DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Toshiba BC-8111
| Date of introduction: | 1977 | Display technology: | Fluorescent |
| New price: | Display size: | 8 | |
| Size: | 5.6" x 3.0" x 0.8" 142 x 75 x 20 mm3 |
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| Weight: | 4.0 ounces, 112 grams | Serial No: | 225847 |
| Batteries: | 2*AA | Date of manufacture: | year 1978 |
| AC-Adapter: | BH-115 (110V) or BH-116 (220V) |
Origin of manufacture: | Japan |
| Precision: | 8 | Integrated circuits: | NEC uPD1803C |
| Memories: | 1 | Displays: | Itron FG95B6 |
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
Toshiba
introduced this BC-8111 and its sibling BC-8018 in
1977 as successors of the BC-815 and
BC-8111, respectively in a smaller package.
Dismantling the featured Toshiba BC-8111 manufactured in 1978
in Japan reveals a very cost effective design using a single-sided printed
circuit board (PCB) centered around a NEC uPD1803C single-chip calculator
circuit connected to a 9-digit Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD), a keyboard
assembly and powered by 2 AA-sized alkaline batteries.
The
NEC uPD1803C chip was introduced in 1976 seems to be from a technology point of view
slightly ahead of the TMS1070 used with
other Toshiba calculators like the BC-1015 and
integrated already the "pull down" resistors needed to bias the anodes and grids
of the display with respect to the filament. Texas Instruments caught up with
the introduction of the TMS1040 Product
Family and the Toshiba BC-8111B calculator switched
its internals to a TMS1045 single-chip calculator circuit.
The BC-8018 uses an identical
printed circuit board (PCB) populated with the NEC uPD1802C calculator chip and
misses the memory keys.
Production of the BC-8018 and BC-8111 was eventually shifted from Japan to Taiwan and the calculators renamed to BC-8018B and BC-8111B.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 11, 2002. No reprints without written permission.