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Nippon Computing Machine Co. (NCM) Busicom 202 Desktop Calculator


Nippon Calculating Machine Co. (NCM) Busicom 202

The Busicom 202 was the first calculator designed under contract by Wyle Laboratories for Nippon Calculating Machine Co. To learn more information about Wyle Laboratories and its calculator company spinoff, Computer Design Corp., see the essay on this site entitled "The History of Compucorp". The Busicom 202 was introduced November of 1967, at the same time that NCM announced it's own in-house designed and manufactured machine, the Busicom 141(which was a reduced-cost version of NCM's original Busicom 161). The design of the 202 was a follow-on design from the Wyle Labs WS-02 electronic calculator, utilizing small scale DTL (Diode-Transistor Logic) integrated circuits instead of the discrete transistor design of the Wyle Labs WS-02. It also used a similar CRT display, though displaying digits in seven-segment form versus the wonderful sine-cosine waveform generated digits of the Wyle WS-02. The CRT displays the status of the three working registers of the calculator and its two memory storage registers. The Busicom 202 provides a built-in punched card reader that (bi-directionally) reads cards that are connected together edge-to-edge to provide programs in length that is limited only by how many cards can be managed. Each punched card holds up to 36 program steps. The machine has a capacity of 20 digits, with thumbwheel-selectable fixed decimal point positions. Operating register storage is via a magnetostrictive delay line. An optional external printer can be connected to provide permanent record of calculations. NCM also marketed Wyle Labs-designed follow-on calculators called the Busicom 207 (with seven memory registers) and the Busicom 2017 (seventeen memory registers). Computer Design corporation also developed a lower-cost electronic calculator targeted at more conventional calculator applications such as accounting and bookkeeping which debuted at around the same time as the Busicom 202 called the Busicom 162.
Busicom 202 Specifications

Manufacturer: Nippon Calculating Machine Co.
Model Number: 202
Introduction: November, 1967
Manufactured In: Japan
Display Technology: CRT Display, Five 20-digit register display, seven segment rendition
Logic Technology: DTL Integrated Circuits, Magnetostrictive Delay Line
Digits of Capacity: 20
Decimal Modes: Thumbwheel selectable, fixed decimal location
Math Functions: Four Function plus square root
Weight: 38 pounds
Power Consumption: 90 Watts
Size: 17 1/2" wide, 19" deep, 8 1/4" high.
Features: Programmable via Punched Card reader
Supports optional external printer
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