43s status
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04-14-2014, 02:59 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-14-2014 03:00 PM by Manolo Sobrino.)
Post: #81
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RE: 43s status
(04-14-2014 12:40 PM)sa-penguin Wrote: (...) there's the secondary function labels. (Oh no, more yellow madness...) Fluorescent yellow is a nice colour if you lose your calc on the road, at night . Do an experiment, print a layout in B/W, then apply fluorescent yellow marker to the secondary legends, look aside, then go back to it, you won't see the white primary legends at once (that's why they make fluorescent markers.) Another experiment, print another layout, now full colour with orange on the secondary keys. Measure the time it takes to read all legends in both cases. Third experiment, look for calculator pictures or, if you're a collector, go fetch some (except the 37E ) , now put your thumb on the golden key, look aside again and go back to the calc, are legends just yellow now? (I couldn't resist ) |
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04-15-2014, 07:35 AM
Post: #82
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RE: 43s status
They make assorted greys as well. Or camouflage green., sky blue, etc.
I picked yellow because I remember my old 41C, with a yellow shift key, quite fondly. Custom colours are another way of making each calculator unique. The technique is what counts. But hey - we're all just whistling in the wind, passing time in gossip until the actual hardware arrives. |
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04-28-2014, 03:42 PM
Post: #83
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RE: 43s status
Out of curiosity...
Has anyone tried contacting these guys: http://keycapsdirect.com/index.php The mechanical keyboard enthusiast community tends to use them a lot to obtain custom keycaps (both double-shot and sublimation died, AFAIK). Now, granted, the orders typically go out as group buys of a few hundred people, and the key profiles are fixed, but it might be worth checking if they've got moulds for something suitable for the 43s. |
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04-29-2014, 03:54 AM
Post: #84
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RE: 43s status
Well, they do specifically invite requests for quotes. And they're obviously used to dealing with weird people (keyboard pimpers) ... :-)
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04-29-2014, 04:52 AM
Post: #85
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RE: 43s status
Thanks for the link. Interesting niche. I didn't know those folks before. It's the realm of our hardware department though and I'm confident they scanned the market.
As you wrote (and they mention here), there's a significant offset in their prices which might kick them out regarding our (by experience so far) very small volumes. Nevertheless, quite an interesting contact. Thanks again. d:-) |
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04-30-2014, 11:39 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-30-2014 11:39 AM by Tugdual.)
Post: #86
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RE: 43s status
(04-29-2014 04:52 AM)walter b Wrote: Thanks for the link. Interesting niche. I didn't know those folks before. It's the realm of our hardware department though and I'm confident they scanned the market.Did you guys ever considered going Kick starter and size the whole project cost with a first production volume in mind? |
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06-05-2014, 03:57 AM
Post: #87
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RE: 43s status
Goog morning (or good night) to all,
Just putting this thread in register X hoping to see the day X news! Have a nice day Jose Mesquita RadioMuseum.org member |
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06-12-2014, 07:32 AM
Post: #88
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RE: 43s status
Dear All,
allow me to throw some ideas into the pond to see whether they float... While I am sure that you have discussed already zillions of possibilities I would like to share some ideas for an "XP 43S pocket calculator and tinkering assistant". Maybe some of them can be picked up and integrated easily without much extra effort. The main idea is extending the basic calculator to something more useful and versatile without making it bulky and expensive. Keyboard
Note: not everything of the following must be directly available in the first cast of the operating system, but the hardware should be available to add such extensions to the software later and ther software should be prepared not to block future functionality. Mechanical Design Provide means to attach external extension boxes to the case, e.g. by screws in prepared screw holes or hooks. Extension modules offer the possibility for the user to compose pice by piece what he needs. Extensibility was a major advantage of the HP-41 and the Hp-48 systems. On the other hand these systems, especially the HP 48, family suffered somewhat from the volume provided to install internal extensions. The basic machine should be small and handy and not provide empty space, slots etc. for extensions. Extensions could be part of a sliding cover, which could be easily replaced. E.g. on the HP 20b and 30b the rear cover could be replaced by a double height cover with extension modules inside. All mechanical and electrical connectors would be under this cover. This would be a similar concept like the shields stacked onto an Arduino board, only more elegant and sleek. Interfaces
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06-12-2014, 09:37 PM
Post: #89
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RE: 43s status
Here are some additional suggestions, see if you can include them too:
* Cortex A15 processor * 8 GBytes of RAM * SSD drive for storage * GPS Navigation * Blu-Ray player * 7.1 Surround sound * 19" alloy wheels Would be nice-to-have (only if you have enough space in the case): * Blind-spot monitoring system. PS: Don't mean to offend anybody, I just found amusing the overwhelming number of requests/ideas (I'm sure some of them are perfectly reasonable). |
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06-12-2014, 10:24 PM
Post: #90
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RE: 43s status
(06-12-2014 09:37 PM)Claudio L. Wrote: Here are some additional suggestions, see if you can include them too: Won't even touch it with a pole if it doesn't include a Lightsaber. Greetings, Massimo -+×÷ ↔ left is right and right is wrong |
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06-13-2014, 04:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-13-2014 04:28 AM by brouhaha.)
