Author Topic: Calculators? (Read 30561 times)

nathanscribe · « **on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 15:06:08 »

I have an occasional calculator habit. It started about five years ago when I decided to pick up some models I remember my dad having around the late 70s/early 80s, and that was it. Ebay agogo. I've parted with a few of them but have kept a selection I intend to add to at random moments.

My current calculatrice du jour is the Casio fx-31. Nice blue display, pleasant keys, batteries last for ages, and it goes with my other man-about-town style apparatus, a Casio digital watch and Ericsson GA628. The 628 is recommended for the modern gent, with its slimline profile and 10-text memory.

HaaTa · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 15:45:56 »

Victor 12PD, didn't think I'd get to show it again so soon

.

Ekaros · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 16:50:44 »

BTW, TI 84-plus is a rubberdome...

Also, is there any function(no-graphical) calculator with symbolic-features, meaning symbolic integration/derivation?

Might post a picture of my:
TI-1200...

timw4mail · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 17:24:32 »

Quote from: Ekaros;231884

BTW, TI 84-plus is a rubberdome...

Also, is there any function(no-graphical) calculator with symbolic-features, meaning symbolic integration/derivation?

Might post a picture of my:
TI-1200...

Is there a graphing calculator with mechanical switches?

Konrad · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 19:42:15 »

lol, you guys are in the wrong place then -
http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/calculator_forums.html

Pylon · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 19:49:12 »

I have a Ti-83+, which is my main. It's pretty decent, though the keys are mushy and my particular one has a really dim LCD. but I really like its industrial design (black...like a Thinkpad...some of the keys are also blue, not exactly IBM enter key blue, but not that far) . I've used my friend's Ti-84 and the keys are much more tactile, but need a lot more force to actuate, so it's a tradeoff. But I think the keys on the Ti-83+ are shaped better, and I like the font (Helvetica) much better.

But yeah, I really wish that there was a graphing calculator with decent keys. Not only mechanical, but much larger keys for the numbers. I wouldn't mind a size increase if I got larger keys. I think scissors would be good too.

Konrad · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 19:52:40 »

TI-83+ booya - same here. I can't remember how many calculators I went through before, but haven't needed another since. Some of the Sharp/Casio scientifics aren't so bad, but they just don't cut it. Next step up from graphing calculator is a PC.

Pylon · « **Reply #7 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 20:07:26 »

I actually think there's two variants of the Ti-83+. I bought mine's a year ago, and it's somewhat different compared to the ones my friends sport (which are presumably older). Older Ti-83+'s have slightly translucent gray keys, while mine's (presumably newer) has completely opaque keys, with much crisper lettering and somewhat better key feel. The color of the yellow lettering is also less orange on the newer ones. But then, the older Ti-83+'s seem to have brighter screens, while mine's has a really dim screen. I suspect they crippled it to raise Ti-84 sales.

timw4mail · « **Reply #8 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 20:23:05 »

I have a Ti-84+ and a Ti-89.

Konrad · « **Reply #9 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 21:19:21 »

I got my TI-83+ somewhen around 2000 ... they came out with the (apparently much better) Silver version less than a year later. But oh well, it was the best for its time (certainly better than any HP piece o' ****). I, too, am surprised that the price hasn't really changed since introduction. wikipedia comparison page isn't bad, too bad my 83+ sucks now, lol.

HaaTa · « **Reply #10 on:** Sat, 09 October 2010, 22:46:36 »

Back when I needed one in high school, I got one of those TI-83+ Silver Editions.
That being said, my math marks would've been at least 10% higher if I never got one

.

EverythingIBM · « **Reply #11 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 01:37:39 »

Quote from: kishy;231954

Also rocking a TI-83+.

Something I found interesting: I got it 8 years ago and the retail price hasn't changed by a single penny in that time.

I noticed that too...

I use a TI-83+ Silver. SPARKLY!

Bhtooefr said you could swap a different TI screen in it to get a higher resolution in the 83 plus silver. I forget which one though.

nathanscribe · « **Reply #12 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 09:47:04 »

Yet another reason why I should give in to the iPod pressure... not remotely interested in portable music, but there are loads of handy apps that are gradually proving irresistible.

Findecanor · « **Reply #13 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 10:16:40 »

I have got a few vintage calculators: TI Exactra 20, TI-1200, TI Programmable 58C, TI-30 III, Educatron ER8095.
I also have a TI-83 and a Casio FX82d.
... But when I am in front of a Linux computer I tend to use a Python interpreter instead.

Early calculator keyboards had not rubber domes, but rather a kind of metal domes often called "snap action discs" that worked like metal clickers. Here is a description of one such keyboard.

Before calculators had LCD displays, they used to have LED displays ... with tiny tiny surface-mounted LED arrays behind magnifying bubbles of high-quality clear plastic.
I started looking for vintage calculators so that I could scavenge magnifying bubbles to put into my Star Wars lightsaber replicas that I have been building. However, I did not have the heart to destroy my beautiful and fully working Exactra 20, so I got some very good replica parts instead .. for much less than the calculator had cost me.
However... I have scrapped a TI-30 so that I could put parts of its keyboard into a lightsaber.

nathanscribe · « **Reply #14 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 10:49:10 »

LEDs? Pah. If you want a proper display, you need Nixie tubes.

