VICTOR 1400-321 - Francis WEB

This is the second attempt from the VICTOR company to make electronic calculators. The first one was not a big success and the VICTOR company waited a couple years before finally launching this series, the 1400, with 2 models:
- model 321 : the one pictured above
- model 322 : a couple more functions, but still the basic 4 operations.

I like this calculator because it has a very interesting look, with the raised CRT display and the very simplistic keyboard.

If you remove the top cover, which is easily done with 6 captive screws on the bottom (yes, captive !!), you have a view of the inside which is also very simplistic:


The big round CRT display looks weird in the middle, but apart from that, the only other components are the video circuits on the left, and the keyboard. Where is the arithmetic or computing unit ?

It's the bottom part of the calculator, the entire board includes all the components, which consist of Integrated circuits. It's kind of hidden at the bottom, and even protected underneath by a foil to avoid radio parasites.
Here is a view of the bottom board showing all the traces and the position of the IC:


Looks clean to me, but engineers may have been thinking horizontally..

Overall a simply machine, to perform basic operations, but quiet and easy to use. Remember that this was the transition between big electro-mechanical machines, and victor was malso making mechanical calculators, to the newest electronic, faster and quieter.

I am not sure if these machines were a big success either because you cannot find many of them for sale. I mostly find models 322 for sale, and only a handful of them. The model 321 seems more unusual and rare.

See below a short video demonstrating this device and showing the inside.