Post: #91
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06-13-2014, 05:21 AM
Post: #92
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06-13-2014, 06:30 AM
Post: #93
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 04:28 AM)brouhaha Wrote:(06-12-2014 09:37 PM)Claudio L. Wrote: * Cortex A15 processor Let's look for simplicity, "Zen and the Art of Calculator Design": A 1-bit processor with a single key and a single RED LED ! This should help driving teamwork in the classroom: 32 students combining their single-bit calculators into a 32-bit calculating cluster. |
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06-13-2014, 12:33 PM
Post: #94
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RE: 43s status
(06-12-2014 09:37 PM)Claudio L. Wrote: Here are some additional suggestions, see if you can include them too: Claudio, you did not offend anybody, just me. You might not have noticed that most of my ideas are already available, even in the HP 20/30 hardware (like I2C,TWI, A/D, D/A, digital I/O etc.), but unfortunately not easily accessible due to a missing connector and the missing software support. With minimum effort and almost zero space one could add a lot of features which would make such a device more interesting for a larger group of people without increasing the dimensions or weight of the device. I think the basic mechanical design of the HP20/30 shows an excellent example with the sliding back, which could be exploited in a similar way by a new device. Another thing, I forgot to mention: an SD-card slot would of course be very useful (see the success of the HP-48 and HP-41 family) - I do not need an additional SSD when I have 8-16GB FLASH memory. Except for the 19" alloy wheels I agree also with your suggestions - I'd prefer 17" wheels because of the better acceleration when running recursive functions. As I had written, I would prefer most extra devices as external add-on options so that I do not have to buy the GPS as I already have one (on the other hand it's indeed just another 10$, so its more a question of volume and power consumption). Same goes for your video and sound equipment - I would prefer a silent device possibly with basic sound generation (BEEP) and you can get the sliding boombox back with the associated BLASTURNAIBOR command - as you like. |
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06-13-2014, 01:57 PM
Post: #95
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 12:33 PM)Martin Hepperle Wrote: Claudio, you did not offend anybody, just me. You might not have noticed that most of my ideas are already available, even in the HP 20/30 hardware (like I2C,TWI, A/D, D/A, digital I/O etc.), but unfortunately not easily accessible due to a missing connector and the missing software support. With minimum effort and almost zero space one could add a lot of features which would make such a device more interesting for a larger group of people without increasing the dimensions or weight of the device. I think the basic mechanical design of the HP20/30 shows an excellent example with the sliding back, which could be exploited in a similar way by a new device. While many of your suggestions are I/O related and come already with the SoC, they would require a PCB designed to expose the I/O pins to the (additional) connector, some extra components, and a complete software stack to drive them, with an API to expose to the user, so you need USB stack, Bluetooth stack, SDMMC, GPIO, serial and I2C APIs. I'm not sure I can agree on the "with minimum effort" part. Wouldn't you be better served with a device designed to do that? (Raspberry Pi, Beagleboard, etc) They already have a lot of I/O exposed and the software stacks ready to use. The cost of a R.Pi is about the same range as the calculators we are talking about. |
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06-13-2014, 03:59 PM
Post: #96
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 06:30 AM)Didier Lachieze Wrote: A 1-bit processor Hey, a bit-serial architecture worked for everything up through the 41s and the Nut-based Voyagers... |
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06-13-2014, 09:01 PM
Post: #97
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 04:28 AM)brouhaha Wrote:(06-12-2014 09:37 PM)Claudio L. Wrote: * Cortex A15 processor Have you decided yet what processor to use? or at least processor family? |
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06-13-2014, 09:47 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-13-2014 10:16 PM by anetzer.)
Post: #98
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 03:59 PM)bhtooefr Wrote: a bit-serial architecture worked for everything up through the 41s and the Nut-based Voyagers... ... and the Hp-71B uses a data path of 4-bit "nibbles" (cute, innit?). It can address more than a meganibble (512k)! Back to business: True, the list that Martin has compiled is quite enthusiastic, but I do indeed like one of the points he is making: If the system bus could be accessed through a latch at the bottom and appropriate fast points where provided in the casing, later-on aftermarket piggy-bottom extensions might be developed. It is just about leaving room to breathe in the hardware design. Martin himself seems to see that the firmware would have to evolve for such expansions to be practical. It is a given that the HP-41 was somewhat hampered by its hangar-sized module bays, but the mere possibility of doubling up the bottom of a calc wouldn't fatten the base model... Just my 2 Eurocents... a. p.s. (06-13-2014 05:21 AM)walter b Wrote: Seriously, how (far) are you? +1! |
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06-13-2014, 09:55 PM
Post: #99
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RE: 43s status
(06-13-2014 09:47 PM)anetzer Wrote: It is a given that the HP-41 was somewhat hampered by it's hangar-sized module bays, but the mere possibility of doubling up the bottom of a calc wouldn't fatten the base model... Hampered? Never looked at it this way. Greetings, Massimo -+×÷ ↔ left is right and right is wrong |
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06-13-2014, 10:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-13-2014 10:14 PM by anetzer.)
Post: #100
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