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Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 14:59
by alexh
I can't take a picture of mine right now but I did once, back in the depths of time, before eBay, buy one of each of the Sinclair calculators.
I think there are approx 19 "different" ones.
Sinclair_Cambridge_Models.jpg
Sinclair_Oxford_Calculator_Models.jpg
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 15:09
by PhilC
I have the programmable and the scientific Sinclair Cambridge models from the top photo somewhere about, I still use the programable one when I need a calculator.
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 15:23
by rubber_jonnie
alexh wrote: 16 Jan 2025 14:59
I can't take a picture of mine right now but I did once, back in the depths of time, before eBay, buy one of each of the Sinclair calculators.
I think there are approx 19 "different" ones.
Sinclair_Cambridge_Models.jpgSinclair_Oxford_Calculator_Models.jpg
I have to say, I find the Sinclair calculators to be very stylish, I do like the industrial design a lot.
Nice little collection, do you still have them? Your posts suggests 'yes but they are not so easy to get to' :)
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 15:23
by rubber_jonnie
PhilC wrote: 16 Jan 2025 15:09
I have the programmable and the scientific Sinclair Cambridge models from the top photo somewhere about, I still use the programable one when I need a calculator.
The oldies are the best :)
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 15:56
by stephen_usher
My first calculator, which I fried by attaching the battery the wrong way around in the late 70s, was a Texet 880 "Executive".
Looking on eBay the prices of these are really silly, for what was even in the mid-70s a "budget" calculator.
Note: The battery is a PP3, 9V one but the battery bay requires you to press fit the battery in without and polarity restriction. Stupid.
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 16:09
by DoG
I found my fathers old calculator. It's a SHARP EL-805. Google it and found that is the first calculator with LCD. Most of display still work. I don't know if one could get the numbers working again somehow.
front_smol.jpg
display_smol.jpg
back.jpg
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 16:58
by rubber_jonnie
DoG wrote: 16 Jan 2025 16:09
I found my fathers old calculator. It's a SHARP EL-805. Google it and found that is the first calculator with LCD. Most of display still work. I don't know if one could get the numbers working again somehow.
front_smol.jpg
display_smol.jpg
back.jpg
Very neat. I think the trouble with older LCDs is they are difficult to repair. My brother gave me a Sharp handheld computer and the display only worked in a couple of spots, just enough to know it worked.
I was able to get a replacement LCD from the US, but it wasn't cheap and was difficult to fit. The point being that for custom stuff it's not always so easy.
I did repair the LCD on one of my Wonderswan consoles, but that was down to the polarising film going bad, and it was possible to replace just that.
Re: If there's no silicon heaven, then where do all the calculators go?
Posted: 16 Jan 2025 17:22
by rubber_jonnie
So I pulled it apart and it's a fairly simple single IC model with a few discrete components:
IMG20250116165949.jpg
The button matrix seems fairly simple with 4 connectors across and 5 vertically, so checking the necessary pins showed the decimal point button to be working.
What weren't working were the two electrolytic capacitors which were reading low and had turned into a resistor respectively. I'll fit some new ones later.