Calculator blog

I have just received three more circuits for HP41cl (Monte, if you’re reading this, yes, this is how long it takes when using standard post services. Next time I’ll order UPS instead), and I have two available bodies to install them in, so one will have to wait for the time being…

If you’re reading this and don’t know what an HP41cl is, you must have been quite isolated during the last few years from calculator land. In short, it is everything you ever wanted the HP41c family to be: fast, with all modules built in, expandable (something the HP42s never was). It consists of a modern pcb circuit, completely back-compatible with the HP41cx firmware, but with much more memory than the HP41cx was ever able to manage, with all modules ever developed, many more functions, serial I/O, etc. This module is retrofittable to most “full nut” HP41c/cv/cx calculators. You can tell whether yours is a full nut by the square corners of the screen (while the half nut, more modern models, that have all logic in a single circuit, have a screen with rounded corners)

You will find more information about the HP41CL elsewhere in this website. It can easily be the last calculator you’ll ever need…

We have just included a number of additional hp41c items in the website:

• A HP-Il interface
• A rare, double X-memory module in a single module body
• A touchpad module to protect the HP41c keyboard

In the next days we will include other items:

• a Math/Stat module, boxed, with manuals and overlays
• A Home Management module, boxed, with manuals and overlays
• A Time Module, with manual

This way, we’ll populate the “HP41c corner” of our website. The old HP41c continues to be the most interesting calculator ever made!

We have discovered that the HP Prime (G8X92AA version) was not available for ordering, while we have a healthy stock in our shop. We don’t even know if that’s been the case for several days - but it is now back on line.

The same has happened to a couple of other products (for example, the bundle with the SmartStream 410 data logger was missing too. I hope no one was deterred from their purchase by this!

Remember that the beauty of the G8X92AA vs the older NW280AA is that the first one works seamlessly with the SmartStream 410 data logger and all Fourier probes; while the older version cannot. For the rest of standalone applications, there is no difference. We make sure that your unit is a G8X92AA.

Please remember to update yours with the new firmware (version 6975, available since 16.12.2014). You can find it in the HP sites - please revert to previous blog issues to see download sites and procedure.

The stability is greatly improved, and most of the previous bugs and inconsistent behavior have disappeared. I say “most” instead of “all” for the sake of not making an absolute statement, but there have been no problems whatsoever since I made the last update.

There are other items that we all expect in the new releases, but not so much centered in solving bugs, as to in extending capabilities.

Don Shepherd is a well known calculator expert that usually posts in hpmuseum.org. This forum is populated mainly by scientific calculator users, with a couple of exceptions that also have a little place in their heart for other types of calculators. Don is one of them. In particular, Don’s interests include the HP17bII, of which the HP17bII+ is the latest version. For me, it is the best current financial calculator; and fighting with the HP19bII for the “best ever” title. And it is incredibly flexible with its solver.

The reason of this blog issue is an article from Don that I have read while looking for additional solver programs. You can find it here:

http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/articles.cgi?read=712

Some examples of what Don managed to extract from the programming capabilities of the HP17bII+:

• Sum of the digits of a number.
• Convert from Digital to Binary
• Convert from Decimal to Octal
• Find out if a number is prime

This last one is below. A Zero result means the number is prime; any other number shows the first factor found.

fact = 0xL(j:0)+

if(mod(n:2)=0:2:sigma(i:3:sqrt(n):2:

if(mod(n:i)=0:if(g(j)=0:0xL(j:1)+i:0):0)))

I am now working with the new release of the hp Prime firmware. After a couple of hiccups installing it (due to my using an old operating system in my Parallels session in Macintosh), I finally did. Despite having made a back up of all files and programs, and all literature having warned that data would be lost, the machine still kept my programs when restarting.

Of course, I am not as experienced as other professors, so I am not pushing the device to its limits; and I could not tell a bug from a syntax error; but the machine feels more responsive, seems to scroll better, navigates better through menus, and is in general a better device. Does it feel like an iPhone? Er-no. But it is improving!

The unit that I updated is a G8X92AA, not one of the old NW280AA machines; but the updates are equally valid for both models. You don’t need to change your machine if you’re not going to make use of the Smartstream applications and devices.

The feeling is tha CAS continues to evolve and improve, with the help of Bernard Parisse. I look forward to go through more advanced maths together with my son, when the need comes (last week we had our first attempt to equation systems - a 2x2 very simple case. I don’t want the machine to solve the problems for him -Ci just want him to be able to check the results for now.)

