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- Thursday, January 8th, 2009 - 3:18 pm
- Casio Melody 80 Calculator ML-80
When you start digging into the treasures of ol', you inevitably branch off into a variety of vintage stuff. Some people end up branching into 70-80's clothing, others into old records, etc. For some reason, I ended up branching into old calculators.
Among the odd things I have collected, this late 70's calculator is my favorite.
The Casio Melody 80 is a very simple calculator with only the basic calculator functions. Well it does have the square root function but that's it.
What makes this calculator unique is, of course, the "melody."
Each key (actually, each number) is assigned to a musical note. When you press a key, it presses the corresponding note. When you calculate 2 + 2 = 4 , you will hear "Re" "beep" "Re" "beep" "Fa." Yes that's right, it will play back your answer. What's the square root of 2? Well, according to this calculator it is "Do-La-Fa-Do-Fa-Re-Do-Mi-Sol." Duh~! :)
There are multiple youtube videos of people playing music on this little thing, so go check it out when you have time.
In addition to the melody, this is a full featured date/time clock with two alarms, a stopwatch with lap function and a timer. That is a whole lotta functions in such a small package.
And it comes in a nice brown padded case!
Oh and for those of you who forgot how to set the clock, here are the instructions as glued to my brown case. This is where it's supposed to be, but for some reason most people have lost this sheet or the brown case altogether. I'm glad I still have mine! :)
If you're looking for one, try eBay--that's where I got mine. You can also look for the ML-81, which is identical to this calculator except it does not have a cool sheet music thing printed below the LCD screen.
Filed under: calculator
- Comments!
- » Does anyone know how to turn off the alarm?
- by: Laxgmom, submitted Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 - 10:43 pm
- » to turn off the alarm, set the alarm time as "0" :)
- by: admin, submitted Friday, June 26th, 2009 - 9:41 am
- » Thanks for displaying this. I have a Casio Melody 80 since the early 80's or even maybe late 70's, but had forgotten how to use certain aspects of it. You have helped tremendously. I am having trouble setting the date and wonder if it was intended to include 2009 in original making of it. I know it went backwards about 100 years or so but don't remember how far forward. There was a time that I could put in a date and it would tell me which day of the week that date fell on. I don't remember at this moment how I did that but will experiment and see if I can redicover that, too. Thanks again.
- by: Eddie Chance, submitted Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 - 9:42 am
- » I set the alarm as "0" and it still goes off at 12:00 a.m. If you know a step-by-step to set the alarm to not go off, I'd appreciate it.
Also, my guess for Eddie's question is that Casio did not program the calculator to factor in beyond the year 2000. So the date cursor will always show the wrong day. - by: Laxgmom, submitted Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 - 7:12 am
- » Laxgmom,
The alarm icon will disappear if you do it right. Then no alarm will be set off. Perhaps you have confused the alarm sound with the hourly chime sound? Those cannot be turned off unless you filp the switch down to calc. - by: admin, submitted Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 - 8:10 am
- » To clear the alarm (1 or 2), put the switch on "Set". push the AC = all clear button, then push "0" = zero, then push Alarm. The alarm indicator will go off.
- by: Steve, submitted Friday, October 30th, 2009 - 7:32 pm
- » The Casio does appear to recognize years after 2000. To enter 2009. Put the switch on "Set", push the "AC" button, enter 2009, push "Date", enter month, ex 10 for Oct, push "Date", enter day, ex 30, push "Date". That should do it. Put switch on music or Cal. Now when you display time (push "time" button), it should correctly showing the right Day of the week = Fri with this entered
- by: Steve, submitted Friday, October 30th, 2009 - 7:40 pm
- » Sorry, one more thing on setting date...after entering full date(four digit year-"date",month-"date", day-"date"), press the "set" button
- by: Steve, submitted Friday, October 30th, 2009 - 7:46 pm
- » You certainly made my day !
