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Calculators: Handheld: Toshiba BC1010-BJ (aka BC-1010BJ)
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| Size (approx): | 80mm
x 142mm x 22mm
(w,h,d) Weight 144g excluding batteries |
| Power: | 3.0V DC, 2 x AA size batteries. It accepts an adapter (3V DC 0.4W) through a socket on the top side to the far left. |
| Case: | It is made from a two-piece case in glossy orange and black plastic. The oversized neutral plastic display filter sits flat and proud above the case and is printed with white text for the brand, model number and graphics. The keyboard surround is brushed aluminium with gold-effect colouring that does not wear well. It has black printed text for additional key labels. |
| Display: | 12 digit blue VFD which operates in a 10+1 mode as a calculator with the eleventh digit used for negative and twelfth for error indication. In game mode it operates as a 5+5 display. |
| Features: | Standard four functions with square root and parenthesis. Additional blackjack game. |
| Age: | 1977 |
| Manufacturer: | Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd., made in Japan, no serial number that I can find. |
| Comments: | Chunky and cheap feeling calculator that is slightly different from the Unisonic types in that it doubles some of the key functions and operates differently. The key STY for Stay rather than the US STN for stand tends to make me think this is for the UK market. Still, the ten digits are useful and the calculator logic is not bad, only being let down by negative square roots and inconsistent error recover. The back label quotes the model number as slightly different from the front. |
| Components: | 1 x cpu: NEC D1021C K81049, 28 pin DIL , 0.6" width black plastic 1 x 12 digit VFD: single tube flat face: Futaba 12ST-22 7H (date code August 1977) 1 x transistor 9 x diodes 7 x capacitors 3 x resistors 1 x transformer |
| Boards: | The keyboard assembly rests on top of the main board; the whole assembly sits lose in the case and the boards are joined by a 18-way ribbon cable. There are no identifying marks on either board. |
| Construction: | Difficult to open as it is held together by internal lugs only. Try popping the top lug that is visible in the battery compartment and gently popping the side lugs (levering orange plastic out) and the front will eventually lift off. |
| Logic comments: | To use as a calculator: switch to Cal at any time |
| (CE) is used to cancel the last number entered and (C) to clear the whole calculator | |
| There is automatic constant on all four functions | |
| Input overflow is suppressed, inputting an eleventh digit is ignored | |
| Negative numbers are shown with a "-" in the immediate left digit travelling into the far left (eleventh) digit thereby allowing full ten-digit negative numbers | |
| Overflow shows the result with an “E” in the far left (twelfth) digit and is recoverable using (CE) | |
| Divide by zero shows zero and “E” in the far left (twelfth) digit and is not recoverable | |
| Negative square roots are allowed and result in a negative number | |
| No other bugs found | |
| To use as a Blackjack game: switch to Game at any time | |
| Power up shows "0” flashing | |
| » Key in your first bet: (1)(0)(BET) and you will then see rapidly flashing zeros before the hand starts to deal, you on the right, dealer on the left | |
| » To turn another card press (HIT), to finish you hand and stay press (STY) | |
| » The dealer will then complete its hand and flash the end result | |
| »The display then reverts to your total float (which can be negative, and is zeroed if you press (C) ) | |
| » To play again key in a number and i.e. (1)(0)(BET)) and play will resume as above. | |
| » When you get two cards the same you can play two hands by using the (SPL) split key and continue as above |
