I'm a pocket computer fan too. My original was a PC-3 that I used through high school. At some point it died and I got a PC-7 which I used through college and early career. In the mean time the PC-3 had been repaired by a friend but the PC-7 was a better calculator for my needs at that time.
Not long ago I dug them out and started messing around with them again. The keys on the cover of the PC-7 no longer work. I suspect the ribbon cable is broken and there probably isn't an easy way to repair it without destroying it in the process. The PC-3 mostly worked but the run/program/power switch was flakey. I took it apart and cleaned it an bent the contacts a bit to make a better connection and it is good to go. I also replaced the nicad pack in the printer. Since then I picked up another PC-3a and printer that needed the same repair. It has some bleed on the LCD but not too bad. I also acquired a PC-4 which is working great with no refurbishment. Most recently I got a PC-2 and a Sharp PC1500 that are also in great shape. I have a Sharp CE-150 printer for it but I actually haven't tested it out yet but it seems to have been unused, with unopened pens included. Ron Lauzon was nice enough to sell me some memory modules for them and I'm looking forward to doing some more advance programming on them soon. On Wed, Aug 8, 2018 at 7:39 AM, Jim Toth <jt...@localnet.com> wrote: > I'll keep that in mind. But so far, so good. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* you got me <ven...@hotmail.com> > *To:* m...@bitchin100.com > *Sent:* Wednesday, August 08, 2018 1:26 AM > *Subject:* Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer > > be careful about the pc-2 and printing. You can always make or refill your > own pens.... but the MAJOR problem is a plastic cog within the printing > mechanism itself. Over time these things would crack and then you would > have abnormal printing operations. A brass or 3d printed version of that > cog would revitalize 98% of those ancient pc-2 printers. (that, and > changing the ni-cad batteries with ni-mh ones). > ------------------------------ > *From:* M100 <m100-boun...@lists.bitchin100.com> on behalf of Jim Toth < > jt...@localnet.com> > *Sent:* Wednesday, August 8, 2018 2:08:03 AM > *To:* m...@bitchin100.com > *Subject:* Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer > > You can still purchase PC-2 printer pens? Excellent. Where? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ron Lauzon" <rlau...@gmail.com> > To: <m...@bitchin100.com> > Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2018 9:46 PM > Subject: Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer > > > My PC-4 was my constant companion through college and into my first > job. I picked up a PC-2 at the Tandy Corporate auction and got bit by > the pocket computer bug. > > What I've put together is this: > + PC-1 - usually had bad screens over time. > + PC-2 - frequently people left the AA batteries in them when they > stopped using them. The batteries leaked. So always check the > battery compartment before buying one. Leaky batteries can cause a > great deal of damage. > The printer/cassette interface is where the flaws are. The printer > gears tended to wear out. Also the rechargeable battery packs are > shot by now and are leaking. > There are some people who refurbish the printers (new batteries and > new gears), but they will be more expensive. Surprisingly, you can > still purchase the pens. > + PC-3 - Not much that I know of. I only have 1 in my collection and > it has no problems. The printer even works. > + PC-4 - No problems with the pocket computer itself that I know of. > The printer batteries are shot by now. Usually they don't leak, but > the batteries are not meant to be replaced. But with some work, the > printers can be made to work with an AC-adapter. > > On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 8:01 PM megarat <mega...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > Hey folks, a recent thread here highlighted my interest in the old > > TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computers (rebadged from existing Casio and Sharp > > models). I always had a fascination with these things as a kid, and I > was > > lucky enough to own one of them for a while (a PC-5), so I'm > entertaining > > the possibility of hunting some of them down. > > > > I'm concerned, however, with how well these models age. Specifically > the > > electrolytics (and how easy are they to replace?), the LCD display (do > > they have a tendency to fade/bleed?), and the keypad (do those little > > chicklet keyboards still hold up years later?). > > > > Are there any PC collectors on this list that can offer me some > > advice/guidance? Thanks. > > > > /CAM > > > > -- > Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org > Homepage: http://webpages.charter.net/rlauzon/ > Weblog: http://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/ > > TRS-80 Pocket Computer 2 - TRS-80 Pocket Computer 4 - TRS-80 Model 100/102 > Some people like to work on old cars. But old computers are cheaper > and don't require a big garage. > >
