Psion Siena
 | |
| A Psion Siena, open | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Psion PLC |
| Manufacturer | Psion PLC |
| Type | Pocket organiser / PDA |
| Released | 1996[1] |
| CPU | NEC V30H (80C86-compatible), 7.68 MHz[1][2] |
| Memory | 512 KB ROM; 512 KB or 1 MB RAM[2] |
| Storage | No internal SSD bay; external SSD or PC Card drive via the serial port[1] |
| Display | 240 × 160 monochrome LCD, not backlit[2] |
| Sound | Piezoelectric beeper[2] |
| Power | 2 × AAA cells; CR1620 backup cell[1] |
| Dimensions | 150 × 73 × 19 mm[2] |
| Weight | 183 g including batteries[2] |
| OS / Firmware | EPOC16 (SIBO), with OPL |
| Predecessor | Psion Series 3 |
| Successor | Psion Revo |
| Model no. | 512 KB and 1 MB versions |
The Psion Siena is a pocket organiser made by Psion and released in 1996. It uses the same 16-bit NEC V30H processor and SIBO operating system as the Psion Series 3a, in a smaller case with a 240 × 160 screen and a separate numeric keypad beside it. It was sold with 512 KB or 1 MB of RAM.[1] The Siena is binary compatible with the Series 3, but many Series 3 programs had to be modified for its smaller screen and memory.[1]
History
[edit | edit source]The Siena was released in 1996, the same year as the Psion Series 3c, as a smaller SIBO machine.[1][2] It dropped three features of the Series 3 range, and all three are often mistaken for faults:[1][2]
- No internal solid-state disk (SSD) bays. The Series 3 machines have two; the Siena connects an external SSD or PC Card drive through its RS-232 serial port.
- No external power socket. The Siena runs from its two AAA cells only.
- No sound recording. The Siena has a piezo beeper, where the Series 3a and 3c have a speaker, a microphone and 12-bit sound recording.
Wikipedia lists the Psion Revo as its successor.[1]
Architecture and processor
[edit | edit source]The Siena uses an NEC V30H, an 80C86-compatible 16-bit processor, at 7.68 MHz, as the Series 3a does.[1][2] The SIBO architecture, power states and supply rails are described on Psion Series 3a.[3]
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | NEC V30H (80C86-compatible, 16-bit), 7.68 MHz |
| ROM | 512 KB |
| RAM | 512 KB or 1 MB |
| Display | 240 × 160 monochrome LCD, no backlight |
| Keyboard | 48-key QWERTY with 8 reprogrammable application buttons, and a numeric keypad beside the screen |
| Sound | Piezo beeper |
| Communications | RS-232C at 19,200 bit/s; infrared port beside the serial port |
| Main power | 2 × AAA cells |
| Backup power | CR1620 lithium coin cell |
| Size and weight | 150 × 73 × 19 mm; 183 g with batteries |
Memory and storage
[edit | edit source]The Siena has 512 KB of ROM and 512 KB or 1 MB of RAM.[2] The internal disk is in RAM. There are no SSD bays; an external SSD or PC Card drive connects through the serial port.[1]
Display and sound
[edit | edit source]The screen is 240 × 160 pixels: half the width of the Series 3a's 480 × 160, and twice the height of the original Series 3's 240 × 80. It is not backlit.[2] Sound is a piezo beeper.[2]
Input/output and expansion
[edit | edit source]With no internal bays, the serial port carries all expansion: PC connection with PsiWin, the external SSD or PC Card drive, and dial-up through the Travel Modem accessory. There is also an infrared port beside the serial port.[1] The serial connector is the same as the Psion Series 3c's, which was changed from the Series 3a's to match the Siena.[4] Without the serial cable, a Siena can only exchange data by infrared, so look for the cable and drive when buying one.
Power
[edit | edit source]The Siena runs on two AAA cells, with a CR1620 lithium cell holding RAM while they are changed. The batteries sit in a compartment under a detachable cover on the top of the machine, and there is no socket for external power.[1] See Psion Siena General Maintenance.
General maintenance
[edit | edit source]Troubleshooting
[edit | edit source]Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Psion Siena General Maintenance
- Psion Siena Troubleshooting Guide
- Psion Series 3
- Psion Series 3a
- Psion Series 3c
- Psion Series 3mx
- Psion Revo
- Battery Refurbishment
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "Psion Siena", Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 "Psion specifications", netogram.com. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
- ↑ Psion PLC, SIBO Hardware Reference, version 2.10, 3 February 1995, in the Psion Documentation Project.
- ↑ "Psion Series 3", Wikipedia, section on the Series 3c. Retrieved 2026-09-30.