HP-IL with HP 82163A Video Interface

[murphy9]

Thanks Meindert - I've been following your great work for many years. With the original Pic controllers we had the opportunity to 'emulate' many existing elements of the 41c ecosystem. But with the advent of devices like the Pico we can push the boundaries further - add in the ability to design pcb's in a few hours and have them shipped for a few dollars - and you have no limits - other than someone having to do the work ;-)

This ideas over time on this formum are an assembly of brilliant minds, and I suspect that ideas previously too complex to consider a decade or two ago now verge on realization.

In working through the old HPCC and MoHPC forums, I've been considering what advancements Pico-like chips could enable, especially in the context of the debate between what we 'should' do versus what we 'could' do.

Broadly speaking, there are two paths I've observed: 'augmentation and extension' and 'replacement.'

'Augmentation and extension' involves preserving the original core logic boards, endowing them with new capabilities like enhanced RAM/ROM and I/O options (sensors, video, wireless networks, etc.), while maintaining the original ethos of the 41c's plug-and-play nature and features like HP-IL, albeit maybe in a 'virtual form' utilizing the more modern approach modern Bluetooth and WiFi. In philosophical terms this approach reflects Plato's philosophy of valuing the original, ideal design, adapting it to new contexts while preserving its essence.

'Replacement' involves endowing the device with 'superpowers' by substituting the Logic Board with modern technologies like FPGA, ARM, PIC, etc., provided by our community's experts. This transformation also involves enhancing the device's I/O capabilities, speed, and battery life. This more mirrors the Cartesian approach of renewal, advocating for a complete overhaul to achieve a new, more capable essence.

Both paths are awesome, and I'm tempted to fully 'twin' all my collection so I could have a foot in each camp (as well as my iPhone versions see enclosed).