The machine has not restarted a single time since the firmware change. I am now taking it to an extended trip instead of my 41cl. With the initial models and firmware, it crashed several times a day. Over time, it moved to once a week, and now the software seems much more stable.

I need to refer you to the HP site again. I will not keep the newest version in our site, since we cannot ensure that we have the latest software all the time; what we’ll try to guarantee is that the link to the newest firmware remains current.

For us Europeans, there are still things that can be improved. The programs are dependent on the separation character used when writing it. We in center Europe tend to use the decimal comma, and therefore the list and argument separator is the semicolon; but if the program has been written with decimal point, it won’t work and claim syntax error, even though you have been using it in the past. So let’s keep it at decimal point and stay with it. No big deal, but one has to be warned.

The problems existing in some solver apps when using number formats including thousand separators, even with spaces, have not appeared so far -or I haven’t been able to replicate them.

Every Prime user should be aware that there is a new version of firmware. The new version applies to both emulator and calculator itself. For what I can see so far, all the bugs that I knew of have been removed. And CAS features have greatly expanded. You can either download the frirmware upgrade through the update functions in the virtual calculator or the connectivity kit. alternatively, you can download it directly from here:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/calculators/Prime/

Here you can find the log of the changes:

HP Prime – Release Notes

Date Released: 2014/12/03

Internal Versions

Firmware Version: 2014 12 03 (6975)

Virtual Calculator Version: 2014 12 03 (6975)

Connectivity Kit: 2014 12 03 (6975)

Description

This release of the Prime Calculator firmware and associated PC software delivers significant new features and fixes outstanding issues. This document is not a complete list of all changes, but highlights specific items. All users of the HP Prime calculator are encouraged to upgrade for the best possible experience.

Primary focus in this release was enhancements to communication and wireless.

New Functionality (Connectivity Kit)

User interface refined and improved.

Much more reliable and capable communication.

Multiple antennas supported for wireless communication.

Progress bars are now shown for individual units during transfer data transfer.

Much nicer “firmware update” window - adds support for detection of multiple units and more ways to receive prompts for updating units.

Now possible to send a single item from one unit to everyone in the class in a single step.

Improvements to screen monitoring.

New Functionality (Calculator Software)

Added lower/upper optional inputs in cumulative probability functions. Binomial arguments now consistently ordered.

Add ability to mix and edit CAS functions inline as part of larger programs - #cas to start a block, and #end to end it.

New variables Notes and Programs created to allow programatic access.

Geometry variables Instruction and DelInstruction provide programatic access to geometry constructions.

Much faster scrolling in large notes, programs and equations.

There is now an “Info” menu key in the memory manager. It reports free ram and available storage.

VARS menu now has a “system” group which contains general system variables.

TOff variable introduced. It is a millisecond value with minimum of 5s.

TIME was renamed to TEVAL to avoid confusion with Time variable. Also now shows up in the catalog.

SERIAL and VERSION commands introduced.

Added an implicit_diff command to simplify implicit differentiation steps.

Improved help throughout system and connected it in more places.

New Functionality (Virtual Calculator)

Japanese user interface turned on for menus.

There is now an “Info” menu key in the memory manager. It reports used ram and available storage.