I found this ML-80 in my cupboard after almost 25 years & wondered if it would work again. I opened the battery lid hoping the old ones had not leaked. Indeed, the old seiko batteries had not leaked. I replaced the batteries & then realised I did not remember the instructions to programme the date & time. The instructions on the inside of the cover had disappeard due to usage in the early eighties. Just google-ed it & landed on your website. It is working again - just sounded the hourly chime!I would appreciate if someone can point me to the manual/instructions. Thanks a ton!
- by: Ajay, submitted Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 - 1:14 am
- » Ajay,
There is a nice picture of the instruction sheet picture in my article. - by: admin, submitted Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 - 6:59 am
- » Bought the calculator used on ebay from seller who lives in singapore. Sent calculator only no case or instructions. Thank you for posting these pictures. I was able to set the time and date.
- by: David J. Burger, submitted Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 - 3:11 pm
- » I just found a ML-81 (on a junk pile). I put new batteries in and it works fine. Date and time are all set-up thanks to this site. The question I have is what is the little black button on the back marked "P" for? Is it to program the alarm music? If so, how is it done?
- by: Rob, submitted Saturday, February 20th, 2010 - 11:36 pm
- » does anyone know the names of the 3 melodies found in the ml-81 model?
- by: apostolitos, submitted Friday, March 5th, 2010 - 2:10 am
- » Well...........even my Brittany could not destroy it. It is still working, and my manual is available to anyone upon request.
Take care out there.............L. - by: George Tsapanos, submitted Thursday, April 8th, 2010 - 8:56 pm
- » I found my Melody 80 but am missing the batter cover tab....anyone know where I can find one?
- by: Gary, submitted Saturday, June 5th, 2010 - 7:52 pm
- » I really like the date calculations. I have now held my precent job for 12180 days, and I have been married for 13597 days. How to: Press date and AC. Enter the present date then subtract the earlier date.
- by: Svend Steenfeldt, submitted Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 - 12:24 pm
- » I have a ML-88,how do I turn on, or turn off hourly chime?
Also, I don't know how to use "date caculation", as Svend Steenfeldt submitted "ยป I really like the date calculations. I have now held my precent job for 12180 days, and I have been married for 13597 days. How to: Press date and AC. Enter the present date then subtract the earlier date. " doesn't work in ML88, any help will be appreciated.
Mike Mo - by: Mike Mo, submitted Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 - 9:03 am
- » I received my Casio Melody-80 from my Japanese brother-in-law while I was in Japan in the 70's. I removed the batteries some time ago so them wouldn't corrode the internal parts and don't know exactly what type of batteries I should replace them with. On the back it says, "Battery 1.5v x 2". Does anyone know what type I should replace them this with, other then 1.5v x 2?
- by: Warren Butler, submitted Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 - 8:35 pm
- » My ML-88 has two AG13 (= 357)
That is enough for 1,5 jear
It is working more than 30 years.
calendar is working until 2050. - by: c. bezemer MSc, submitted Saturday, January 15th, 2011 - 4:02 am
- » ML-88 - Mike Mo, to turn off the hourly chime, just move the switch (top right) from the musical setting to CAL. Et voila!
- by: Simon, submitted Thursday, January 20th, 2011 - 7:55 am
- » ML-88 - Warren Butler, the batteries I have been using for the past 3 decades are 357.
To quote from Wikipedia, "Manufacturers often have their own naming system; for example, the cell called LR1154 by IEC standard is named AG13, LR44, 357, A76, and other names by different manufacturers."
Hope that helps. - by: Simon, submitted Thursday, January 20th, 2011 - 7:58 am
- » Thank you very much for the instructions! I love this old calculator!
- by: Enrique, submitted Friday, June 17th, 2011 - 12:42 pm
- » According to the manual enter 2 digit year for 1901 to 1999. Enter the full 4 digits for the year 2000 to 2099. The read out for the year 2000 to 2099 does not include the hyphens.
- by: Gary Stuttman, submitted Saturday, August 27th, 2011 - 10:18 pm
- » I would be very interested in a copy of the user manual. Mine has just sprung back to life, after more than 30 years in a drawer, with a new set of batteries. Unfortunately I have so far been unable to figure out how to set time and date etc.
