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Sharp EL-8102

Date of introduction:  1974 Display technology:  VFD
New price:   Display size:  8
Size:  6.9" x 4.2" x 1.8"    
Weight:  16 ounces Serial No:  4200172X
Batteries:  6*AA cells Date of manufacture:  year 1974
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Japan
Precision:  8  Integrated circuits:  NEC uPD277C
Memories:  1    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

Sharp Electronics Corporation introduced end of the year 1969 with the EL-8 the first portable, battery operated calculator. It uses the same technology as the earlier desktop calculator QT-8D

This EL-8102 continued the approach of the EL-811 to reduce the complexity of the calculator brain. Instead the former two chip architecture based on Rockwell IC's this one uses a real single-chip design.

Dismantling a Sharp EL-8102 calculator manufactured in 1974 reveals a single-sided printed circuit board (PCB) based on a NEC uPD277C calculator chip and some discrete driver electronics for the display module.

The display module itself makes still use of single fluorescent tubes but with the Rockwell chips is the odd segmentation of the numerals gone, too.



You like this housing? Don't miss the EL-808.


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

© Joerg Woerner, July 22, 2002. No reprints without written permission.