My earliest calc is from 1973 and has some kind of vacuum display. I'll dig up a pic and post it when I get chance.

Ekaros · « **Reply #15 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 13:51:31 »

I still love easycalc-named app for Palm OS, sad I don't have any palms in use anymore...

mr_a500 · « **Reply #16 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 14:10:10 »

Quote from: ripster;231848

The Alpsulator.
Show Image

Complicated White ALPS in a USB capable calculator (it becomes a numpad).

Details in the link in my sig.

Interesting. I'd like to make a "Buckulator". It would have to have capacitive buckling spring switches and a nixie tube display.

A "Beamulator" would be even better - with thick double-shot keycaps... and a control panel with lighted switches capable of launching nuclear weapons or giant death rays capable of unleashing cosmic destruction on an unimaginable scale. (yes, but still just a calculator)

Pylon · « **Reply #17 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 14:39:54 »

Quote from: nathanscribe;232129

LEDs? Pah. If you want a proper display, you need Nixie tubes.

My earliest calc is from 1973 and has some kind of vacuum display. I'll dig up a pic and post it when I get chance.

They should make a calculator with split flap displays.

Findecanor · « **Reply #18 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 15:40:59 »

Quote from: mr_a500;232181

A "Beamulator" would be even better - with thick double-shot keycaps... and a control panel with lighted switches capable of launching nuclear weapons or giant death rays capable of unleashing cosmic destruction on an unimaginable scale. (yes, but still just a calculator)

You have not seen this yet?

Konrad · « **Reply #19 on:** Sun, 10 October 2010, 15:54:14 »

I inherited the split-flap clock/alarm/radio my parents bought back in the 70s (I think). Annoying hum from the constantly moving electric motor/gears. Awful timekeeping now, after 40 years without real maintenance. Vacuum tubes. Nasty brittle once-white bakelite casing. Glowing numerals are probably radioactive tritium for all I know. What a piece o' crap. Sometimes retro goes a little too far.

lowpoly · « **Reply #20 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 05:56:02 »

I have an HP 48G, an HP 48GX with MetaKernel/Ramcard and an Alpsulator like Ripster but with blue Alps.

The Alpsulator misses a key now and then. I think it started after the switch replacement, not sure though.

I'd love to have something like the Alpsulator but with RPN and Backspace. A Model M2 would be a good base for a mod. :love:

mr_a500 · « **Reply #21 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 09:40:52 »

Quote from: Findecanor;232209

You have not seen this yet?

That's awesome. I've got to get one. Why? I don't know.

RickyJ · « **Reply #22 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 18:37:45 »

I used my TI-89 all the way through my engineering degree. Doing symbolic integrals and differentials on it during a test was a great way to check my work. The screen refresh rate was a bit slow for the games I had on it, but that didn't stop me from playing them in certain classes. The people that bought TI-83+ during high school (instead of using the supplied TI-83's) still had them in university, but they were of minimal use. This was before the "Silver Edition" shenanigans.

jpc · « **Reply #23 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 19:02:54 »

The TI-89 is great. I bought one of the first ones in 1998.

In college for EE, we had some exams whose most difficult aspect was simplifying algebraic expressions. (This is the difficult part of solving Laplace transforms. What's a Laplace transform? I forgot long ago...)

And the TI-89 would do it for you. I remember handing in a 90-minute exam at the 23-minute mark and drawing a few stares

jpc · « **Reply #24 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 19:04:27 »

Hmmm, the TI-89 would wet its electronic pants if it ever met that Remington-Rand EDC-III

RickyJ · « **Reply #25 on:** Wed, 13 October 2010, 19:52:01 »

Quote from: jpc;233531

The TI-89 is great. I bought one of the first ones in 1998.

In college for EE, we had some exams whose most difficult aspect was simplifying algebraic expressions. (This is the difficult part of solving Laplace transforms. What's a Laplace transform? I forgot long ago...)

And the TI-89 would do it for you. I remember handing in a 90-minute exam at the 23-minute mark and drawing a few stares

In the courses where we learned Laplace/Fourier/Convolution/etc transforms we weren't allowed to use calculators in exams (in general, no calculators in exams until 4th year). Doing FFT's by hand was cake after doing complex Fourier transforms by hand. I still have nightmares about university, lol.

keyb_gr · « **Reply #26 on:** Thu, 14 October 2010, 11:40:57 »

A "no programmable calculator" policy still isn't unusual for exams. I think only a few of mine permitted everything. Thus I got through university on TI-30X IIS and fx-991ES, ordinary scientific calcs. I wouldn't recommend that exact same combination though, going back and forth between rather different models isn't good for efficiency.

nathanscribe · « **Reply #27 on:** Thu, 14 October 2010, 12:54:11 »

I have to say I'm toying with the idea of a HP 35s, but if I'm honest i just think it looks nice and has RPN... no idea how good it is.

I bought an early Casio graphing calc twenty years ago, the 7000G or something - but it eats batteries more often than I eat pizzas. Not fun. It uses 3 x CR2032.

