Hat jemand ein CXG Portachess?
Was ist der CPU maskrom serial?

CXG Sensor Computachess = HD44801 A50
CXG Advanced Portachess = HD44840 A14
CXG Portachess = HD44801? xxx?
CXG Portachess 2 = HD44801 C89 (1985!)

Wiki says that Portachess is an updated program of Sensor Computachess. And it says Portachess II is the exact same program. But the MCU maskrom is clearly from 1985, and the first Portachess is older than that.

https://www.schach-computer.info/wik...CXG_Portachess
https://www.schach-computer.info/wik..._Portachess_II
"Der Portchess II enthält dasselbe Programm wie der CXG Portachess."

Hi Michael,

I have a Portachess from 1983 with the number HD44801C89, so it seems to be the same as in the later device.

Regards
Achim

Thanks for checking.
It says 1985 copyright on the MCU, right? It must be a reissue, an updated version. Hitachi MCU maskrom serials are ordered chronologially. "C89" can't be from 1983.

I think we can assume that the 1st Portachess had the older program from Sensor Computachess. There is one on this page: http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/...tml#Portachess

The difference: it has a "Sound" button.

*edit*
1st version, box says "8 level portable chess computer"
2nd version, box says "16 level portable chess computer" (and has a red triangle in the corner saying "NEW 16 LEVELS")

Hi,

I could not see a date on the MCU, because it is assembled between two circuits and had just enough place to read the bigger numbers. On the back is a label that says "Made in Hongkong (C) 1983", so I assume it's from that time. The serial No. is A 291495.

Regards
Achim

the C89 MCU label is:

(C)1985 202
NEWCREST 16
HD44801C89

202 = Portachess model number
16 = 16 levels?

Looks like they also did a rerelease of Sensor Computachess with 16 levels: