Differences between the DM-42 and upcoming DM-41x?

[Sukiari]

What are the major differences between these two calculators? Does it basically boil down to being able to load modules?

[Paul Dale]

The DM-42 is based on Free42 which is a re-implementation of the HP 42S. Complex numbers, matricies, solver, integration, binary arithmetic and many more additional functions. It also has more memory available.

Pauli

[Eddie W. Shore]

Generally, the DM 42 is based on Free42 which is based on the HP42S. The DM 41x is based on the HP 41C. I think the DM 41x will have some of the modules preinstalled (?).

[grsbanks]

(07-31-2020 02:17 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  The DM 41x is based on the HP 41C. I think the DM 41x will have some of the modules preinstalled (?).

Make that the HP-41CX rather than the 41C. You get the full complement of RAM and Extended Memory right from the get go as well as the Time Module and its functions, plus a few extras that are specific to the DM41X.

I believe some modules will indeed be preinstalled on the flash disk drive but it will still be up to the end user to "plug" them in à la 41CL.

[Namir]

I find it amazing that after 40 years, a new version of HP41C (the 41CX to be more exact) is appearing and is being well received. While it is easier to program in high level languages (and even in HP-71B BASIC to some extent) like Python, Matlab, Excel VBA, and so on, whose codes are all easier to read, I still find the clever tricks of keystroke programming interesting. I was using a few such tricks in programming the Bessel function for the HP41CX, HP-29C and HP25.

Of course, documenting the RPN programs is paramount to make them readable later.

Cheers,

Namir

[techlover]

Thank you for this useful information. I didn't know that before! Best wishes, Nina

[DMaier]

I think the first thing you notice is that the 41X is using the original font. However, the DM41X does feature a modern re-implementation of the HP-41C/CV/CX plugin module system (unlike the DM41 and DM41L). You can import and export programs from the DM42, but that's all net new, relatively speaking, because that wasn't a feature of the original HP-42S.

The museum's write-up of the HP-42S describes the differences with the HP-41C/CV/CX, and, of course, there are differences between the HP-42S and DM42. The DM42 has considerably greater precision and range and adds a new mode for alpha input, for example (the differences with the HP-42S are covered by the DM42 manual on the Swiss Micros site).

Although they are largely software compatible, I do, in practice, find the calculators quite different to use. (No doubt there's endless reams of religious fury on the old HP Museum forum site about which of the old HP calculators is/was better. They kind of each have their own merits.)