Where can I find vintage Sharp and Casio calcs in Tokyo?
#1

Any hints? Any electronic swap meets or flea markets? Akihabara is already on the agenda, but my past experience with Akihabara is that it is a mega Fry's. I.e. new stuff, no vintage. Perhaps I was looking in the wrong places.

Thanks.

P.S. looking specifically for Z1GR, AI1000, and PC-G850V. Cheap of course. I wouldn't mind spotting any HP's as well or an MK-90.

#2

I think the Tokyo Vintage Calculator Collectors is now located in the British Museum in London!

Namir

#3

really! i'll check this out.

the british museum is worth a visit (also free). give the pots from mesopotamia a miss though :-)

#4

Try to get a Z-1GRA or FX-890P, because these pockets have a much better LCD contrast
compared to the Z-1 or Z-1GR.

Probably you can find a PC-G850VS at Akihabara. It's the successor of the PC-G850V with
flash ROM instead of mask ROM.

If you cannot find an AI-1000, there is an excellent emulator available here:
AI-1000/PB-2000C Emulator

#5

Cool emulator!! Many thanks!!!

Namir

#6

Plan to visit the British Museum in late June when I will be in London.

Hmm .. Mesopotamia ... my heritage ... might find some vintage Mesopotamian RPN calculators (The Hammurabi Processor 41C ... also known then as the HP-41C) that I can claim as family heritage.

Namir


Edited: 16 May 2010, 10:59 a.m.

#7

Hello,
PC-G850VS is a current product, however, Sharp sells PC-G850VS to only educational institutions. I think using Yahoo! Auction (Japanese) is one way of getting Japanese pocket (handheld) computers or old Japanese calculators, but unfortunately many sellers will not ship outside of Japan.

P.S.

It seems to me that it is difficult to find treasures in Akihabara. Too much time has passed...


Edited: 16 May 2010, 11:49 a.m.

#8

I found a site that sells a full emulator for the Casio Fx-602P. The package offers Java-based versions for Windows and Linux and also versions for some phones. Here is the link. That page also has a link to the emulator for the Casio fx-601p calculator.

Namir

PS: CORRECTION .... The software is a Casio fx-602p SIMULATOR and not an emulator. Sorry for error.


Edited: 17 May 2010, 9:54 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

#9

Say, is the FX-603P still available in Japan? I saw one in Poland in 2004.

#10

Good plan. if you want to meet up, let me know. if you like ales, there are some good ones in that area. opposite the museum is the "museum tavern". they often have old peculiar on draft - which can be really good. sometimes tho' it can be a bit sour depending on the batch. i usually taste it first.

offer goes for anyone else in london too :-)

#11

Unfortunately not an emulator, but a nice simulator. I don't think that synthetic programming is possible with it.

#12

Hi Egan,

I think Akihabara is still to place to go, but I would head for the back streets where myriads of small shops deal in the second-hand market. Sofmap is a company that aggregated a lot of the independant shops that used to be there, so don't be surprised if you find a Sofmap shop next to...another, different, Sofmap shop.

I was there in January, getting Sharp Zaurus PDAs.

One major problem though is finding what you're looking for. I've heard that each small shop specialises somewhat, so finding the one e.g. that has pre-1990 Casios, might be difficult, especially if your Japanese is not fluent. Maybe web searches next to your favourite translator (if my case, my wife) would help.

Happy hunting!

Philippe

#13

Quote:

Say, is the FX-603P still available in Japan? I saw one in Poland in 2004.


They're only available used, and are generally fantastically expensive (typically anywhere from $150 to $600 and beyond). I spent over a year trying to find one (after passing on a NIB example located in the States and offered on eBay for a BuyItNow price of $199) and it was tough going. I located MIB examples from India for $1300 and good examples with the FA-6 interface for $60 (but could never get the seller to correspond with me). Finally bought one from France for $275 (shipping included).

Before I found my examle, I'd steeled myself to go through a broker and buy via Yahoo! Japan Auctions. Purchase price would have been cheaper, I proabably could have gotten a more "mint" example, but after adding all the fees, I think it would have been about the same price or more and would have taken a very long time as well, as the supply seemed to dry up around the New Year. Last fall there were three or four a week on offer. I've seen perhaps three in the past five months.

Here's a link to a few NIB examples based in the US: http://www.a2zitems.com/ The seller also sells on eBay (though nothing at the moment). Last one he sold went for $336. Last one was offered at a reserve of $199/BuyItNow price of $350, but it didn't sell: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Calculator-Casio-FX-603P-Box-RARE-/140406312631?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Calculators&hash=item20b0de4eb7

#14

I stand corrected. It is a simulator. I got a copy and will play with it on a trip later this week.

Namir

#15

PC-G850V is made and sold for educational institution, therefore it's not possible to buy it in the shop in Akihabara.

You might be able to find PC-G850V/VS at Takezen K.K. in Ryogoku Tokyo. (Ryogoku is the second station in Soubu Line from Akihabara)

Address: Takezen Bldg. 1F. 1-4-6 Ryogoku Sumida-Ku, Tokyo 130-0026 JAPAN

Phone: +81 3-3631-1054

Email: takezen (at) mud (dot) biglobe (dot) ne (do) jp

Good luck!


Edited: 17 May 2010, 4:33 p.m.

#16

Thanks for all your suggestions. I just returned from Tokyo, empty-handed--from a calc point of view. But it was still fun looking.

Notes:

Akihabara really has not changed since the last time I was there 6 years ago (the Halal carts were new, but no match for NYC's 53rd and 6th Halal Cart :-). It does not matter what you are looking for, but you will tire from looking at the same old things that others also sell. Finding the 'right stuff' is a test of endurance or connections, e.g. in 2004 I was looking for a good price on a C-860 (Zaurus) and only got a good price because a local friend and colleague helped me out. BTW, I still have all my Zaurus calc emulator ports available here: http://sense.net/zc/.

That all said, I didn't leave Akihabara (Akiba) totally empty-handed. Vintage computer and video games are still a hobby too and I did find a great vintage video game shop not far from the train station. The prices were equal to or less than eBay.

Lyuka, thanks for the tip, but I only made it to Ryogoku for Sumo. This two week trip was my kids high school graduation present. Her agenda was packed and we didn't have time to go back to Ryogoku.

Lastly, I've come to the reoccurring realization that I have too many interests. I think for the short and long term that I'll just stick to HP calcs, the Apple II, and vintage coin-ops (video games). After family and work of course.

Thanks again.



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