| 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 |
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A pocket computer made by the German company Nixdorf, the LK-3000 is a curious beast. For starters, it's not really a computer at all! What it is... well, it's a case containing a display, a keyboard, associated control and decoding circuitry, batteries, a power plug, and a cartridge port... but no processor, no memory, and zero functionality unless a cartridge is inserted.
The cartridge, in turn, may contain a processor, memory, and other components... for instance, even a backup battery to keep continuous CMOS memory powered when the device is turned off or the cartridge is removed.
The construction of the LK-3000 is very fragile. The custom cartridge connector can bend or break easily, especially if it has been subjected to corrosion. This is why my first LK-3000, which I acquired over almost decade ago, was never in good enough shape to be properly tested, despite my best efforts to repair it.
But now (summer 2012) I am the proud recipient of another LK-3000, courtesy of a repeat donor (thank you!) This LK-3000 has all its connectors intact, and now I am able to experiment with this curious beast.
Not that there is much to experiment with. I only have two cartridges: a French-English translator cartridge and an "Electronic Notebook". This latter cartridge is not working properly; no doubt its internal battery went kaput years ago, but because the cartridge is sealed, I see no easy way to open it for repair.
The language cartridge, on the other hand, works well. Surprisingly, a few words that I retrieved are misspelled. Could it be due to aging/bit retention of old ROM chips? If so, this is the first time I'm seeing such gradual degradation in decades-old ROM chips. Or perhaps the original programming was sloppy? I don't know, but I do know the the French word chien is not translated into English as dob, nor is a jour a daw...
I know about a 4-function calculator cartridge; I don't know if a programmable calculator/pocket computer module was ever sold for the LK-3000. Would be nice... in that case, I could add this curious machine to the list of programmable calculators. But I doubt it... I think they were targeting a different market.