NANFENG PC-1500A user manual (updated)

A special thanks to “W” for an incredible information about the NANFENG PC-1500A !
I copy here his message from my Guestbook :

“NANFENG PC-1500 is made by 830 Factory ,Kaili,Guizhou,P.R.C. in a brief honeymoon with U.S.A and Japan to counter CCCP, here is a picture of its manual: “
20091118_cd540eff3292da0503cfP2AQA10ikwwn

Thank you again, “W”, to share this information with my readers !

Update : The NANFENG manuals are a set of 3 

NANFENG PC-1500A 0  NANFENG PC-1500A 1  NANFENG PC-1500A 2

Sharp CE-158 : Hardware side (Part 4)

It’s now time to open the box.

The CE-158 is a nice extension with a multi-board construction.
On the bottom there is the main electronic board with the LH5801 multi i/o IC.
On the middle there is the RS-232C interface.
And on the top there is the Centronics interface.
The battery pack is 500mA/h 4,8v.
CE-158_Hard_003
CE-158_Hard_005

I know two versions of the CE-158 but don’t know the differences
CE-158_Hard_004
CE-158_Hard_002

Here are the Sharp specifications :
CE-158_Specifications
Download

And the Service manual :

Download

I have found the connexion cable for 2 CE-158 in a chinese book :
CE-158_CNDoc
Download

Sharp CE-158 : Tandy RS-232C interface (Part 3)

As for the PC-2 Tandy’s choice was to make the difference : RS-232C but but parallel interface.
This was a manner to reduce price.

I don’t know anything about the original packaging but all accessories are same.
The manual is smaller, the keyboard mask adapted to the geometric keyboard.

Tandy_RS232C_001
Tandy_RS232C_005 Tandy_RS232C_007

And the is no difference when connected to the black printer :
Tandy_RS232C_018
Tandy_RS232C_026 Tandy_RS232C_021

Here is the manual :
Tandy_RS232C_Owner_s_manual_001

Next time i will show you the hardware of booth interface versions.
Stay tuned…

Sharp CE-158 : RS-232C and parallel interface (Part 2)

It’s now time to connect your favorite pocket computer to a big Personal Computer !

First, we have to build the good cable.
CE-158 side it’s a 25 pins male connector.
PC side it’s a 9 pins male connector.

Here is the schematics
Cable

Ok ? Now we make the test on a very well known operating system : Windows XP Pro.
(But my version is in french.)

First locate the Hyper Terminal application :
CE-158_Dialog_001

When it opens you’re prompted to name the new connexion.
CE-158_Dialog_002

Choose COM1 as the connexion mode :
CE-158_Dialog_003

And set the parameters and validate :
CE-158_Dialog_004

On the parameters tab click on “ASCII configuration” :
CE-158_Dialog_006

Then check the boxes as on this picture :
CE-158_Dialog_005

Now it’s time to try receiving something from the PC-1500…

Click on “Transfer” menu and on “Capture text” :
CE-158_Dialog_007

And set the filename to CAPTURE.TXT on the primary drive’s root :
CE-158_Dialog_008

Go on the PC-1500 keyboard and type the following program and finish by the CSAVE command:
CE-158_Dialog_009

The lines 10 to 30 are send to the PC trough the CE-158 and you can see the data on the Hyper Terminal screen.
When the CSAVE command disappear from the PC-1500 screen it’s time to stop data recording.
CE-158_Dialog_010

Please control the file C:\CAPTURE.TXT content :
CE-158_Dialog_011

Is it ok ? GOOD ! Close the Hyper Terminal application.
I show you here the hexadecimal content :
CE-158_Dialog_012

Now we have to test data transmission from PC to PC-1500.
Are you ready ?

Open the DOS box and set the COM1 parameters :
CE-158_Dialog_014

If you get an error message then verify that Hyper Terminal is closed.
Otherwise you’ll get the result :
CE-158_Dialog_015

Go to the PC-1500 and update the program to this one and finish by the CLOAD command.
CE-158_Dialog_016

And on the PC side send the CAPTURE.TXT file to the COM port :
CE-158_Dialog_017

Now control on the PC-1500 that the line 20 ends now by CO 😉
Is it ok for you ?

Sharp CE-158 : RS-232C and parallel interface (Part 1)

The CE-158 extension is the communication tool for the PC-1500 and provide interface to personal computer world.

