https://github.com/codaris/sharpmanager
Applications for managing Sharp Pocket Computers
https://github.com/codaris/sharpmanager
basic computer pocket sharp
Last synced: 5 days ago
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Applications for managing Sharp Pocket Computers
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/codaris/sharpmanager
- Owner: codaris
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2023-04-07T05:31:21.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-01-01T20:23:49.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-25T10:51:14.936Z (7 months ago)
- Topics: basic, computer, pocket, sharp
- Language: C#
- Homepage: https://codaris.github.io/SharpManager/
- Size: 51.2 MB
- Stars: 9
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 2
- Open Issues: 2
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
**Sharp Manager** is an application for connecting some vintage Sharp pocket computers to your Windows desktop PC. It works together with an [Arduino](https://store.arduino.cc/pages/nano-family) to connect the Sharp computer to a USB port on your desktop. With this hardware and software, Sharp Manager emulates a [CE-126P](http://pocket.free.fr/html/sharp/ce-126p_e.html) cassette and printer interface and a Sharp [CE-140F](http://pocket.free.fr/html/sharp/ce-140f_e.html) floppy drive. It has only been tested with a Sharp [PC-1401](http://pocket.free.fr/html/sharp/pc-1401_e.html) and a [PC-1403](http://pocket.free.fr/html/sharp/pc-1401_e.html) however the disk emulation should work on any device that supports the CE-140F.
## Requirements
To use this software you will need the following:
* An Sharp Pocket Computer
* An Arduino (Arduino Nano)
* [Sharp Pocket Tools](http://pocket.free.fr/html/soft/pocket-tools_e.html) (Recommended)
* A PC running Windows 10+
## Features
* CE-126P Printer Emulator: Print from your pocket computer to your desktop
* CE-126P Cassette Emulator: Load .tap files into PC-1401 and PC-1403.
* CE-140F Floppy drive Emiulator: Treat a folder on your desktop as a floppy disk.
Sharp Manager also supports uploading pre-compiled firmware to a number of different Arduino models.
## Download and Install
You can download the latest release installer from here:
* [Sharp Manager v1.0.1](https://github.com/codaris/SharpManager/releases/download/v1.0.1/SharpManager.msi)
Download the above file and open it to install Sharp Manager on your computer.
## Arduino Connection Diagram
| Arduino Pin | Direction | Sharp Pin | Description |
|:-----------:|:---------:|:---------:|-------------------|
| GND | | 3 | Electrical Ground |
| D2 | ← | 4 | Busy |
| D3 | ← | 5 | Dout |
| D4 | → | 6 | Xin |
| D5 | ← | 7 | Xout |
| D6 | ← | 8 | Din |
| D7 | → | 9 | ACK |
| D8 | ← | 10 | SEL2 |
| D9 | ← | 11 | SEL1 |
All the pins that are output from the Sharp Pocket computer must be connected to ground with a pull down resistor. My build uses
480kΩ resistors but most values should work.
## Documentation
Internal documentation for the project is available by clicking the link below:
* [Sharp Manager Documentation](https://codaris.github.io/SharpManager/)
## Getting Help
You can get help with this application by using the [Issues](https://github.com/codaris/SharpManager/issues) tab in this project.
## Building the Project
This project consists of two parts, the **Arduino Firmware** that drives the connections to the Sharp Pocket Computer and the **Sharp Manager** desktop application that communicates with the Arduino over USB.
#### Building the Arduino Firmware
The Arduino firmware is located in the [Arduino](https://github.com/codaris/SharpManager/tree/main/Arduino) directory of the project. This can be built with the [Arduino IDE](https://www.arduino.cc/en/software) and installed directly onto an Arduino. For this project, I've chosen an Arduino Nano but most models of Arduino should work without issue. You can edit the [Sharp.h](https://github.com/codaris/PofoManager/blob/main/Arduino/Sharp.h) file to change the pin mapping if necessary.
#### Building SharpManager
The desktop component is written in C# for .NET 6.0. It can be compiled by the community (free) edition of [Visual Studio 2022](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/community/). Simply open the main solution file in the [SharpManager](https://github.com/codaris/PofoManager/tree/main/SharpManager) directory of the project and select `Build Solution`.
## Acknowledgements
* Norbert Unterberg for reverse engineering the [tape protocol](https://edgar-pue.tripod.com/sharp/files/bigpc/sharplink.html)
* Fabio Fumi for his [Sharp CE-140F emulator for ST-Nucleo](https://github.com/ffxx68/Sharp_ce140f_emul)
* Everyone in the [The Sharp Pocket Computer Faceback group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/sharppc/)