster Easyrule Gold, 3 Memories, Time, Alarm, Calendar, Currency and Metric conversion, ruler form
• 2xxx: Checkmaster Standard White w/Vinyl Bi-fold Cover, 3 Memories ($30.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2xxx: Checkmaster Standard White w/Leather Bi-fold Cover, 3 Memories ($68.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2xxx: Checkmaster Standard White w/Leather Tri-fold Cover, 3 Memories ($78.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2xxx: This Checkbook Balancer Credit Card Calculator, 3 Memories ($19.00 SRP February 2020)
• 2xxx: Checkbook Balancer Credit Card Calculator w/Bonded Leather Cover, 3 Memories ($25.00 SRP February 2020)

Don't miss the Corvus CheckMaster introduced by Mostek already in 1975. This rare product retains the balance of your memory even when shut off but uses power-hungry electronics.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.