NEC PC-2001

Datasheet legend
Ab/c: Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current
BaseN: Number base calculations
Card: Magnetic card storage
Cmem: Continuous memory
Cond: Conditional execution
Const: Scientific constants
Cplx: Complex number arithmetic
DC: Direct current
Eqlib: Equation library
Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions
Fin: Financial functions
Grph: Graphing capability
Hyp: Hyperbolic functions
Ind: Indirect addressing
Intg: Numerical integration
Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO)
Lbl: Program labels
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics)
mA: Milliamperes of current
Mtrx: Matrix support
NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery
NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery
Prnt: Printer
RTC: Real-time clock
Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics)
Solv: Equation solver
Subr: Subroutine call capability
Symb: Symbolic computing
Tape: Magnetic tape storage
Trig: Trigonometric functions
Units: Unit conversions
VAC: Volts AC
VDC: Volts DC
Years of production: 1982-1982 Display type: Alphanumeric display  
New price:   Display color: Black  
    Display technology: Liquid crystal display 
Size: 5"×9"×1" Display size: 2×40 characters
Weight: 1.5 lbs    
    Entry method: BASIC expressions 
Batteries: 4×"AA" alkaline Advanced functions: Trig Exp Cmem Snd 
External power: 12VDC   Memory functions:  
I/O: Serial port, printer port, cassette port, expansion port     
    Programming model: BASIC 
Precision: 6 digits Program functions: Jump Cond Subr Lbl Ind  
Memories: 6(0) kilobytes Program display: Text display  
Program memory: 6 kilobytes Program editing: Text editor  
Chipset: NEC PD7907   Forensic result: 0.  

pc2001.jpg (67845 bytes)A most curious machine! Its size alone is more reminiscent of Russian handheld computers, such as the MK-90. Nevertheless, the NEC PC-2001 is not Russian: judging by its appearance and rarity, it is a Japanese-only model, and the only one that I know of to date made by NEC, a company better known as a chip manufacturer.

The PC-2001 appears to be a de luxe variant of the handheld computer theme. It has several dedicated I/O ports: serial I/O, a printer port, a cassette port. It also has a bus expansion slot. It can be operated from AC or from a set of AA batteries. It has a large, almost usable keyboard, and a 2×40 line large alphanumeric display. Oh, and did I mention that it can also beep?

What a shame that its BASIC is a severely limited version. It only supports single-precision floating point numbers. As near as I can determine without documentation, it also has a very limited implementation of common utility and scientific functions.

The following programming example computes the natural logarithm of the Gamma function within the limited precision available on this device:

10 INPUTX
20 G=1
30 IFX>5THEN70
40 G=G*X
50 X=X+1
60 GOTO30
70 PRINTX*LOG(X)-X+LOG(6.28319/X)/2+((1/99/X/X-1/30)/X/X+1)/12-LOG(G)