So, I bought a 41CV

[TheKaneB]

Ok, the temptation is strong, and the flesh is weak. I could not resist and got one on the evil bay!

May the gods of my credit card forgive my sins!

I hope it survives the journey!
Is there anything important that I should know about the 41CV when I will first try it?
What's the user interface / functions / speed like compared to the 15C?

Bye!

[Dieter]

(01-20-2018 06:21 PM)TheKaneB Wrote:  Ok, the temptation is strong, and the flesh is weak. I could not resist and got one on the evil bay!

Then you should get four N batteries now so that you can use it right away when it arrives.

(01-20-2018 06:21 PM)TheKaneB Wrote:  What's the user interface / functions / speed like compared to the 15C?

It is very different. The keyboard offers only a few functions, the rest is called by spelling its name [XEQ] [ALPHA] name [ALPHA] or by individual keyboard assignment. Also the 41C is significantly faster than the 41C, and being able to display text is a BIG plus. There also is much more memory, and you can have multiple programs in their own separate memory areas.

On the other hand the 15C offers complex math, Solve and Integrate, and matrix functions. The latter three are available in the 41's Advantage ROM but not on a plain vanilla 41C/CV/CX.

The 41s are great calculators, and I'd recommend you read the complete 41 manual. There is an online version, and the usual sources offer a PDF version.

Dieter

[Dave Britten]

I highly recommend the Advantage ROM. It's a collection of the most important features from the 12C, 15C, and 16C.

Extended Functions is also worth having, even if you don't get a bunch of additional Extended Memory modules. You'll still get a bit of x-mem, plus quite a few useful functions.

Also, if you need a case, look at your preferred electronics retailer (Best Buy, etc.). Portable hard drive cases are often a very good fit. I have one with a padded interior, and a slot on the front that fits a few QRGs, overlays, and a tiny Moleskine for programs/notes.

[BobVA]

If you don't have the museum DVD's / USB stick they're worth getting for a read through the manual, if a set wasn't included with the one you bought. Very pleasant and it will make sure you don't miss any of the fundamentals about how to program it, etc.

Some quick thoughts:

- The HP-41 uses 1.5 volt "N" (LR1) cells. DO *NOT* INSTALL THE SIMILAR SIZED 12 volt BATTERIES THAT ARE USED IN CIGARETTE LIGHTERS / GARAGE DOOR OPENERS. Many an HP-41 has been lost to that sad mistake.

- You'll notice the keyboard is pretty sparse compared to the 15c. Most of the functions aren't on the keyboard, but are called by typing in their name. If you frequently use a function that's not on the keyboard, you can assign it to any key / shifted key for use with the calculator in "USER" mode. The calculator will accept thin overlays that let you note what the assignments are. And you can hold down a key to see what it does (shows on the display after a second or so). You can assign your own programs to the keys as well, making it very flexible.

- The 41 has a more sophisticated hardware/operating architecture than the 15c (I/O, fully re-assignable keyboard, etc) , but the latter is tuned extremely well to support day-to-day engineering and scientific calculations.

- Right out of the box 41 is extremely capable, and there's an enormous amount of additional documentation available on "under the hood" techniques to further extend it. And the software base for it continues to expand, even today.

- With the right software and peripherals you can do almost anything with the 41 (e.g. make a function specific calculator for the space shuttle or control a data acquisition set up in a lab), whereas the 15c has 90% of what I typically need right on the keyboard. Very different machines designed to solve two achieve two very different goals. Imagine the 15c is the Leatherman tool to the 41's machine shop :-)

You'll have fun with it! If you can get a time module, that adds an interesting dimension to programming and day-to-day use.

[Dieter]

(01-20-2018 07:09 PM)BobVA Wrote:  - The HP-41 uses 1.5 volt "N" (LR1) cells. DO *NOT* INSTALL THE SIMILAR SIZED 12 volt BATTERIES THAT ARE USED IN CIGARETTE LIGHTERS / GARAGE DOOR OPENERS. Many an HP-41 has been lost to that sad mistake.

AND ALSO DO *NOT* INSTALL THE SIMILAR SIZED 6 V BATTERIES THAT ARE USED IN MANY CLASSIC CAMERAS!

(01-20-2018 07:09 PM)BobVA Wrote:  You'll have fun with it!

Definitely. ;-)

Dieter

[toml_12953]

(01-20-2018 07:01 PM)Dieter Wrote:  Also the 41C is significantly faster than the 41C...

Is it really?

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(01-20-2018 07:22 PM)toml_12953 Wrote:  

(01-20-2018 07:01 PM)Dieter Wrote:  Also the 41C is significantly faster than the 41C...

Is it really?

It certainly is.

[salvomic]

(01-20-2018 06:21 PM)TheKaneB Wrote:  Ok, the temptation is strong, and the flesh is weak. I could not resist and got one on the evil bay!
May the gods of my credit card forgive my sins!

Very compliments, Antonio!
yes, may the gods of our credit card forgive us ;-)

(01-20-2018 07:09 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  I highly recommend the Advantage ROM. ...

me too. I'm using is in my 41CX (with also Math module) and I find it very useful.
Also you could think to the Time module, if you think to use time functions...

