Pocket computers and programmable calculators from CCCP are quite interesting. Of course, one would not get interested in the Электроника machines for the compute performance or build quality. For that, go to Japanese! But if you are looking for originality, on the hardware and more importantly the software – a.k.a. flavors of BASIC –, then the soviet computers are a definitive good choice. Beyond the classic MK 52 and MK 61, you can easily find (these are calculators), the uncommon models are interesting worthy. Of course, I do not speak here about the extremely rare MK 90 (or the Loch Ness monster MK 98 with an i80C86). No, I am talking about the MK 85 or the modern MK 161. This week, I am sharing with you the former. It is quite an interesting model as it looks like a CASIO FX-700P knockoff or a PB-100. Compared to the latter, it has more commands directly accessible from the keyboard but has one less key and two missing modes (print-related). Since my model never had its batteries changed (you can use Energizer 357), I snatched a few pictures on the inside. And the comparison with the 720P stops here. The MK 85 runs a Т234-2 microprocessor, has 8KB of ROM (Т242-2) and 2KB of RAM (Т244-2). My model has the newer integrated CPU with the I/O controller Т36ВМ1-2 (labeled КА1013ВМ1 on the pictures). Not too bad for 1986 behind the iron curtain. The MK 85M introduced in 1991 has more memory (6 KB of RAM). The BASIC and the way it is implemented makes this pocket computer really interesting. And that’s the kind of diversity I am looking for. If you want to dig deeper, you can find an emulator as well as plenty of technical details here. Finally, I listed below links to the other MK models I own. Enjoy!
