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Radofin & Triton

Radofin Electronic was based in King Street, West London and marketed a variety of advanced consumer electronics.

In July 1974 there was a report of three newly formed electronics companies: Radofin Electronics of London, Radofin Electronics of Liechtenstein, and Radofin Electronics (Far East) of Hong Kong[1].   Later Radofin models were manufactured in Hong Kong.

By January 1978 Radofin Electronics (Far East) were leaders in the electronic games business.  It had once led the market in calculators, its only product until September 1976, but had seen the end of the calculator boom and moved into games production[2].

Triton was a registered trademark of the company and the earlier calculators bear the Triton name, whereas later calculators carry the Radofin name.

Some early Triton calculators were manufactured by Advanced Telecommunications Equipment (ATE), of Woking, Surrey, and resemble that company's Taktile models.  ATE was a small manufacturer of telecommunications and other equipment, and marketed its own Calate range of electronic calculators for about 18 months.  It ceased this at the beginning of 1974 to concentrate on OEM production for other companies, including Acme Electric (Ajax) and Radofin (Triton), with trade enquiries being handled by Radofin Electronic[3].  ATE manufactured its own membrane tactile keyboards.

 

Known calculators under the Triton name:

Known calculators under the Radofin name:

Triton 8

Triton 8 calculator

Triton 8

Display is 8 digits, red LED.

Four function.

Integrated circuit - General Instruments Microelectronics C-550.

9v (PP3 battery).

Made in England by Advanced Telecommunications Equipment (ATE). It resembles the Calate 8 produced by ATE.

Has membrane keyboard.

The Triton 8 is known to us only from this advertisement from February 1974[4], which boasted:
"Triton is based on GIM's powerful C550 "chip" packing the eqivalent of 7000 transistors in 0.1inch2 of silicon.
...
Retail value £32.45.  Yours for only £16.95 including vat."

Triton 1000

Triton 1000
Inside

Triton 1000

Display is 8 digits, red LED.

Four functions.

Main integrated circuit - General Instrument Microelectronics GIMT CZL-550, here date coded 1974.

4.5v (3 x AA batteries).

74 x 150 x 20 mm / 2.9" x 5.9" x 0.8".

Assembled in Malaysia.

This model is identical to the Litronix TRITON 1000.

Triton 1200

Triton 1200 calculator

Triton 1200

Display is 8 digits, red LED.

Four function.

Integrated circuit - General Instruments CZL-550, date coded early 1974 in both of the calculators pictured here.

9v (PP3 battery).

76 x 154 x 24 mm / 3.0" x 6.8" x 0.9".

Manufactured by Advanced Telecommunications Equipment (ATE).  It resembles the Taktile 1200 produced by ATE and the Shibuya.

Has membrane keyboard.

This is fairly thin calculator with a "pregnant" bulge to accomodate the 9v battery. Unlike some Sinclair models which had the same feature, the bulge here is at the top of the rear so the calculator sits on a desktop at a useful angle inclined to the user.

Rear
Circuit board

Rear of the calculator showing the bulge to take the 9v battery.

The circuit board with the General Instruments CZL-550 calculator integrated circuit, and a smaller display-driver IC.

Triton 1400

Triton 1400

Display is 8 digits, red LED.

Four function.

9v (PP3 battery)

Size: 67 x 122 x 23 mm / 2.6 x 4.8 x 0.9".

Made in Hong Kong.

Radofin 1515

Radofin 1515

Radofin 1515

Display is 8 Digits, green VFD.

4 functions, %.

9v (PP3 battery).

68 x 132 x 24 mm / 2.7 x 5.2 x 0.95".

Made in Hong kong.

Radofin 1610 "Valuman"

Radofin 1610

Radofin 1610 "Valuman"

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

4 functions, %.

9v (PP3 battery).

Integrated circuit GIM CZL550.

67 x 131 x 23 mm / 2.6 x 5.2 x 0.9".

Made in Hong kong.

Radofin 1640

Radofin 1640

Radofin 1640

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

4 functions, %, memory.

9v (PP3 battery).

68 x 132 x 23 mm / 2.6 x 5.2 x 0.9".

Made in Hong kong.

Radofin 1660

Radofin 1660

Radofin 1660

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

Scientific functions.

9v (PP3 battery).

Integrated circuit - General Instruments C-596, here date coded 1975.

67 x 131 x 23 mm / 2.6 x 5.2 x 0.9".

Made in Hong kong.

Special price £7-95, or £9-50 with AC adapter.

Radofin 1720

Radofin 1720

Radofin 1720

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

4-functions, 5.

9v (6x AAA batteries).

85 x 170 x 12 mm / 3.3 x 6.7 x 0.5" (calculator only).

Made in Hong kong.

Radofin 2200 style 2

Radofin 2200

Radofin 2200 style 2

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

4 functions.

9v (PP3 battery).

69 x 135 x 24 mm / 2.7 x 5.3 x 0.9".

Made in Hong kong.

Note that the Radofin 2200 style 1 has a slightly different style.

Radofin 2560

Radofin 2560

Radofin 2560

Display is 8 Digits, red LED.

Scientific functions.

6v (4x AA batteries).

78 x 138 x 37 mm / 3.1 x 5.4 x 1.5".

Made in Hong kong.

References:

  1. The Times, 17th July, 1974.
  2. The Times, 31st January, 1978.
  3. Milton, R., Beaumont, A.J. (1974), Electronic Calculator Markets and Suppliers, 2nd. ed., Finresearch Series, London: Ovum, p97.
  4. "Special New Scientist Calculator Offer", New Scientist 28 February, 1974, p545.

Vintage British Calculators

Text & photographs copyright, except where stated otherwise, © Nigel Tout 2000-2024.