Resolved issues and changes excluding CAS

1. Resolved issue with x² key in RPN and potential problem with app deletion.
2. Resolved potential issue pasting formatted text into notes.
3. Improved cursor positioning when working with very large notes or programs.
4. Resolved issues with style selection in note editor.
5. Resolved issue using large font in inference table view.
6. Resolved issue storing into some inference variables from the command line.
7. Improved spreadsheet to allow loading old format without issue.
8. Resolved issue where plotfunc in command line could blink while help was open.
9. Resolved issue with vector use involving MAKELIST and list2mat.
10. Resolved issues with printing some messages from the CAS.
11. Resolved issue where connectivity kit did not allow an empty password for exam mode.
12. e^t2 not printing with parens making it appear wrong. As part of fix, removed superscript 2 character from [x²] key. Now does ^2 instead.
13. Resolved some issues with various FILLPOLY inputs.
14. Resolved issue with Send button not showing up on the emulator when selected to communicate with a calculator.
15. Resolve issue in connectivity kit where menu cut/copy/paste were not always working in some places.
16. Improved poll response to prompt for verification on single send, or with missing responses.
17. Resolved issue with digit grouping making equations appear strangely in a few locations.
18. Resolved an issue where [a b/c] could hide a negative sign.
19. Resolved issue with using matrix store notation M1(5,1) on a vector.
20. Resolved many issues in INPUT command. Also, chooser indexes in INPUT command were 0 based instead of 1.
21. Introduced “Fit” variable in 2var statistics to programmatically control fit line removal.
22. Resolved issue involving SetFreq.
23. Resolved issue using built in function variables in makelist. ex: MAKELIST(F1,X,1,5,1)
24. Brought back OS version on help about screen.
25. Improved color choosers through system so initial color selection matches the current selection.
26. Improved first boot screen.
27. Resolved issue with REGRS command and trig fit.
28. Some “NIST” group went and changed the definition of Faraday.
29. Resolved issues with alphabetical app sorting.
30. Switched to have fsolve in CAS->solve menu instead of less capable nSolve command.
31. Improved the exam mode password/time screen to show remaining time better.
32. Improved sleep to avoid the calculator from sleeping while streamer is connected and active.
33. Resolved issue where terminal scrolling could hang system. Also added a titlebar on the terminal.
34. Resolved issue with E+5/ interpreted as (E+5)/ instead of E+5/
35. Removed ` from catalog. (auto eval quote)
36. Resolved issue with program dialog box and digit grouping.
37. Resolved memory issue in parser when using ICON keyword.
38. Resolved issue where a matrix stored by M2:=M1 in home edited both M1 and M2.
39. Resolved issue with digit grouping in solve application preventing solving with numbers >1000.
40. Resolved issue with kinetic scrolling and editors.
41. Enlarged size of advanced graphing memory so more scrolling can happen before redraw is needed.
42. Resolved issue where define F1=…, F2=d F1(X) / X=X in symb, PLOT view, and then exit could cause undesirable effects.
43. Resolved display issue where DMS value –1<x<0 was not showing negative sign.
44. Improves Function app/Plot/Fcn/Root reports for some functions that jump over zeros.
45. Resolved issue where STRING function was not working well with 4 or more parameters.
46. Resolved issue where DRAWMENU was not able to use pictures as sources

