Programming an HP-15C (2013) • Hacker News Board

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#31

Post by StreakyCobra » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 8:52 PM UTC

lmilcin wrote: post #24

GeorgeTirebiter wrote: post #10

I bought a 15C new. I still have it on my EE bench (replacing my slide rule, of course). Every 8 or 9 years I replace the three LR44 batteries. And writing little programs to tickle the Inner Nerd is always fun. HP: we miss you!

I have been using HP 42S for the past 15 years and would not replace it for any other. It is a pity that the LCD fades out in these and now it is only possible to see it at specific angles.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#32

Post by lmilcin » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:00 PM UTC

mschaef wrote: post #13

GeorgeTirebiter wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also want to mention the HP-45 iPad / iPhone app; it runs the exact microcode of the original on a VM. (My buddy was involved in this, and makes some $ - but I bought it and really really like it, and this isn't an ad, etc, etc.)

I have a 42S emulator running on my iPhone, but it really isn't the same as being able to press physical keys on a hardware device. One of the charms of these devices was that they were built to last. ie: the keys were injection molded with two colors of plastic so they wouldn't wear down. So, while I still have a couple of working HP's from the 80's, I've been through a dozen or more mobile phones in about the same…

I have actual 42S. The physical device lasts very well but the LCD fades out as it gets older. Right now mine does not have enough contrast to read it looking at it directly. You need to look it from downward angle and in perfect light.

Other than that this is the best calculator ever made.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#33

Post by kps » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

a_e_k wrote: post #29

opencl wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The HP codes aren't too bad because they correspond to the location of the keys on the keyboard, i.e. y^x is 21 because it's the second row and first column of the keyboard. If you want something really confusing try programming a Soviet Elekronika calculator, they actually work fairly similarly to the HPs but the codes displayed on the screen when inputting a program are in hexadecimal displayed with weird symbols b…

I've typically seen A-F rendered like so: _ _ _ _ |_| |_ | _| |_ |_ | | |_| |_ |_| |_ | (Variations would be a double-story lower case 'a' and lower case 'c'.)

But if they cloned the 7447 decoder they'd look like

                   _     
     _    _   |_| |_   |_ 
    |_    _|       _   |_

with 15 blank.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#34

Post by pflanze » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:13 PM UTC

I'm currently implementing a concatenative language, and have added OP's program as an example: https://github.com/pflanze/copycat/blob/master/examples/hp.s...

This is closer to how the later HP models worked, where naming and quotations are available (via « »).

(I happen to have had an HP-15C as well as my first calculator :)

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#35

Post by golem14 » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:49 PM UTC

StreakyCobra wrote: post #31

lmilcin wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been using HP 42S for the past 15 years and would not replace it for any other. It is a pity that the LCD fades out in these and now it is only possible to see it at specific angles.

You may be interested by this [1] The device is reliable, the screen is amazing, the USB connectivity brings a lot of value and the community on SwissMicros' forum are passionate HP people. I'm not affiliated with them in any way, just an happy geeky customer :) [1] https://www.swissmicros.com/dm42.php

Seconded. Their replicas are amazing, even better than the already awesome originals. I own a few, only god knows why :)

Maybe I'll ask to be buried with them, so I can be dug up in a few thousand years and worry archeologists ;)

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#36

Post by slowhand09 » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:54 PM UTC

Upvote because I still own and occasionally use my HP-11C. It may be on its 4th set of batteries, after 30+ years. I haven't written code on it for 20yrs, but the last was a sight-reduction program for celestial navigation. I do have and use emulation of HP-15C on every computer I cam, plus my phone.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#37

Post by markandrewj » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:54 PM UTC

I have an HP 200LX that I acquired recently. I have been using it for writing mainly, it's pretty fun. I also have an old PCMCIA Ethernet card that I want to use with the 200LX so I can connect to IRC (mainly for Twitch chat).

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#38

Post by golem14 » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 9:56 PM UTC

jonsen wrote: post #21

gshubert17 wrote: post #7

I think the "someone who brought it back" is Swiss Micros, which makes a compatible calculator (which they call DM-15) as well as other models in the same family. They say their chip that emulates the original cpu is quite a bit faster than the original. https://www.swissmicros.com

HP still makes a decent HP-15-like calculator: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_35s

The HP store shows many of their remaining 7 (!) calculator models out of stock quite often. I'm not taking any bets on how long HP is going to make any calculators at all. I feel sad every time I visit their store...

They already stopped making any kind of graphing calculator, apparently.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#39

Post by slowhand09 » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 10:06 PM UTC

On a different note, I stumbled on my TI-Programmer LED calculator and power supply a few days ago. I plugged it in, but no response. I guess rechargable batteries weren't meant to last nearly 40 yrs. I am now obligated to attempt resurrection. In case I need octal, hex, or bit operations.

Re: Programming an HP-15C (2013)

#40

Post by smabie » Tue, Feb 04, 2020, 11:31 PM UTC

golem14 wrote: post #38

jonsen wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HP still makes a decent HP-15-like calculator: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_35s

The HP store shows many of their remaining 7 (!) calculator models out of stock quite often. I'm not taking any bets on how long HP is going to make any calculators at all. I feel sad every time I visit their store... They already stopped making any kind of graphing calculator, apparently.

Hp prime?