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| Calculators: Handheld: Atlas
R100 |
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Size (approx): |
80mm
x 134mm x 19mm (max) (w,h,d) Weight 132g excluding batteries |
| Power: | 3V DC, 2 x AA size batteries. It accepts an adapter (3V DC, 0.3W) through a socket on the top side to the far right. The battery compartment looks big enough to cope with four batteries – until you open it and see slots for only two (see below). | ||
| Case: | Two-piece matt, patterned and glossy dark brown plastic wedge-shaped case. The front is dominated by a solid metal surround which wraps around the edges. An oversized green plastic display filter is slightly proud and wraps over the top edge. It has the model name printed in white, below the digits. The gloss finish brown plastic keyboard surround has printed orange and silver labels. The keys are short travel with a loud click. | ||
| Display: | 8 digit green VFD with a ninth digit for negative, error and memory indication | ||
| Features: | 4 function calculator with percentages, square root, pi, change sign and four function memory | ||
| Age: | 1977 | ||
| Manufacturer: | Atlas, a product by MBO, Munchen (Germany) on back label, serial number 011750 | ||
| Comments: | Solid feeling calculator from this German company. I’m not sure if this was a licensed brand (such as a retailer’s brand) or a sub-range by MBO. The logic is not bad but let down by lack of recovery. All that metal trim gives it a heavy quality feel but doesn't tend to survive the years well. |
| Components: | 1 x cpu: NEC D1803C E7Z18D (1977
date code) 1 x 9 digit VFD unit, glass tube flat faced: NEC FIP LD8231 No. 7M 1 x transistor 4 x diodes 6 x capacitors 3 x resistors 1 x transformer: P13 |
| Boards: | The keyboard assembly ( CA2478-13 K-3 Censor-3) sits lose on top of the main cpu board (censor) and is connected by 14 long brass wires. The main board sits lose in the whole length of the base with a cut-out for one of the battery compartments and two plastic pillars. |
| Construction: | Remove the two screws accessible inside the battery compartment. The front will easily lift off, carefully hinging in the lower edge. |
| Logic comments: | The (C/CE) button is used once to clear the last entry of a number and a second time to clear the whole calculator. |
| Overflow on number input is suppressed – keying in a ninth digit is ignored | |
| There is automatic constant on multiply and divide only | |
| Negative numbers are shown by a "-" in the far left (ninth) digit thereby allowing full eight digit negative numbers. | |
| An overflow shows the result and “C” (or “E” if negative) in the far left (ninth) digit and is not recoverable | |
| Divide by zero shows zero and “C” in the far left (ninth) digit and is not recoverable | |
| The change sign function (+/-) can be used in mid number entry but not before | |
| Memory store is indicated by the decimal point of the far left (ninth) digit | |
| Overflow in memory is flagged and retains the original number | |
| Negative square roots are not allowed and result in zero and “C” in the far left (ninth) digit and is not recoverable | |
| No bugs found |
 |
What
a surprise when you remove the battery compartment cover. Only room
for two AA-sized batteries instead of the expected four.
This appears to be because the display fits in between the two channels, making the most of the upper space. |