It comes in a big box.
CE-158_001 CE-158_002

The CE-158 and accessories are well packaged.
CE-158_003

There is :
The CE-158 interface
The EA-21A power adapter with 8,2v output
The user manual (here in the five major languages)
One metal part for connecting directly to the PC-1500(A)
One metal part for connecting to the CE-150 printer and cassette interface
To screws for the metal parts
One keyboard mask.
CE-158_004
CE-158_006 CE-158_005

Here is the PC-1500 + CE-158 system :
CE-158_008
CE-158_012 CE-158_011

And the PC-1500 + CE-150 + CE-158 system :
CE-158_020
CE-158_026 CE-158_023

You’ll find more informations in the user manuals :

CE-158_US
Download US
CE-158_JP
Download JP
Manuals extracted from the EU manual
CE-158EU_DE
Download DE
CE-158EU_FR
Download FR
CE-158EU_IT
Download IT
CE-158EU_SP
Download SP
CE-158EU_US
Download US

Next time we will see the hardware side (Cable, Electronic boards…)

Happy birthday !!!

Happy birthday to my little website dedicated to the incredible Sharp PC-1500 !!!

All the family is here for this event :
NANFENG_010

Row 1: Sharp PC-1500 (US, EU) , Sharp PC-1500 RP2 (Brazil)
Row 2: Sharp PC-1500 (JP), Sharp PC-1500D (JP)
Row 3: Hiradastechnika PTA-4000, Hiradastechnika PTA-4000+16
Row 4: Sharp PC-1500A (US, EU), Sharp PC-1501 (JP)
Row 5: Nanfeng PC-1500A, Radio Shack PC-2
NANFENG_009

But this first year was very rich in lot of points.

The most important are the persons :
Christophe GOTTHEIMER and Rémy ROUVIN members of the PC-1560 team.
RB my friend from holland.
Reto AMBÜHLER (Swiss, TRAMsoft company).
Xavier FOJUD (France, author of RENUM in machine language, generous donor).
Lukas ZELLER (Swiss, author of PC-1500 Tips & Knife, generous donor).
Frank C. ODDS (England, author of EASI-THOUGH, PROBE! and many other software, generous donor and contributor).
Ian TRAYNOR (England, Minimicro company).
My friends for the french forum www.Silicium.org.
My friends on the link page
And all the visitors…

I still have lot of informations to provide about the PC-1500 story, stay tuned !

A new one in the family : NANFENG PC-1500A

After the Blue Brother, a very rare PC-1500, i’m proud to present you the number 10 : NANFENG PC-1500A.
This one is the only one i know as a non Sharp PC-1500A.
It’s the rarest one !

NANFENG_001

In details you can see the NANFENG logo.
It’s not a paint add-on, it’s like original Sharp embossed logo.
NANFENG_002

On the back it’s like the other Sharp, The CE-161 memory module is a real Sharp one.
NANFENG_003

But the sticker is different and shows “Made in China” and the brand is NENFENG.
The serial number is “NF 002/83 J”. This means that it’s one of the firsts PC-1500A.
Was this a preproduction lot ?
I’m surprised that the front panel is EU/US and don’t have Katakana chars.
The screws are very cheaper than the originals.
NANFENG_004

Inside, on the boards nothing differs from the PC-1500A.
NANFENG_005

But the metal parts are wider, yellow/orange color. And the screws basic.
NANFENG_006
NANFENG_007

Well, is it really a chinese production ? YES only for font parts.
The brown paint is very similar to the Sharp but a little bit darker.
The varnish is not that brilliant.
The symbols near the function keys are brown and not orange.
The beige paint is darker.
The chars on the keys are bigger.
The CL key is a little bit transparent.
All this seems low cost.
NANFENG_008

This is the only one sample i know for the NANFENG PC-1500A.
If someone has more informations then please, use the contact form.

PC-1500 28Kb – Part 2

This PC-1500 is more than an updated version with huge memory amount and double-speed oscillator.
It’s one of the firsts samples of the A04 production.

In this picture you can see the ROM version on the SC613128 IC.
Do you remember the A03 versions ? They have blue straps… like here on the display board :
PC-1500_28Kb_015

And now lets see under the memory extension…
The board shows many blue straps like the A01 and A03 versions :
PC-1500_28Kb_016

Sure this is a rare item for collectors.
It’s serial number is 20024876.
PC-1500_28Kb_017

Who owns a such collector version ?
Take a screwdriver and verify your PC-1500s 🙂

Thanks again to Lukas ZELLER for this gift.