Sharp PC-1211

Sharp PC-1211
Sharp PC-1211
Manufacturer	Sharp Corporation
Generation	First
Release date	March 1980; 44 years ago (1980-03)
CPU	SC43177/SC43178 processors at 256 kHz
Memory	three TC5514P 4 Kbit RAM modules
Display	24 digit dot matrix LCD
Input	Full QWERTY-style keyboard
Power	four MR44 1.35 V Mercury button cells
Successor	Sharp PC-5000
Related	Sharp PC-1500 Sharp PC-1251

The Sharp PC-1211 is the first pocket computer ever released, marketed by Sharp Corporation in March 1980.^[1]^[2] The computer was powered by two 4-bit CPUs laid out in power-saving CMOS circuitry. One acted as the main CPU, the other dealt with the input/output and display interface. Users could write computer programs in BASIC.

A badge-engineered version of the PC-1211, the TRS-80 Pocket Computer (model PC-1), was marketed by Radio Shack in July 1980 as the first iteration of the TRS-80 Pocket Computer with just a marginally different look (outer plastic parts in black, not brown, gray display frame)

Technical specifications

24 digit dot matrix LCD
Full QWERTY-style keyboard
Integrated beeper
Connector for printer and tape drive
Programmable in BASIC
Uses four MR44 1.35 V Mercury button cells
Battery life in excess of 200 hours
1424 program steps, 26 permanent variable locations (A-Z or A$-Z$) and 178 variables shared with program steps
Built out of off-the-shelf CMOS components, including SC43177/SC43178 processors at 256 kHz and three TC5514P 4 Kbit RAM modules

Accessories

CE-121 Cassette Interface
CE-122 Printer

TRS-80 Pocket Computer ("PC-1")

A badge-engineered version of the Sharp PC-1211 was marketed by Radio Shack as the original TRS-80 Pocket Computer. (This was later referred to as the "PC-1" to differentiate it from subsequent entries (PC-2 onwards) in the TRS-80 Pocket Computer line.)^[3]

Introduced in July 1980, the "PC-1" measured 175 × 70 × 15 mm and weighed 170 g, and had a one-line, 24-character alphanumeric LCD.^[4]^[5]

The TRS-80 Pocket Computer was programmable in BASIC, with a capacity of 1424 "program steps". This memory was shared with variable storage of up to 178 locations, in addition to the 26 fixed locations named A through Z. The implementation was based on Palo Alto Tiny BASIC.

Programs and data could be stored on a Compact Cassette through an optional external cassette tape interface unit. A printer/cassette interface was available, which used an ink ribbon on plain paper.

Sharp PC-1211. This example exhibits a display that is failing, a very common problem with Sharp's displays of the time.
CE-122 printer in a travel case.
Rebadged "TRS-80 Pocket Computer" version.

References

^ Hayes, Frank (December 16, 2002). "The Story So Far". Computerworld. 36 (51). IDG Publications: 28 – via the Internet Archive.
^ Barry, John (September 1, 1980). "Japanese Retailer Pursues U.S. Market". InfoWorld. 2 (15). IDG Publications: 26–27 – via Google Books.
^ "TRS 80 PC-1". old-computers.com. Retrieved 2015-03-05. Nowadays, it is often referred to as the TRS-80 PC-1, so as to differentiate it from its successor, the TRS-80 PC-2 (and following)
^ "Radio Shack Pocket Computer". Retrieved 4 August 2011.
^ "TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-1". Personal Computer Museum. Retrieved 4 August 2011.