Elektronika
Encyclopedia
Electronika is the brand name used for many different electronic products
such as calculators, electronic watches, portable games and radios in the Soviet Union
and, nowadays, in Russia
. Many Electronika designs were the result of dedicated reverse engineering
efforts by Soviet engineers, who were working for the Soviet military-industrial complex
but were challenged with producing consumer goods which were in great shortage in the Soviet Union
.
Now this brand is used by Novosibirsk
RPN
programmable calculator
s Electronika MK-152 (:ru:Электроника МК-152) and Electronika MK-161 (:ru:Электроника МК-161).
Most notable is a line of calculator
s, which started production in 1968. The Electronika calculators were produced in a variety of sizes and function sets, ranging from large, bulky four-function calculators to smaller models designed for use in schools operating on a special, safer 42V standard (like the MK-SCH-2). As time progressed, Electronika calculators were produced that supported more advanced calculations, with some of the most recent models even offering full programmability and functionality similar to today's American-designed graphing calculators.
These designs were based directly on Japan
ese or American calculators, and often many of the bugs from the original calculator would be found in the Electronika version as well. Sometimes, significant errors were introduced during the design process, resulting in strange behavior during certain calculations. Electronika calculators nevertheless had distinctive designs, legible displays, and were commonly available throughout the Soviet Union. Today, these relics can often be found on online auction sites directly from dealers in Ukraine
that are willing to export them worldwide as souvenirs.
The following Electronika computers used Soviet Intel-compatible CPU:
The following Electronika computers used Soviet CPU, compatible with PDP-11
:
Game & Watch
clones start with IM (ИМ — Игра Микропроцессорная, Russian acronym for "microprocessor
game").
The known models include:
Post-1992 versions:
Original series:
IM-11 Lunokhod was a clone of Bigtrak
toy tank, a programmable battery-powered toy vehicle made by Milton Bradley Company
.
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
such as calculators, electronic watches, portable games and radios in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and, nowadays, in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Many Electronika designs were the result of dedicated reverse engineering
Reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object, or system through analysis of its structure, function, and operation...
efforts by Soviet engineers, who were working for the Soviet military-industrial complex
Military-industrial complex
Military–industrial complex , or Military–industrial-congressional complex is a concept commonly used to refer to policy and monetary relationships between legislators, national armed forces, and the industrial sector that supports them...
but were challenged with producing consumer goods which were in great shortage in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Now this brand is used by Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
RPN
Reverse Polish notation
Reverse Polish notation is a mathematical notation wherein every operator follows all of its operands, in contrast to Polish notation, which puts the operator in the prefix position. It is also known as Postfix notation and is parenthesis-free as long as operator arities are fixed...
programmable calculator
Programmable calculator
Programmable calculators are calculators that can automatically carry out a sequence of operations under control of a stored program, much like a computer. The first programmable calculators such as the IBM CPC used punched cards or other media for program storage...
s Electronika MK-152 (:ru:Электроника МК-152) and Electronika MK-161 (:ru:Электроника МК-161).
Calculators
Calculator
An electronic calculator is a small, portable, usually inexpensive electronic device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic. Modern calculators are more portable than most computers, though most PDAs are comparable in size to handheld calculators.The first solid-state electronic...
s, which started production in 1968. The Electronika calculators were produced in a variety of sizes and function sets, ranging from large, bulky four-function calculators to smaller models designed for use in schools operating on a special, safer 42V standard (like the MK-SCH-2). As time progressed, Electronika calculators were produced that supported more advanced calculations, with some of the most recent models even offering full programmability and functionality similar to today's American-designed graphing calculators.
These designs were based directly on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese or American calculators, and often many of the bugs from the original calculator would be found in the Electronika version as well. Sometimes, significant errors were introduced during the design process, resulting in strange behavior during certain calculations. Electronika calculators nevertheless had distinctive designs, legible displays, and were commonly available throughout the Soviet Union. Today, these relics can often be found on online auction sites directly from dealers in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
that are willing to export them worldwide as souvenirs.
