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 Liechenstein, 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 compny'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]. The company manufactured its own membrane tactile keyboards.
Known calculators under the Triton name:
Known calculators under the Radofin name:
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, which boasted "Triton is based on GIM's powerful C550 "chip" packing the eqivalent of 7000 transistors in 0.1inch2 of silicon".
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
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 usful angle inclined to the user.
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
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
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"
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
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
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
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
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
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:
British calculators
Vintage Calculators
© Text & photographs copyright Nigel Tout 2000-2019 except where noted otherwise.