Casio fx-50F/fx-50FH programming

[David22]

(08-19-2020 08:11 PM)johanw Wrote:  

(08-16-2020 06:59 PM)David22 Wrote:  Casio fx-5800P is the only other non-graphic programmable cal available today,

From a reader on this forum I had expected you to know of the DM1x series. While they use a dot matrix LCD they are non-graphic. If you allow alphanumeric the DM41 also counts.

johanw: Casio fx-5800P is non-graphic programmable calculator but it seems graphic. On other side it can store a lot of alphanumeric information even without being hacked: it has 28 KB user memory and dot-matrix display.

DM41 is a modern "clone" of HP-41, so it has alphanumeric capabilities implied in that cloning/emulation as HP-41 was 1st pocket alphanumeric calculator (and a lovely one), and worse: HP-41 has a limited 14-segment LCD chars (it is hard to differentiate some symbols or even impossible to do others) while DM41 has DOT-MATRIX (although as it emulates a HP-41 I suppose it has same limitations on characters, but you can differentiate them much better), but MUCH WORSE: DM41, like all SwissMicros not only has dot-matrix display, but also programmable firmware, so you can change it and create a cheat tool, even without changing calculator hardware.

In a Casio fx-50H, to cheat, it is needed to change internal hardware, because with included one it is impossible. With SiwssMicros it is easier: only firmware/software change is needed.

About "real" HP-41, its display is alphanumeric but limited to cheat (it doesn't show all usual characters a dot-matrix display can show, and some are not easily to differentiate. For example a 14-segments display can show:

but even HP-41 doesn't implement all the symbols you see in this image). If you limit to 7-sgment displays, HP-41 is out of course, but If I made norms it may be I would let using original HP-41 too.

Of course 14-sgemet display is alphanumeric while 7-segment isn't, but it is in some sense in middle way between 7-segmet display and dot-matrix character display (where you can show all letters, lowercase, uppercase, and all symbols easily). But of course, if you want to ban all alphanumeric displays, HP-41 and all 14-segments display calcs are out. But if you ban only all dot-matrix displays, HP-41 is allowed.

«All alphanumeric displays calcs banned»: HP-41 is banned.

«All dot-matrix display calcs banned»: HP-41 is allowed (original HP-41, not SwissMicros, as SwissMicros have dot-matrix display).

(08-19-2020 08:11 PM)johanw Wrote:  Further the HP12C is still in production. While quite limited it is programmable.

It is programmable, but it has 7-segment display, so you can't cheat with it, even if you hack it, as the limitation factor is its screen (7-segments).