Calculators: Handheld: Decimo Handy (aka 508A)
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Size (approx): |
72mm
x 107mm x 21mm(max) (w,h,d) Weight 84g excluding batteries |
| Power: | 9V DC, 1 x PP3 size battery. It accepts an adaptor (undefined) through a socket on the top side to the far left. | ||
| Case: | Compact palm-sized one-piece white matt plastic case. There is a third black gloss/matt section which makes up the top, front and keyboard surround. A raised, ridged area has a raised lettered panel with the brand and model name which was originally painted silver. The display filter is tilted red plastic with a linear convex shape for extra magnification. This gives a large bright display with a limited angle of view. They keys are short travel with a positive click and individual escutcheons. | ||
| Display: | 8 digit red LED with individual bubble lens and no ninth digit (there is physically a ninth digit but it's never used) | ||
| Features: | Standard four functions with percentages | ||
| Age: | 1976 | ||
| Manufacturer: | Made in Singapore with a serial number 61009222 | ||
| Comments: | Palm-sized compact calculator with an attractive layout. There was at least one other model in this range the Handy M. The logic is weak - let down by inconsistent recovery, seven digit negative numbers and divide to minus zero bug. The original case is soft black plastic with square edges, an open top and half-moon cut-outs either side. |
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| Components: | 1x cpu: (square spiral logo)
C683 7610
(date code week 10 of 1976), 28 pin
DIL, 0.6" width black plastic 1 x IC: National Semiconductor DS8871N 617 (date code week 17 of 1976), 18 pin DIL, 0.3" width black plastic 1 x 9 digit red LED display unit with bubble lens: National Semiconductor A1185B 540 9 x resistors 1 x capacitor |
| Boards: | The Keyboard assembly (K108 AW 145268 Rev A) sits on top of the main cpu board (SPL-0045) and is connected with 15 strong wires. |
| Construction: | Remove the small screw visible from the back. The black section can then be slid up and the whole inside assembly, including keyboard will slide up too. |
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| Logic comments: | (C) is used to cancel the last number entered and a second press will clear the whole calculator |
| Input overflow is suppressed, keying in a ninth digit is ignored | |
| Negative numbers are represented by a “-“ in the immediate left hand digit but as there is no ninth digit to travel into you are limited to seven digit negative numbers | |
| There is automatic constant on all four functions | |
| Overflow shows the result with all decimal points alight and is recoverable using (C) | |
| Divide by zero shows ".......0." and is not recoverable | |
| It suffers the divide to minus zero bug: key in (-)(1)(/)(1)(0)(=) to give "-0.1" then continue pressing (=) to eventually get to "-0." |
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