Entry posted by k-Pack
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Back in the day, I started writing Atari BASIC software to edit and transmit data to a Seiko RC-1000 Wrist Terminal Watch. This may have been the only time an Atari 8Bit, 850 interface, and RC-1000 were in the same room and if it happens again, you may want the following information to write a proper editor.
The RC-1000s are being listed on eBay for around $250 to $2,500; I got mine while Seiko was liquidating their inventory at around $50. There were Apple, Comm.64, and IBM software versions and that truly made me feel left out as an Atari owner. I was hoping to get the software running and submit it to Seiko but it never caught on and the product line was dropped.
Seiko was contacted for information that would help get the project started. They sent me a packet of pages containing the data structures, communication protocols and a printout of the IBM version of the software. These two documents are attached and will be of great help.
Seiko RC-1000 Data Structurel.pdf
Seiko RC-1000 IBM program doc.pdf
I got the program to the point where it would read DATA statements entered with the proper format for text, time zone and alarm data. The computer would assemble the data and then dump it to the watch. The serial cable for the RS-232 connector required some modification for the 850 interface. I’m not sure which was the bigger problem; getting the data in the right format or configuring the serial connection.
The following is the BASIC code example for the data structures.
400 DATA T WORLD TIME *401 REM -dccccccccccccTHHMM *410 DATA d DENVER CO 11000 *420 DATA d GLASGOW 00500 *430 DATA d MOSCOW 00700 *440 DATA d TOKYO 10200 *450 DATA d TAHITI 10700 *500 DATA L* PHONE ** NUMBERS *510 DATA dRITA 5551234WORK 5551234520 DATA dBRUCE5551234KAREN5551234530 DATA dNEIL 5551234JERRY *540 DATA dJEFF *590 DATA L* WORK ** NUMBERS *591 DATA dPAUL 3800DOLORIS 2077592 DATA dJOHN 2036SARAH 2203594 DATA dDAVE 2206MARK 2205595 DATA dRON 2984PAT 2204596 DATA dGEN LAB 2286JEFF 2014600 DATA L*CONVERSION** FACTOR *610 DATA d1M/39.37IN 1L/61.02 IN3620 DATA d453.6GM/1LB C=?F-32?*5/9630 DATA d 1LB/FT3 =16.018KG/M3 *640 DATA d 1G/CM3 =.03613LB/IN3650 DATA dDENSITY H2O 62.43LB/FT3660 DATA dVELOCITY SO.1088FT/SEC *680 DATA d1BTU=17.58W=.023HP=778FT690 DATA dLIGHT SPEED 2.997E8M/SEC700 DATA L* MESH ** SIZE *710 DATA d 15-1.19MM 20--850 *720 DATA d 30--600 40--425 *730 DATA d 50--297 100--150 *740 DATA d200-- 75 325-- 45 *900 DATA L* MIC. ** NUMBER *910 DATA d182-37-9329 71777-23 *920 DATA d6653-265-555-555 6/89 *930 DATA d7763 ****END*****2000 DATA S SCHEDULE ALARM *2001 REM -dccccccccccccMO/DD AHH:MM2020 DATA dWEDDING 03/03 A07:002030 DATA dWEDDING 08/03 A07:003000 DATA W WEEKLY ALARM *3001 REM -dccccccccccccD DAY AHH:MM3002 DATA dLUNCH TIME 1 MON A11:593003 DATA dBACK TO WORK1 MON P12:453004 DATA dTIME GO HOME1 MON P04:303007 DATA dLUNCH TIME 2 TUE A11:593008 DATA dTIME TO WORK2 TUE P01:003010 DATA dTIME GO HOME2 TUE P04:303015 DATA dLUNCH TIME 3 WED A11:593016 DATA dBACK TO WORK3 WED P12:453017 DATA dTIME GO HOME3 WED P04:303025 DATA dLUNCH TIME 4 THU A11:593026 DATA dBACK TO WORK4 THU P12:453030 DATA dTIME GO HOME4 THU P04:303032 DATA dTECH MEETING5 FRI A08:003035 DATA dLUNCH TIME 5 FRI A11:593036 DATA dBACK TO WORK5 FRI P12:453040 DATA dTIME GO HOME5 FRI P04:305000 REM END OF DATA
An article was written for the Western New York Atari User Group newsletter that contains some information about data, cable modification, and the BASIC listing of the test software.Seiko RC-1000 WNYAUG article.PDF
The watch had reached the end of its short lived product life cycle and the strap broke thus diminishing my drive to finish the project. But now with the success of the iWatch, Seiko may want to re-release the watch as a retro alternative (yah, sure), and you’ll have the information to write the interface program for your Atari computer.
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