Sharp PC-1500

Sharp’s 1982 pocket computer combined 3.5K RAM, expandable to 11.5K, with a 7×156-dot graphics-capable display and a full typewriter-style keyboard, positioning itself as a portable alternative to desktop systems in key markets like Brazil.

The PC-1500 emerged as a direct evolution of the PC-1211, which had launched earlier in 1982 and was noted as the first of its class in Brazil². Where the PC-1211 set the baseline, the PC-1500 pushed boundaries with increased memory, an enhanced BASIC implementation, and a design that integrated CPU, RAM, keyboard, and display into a single 375-gram unit measuring 195 × 86 × 25.5 mm². Manufactured in Manaus by Sharp do Brasil, it was marketed as a self-contained computational tool with ambitions beyond typical programmable calculators².

A C-MOS 8-bit CPU optimized for low power consumption and high-speed processing formed the central component, paired with 16K bytes of ROM holding Extended BASIC and 3.5K bytes of user RAM⁸¹⁵¹⁶. RAM could be expanded to 7.5K using the CE-151 module or to 11.5K with the CE-155⁸. A C-MOS battery ensured memory retention during power-off and battery changes, a critical feature for a portable device dependent on four standard 1.5V cells⁸¹⁵¹⁶. An optional 110/220V AC to 6V DC adapter provided stationary operation².

The keyboard adopted a typewriter-style layout with a numeric keypad on the right, a rare concession to data entry in a pocket-sized device³⁴⁸. Symbols such as commas, colons, and semicolons required the Shift key, and six keys were programmable for user-defined functions, enabling workflow customization³⁴⁸. The 7×156-dot display supported both text and graphics, rendering upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters in a single line⁸¹⁵¹⁶.

Its most distinctive peripheral was the CE-150, a combined printer, plotter, and cassette interface unit. This device enabled 4-colour graphic and text output at high resolution (500 × 200), with selectable character sizes (9 options), print directions (4), and digit widths (from 36 down to 4 digits)⁸¹⁵¹⁶. The CE-150 also provided remote cassette control for program and data storage, a feature built into the PC-1500’s architecture via its side-mounted multi-contact expansion connector²⁸. Later expansions included the CE-148 RS232 and Centronics interface, the CE-152 cassette recorder, and even a direct floppy-disc interface supporting a 3-inch, 250 KB drive, available as a mains-independent unit⁵⁶⁷⁹. Notably, this floppy setup required no CE-158 adapter, simplifying integration⁵⁶⁷.

Software support extended beyond the bundled 16K Extended BASIC. The system could run PLUS CE-150 8K Graphics BASIC, and documentation included ready-made programs in Portuguese for various applications²⁸. An operating system manual was available, and inquiries were made regarding the availability of a documented ROM listing and Pascal or Fortran compilers¹. Buyers received a free BASIC programming course at Sharp’s Pocket Computer Information Center, underscoring the company’s investment in user capability².

Reviewers in mid-1982 praised the PC-1500 as “extremely good value for money” and “a delight to use,” with one stating, “I was so impressed with the PC-1500 that I bought it”³⁴. Its appeal lay in portability and the CE-150’s multifunctionality. However, the documentation, while “good and very readable,” was judged insufficient for complete beginners, though those with prior experience on programmable calculators would adapt more easily³⁴.

Priced at £169.95 in the UK including VAT and DM 528.00 in Germany, it occupied a mid-tier position⁸¹³. In Brazil, it was sold through authorized dealers and major department stores, backed by a national technical support network and a three-month warranty, though no maintenance contracts were offered².

The PC-1500’s success directly led to the introduction of the more compact PC-2500, marking Sharp’s continued investment in the pocket computer segment¹². A variant, the PC-1500(-A), appeared in documentation related to floppy drive compatibility and supported up to 28 KB of BASIC-RAM when equipped with the SMM-22 module⁵⁶⁷. Despite its capabilities, the system’s reliance on cassette storage and limited RAM by later standards constrained its longevity, though its technical reference manual remained in circulation as late as 1986¹¹.

Specifications

References

1. ComputerPersoenlich 83 20
2. enciclopedia pratica de informatica vol 3
3. ComputingToday198207 (1982)
4. ComputingToday198207 (1982)
5. ComputerPersoenlich 84 03
6. ComputerPersoenlich 84 04
7. ComputerPersoenlich 84 05
8. Archive item #198206
9. Computer And Video Games Issue 017 Mar 83
10. NZ-bits-and-bytes-issue-2-01
11. 1986 Bumper Book of Programs (1986)
12. Computer Kurs 49
13. ComputerPersoenlich 83 03
14. Personal Computing Today Aug 1982 (1982)
15. ComputingToday198209 (1982)
16. ComputingToday198209 (1982)