The Casio PB-1000 was an original, well designed and powerful pocket computer for its time.
On top of its standard QWERTY keyboard, a row of sensitive keys allowed fast
scientific calculations, menus access and text editing. The 4-line LCD display
also had 16 sensitive areas.
The computer could be programmed either in Basic or Assembly language. The C61 Basic interpreter, based on Japan Industrial Standard BASIC, had a wide range of built-in mathematic, trigonometric and statistic functions. Assembly programs had to be typed by using the built-in editor then compiled. The user's manual gave little information about CPU instructions and, oddly enough, Casio and it's distributors never released a full description of the whole CPU's instructions set, although Casio published an incomplete "Technical Reference Manual".
The processor was an Hitachi HDS61700. It contained a small amount of ROM and RAM, as well memory management and I/O circuitry. The memory was managed like a virtual disk. Several Basic or Assembly programs as well as ASCII text could be stored together in the same RAM area.
Two extensions were released for the PB-1000, the FA-7 Serial, Parallel and tape recorder interface, and the rare MD-100 3.5" floppy drive unit.
The PB-1000 was followed by the PB-2000 which lost the lift up display but had the unique feature of being programmable in ANSI C language.
This was my first real Computer acquired at high school in 1989- 1995. served Extremelly well during university. Learned numerical methods with it, did Vectors and matrix programs that only can be done using a PC at its time. Still keep it but in a storage overseas.
Thursday 10th May 2012
Fermin (Houston USA)
Bought one ca. 1987, used it through 1992. Helped me get through University, used it to solve fifth degree equations, generate tables, solve defined integrals, as a notepad, icebreaker with girls and after finishing formal schooling as an alarm clock. Died on me the day I graduated as a MSC. I''ve had a good 20 or so computers, handhelds, iPads, etc. since 1981, this has been the most admired and most useful machine I''ve ever possessed!
Thursday 12th January 2012
Luis A. Molina (Ecuador)
Had one of these in the UK. Printer and Disk Drive Unit. Used to cart it round in jacket pocket on construction site. Log instructions and comments as simple notes. Interface to PC was written via cable. Then used PC to produce the letters from the notes.
Designed multi-storey buildings with 2D frame programme on the machine.
Used to do little coloured ghant charts for construction programs for segments of work to allow people on site to follow.
Touch screen for input.
Years and years ahead of IPad. It just didn''t have the phone and colour graphics on screen. Could print four colours with the little pens. Fantastic bit of kit well ahead of its time.
Was always amused it was Japanese but assembly and basic language where English.
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