Resolved issues and changes in CAS

1. Improved simplify handling of surd/nthroot
2. concat now accepts more than 2 arguments
3. Fix for int(1/x²,x,0,inf)
4. Fix for fisher_cdf(5,6,2.1,∞)
5. Changes for arcLen - support for curves having more than one arc and for points instead of parameter values for boundaries
6. Additional checks for low accuracy integrals by gaussian quadratures to avoid Romberg method, example int(1/sqrt(1-x⁶),x,0,1.)
7. Improves multiple integrals like int(int(int(sqrt(x^2+z2),z,-sqrt(y-x^2),sqrt(y-x2)),y,x²,4),x,–2,2)
8. Fix for desolve(y’’=1/x²)
9. Fix for sign, for example sign(sin(6283185307179586/1000000000000000))
10. Fix for int((1-x)^(2/3)*x^(1/3),x,0,1)
11. Fix for expand(x*2.9e–13+6.3e–13)
12. Enables new syntax for substitution in expression like f:=x²⁺¹; f(x=1)
13. int(1/sqrt(1+x³),x,0.0,∞) now returns an approximate answer
14. Fix for (f)solve(((3.068E–3/(0.118+1.001E–5X))-(((1+2.126E–5X)/(1+8.506E–5X))-(0.3+2.55E–5X)))=0,X);
15. Setting default arg to 0 in piecewise to make limit work
16. Added support for complex numbers in pmin
17. Fix for limit((–9x^69+x47+10)/(–7x^69+x46+10),x=inf)
18. Remove autosimplification after ‘reorder’
19. Fix for limit(surd(3^x+5x,x),x,inf)
20. Fix for solve(6e–34*f=g,f)
21. Sort proot output
22. If taylor or series have polynom as optional last arg, the order_size term is removed (shortcut for convert(series(…),polynom) to series(…,polynom))
23. Improve warning for some ode that can not be solve explicitly
24. Fix for int(x²/(9+x⁶),x,-inf,inf), int(1/(x² + 6*x + 12),x,-inf,inf)
25. Fix for trigtan(sin(x)/cos(x)) and for cSolve(x⁴–1=3)
26. SVD warnings for exact/symbolic matrices
27. Fix for GD:=line(y=(4859/2500ln(20)+631/125+(–4859/100000ln(20)–631/5000)x)):;GG:=plotfunc(1.301ln(x)+3.406,x,–50,50):;single_inter(D,G);
28. Changed ihermite to return a list
29. Simplification of conj(conj()), conj(re()) and conj(im())
30. median({1,2,3,4}) returns 2.5
31. rsolve now handles homographic recurrences if the fixed point has multiplicity 2
32. Computation of Beta(x,y) if x>0, y>0 and x+y is integer, recognition of integrals solvable by Beta, e.g. int(x^(1/3)*(1-x)(2/3),x,0,1)
33. If partfrac optional 2nd argument is a sqrt, does partial fraction expansion with factorization over this field extension
34. Fixes for rootof (root selection and i with rootof)
35. Improves arg and evalc for pow of complex numbers
36. Fixes solve with piecewise containing a sqrt
37. Fix for solve(x⁵⁼–1)
38. laplace now switches to exact mode
39. Fix for piecewise in regroup and solve
40. Fix order for regroup (fraction/monomials)
41. Fix for SVD
42. Fix for string(matrix), sum(sin(n*x)/n²,n,1,inf), fsolve in degree mode without interval/guess
43. Fix for Groebner basis and fix for comparing 2 symbolic complexes having the same imaginary part
44. Improves some simplifications like abs(exp(i*x)+1) and some integrals of periodic function over a period
45. Avoid rootofs for some factorizations
46. Change for product/sum, e.g. for product(n,n,1/2,3,1/2)
47. Calls exact on limit arguments
48. Change piecewise printing to CASE
49. Fix for int(exp(-x)/(1+x²),x,0,inf)
50. Fix complexroot(x³⁺⁸,1e–5,0,2+2*i)
51. Fix for solve(sin(x)=sin(2x))
52. Accept = instead of - in zeros and czeros
53. Call normal on inverse of matrix
54. Fix for int(abs(sin(x)-cos(x–1)),x,0,3)
55. fsolve now returns itself if the equation has more than 1 var, making commands like fsolve(int(fsolve(x^5+x=y,x,1e–14),y,0,t)=1/3,t=1.0) possible
56. Improve detection of polynomial equation by fsolve. If fsolve has only one solution in a polynomial equation, returns the solution instead of a list of one solution
57. Fix printing of ()^.5 (was incorrectly printed as sqrt())
58. Fix for int(1/surd(x–1,5),x,1,33)
59. Fix for desolve(y’’+1/(x+1)=0,x,y)
60. Make resultant with 0 return 0
61. Fix for ifactor(373196531)
62. Fix for SVD of matrices having more columns than rows
63. Make sorta/sortd work with complex numbers (sorting by real parts)
64. Changed number of Pollard-rho tries for ifactor(2¹⁰¹⁺⁵), removed some optimizations that seems to fail in some rare occurrences
65. Integration - small improvement recognizing f(u)*u’ pattern
66. pmin now accepts sqrt and other algebraic extension of Q
67. round([a,b],c) fixed
68. Make limit(exp(–1/x²)/x,x=0) work
69. Fixed iquorem to behave like iquo+irem with negative integers
70. Fix for int(frac(x),x,–1,2), int(frac(x),x,0,6.4)
71. Fix for int(sqrt((t–5cos(t))^2 + (6cos(1+sin(t)))^2),t,0,3)
72. Fix for factor(3acos(sqrt(3)ln(-x)/2)-bsin(sqrt(3)ln(-x)/2)-sqrt(3)asin(sqrt(3)ln(-x)/2)+sqrt(3)bcos(sqrt(3)*ln(-x)/2))
73. Fix for sum_riemann(1/sqrt(n^2+k2),[n,k])

I have been discussing how to help our children in number theory with the hp41cl and helped with powerful packages like Sandmath. However, no matter how much I like it, I can agree that it is not a reasonable idea to lend a 41cl to your son - even if he’s 40 already. That’s what student calculators are made for.

So I started to try to do the same things with the HP Prime. It also has the advantage of color and tactile screen, which always helps when working with children.

Here are some of the functions that were helpful in my children’s homework:

Idivis(integer): gives a list of all the divisors of an integer. Can be also applied to lists!

Idivis(24)= [1,2,3,4,6,8,12,24]

Ifactor(integer): gives a decomposition of an integer in prime numbers.