It would be much appreciated if this post may be forwarded by admin to Mr. George Stapanos (above) who on April 8th last year said he had one he could avail. That is of course if he gave an email address. Thanks. - by: Per Lochen, submitted Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 - 12:57 pm
- » I have had my ML 88 from new, great all round tool that I keep on my bedside cabinet, the music part just adds to an aready great icon of 80's tech.
Good to read everyones comments, googled my way here as I forgot how to turn the alarm off. Out of interest my ML88 never had the instructions on the case - by: adam, submitted Sunday, November 27th, 2011 - 1:24 am
- » The "P" button on the back is a reboot button that resets the ML-81 to its original factory settings. You are suppose to press it after changing the batteries in case the memory "glitched". However, it is merely a small precautionary, as I have never needed to use this button on my ML-81 or any other Casio device I have ever owned.
I miss my ML-81 horribly; I've lost mine during a hayride back in the mid 1980's. I guess I could buy one on eBay, but it would never be *my* original one... only a clone!
CMcF - by: CMcF, submitted Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 - 4:44 pm
- » Can anyone remember another casio version (circa early 80s) of the musical alarm clock calculator? Mine was silver. There was a screen on the left and the number pad was accessed by lifting a plastic lid on the right. There were at least 7 tunes to choose from (beautiful dreamer being one of them) and each key played a tone too. Not been able to find another. Help!! Thank you
- by: LG, submitted Sunday, February 26th, 2012 - 11:51 am
- » I almost gave up on my ML-81 which has been in my possession for a long time. I bought it in Tokyo, where I worked for 7 years between 1973-1980, and used it daily for a year or two and then tucked it away somewhere safe. So safe it had been lost for over 30 years! I bought new batteries today but couldn't remember how to set it up as the instructions are all in Japanese on the inside of the case and I never did get to learn to read the language! Anyway - I found your wonderful site and the instructions in ENGLISH!! Fantastic and thanks so much.
- by: Mike James, submitted Sunday, September 30th, 2012 - 7:18 pm
- » I have this calculator since 1976, up till it is working, few days back i had to change the batteries, i installed a wrong no batteries instead of LR44. first it gave me error than I checked the batteries found wrong, than re installed the right batteries, since than it is not functioning, Please help me in this matter, we don't have a Casio service center where it can be fixed correctly . Your advice is highly appreciated. or guide me to fix it. thanks
- by: Mohammad Aleem, submitted Wednesday, November 14th, 2012 - 5:02 am
- » How do you turn the Casio Melody 80 off? I don't have the instruction manual. Where can I get one?
- by: Nancy, submitted Wednesday, December 5th, 2012 - 5:47 pm
- » I've had the Casio ML-81 since 1980ish. Have always been able to find batteries. Recently discovered it conked out and needed new batteries. Can't find replacement batteries. Any leads?
Thanks - by: Felicia, submitted Wednesday, March 26th, 2014 - 2:44 pm
- » thank you so much for posting this. it was time to change the battiers, but then i forgot how to set it and i lost the instruction book. my wife's favorite piece of technology almost became recyled. thank you again. i just can't say it enough. bobkattwo
- by: bobkattwo, submitted Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 - 11:06 am
- » There is the ML-80 as Android-App with some intructions how to use it - in special also the date calculations:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.elsam.cm80e - by: Guido, submitted Sunday, April 12th, 2015 - 9:57 am
- » Casio Melody 80 question. How the heck does one turn it off. Installed new batteries (Energizer 357/303), display works fine, haven't tried any functions as I would like to be able to turn it off. Any help out there?
- by: Ev Richardson, submitted Tuesday, July 12th, 2016 - 7:02 pm
We have this same calculator but the instructions are illegible due to wear and we'd forgotten how to set the clock. We're about to go on a trip abroad without our cell phones and this is the only alarm clock we have to get us up at 3:00 in the morning for the return trip!
You did a good turn by posting the picture of the instructions.
Thanks again!