SHARP PC-1245

Description

Brand:	SHARP
Model:	PC-1245
Type:	BASIC-programmable Pocket Computer
Picture:
Batteries:	CR2032 x 2
Lifetime:	Introduced: 1983 Terminated: unknown
Notes:	With measurements of just 135 x 70 x 10 mm this machine does the name Pocket Computer justice. It has rather tiny alphanumeric keys to accomplish this small form factor. It has a protective hard case but when handled incorrectly this case damages the calculator, as can clearly be seen in the picture above. The SHARP PC-1245 is a Pocket Computer programmable in BASIC. it has a single line display of 16 characters. In its default memory configuration there are 1486 programming steps and 26 memories. Memory can be segmented, exchanging 8 programming steps for one extra memory location. The formula for this "exchange rate" is printed to the right of the display. Its memory is not expandable. That is, unless one is very comfortable with soldering. See this Duensser article (link valid 2024-05-13), in German. Single character variables can be either a string or a number. For instance, A and A$ can not coexist. A is either a number, or a string using A$. It has audio, but only with a beep tone at a fixed frequency using the "BEEP n" command. The number "n" here determines the number of beeps produced. In the manual there is a comparison between this Pocket Computer and its predecessors, the SHARP PC-1211, the SHARP PC-1212 and the SHARP PC-1500A. There is also mention of its sibling, the SHARP PC-1251. This leads me to believe that chronologically this one came out after the SHARP PC-1500A. Machine language programming is also possible thanks to the Pocket Computer’s PEEK, POKE and CALL commands.

Peripherals

There are multiple peripherals available for this Pocket Computer. There is the CE-125 Printer/Microcassette Recorder, an interface that you slide this machine into. There are also a smaller versions with only a printer, the CE-123P and CE-129P. There is also a connector with a cassette interface.