71 & 75 Math ROMs, Series 80 Matrix ROM

[J-F Garnier]

This is a continuation of a previous discussion started in another thread.

(05-20-2018 11:01 PM)Valentin Albillo Wrote:  I'd love to have a look at [the HP-75 Math ROM] Owner's Handbook to ascertain what it does and what it doesn't do.

The handbook and QRG are available on the HP75 group (access to files for registered users only), together with the HP75 Math ROM source file!

Quote:For what it does, matrices, I wonder if the HP-75 16 Kb ROM had even a fraction of its functionality. I don't remember that it did, and that's why I'd love to see its manual. The HP-71B Math ROM is also quite inferior in that regard, having much less functionality in its matrix capabilities as compared to the HP80 series ROM.

I didn't remember that the Series 80 Matrix ROM had such more functionalities. Maybe it's time for me to re-start my old HP85...

Quote:Matter of fact, the [HP-75] complex number support isn't integrated at all. The HP-75 mainframe has no provision whatsoever for complex number support (unlike the HP-71B, which does) and so there's no way to integrate it, nicely or not. I did try those capabilities at the time and found them severely lacking and awkward to use.

Sure. Complex numbers are managed as 2-element arrays and, for instance, to add two complex numbers you must do something like:
MAT Z = CADD(Z1,Z2)
But at least it exists, if you need complex numbers, you don't have to write your own routines as you have to in the Series 80.

Quote:I seriously doubt it because the HP-71B's is a 32Kb ROM and the HP-75C's is a 16 Kb one. I don't think that Capricorn assembly language is 2 times more space-efficient than Saturn assembly language so I don't think that it could fit in 16 Kb what it takes 32 Kb in the HP-71B.

This is surprising for me too. Even if the 71 Math LEX is only 27 kB long (the rest of the ROM is filled with 0), it makes a big difference of code size.
I intent to compare the features of the 71 and 75 Math ROM more in details. But it will be the subject of another thread.

Quote:Back at the time I had an HP-87XM fitted with the Assembler ROM (among many others) ad 192 Kb RAM and I did tons of Capricorn assembly language BIN files, including a very large one implementing all kinds of matrix functionality (even SORTing), printing utilities to speed raster graphics, CRT manipulation, the works, and I don't think the instruction set was 200% more efficient space-wise.

If you still have some material of that time, we at the HP Series 80 group would love to see it, and preserve it if you permit.

J-F