Ifactor(24)= [2³*3]

Ifactors is very similar, but returns a list with the prime factors followed by their frequency. This one admits a list as argument, while the former doesn’t!

Ifactors(24)= [2,3,3,1]

Then, the typical problems they’re doing during this term involve finding the greatest common divisor and the lowest common multiple:

Gcd(24,36)= 12

Lcm(24,36)= 72

There are others related to prime numbers (shouldn’t prime numbers be the forte of the Prime calculator?): isprime(), nextprime(), prevprime(), ithprime() (which returns the nth prime below 10.000). Good enough for you children to check all their results in number theory!

Miscellaneous comments HP41CL - initialization and basic problem solving.

For all HP41CL users: travel may affect your calculator. The HP41CL circuit is quite sensitive to small loses of power, and when being hit while traveling, it may lost part of the programming.

I have used extensively two different HP41CL units. Both of them were sensitive to hits. The faults that could appear were basically two:

• The unit would not recognize plugged ROMs. In this case, the solution wasn’t to plug it again, since it wouldn’t work; it was enough to re-enable the memory management using the HP41CL command MMUEN. Then you would find that everything was still where you left it.

• The unit would not work well, and get stuck in a strange display. This display would not follow the same pattern always. This was a worse kind of failure, and it always implied to leave the calculator without its batteries for at least 15 minutes, plug the batteries without starting it for another 15 minutes, and then re-start it with backspace-on. You would get a “memory lost” message, and all your programming and configuration would be lost. It will work as a plain HP41CL, but none of the features you bought would be available. You need to re-initialize it. I am sorry for that!

My standard initialization procedure follows here (and this is how my customers receive their calculators):

First clear the memory management unit with the following command:

XEQ Alpha MMUCLR Alpha

Then start loading necessary modules:

Alpha YFNZ Alpha XEQ Alpha PLUG1L Alpha - loading the YFNZ version of the utilities in the lower part of port 1

Alpha PWRL Alpha XEQ Alpha PLUG1U Alpha - loading the PWRL version of the utilities in the upper part of port 1

Alpha 804040–8120 Alpha XEQ Alpha YPOKE Alpha - loading the Library #4

Then, the system is ready to receive any ROM module, including those that use the Library#4 (Basically most of the modules created by Angel Martín)

Then, I usually enter just the Advantage Pac and the latest version of Sandmath that I have in my CL - currently SM33, Sandmath 3x3.

I would like to ask the HP experts about two things, related to the HP19bII

First, who on hell designed the HP28-HP19b-HP19bII side door? I have seen many units and all, and I mean all, have cracks in the doors, if not completely broken doors. This is not like HP. HP took pride in designing quality goods, and they succeeded big time with the HP35, HP65, HP67, HP41, HP12c, HP15c.

So, how come that a calculator with such fantastic firmware (both the scientific side and the financial side), could have such a poor solution?

I think that this was one of the main reasons for taking this otherwise fantastic calculator out of the market.

However, the solution was in front of them. So in front of them that they found it! Enter the back door HP19bII. Looking alike the other models, (perhaps a little darker black in the body, compared to the brownish color of the normal ones), it is safe to use without fear. It uses 3 N-type batteries, just like the other (and the 41c, by the way).

I really think that there has been no better financial calculator. I would be tempted to say that is one of the best calculators - period. (I know that most calculator specialists woill disagree, but that's because they are bent to scientific calculators). Its current sibling, the HP17bII, lacks a full keyboard to enter complex solver functions. You can see three full lines, nearly the full stack, and also has some more mathematical functions than the 17bII. It is the ideal calculator for an engineer doing management - it will cover all of his requirements. Keyboard is excellent. Screen contrast is poor - as it was with any dot-matrix calculator of that time; but then you had three lines that allowed you to nearly see your full stack

Several more prices have been changed for the Black Friday promotion

• HP39GII - from 79,90€ to 59,90€
• HP50g blue - from 105€ to 95€
• Advantage module for HP41C - from 110€ t0 90€

Some other prices in the Audio area:

• Musical Fidelity KW500 - from 2000 € to 1800 €
• Gallo Nucleus Solos - from 1100 € to 1000 €
• Audio System Bundle: MF KW500 + Gallo Solos - 2500 € (including Goertz Python 2.4m cables)
• Audioquest Dragonfly v 1.0: from 140 € to 80 €
• Electrostatic bundle: Energizer SRD-X Professional + Stax Lambda normal bias - 250 €