"My 3D Sharp PC1500" User Guide

Introduction

You will find on this site the first 3D emulator of the Sharp(c) PC-1500 calculator.

It is running entirely in the browser with no server connection (no data outside your browser) and is written in pure JavaScript / TypeScript.
It uses the OpenGL library available on all modern browsers.
It also uses the ThreeJS library to render and manipulate 3D objects.

This site is a tribute to this calculator that was sold in the 80's and has been the seed for a lot of today's computer engineers and hobbists.

You can use almost all the significant versions of this calculator and it's peripherals.
This site will eventually hosts most of the documentation and software that existed.

What can you do with this emulator ?

You can use all the displayed objects. They act as the real calculators or peripherals:

How to use the 3D interface:

Use the mouse (left and right buttons, wheel) or the fingers (one or two) to move around, zoom and click.
If you want to zoom directly on the PC1500, you can use the "target" icon , located on the top right of the screen

When you click on an object, a menu is displayed to show the different options, like this for the CE152:

The target icon centers automatically the screen on the corresponding object

How to use the keyboard:

1/ You can click on the keys of the 3D PC1500
2/ You can use your keyboard to enter characters or press special buttons (SHIFT, MODE...).


3/ You can use the automatic entry explained below.

How to use the automatic entry:

The keyboard icon located on the top right of the screen shows/hides the Automatic Entry and the Tape panels.

You can enter text in the left panel that appears on the bottom left of the screen, named "Keyboard".
When you press CTRL+ENTER, that text will be keyed in automatically as if you were typing the characters directly.
If you want to simulate a "special key", just put it inside brackets.
The currently supported keys are: For instance, the following content will create a program and run it immediately:

[CL]NEW0
MEM
5 WAIT 0
10 PRINT "Coucou: "; A
20 A=A+1
30 GOTO 10
[MODE]
RUN

Using the peripherals:

PC1500A (PC1501) / PC1500J

You can change the model by selecting "Install" on the corresponding 3D model.

CE150 / Printer

Click on the CE150 and select "INSTALL" to use it with the PC1500.
You need the CE150 in order to use the CLOAD/CSAVE commands.
If you want to use a preloaded Tape (Biorythm, ...), you'll need to install the CE152 tape recorder and a tape.
When installed, execute NEW0 to initialize correcly the system.

RAM Cards (CE151, ..., CE163)

Click on one of the memory cards and select "INSTALL" to use it with the PC1500. When installed, execute NEW0 to initialize correcly the memory of the system.

Application Cards (CE50x)

Click on one of the application cards and select "INSTALL" to use it with the PC1500. When installed, execute NEW0 to initialize correcly the memory of the system.

KataKana and PC1500J (CE157)

In order to use the Japanese version with KataKana, install the PC1500J and the CE157 card
When installed, execute NEW0 to initialize correcly the system.

Preinstalling some peripherals:

If you want to avoid manually installing peripherals each time you connect to the site, you can add instructions to the URL and the corresponding peripheral will be installed:
The following examples explains the possibilities:

If a preinstallation is requested, the "Welcome" panel will not be displayed.

Using the peripherals:

CSAVE features: If you want to save a program you entered, you can use CSAVE (with the CE150 installed).
The content of the tape is stored in the bottom right panel "K7". The content will look like: a01112131415161711000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000045c50040000107e00a0b222<...>030e8301fe8d0ffff415455
It is a digital version of what would be stored on a real tape. You can copy/paste it for a future CLOAD.

If you press CTRL+ENTER, this content is translated into readable content like:

Mode: PROGRAM
Filename: ESSAI
DADRS: 0x40C5
Content Size: 43(0.5375 Packets)
JADRS: 0x0000
Last CSUM: 0x0B74

5 WAIT 0
10 PRINT "Coucou: ";A
20 A=A+1
30 GOTO 10

CLOAD features:

You can reload a program that you CSAVEd by copying its content in the Tape panel and executing CLOAD on the PC1500.
If you leave that panel empty, the CLOAD will be using the 3D Tape you installed in the CE152 (Biorythm, etc...).

And now ?

This site is a work in progress. Come back regularly to find new features, docs...
If you find bugs, please contact me at: contact@forever1500.fr

Next features to be implemented:

Please enjoy this trip along memory lane !