I have a soft spot for old Sinclair kit, but again they eat batteries. They look good on the desk though.

Ekaros · « **Reply #28 on:** Fri, 15 October 2010, 03:22:51 »

Quote from: RickyJ;233551

In the courses where we learned Laplace/Fourier/Convolution/etc transforms we weren't allowed to use calculators in exams (in general, no calculators in exams until 4th year). Doing FFT's by hand was cake after doing complex Fourier transforms by hand. I still have nightmares about university, lol.

I'm now doing Signals and Systems named course, as it's applied we can use ANY calculator we like, just no PDAs and such... On other hand on Math course about Complex Analysis, no calculator is allowed...

I hate integrals...

Still, bit pointless to get any expensive symbolic calculator for one or two exams, as other stuff is mainly done on computer...

kps · « **Reply #29 on:** Fri, 15 October 2010, 10:09:38 »

Quote from: nathanscribe;233811

I have to say I'm toying with the idea of a HP 35s, but if I'm honest i just think it looks nice and has RPN... no idea how good it is.

It's junk. Save up for something pre-Carly.

woody · « **Reply #30 on:** Fri, 15 October 2010, 11:31:52 »

This is the calculator I've grown up with. Elektronika MK 61. Programmable, RPN and all the joy. Most practical use was on AC, because of the display it ate batteries like there's no tomorrow.
________
buy volcano vaporizer

nathanscribe · « **Reply #31 on:** Fri, 15 October 2010, 15:44:22 »

Quote from: kps;234199

It's junk. Save up for something pre-Carly.

Pre-Carly? And I'd be interested to know what makes it junk for you. For my needs I could probably get away with a college-level Casio, but I like nice tools.

8_INCH_FLOPPY · « **Reply #32 on:** Fri, 15 October 2010, 20:15:54 »

I thoroughly DISLIKE RPN.

Half-Saint · « **Reply #33 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 02:05:24 »

I have a Commodore LC5K3, Commodore GL-979D, an Omron 10SR and a Triumph 81S which is kind of my favorite.

Sam · « **Reply #34 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 02:50:58 »

I guess I'm dating myself here. Long ago I used a TI-59 Programmable, with magnetic cards and I had the optional thermal printer. Later switched to a HP-41C. I had fond memories of both, but the HP-16C was the one I used the most, for use while coding assembler, back in the pre-windows days when you couldn't just have a calculator app in the background.

All three of them are heavily worn from years of use and abuse. Don't have them handy though to take any pics.

maxlugar · « **Reply #35 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 03:10:31 »

Quote from: Sam;236660

I guess I'm dating myself here. Long ago I used a TI-59 Programmable, with magnetic cards and I had the optional thermal printer. Later switched to a HP-41C. I had fond memories of both, but the HP-16C was the one I used the most, for use while coding assembler, back in the pre-windows days when you couldn't just have a calculator app in the background.

All three of them are heavily worn from years of use and abuse. Don't have them handy though to take any pics.

No, I'm 42 and I remember those calculators.

The mighty red LED TI-30 got me through high school physics, chemistry and calculus. That was one of those virtually indestructible monsters that had really ****ty feeling keys.

I started off as an engineering major with the HP-16c but couldn't pass Engineering Graphics to save my soul. So I switched majors to accounting and got myself an HP-12c which I still use on a daily basis, 21+ years later.

I've been given the new HP-12c Platinum and HP-12c Platinum limited edition calculators as gifts. Even though they have faster processeors and a greater number of memory stacks for time value of money calcs, I still prefer my 21 year old HP 12-c (made in Corvallis, Oregon USA) vs. the new Platinum 12-cs made in China. Did quality decline???.......YES!!!

maxlugar · « **Reply #36 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 03:12:44 »

Quote from: 8_INCH_FLOPPY;234480

I thoroughly DISLIKE RPN.

I thoroughly DISLIKE = sign keys on calculators

Sam · « **Reply #37 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 03:28:50 »

Quote from: maxlugar;236661

I started off as an engineering major with the HP-16c but couldn't pass Engineering Graphics to save my soul. So I switched majors to accounting and got myself an HP-12c which I still use on a daily basis, 21+ years later.

I used my HP-16C on a daily (more like hourly) basis up until about 5 years ago. I loved it so much I actually bought two of them for fear that one would break and I wouldn't be able to replace it. These days though I find it quicker to simply do most calculations in my head, and if I have something more complicated to calculate, I end up using the Windows calculator in the programmers mode, with the one advantage being I can cut and paste results from/into source code. Saves me having to type it again and risk making an error. My HP-16C still sits on my desk. I just now tried to turn it on for the first time in many years, but looks like the battery is dead. I was never a believer in HP calculators until I tried one. After using it, I agree, the equal sign has no place on a proper calculator.

lowpoly · « **Reply #38 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 04:09:36 »

This thread should have a TI vs. HP poll.

J888www · « **Reply #39 on:** Thu, 21 October 2010, 06:07:06 »

A hexadecimal calculator.

After watching the video, I considered myself to be "stupid" but maybe not too lazy afterall.

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Author Topic: Calculators? (Read 30561 times)

woody