Computers
- MS 1502 — XT clone
- KR-series (01/02/03/04) — mass production of popular Russian 8-bit homebrew RK-86 (:ru:Радио 86РК)
The following Electronika computers used Soviet CPU, compatible with PDP-11
PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
:
- Electronika 60Electronika 60The Elektronika 60 was a terminal computer made in the Soviet Union by Elektronika in Voronezh. It was a clone of a DEC LSI-11.The Elektronika 60 CPU was a rack-mount unit that served as a part of computing complex also comprising a 15IE-00-013 terminal and I/O devices...
- UKNCUKNCUKNC was a Soviet PDP-11-compatible educational computer, aimed at teaching school informatics courses. It is also known as Elektronika MS-0511...
- DVKDVKDVK is a Soviet PDP-11-compatible personal computer.The design is also known as Elektronika MS-0501 and Elektronika MS-0502.Earlier models of DVK series were based on K1801VM1 or K1801VM2 microprocessors with 16 bit address bus. In the later models, the KM1801VM3 microprocessor was used.-...
— clone of SM EVMSM EVMSM EVM was the general name for several types of Soviet and Comecon minicomputers produced in the 1970s and 1980s. Production began in 1975....
, stripped for mass production to satisfy general scientific and R&D needs - BK-0010 and BK-0011M — stripped and low-cost version of DVKDVKDVK is a Soviet PDP-11-compatible personal computer.The design is also known as Elektronika MS-0501 and Elektronika MS-0502.Earlier models of DVK series were based on K1801VM1 or K1801VM2 microprocessors with 16 bit address bus. In the later models, the KM1801VM3 microprocessor was used.-...
, targeted at teenagers and home users
Electronic toys
Model names for Electronika-branded NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Game & Watch
Game & Watch
is a line of handheld electronic games produced by Nintendo from to . Created by game designer Gunpei Yokoi, each Game & Watch features a single game to be played on an LCD screen in addition to a clock and an alarm ....
clones start with IM (ИМ — Игра Микропроцессорная, Russian acronym for "microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
game").
The known models include:
- IM-02 Nu, Pogodi!Nu, pogodi!Nu, pogodi! is a Soviet/Russian animated series produced by Soyuzmultfilm. The series was created in 1969 and became a popular cartoon of the Soviet Union. Additional episodes have been produced in Russia since 2006...
(1986) - Nintendo EG-26 Egg - IM-03 Mysteries of the Ocean (1989) - Nintendo OC-22 Octopus
- IM-04 Merry Cook (1989) - Nintendo FP-24 Chef
- MG-09 Space Bridge (1989) - Nintendo FR-27 Fire
- MG-13 Explorers of Space (1989)
- IM-18 Fowling (1989)
- IM-22 Merry Footballer (1989)
- MG-50 Amusing Arithmetics (1989)
- IM-23 Car Slalom (1991)
- IM-50 Space Flight (1992)
Post-1992 versions:
- I-01 Car Slalom
- I-02 Merry Cook
- I-03 Space Bridge
- I-04 Fisher Tom-Cat
- I-05 Naval Combat
- I-06 Just you wait!
- I-07 Frog boaster
- I-08 Fowling
- I-09 Explorers of Space
- I-10 Biathlon
- I-11 Circus
- I-12 Hockey
- I-13 Merry Fotballer
- I-14 Night Thiefes
- I-15 Mysteries of the Ocean
Original series:
- IM-29 Chess Partner
IM-11 Lunokhod was a clone of Bigtrak
Bigtrak
BIG TRAK / bigtrak was a programmable electric vehicle created by Milton Bradley in 1979.It was a six-wheeled tank with a front-mounted blue photon beam headlamp, and a keypad on top. The toy could remember up to 16 commands which it then executed in sequence such as "go forward 5 lengths",...
toy tank, a programmable battery-powered toy vehicle made by Milton Bradley Company
Milton Bradley Company
The Milton Bradley Company is an American game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860. In 1920, it absorbed the game production of McLoughlin Brothers, formerly the largest game manufacturer in the United States, and in 1987, it purchased Selchow and Righter,...
.