Salvo

[Maximilian Hohmann]

(01-20-2018 07:49 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  It certainly is.

Probably wrote this already a dozen times or so, but what's this obsession with the speed of a pocket calculator? With all "normal" calculations, i.e. everything you can invoke from your keyboard, all three mentioned calculators (15,41,41C) will give you instant response. Not like those wonderful mid-70ies glow-in-the-dark calculators which could take a second or more to come up with a sine.

And for everything where speed is a factor (like computing possible collisions of near-eatth-objects with the earth) a pocket calculator is the wrong tool to use.

Personally when I got my first HP-41 I instantly admired the "clean", or better uncluttered, keyboard with a single shift key. But when I found out that one needs to key "XEQ ALPHA followed by some hard-to-remember-three-letter-abbreviation" to invoke all the functions not visible on the keyboard I instantly valued the 3-shift-keys HP-67 a lot higher than before! But on the HP-41 you have "USER" mode where you can assign your most often needed functions to keys of your choice which helps a lot.

Enjoy your new toy!
Max

[TheKaneB]

I have a bunch of Alkaline 1.5V LR1 / N cells that I picked up for my 28C.
Thank you everybody for all the info! I’m really excited

[aurelio]

compliments for your purchase , it will be sure a good companion..
do not forget cells inside if you do not use it for a long period,
do not try to open if not necessary, is it a halfnut or a fullnut device?

[Dieter]

(01-20-2018 07:49 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(01-20-2018 07:22 PM)toml_12953 Wrote:  Is it really?

It certainly is.

Ok, ok... #-)
I promise I will not correct this. ;-)

Dieter

[TheKaneB]

(01-20-2018 08:55 PM)aurelio Wrote:  is it a halfnut or a fullnut device?

The display has rounded corners, so I assume it's a half nut.

[rprosperi]

(01-20-2018 09:00 PM)Dieter Wrote:  

(01-20-2018 07:49 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  It certainly is.

Ok, ok... #-)
I promise I will not correct this. ;-)

Dieter

Perfect! That's even better than Massimo's reply.

[hth]

(01-20-2018 08:04 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  

(01-20-2018 07:49 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  It certainly is.

Probably wrote this already a dozen times or so, but what's this obsession with the speed of a pocket calculator? With all "normal" calculations, i.e. everything you can invoke from your keyboard, all three mentioned calculators (15,41,41C) will give you instant response. Not like those wonderful mid-70ies glow-in-the-dark calculators which could take a second or more to come up with a sine.

I agree and I have another one. I do not understand the obsession with number of digits. Back in school when I worked with numbers it was real world problems, meaning I had to figure out the number of digits of the result I got that could be trusted, it was always far less than 10. It was even better in engineering class, 3 digits, that is what you want, no more no less. So there I put the HP-41 in ENG 03 and ignored all these digits it used internally, very simple.

So, I find it hard to understand why on earth one would need 30+ digits... Perhaps for massively long simulation calculations? I do not know... and I would not use a calculator for that.

I think the HP-41 runs about 10-15% faster than the 15C in raw performance. Probably noticeable when compared next to each other, but hardly any huge difference.

The HP-41 is a super nice and fun calculator, enjoy it! If you want even more fun, look no further than at the top of it, you can connect so much cool stuff there.

Håkan

[mfleming]

(01-21-2018 01:58 AM)hth Wrote:  The HP-41 is a super nice and fun calculator, enjoy it! If you want even more fun, look no further than at the top of it, you can connect so much cool stuff there.

Håkan

Take care to keep your credit card away from the Cool Stuff event horizon!

[Dave Britten]

(01-21-2018 02:10 AM)mfleming Wrote:  

(01-21-2018 01:58 AM)hth Wrote:  The HP-41 is a super nice and fun calculator, enjoy it! If you want even more fun, look no further than at the top of it, you can connect so much cool stuff there.

Håkan

Take care to keep your credit card away from the Cool Stuff event horizon!

The Time module alone will send you hurtling toward the singularity.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(01-20-2018 08:04 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  I instantly valued the 3-shift-keys HP-67 a lot higher than before!

Yep!
The only calculator with labels below the key: that's enough to confuse me each time I grab one.

[Joe Horn]

(01-21-2018 02:36 AM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(01-20-2018 08:04 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  I instantly valued the 3-shift-keys HP-67 a lot higher than before!

Yep!
The only calculator with labels below the key: that's enough to confuse me each time I grab one.

Don't forget the Topcat series, which are also pocket calculators (for sufficiently large pockets).

[hth]

(01-21-2018 02:22 AM)Dave Britten Wrote:  

(01-21-2018 02:10 AM)mfleming Wrote:  Take care to keep your credit card away from the Cool Stuff event horizon!

The Time module alone will send you hurtling toward the singularity.

Not when I got mine in 1982/1983. I have long forgotten how much I paid for it (list price) and I am still happy with that buy.

The Time module is one of the best modules HP ever made (the only one that can compete is the HP-IL module). Very good manual and the VASM listing is pure joy. Fantastic piece of engineering.

Håkan