Recommend Modules etc. for HP 41C

[Trond]

Hi everyone!
I am still waiting for my HP 41CV to arrive by mail, and I am sniffing around for interesting modules to use. Consider me a complete newbie to 41C here (I have 42S though, which I hear is the successor). I am not even sure how many modules can be connected at one time (I used to think 2, but now I wonder if I can use 4?), and if this ever causes any problems.

I would like to use the calculator for statistics and equations, and for playing around with (feel free to recommend games too!).

I like the sound of the Stat Pac (or maybe the Math/Stat Pac? Which is better?) and the Advantage Module. Maybe a card reader would be fun? Any more info would be greatly appreciated!

[hth]

I think Stat Pac and Math/Stat Pac are the same, just two popular modules packed into one. This is possible as (single) normal module page takes one 4K address page, and a port occupy 8K.

There are 4 physical ports in total at the top of the calculator. (These give 8 address pages).

You can also consider a Clonix/NoV module, then you do not really need to hunt for physical modules and can program them as you like. The Clonix holds 6 pages, and Clonix-D holds 12 pages modules (can be partitioned into two sets if you like). This also allows you to load all (not at the same time!) of the many recent modules that do not exist in physical module form.

Some module utilize bank switching and squeeze multiple pages into the same address, Advantage has 3 pages but occupy 2 address pages (a full port slot).

The card reader is very cool and highly portable. An HP-IL module and a PILBox is even more powerful, but not as portable as you need to bring a laptop too.

I like the new 67 Fun Games module, but the original Games module is not bad either. There are plenty of others I have not tried. A small warning about the Pinball games in the original Games module, avoid it! I wore out the keyboard on my first HP-41CV back in the days playing it too much... Luckily HP replaced it on warranty, even though that was a minor stretch, they could have declined it given that my calculator was just out of the warranty period.

Håkan

[smp]

If you upgrade to the CL processor from Monte here on the Forum, you get ALL the modules. 8-)

smp

[Trond]

(12-03-2017 09:08 PM)hth Wrote:  I think Stat Pac and Math/Stat Pac are the same, just two popular modules packed into one. This is possible as (single) normal module page takes one 4K address page, and a port occupy 8K.

There are 4 physical ports in total at the top of the calculator. (These give 8 address pages).

You can also consider a Clonix/NoV module, then you do not really need to hunt for physical modules and can program them as you like. The Clonix holds 6 pages, and Clonix-D holds 12 pages modules (can be partitioned into two sets if you like). This also allows you to load all (not at the same time!) of the many recent modules that do not exist in physical module form.

Some module utilize bank switching and squeeze multiple pages into the same address, Advantage has 3 pages but occupy 2 address pages (a full port slot).

The card reader is very cool and highly portable. An HP-IL module and a PILBox is even more powerful, but not as portable as you need to bring a laptop too.

I like the new 67 Fun Games module, but the original Games module is not bad either. There are plenty of others I have not tried. A small warning about the Pinball games in the original Games module, avoid it! I wore out the keyboard on my first HP-41CV back in the days playing it too much... Luckily HP replaced it on warranty, even though that was a minor stretch, they could have declined it given that my calculator was just out of the warranty period.

Håkan

Thank you very much for all the info. I have no idea have the Clonix thing might work. Do I buy a module from them and the download the programs?

[Guenter Schink]

(12-03-2017 11:13 PM)Trond Wrote:  Thank you very much for all the info. I have no idea have the Clonix thing might work. Do I buy a module from them and the download the programs?

Have a look NoV-64
Günter

[Garth Wilson]

The Clonix or NoV64 can hold multiple ROM images at a time, but cannot replace ones that have special hardware like HPIL and the Time module which are not just memory. The Time module runs all the time, even when the calc is off, keeping time of day and the date, and has alarm capability and the ability to wake up the 41 to perform various tasks on the schedule you program. The extended memory / extended functions module is nice for keeping onboard files. Note that among the ROM-only modules (which can be programmed into the Clonix or NoV64), there are great new modules that have come out just in the last few years, like the 41z which gives the 41 a true 4-level complex stack and over a hundred complex-number functions written in MCode for maximum performance (unlike the slow complex-number functions in the Advantage module, a module which is nevertheless very nice), and like the Warp_Core which came out just this year. SandMath is a recent one that's great for a lot of high-level math.

[Trond]

Thanks for the tips!
I also like to have a random number generator on my calculator. First off, is this included in any of the modules? Also, which one do you prefer if you program it yourself? (and is there a difference?)

[Guenter Schink]

(12-04-2017 02:53 PM)Trond Wrote:  Thanks for the tips!
I also like to have a random number generator on my calculator. First off, is this included in any of the modules? Also, which one do you prefer if you program it yourself? (and is there a difference?)

I don't know if you have the real view to the subject. The modules aren't just available around the corner. The more sophisticated ones are not only hard to find, they also cost a fortune - and still there is only limited specific functionality in each single module.

Consequently if you aren't a collector but you're after a wealth of functionality then you're best off with either the CL-board (if still available) or the NoV64. Both of them also cost some money (more than 200 US$) but then you have ALL modules available for free. Except of course for those that provide additional HW I/O capability.

Günter

[hth]

(12-04-2017 08:12 PM)Guenter Schink Wrote:  Consequently if you aren't a collector but you're after a wealth of functionality then you're best off with either the CL-board (if still available) or the NoV64. Both of them also cost some money (more than 200 US$) but then you have ALL modules available for free. Except of course for those that provide additional HW I/O capability.

Günter

The Clonix-D is an alternative too. It gives the same capacity as the NoV64 minus RAM, so you lose Hepax and MLDL/RAM-box ability. But you still basically load all the non special H/W capability modules your HP-41 can take (12 pages).

Håkan